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Hbo degree programmes have a professional orientation. Wo degree programmes have an academic orientation. Hbo Bachelor's programmes take four years (240 ECTS). Wo Bachelor's programmes take three years (180 ECTS).
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.
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.
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.
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.
HBO (hoger beroepsonderwijs) stands for higher vocational education and is the Dutch version of the higher applied education institutes. For a hbo degree, at least one havo degree, a Fachabitur, is required.
In higher professional education (hbo), a bachelor’s degree lasts four years, in research university education (wo) three years. The master’s phase comes after the bachelor ‘s phase and lasts at least one year in both HBO and WO.
