What a university Master is like with an applied science (HBO) background
Most students entering the MSc Water Technology come from a university Background. In recent years, however, more students with an applied science (HBO) degree have enrolled. Marco Jansen, a first year Water Technology student with a background in Biotechnology at Hogeschool Van Hall Larenstein, shares his experience of moving from HBO to university level.
Did you specifically choose to continue at a university level?
‘Not really. The most important thing for me was the location. I knew that I wanted to continue studying in the water sector and since Leeuwarden is the water capital of the Netherlands, Water Technology was the logical choice.’
What has been the biggest difference between your HBO programme and this master’s?
‘The main difference was that the pace is a lot higher. For example, during my Biotechnology program, we would focus on one equation per lecture and really take the time to understand and apply it. In the master’s, much more material is covered in a shorter time, and you’re expected to apply it independently almost immediately.’
What skill from your HBO background do you think gives you an advantage?
‘I think my experience in doing practical work is really useful. I have already done three different internships, so I already have experience with creating bacterial enrichments and working with bioreactors. During the Microbiology practical, I noticed I was already familiar with most techniques they tried to teach us because of my former experiences. These internships have also given me a lot of confidence. In my final internship, my supervisors gave me the task of starting up their reactor and gave me the freedom to start it up independently. Doing all the necessary research and feeling the responsibility for your work has given me the self-assurance that I am capable of a lot.’
You didn’t have to complete a pre-master to enroll. Do you think it should be mandatory?
‘Indeed, I followed the Bioprocess technology track within Biotechnology, which made me directly eligible for the MSc program. Although I do think a pre-master would help, especially for the mathematical knowledge required, I don’t think it should be mandatory. I did struggle a bit at the start of this year, but it’s been getting easier. I would say it’s definitely possible without a pre-master, but you need to be prepared to invest extra effort, especially in the beginning.’
What would you do differently if you were to start again?
‘Easy, I would start studying consistently from day one. Currently, I just started to spend some time every day on keeping up with the courses, but it would have helped me significantly if I had started doing it immediately. Besides that, I wouldn’t change much. I am happy where I am right now, and I would say that this master is one of the best choices I’ve made so far.’
