Introduction
Watching a series on Netflix, ordering something on Amazon, sending a payment request through PayPal, chatting on WhatsApp, or checking in with your public transport card: all this is possible thanks to IT!
IT is usually associated with programming or system management. But it is so much more than that. Brainstorm about a good software solution for a customer, come up with a cloud solution, build a new application, collect and interpret data to advise a company, or work on cybersecurity. The possibilities are endless, whether you are interested in the business side of the technical side. During the program, we help you discover which direction is best for you and teach you everything on the basis of the latest technologies.
Out-of-the-box with your team
In addition to developing your own skills, you frequently work in multidisciplinary teams. We do this using the agile methodology. This is not: working according to that one described a perfect approach. This is: meeting the needs of your client and creating an out-of-the-box solution quickly, flexibly, and together with your team. Basically, the same thing you will later be doing for a company. In doing so, you do not only look at your projects, but also your own development as a professional.
Would you like to work in one of today’s most creative and trendsetting sectors? Do you get a kick out of technology, innovation, creativity, and would you like to invent, develop, or program things? Then choose Information and Communication Technology at HZ!
Program
The first two years of the program are broad in scope, so that you, in addition to acquiring solid basic knowledge, also discover which direction is most suitable for you. This gives you a good idea of the possibilities that the IT study program offers you. We help you discover what you really enjoy and what you are good at.
Year 1
You are introduced to the world of IT. You will learn an important skill for solving problems in IT: programming. Just like the corporate world, we use the agile methodology. This means that you evaluate both yourself and your project during biweekly sprints. At the end of year 1, you will be able to develop software in different programming languages. In the first year you focus on the following themes:
Computer Science
Computer Science is the science that describes how a computer works. You will learn about the history and fundamentals of computer science and how to apply this in practice in your own software. We teach you the basics of programming, taking your level into account.
Game Development
In this block, you will learn everything about object-oriented programming while developing a game yourself. You work on your programming knowledge, and in the final weeks, you will together with your team develop an educational game for primary school children.
Modern Software Development
In order to quickly and securely develop applications such as mobile apps, games, or web applications, frameworks like Unity, Java Play, and Laravel are used frequently. You are introduced to development within the Laravel framework. You are introduced to the basic functions of the framework, such as MVC, routes, and migrations. You directly apply your knowledge in practice by carrying out a project for an external client.
Year 2
Will you come up with an IT solution that suits the needs of your client? This year is dedicated to your own work environment and your client. You frequently work on assignments for real companies in project groups. You use the agile methodology: during biweekly sprints, you evaluate your project, yourself, and your role within your team. You do not only work on your knowledge but also on your development as a professional. You focus on the following themes:
Business value creation
During this semester your central focus is on the user. You can do this through Design Thinking, a process in which you focus on the user, work in teams, and which allows you to find creative and innovative solutions for your ICT issue. We also work on Continuous Integration. Looking at how to create value for your company and your client is an important theme during this semester.
Data Science
You work on machine learning, cloud computing, and data visualization. You learn how to determine which requirements an application has to fulfill. During this semester, you will also investigate whether you are interested in entrepreneurship and think about ethics in your field.
Year 3
You choose one of the two specializations: Software Engineer or Data Science. Your minor and internship (in the Netherlands or abroad) are centered on your chosen specialization.
Year 4
The first semester is dedicated to your specialization. You conclude the program with a graduation research project at a company.
Specializations
In the third year, you can choose from two specializations:
Data scientist (DS)
As a data scientist, you process large amounts of data from various types of sources (big data) and convert this data into usable insights for a company. This is done using special software and by writing algorithms to retrieve, structure, and analyze data. You do not only have a good understanding of IT but are also able to convert data into solid advice.
Software engineer (SE)
You design and develop suitable software. This is of course done according to the requirements of the client. You learn to program at the highest level, in various programming languages, and on the basis of the newest technologies.
Requirements
Before you apply to the Information and Communication Technology program, you have to meet a few admission requirements.
Admission requirements
To be admitted to the Information and Communication Technology program you need:
A qualification equivalent to a Dutch secondary education diploma, which gives you access to higher education.
Good command of written and spoken English. Your level of English should be equivalent to an IELTS score of 6.0.
Alternative entrance exam
If you don’t have the appropriate secondary school diploma, and if you are at least 21 years old, you may be exempted from this requirement. The HZ provides the possibility of taking an alternative entrance exam.
Tuition fees
The amount that you will be required to pay depends on your nationality and the program you have applied for.
EU-students:
2020-2021 tuition fees for EU-students are: €2.143*
* 50% reduction tuition fees
EU-students and students with a Norwegian, Swiss, Icelandic, Liechtenstein, or Suriname nationality are entitled to a 50% reduction on Dutch tuition fees for the first study year. The halving applies to all students who for the first time in the academic year start a bachelor's degree (or associate degree) at a funded university of applied sciences or research universities in the Netherlands. Students who pay institutional tuition fees are not entitled to the halving of the tuition fees.
Non-EU students:
2020-2021 Institutional tuition fees for non-EU students are: €7.835
Fees and finances
Next to the tuition fees and cost of living there are extra costs for your study program (study materials, excursions, and books). In the first two years, these costs are approximately €400,- per year. A good laptop is indispensable.
Scholarships
While common in other countries, scholarships, especially full scholarships, are rare in the Dutch education system. However, there are some scholarship options available at the HZ.
Holland Scholarship for incoming students
The Holland Scholarship is financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science and Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences. The Holland Scholarship is for incoming students not originally from the EEA who have not previously studied in the Netherlands, and who plan to attend the HZ University of Applied Sciences in the framework of diploma mobility. The scholarship awarded is not a full scholarship. It has a value of € 5,000.00 and is allotted for one year only.
Conditions for allotment:
The student is not from the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
The student has not previously studied in the Netherlands.
The student has an IELTS of 6.5 (or higher) or an equivalent.
The student wants to enroll in a fulltime (four-year or three-year) bachelor’s program at HZ.
The student has already been (conditionally) accepted to the HZ Bachelor’s program indicated with his/her scholarship application.
How to apply for the Holland Scholarship
Students can apply for the scholarship by sending an email to study@hz.nl before 1 May of their starting year. In this email, the student should indicate the reasons for choosing the particular HZ Bachelor program of study. The student must also send a copy of his/her CV with the email. The applications will be assessed by a two-member HZ Scholarship Committee, nominated by the academy directors. The HZ Scholarship Committee will award the scholarship based on previous academic results, motivation for choosing a program of study, and C.V. applicants will be notified of the decision within 6 weeks after the application deadline of 1 May.
Mobility scholarships
When you are a student at HZ University of Applied Sciences and you are thinking of studying or doing research or an internship outside of the Netherlands during your studies, then you can apply for a scholarship.
HZ Grant
HZ offers an HZ Grant for students who study or do an unpaid internship outside the EU. As far as we know, HZ is the only university of applied sciences in the Netherlands that subsidizes its students with a grant.
Holland Scholarship
This scholarship is meant for full-time HZ students who want to study, do research, or an internship outside the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. The Holland Scholarship is a scholarship made available by the Dutch Ministry of Education Culture and Science together with Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences. The scholarship amounts to a one-off payment of € 1,250 and is meant as a contribution towards your study expenses.
Erasmus+ grant
If you do part of your study at an HZ partner institute within the EU or an internship within the EU, you can apply for this grant. The Erasmus+ is a grant that the European Union has made available in order to stimulate students from its member states to gain experience abroad during their education; to enhance their languages, to become acquainted with other cultures, etc. The grant also serves as compensation in the travel and accommodation costs that a study/internship abroad will bring in its wake. Clearly, the Erasmus+ grant will not cover all the costs that you will have abroad.
As soon as you are a student of HZ, we can help you apply for a grant.
After graduation
Your possibilities are endless. You can work for commercial companies such as banks and insurance companies, industrial companies, IT companies, and start-ups. There is also a high demand for IT professionals in the non-profit sector, including in healthcare, defense, and local governments. It is expected that there will be 1 million vacancies in Europe around 2020.
Bachelor's degree
Congratulations, you're now graduated! From now on you may use the title ‘Bachelor of Science’. Did you participate in the Honors Program? You will get an extra certificate with your bachelor's degree.
Career prospects
IT consultant
The term consultant or advisor includes quite a few positions, such as Information Analyst, Functional Designer, and ERP/CRM consultant. As a consultant, you are the bridge between the IT requirements of an organization and fulfilling these requirements with innovative IT solutions. You chart all the requirements and work together with the development teams that build these solutions, towards the final design. After several years of work experience, you can progress to senior consultant.
Data engineer
As a data engineer, you process large amounts of data from different types of sources (big data) and convert this data into usable insights for a company. This is done using special software and by writing algorithms to retrieve, structure, and analyze data. You do not only have a good understanding of IT but are also able to convert data into solid advice.
Software engineer
As a software engineer, you develop software, applying techniques from computer science in the design, development, and testing. You carry out program tests and maintain and optimize the performance of the software. You sometimes also draft the program specifications and application structure.
Cloud engineer
As a Cloud Engineer, you help build (and manage) secure cloud environments. This helps organizations to transform their own (in-house) servers into closed and/or open cloud solutions, for example.
Web developer/Front-end or back-end developer
A web developer is someone who takes care of the technical side of complex websites. The web developer develops the backend and takes care of the link between the back-end and the front-end. As such, a web programmer mostly works on the technical side of the website.
