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Hbo Bachelor's programmes take four years (240 ECTS). Wo Bachelor's programmes take three years (180 ECTS). The minimum admissions requirement for an hbo Bachelor's programme is a diploma at Dutch mbo level 4 (senior secondary vocational education) or Dutch havo (higher general secondary education).
Tertiary (higher) education in the Netherlands is made up of hoger beroepsonderwijs – HBO (higher vocational education) and wetenschappelijk onderwijs – WO (scientific/academic education). These 2 forms of education are provided by hogescholen (polytechnics / universities of applied science) and universities respectively.
Research university (WO): The emphasis is on learning to look analytically and critically at the way a certain field can be approached. Higher professional education (HBO): Higher professional education trains for a specific profession. You apply your knowledge and work in a solution-oriented way.
The overview below sets out the most important differences between studying at a research university and at a university of applied sciences. Research University (WO) University of Applied Sciences (HBO) ‘Why’. Abstract, analytical skills, theoretical, asking questions.
HBO or Hogeschool institutes are focused on applied higher education and usually offer 4-year Bachelor programs geared more towards the practical labor market. The academic universities (WO) are the highest possible level of education in the Netherlands.
HBO. Universities of applied science (hogescholen) offer higher professional education (hoger beroepsonderwijs, HBO) is more practically-oriented than WO. HBO consists of 7 sectors: economics. healthcare. agriculture. education. social and community work. art. technology.
In the Netherlands there are two types of Bachelor’s degrees: hbo (higher vocational education) and wo (research university). The bachelor’s diplomas of higher vocational education and the university offer you the same title, but are not identical.
