果冻传媒

During my Dutch hbo Applied Science study program (specialization in chemistry) at Fontys Hogescholen in Eindhoven, I always wanted to learn more than I was taught. I also wanted more in-depth insights and theory on certain physical phenomena, or why molecules behave like they do. So, I felt that I didn鈥檛 gain sufficient theoretical knowledge in my Dutch hbo studies to satisfy my needs.

To fulfil my theoretical curiosity, I decided to pursue a Master鈥檚 program in Chemical Engineering (CE) with the Molecular Systems and Materials Chemistry track. Before I could start with my Master鈥檚, however, I took the hbo-top Chemical Engineering pre-master as a minor while I was still completing my Dutch hbo studies. This pre-master (minor) enabled me to get adapted to the academic way of teaching and offered a smoother transition from hbo to university. Doing my pre-master as a minor ensured that I could start with my master鈥檚 study program directly after I obtained my bachelor鈥檚 degree.

This pre-master has to be finished within one year with only one retake exam for every course. The fact that if you don鈥檛 pass the pre-master in one try, you鈥檙e not able to redo the pre-master and consequently not allowed to start the master鈥檚 program definitely lifts the pressure. This strict hardship clause obviously encourages you to pass the pre-master and motivates you to really squeeze all you have! One of the most difficult parts, in my opinion, of the pre-master is the high lecturing pace and the adaptation to the new academic teaching and studying style compared to the hbo. However, if you attend all lectures, ask questions to professors, and keep up with the study material, you should be able to successfully pass the pre-master! The two big obstacle courses in the pre-master CE are definitely Thermodynamics and Calculus in the first quartile, because of their huge amount of work and self-study, but with a high motivation and eagerness to learn you鈥檙e definitely capable to finish the pre-master.

The benefit of taking a pre-master is that it gives you the ability to get more in-depth theory, learn state-of-the-art techniques, and learn the latest scientific developments. This paves the way to combine your practical experience (hbo) with theory (master) to create an ultimate version of yourself. In short, yes, a pre-master is difficult and will consume some spare time, but an eagerness to learn and motivation are essential to pass and will definitely pay off!