All bachelor's programmes at the University of Twente are designed based on the Twente Education Model (TOM).
The TOM model emphasises project-based learning, student-driven education, and the development of T-shaped professionals, who are both deeply knowledgeable in their fields, skilled in collaborating across disciplines, and are aware of the impact this has on society. This foundation will enable UT graduates to make an impact by designing sustainable solutions and working on ground-breaking research.
Why TOM?
TOM prepares students to:
- Become 'T-shaped' professionals: Our students are strong within their respective disciplines but also can use their knowledge in a broader context, in partnership with other disciplines and wider society.
- Take responsibility for their learning: Our students take responsibility for their development. Our education is designed to actively promote students’ intrinsic motivation.
- Develop diverse skills: Students build competencies as researchers, designers, and organisers, ready to critically assess, integrate, and create new knowledge.
Structure of TOM
Each bachelor's programme consists of 12 (thematic) modules, each worth 15 credits, organised into three phases. Each module focuses on a particular project.
- Basis (modules 1-6): Establishes core knowledge and helps students confirm their programme choice. Modules 1 + 2 have a selective and referring role so that students can tell whether they are in the right place in their chosen programme.
- Specialisation (modules 7-10): Modules 7+8 are, where relevant, the elective components within the relevant discipline; modules 9+10 are the free-choice elective components (minor / preparation for a master’s programme). Here, students have the freedom to specialise or develop their interests and talents.
- Graduation (modules 11-12): Focuses on final projects and academic reflection, helping students apply their skills in real-world contexts. In this way, students also learn to reflect on what impact their research or product may have.

Content of the modules
The programme management determines the curriculum within each module. This is described in the programme-specific Teaching and Examination Regulations. The study programme may decide, based on content-related or practical considerations, to design a module as a complete package of integrated educational activities, or as a complete package of related educational activities that are assessed and concluded independently of each other. Each module involves working on a project. Project-based working keeps the students active and allows them to delve deeper into other areas.
The projects show students how the components in their field of study are related to each other and other fields. Through shared projects, they also become familiar with other disciplines (T-shaped). The project is accompanied by teaching activities. Students are more motivated to learn because they experience directly why they need particular knowledge and skills (purpose).
During a structured project all students are given the same assignments and the theory is offered in other module units that run parallel to the project. This knowledge is applied in the project. During an open project, a lot of information is available within the context of the project, possibly preselected by teachers, and students can take on several activities that are required to complete the project. Students can determine whether they want to employ the preselected sources and learning activities provided by the teachers to achieve the learning objectives or select other sources or activities on their own. Proper tutoring is key here. During the project, the students will receive feedback from the teachers, regarding the content.
Active education and reflection The use of a variety of teaching methods promotes an active attitude among the students. Even lectures for large groups also provide as much active education as possible.
In all of the UT bachelor programmes, academic reflection focuses on the relations between science, technology and society, to stimulate a reflexive and responsible academic attitude. The strength of UT's approach is the close connection between education in academic reflection and the discipline-specific content of the programmes. Rather than offering generic courses in history, sociology, philosophy or ethics, UT uses the concrete content of the individual programmes as a starting point and a basis to build upon. For UT academics, reflection on the relations between science, technology and society belongs to their central competencies. Raising reflexive questions naturally and 'from within' is fully integrated into their academic training.
The technical degree programmes participate in a joint mathematics course of learning. Every year, the programme director of mathematics and the programme directors of the participating programmes ensure that the mathematics course of learning is attuned to the content of the programmes as much as possible. The same goes for the joint Methods and Technologies course of learning for the social sciences.
Motivation is important as a key aspect of making students responsible for their development. The modules focus on the key requirements for intrinsic motivation: students are provided with a basic foundation of important knowledge and skills (competence), they have scope for their input in terms of content, the teaching methods or planning (autonomy), and they are part of the community within their programme (relation).
UT seeks to prepare students for a future in which they will work with people from other disciplines. In cases where there are content-related motivations for joint modules, certain module components or projects are shared between multiple programmes, allowing students to become familiar with working in interdisciplinary teams. Efficiency can be another reason for joint education.
Organisation within modules Education is organised into modules; teachers work together to provide education in module teams. In addition to the role of the teacher as expert, coach and provider of inspiration, there are two important roles in the module:
- Teachers work together to design and implement the module. One of the teachers coordinates this process in the role of module coordinator and ensures that the module as a whole is cohesive. There can also be a separate project coordinator.
- Student groups are supervised by a tutor for the project. The tutor has an important role in the student's learning process by acting as a coach for his or her students.
Assessment
Modules are assessed as cohesive units, with students receiving continuous feedback. In some cases, modules culminate in a single grade based on a comprehensive assessment, similar to a thesis evaluation. Small, non-mandatory tests are also offered throughout modules. These assessments can compensate for earlier scores, emphasising continuous improvement over single high-stakes exams. There are also repair options in place. For students narrowly missing passing marks, a repair period is offered at the end of modules, allowing them to meet requirements without disrupting their studies.
In some cases, this even results in a strongly integrated module with only one grade: the grade achieved for an integrated final test during which all content is assessed at once. This is possible because students receive regular feedback throughout the module, without being graded. This is comparable to the assessment of a final thesis assignment: the student receives only one final grade for the entire process, while the various units compensate for each other.
Offering small tests during the module is also possible. These small tests don't need to be obligatory. For example, the teacher could offer a test every two weeks on the material that was discussed. With this test, various subjects are assessed with combined questions. When these tests build on each other (cumulative), they can easily compensate for each other: if a student has gained additional knowledge over the next two weeks and now has a good understanding of the subject matter, a first fail can be compensated for.
In a module, the students cannot “automatically go for the re-sit”. Students who narrowly fail the module on the first try (with an average final grade between 5 and 5.5) are discussed during a module meeting at the end of the module. During this meeting, the module team decides on the additional assessment or repair the student is required to do. If decided (during a module meeting at the end of the module) that repairs are required, these can of course no longer take place during the module itself. This repair then takes place during the next module. In case of any doubt or force majeure, the examination board can decide on additional supplements outside the original testing plan on a per-case basis.
It is recommended to schedule a repair day on Thursday and Friday in week 10 of the following module. Students who are not required to do any repairs have those days off. The repair day for module 4 takes place during the summer.
Example of compensatory tests To prevent students from completing the programme even though they do not have sufficient understanding of one particular subject, it is possible to decide to raise the module requirements.
For example: all tests have to be completed with a passing grade. However, this also prevents excellent students who may have suffered from a temporary blackout from acquiring the full 15 ECTS.
Another possibility is to set an additional requirement. For example: the module has to be completed with an average grade of 5.5, while one of the marks can be a fail grade. To prevent a negative binding recommendation on continuation of studies, students must have completed three modules and no more than two marks are allowed to be a 5 or less.
Another option is to require that the average module grade is 5.5, while all marks have to be at least a 5. For instance, if one of these marks is a 4.5, the module has not been completed. However, if the student obtains a 7 in a later module with which the 4.5 can be compensated, the previous module will have been completed retroactively. The 4.5 will continue to exist and will be listed on the diploma supplement. A student who does not want this has to retake the entire module during the next academic year.
These test and compensation rules are listed in the module’s test plan. These plans are listed in the Education and Examination Regulations (OER). The examination board can decide to make exceptions to these rules on a per-case basis.
Brochures
Download the brochures below to learn more about TOM.
Last edit: 12 February 2025