Why study a master’s programme at a university of applied sciences?
Why choose a master's programme?
- Practice orientated master's degree programmes
- Learn both theoretical and research based skills
- Develop groundbreaking insights of the industry
Similarities and differences between masters at an university of applied sciences and a research university
✓ Master title
Similarity: After completing a master at an university of applied sciences (Hoger Beroepsonderwijs, or HBO in Dutch) or a research university (Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs, or WO in Dutch), you will both receive an internationally recognized master's degree. The diploma and the required credits are equal and increase your chances at home and abroad in the labour market.
Depending on the study programme, you will receive the title Master of Science (MSc), Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Business Administration (MBA) after completing your master's degree at Breda University of Applied Sciences.
✓ Level of education
Similarity: The level of education of both forms is equally high. It is hard work for both the HBO master and the university master, and the number of ECs is the same. If you are more practically oriented, it is recommended to do an HBO master and if you are more theoretically oriented, the WO master is probably more for you.
✖ Research
Difference: The biggest difference between an HBO master's and a university master's is the type of research you conduct. An HBO master focuses mainly on professional practice, where the emphasis in a university master is on research skills, theory and knowledge development.
An HBO master is therefore also referred to as a 'professional master' because you work on innovation in the professional field by means of practical research.
✖ part- and fulltime masters
Difference: The duration of a master can vary from 1 to 3 years. University masters are often full-time courses of one year, whereas HBO masters are offered on a full-time, part-time or dual basis and for that reason often take longer (1 to 3 years).
A master's program at a university of applied sciences is professionally oriented and has a direct link with practice. For example, it is customary for an HBO master student to follow a part-time master, where you are already working in the field. This allows you to apply classroom theory in daily practice and bring practical experience back to the classroom, to discuss with your teachers and fellow students.
✖ Admission
Difference: If you opt for an HBO master's degree, you can start right away if it is in line with your bachelor's degree. If you want to follow the university master, there is a good chance that you will need one or more transition years. With a part-time HBO master, you have relevant work experience in the field of your study.
From your HBO bachelor's degree, you can often immediately transfer to a subsequent HBO master. For some part-time or dual HBO masters, you first need a number of years of work experience or a relevant workplace.
Do you want to follow a university master's degree after your bachelor's degree? Then there is a good chance that you need a pre-masters degree to be admitted. For admission to a Master of Science, also at a university of applied sciences, you need a bachelor of science or a pre-master.
Our (pre-) master programmes
Pre-master SBM
Trains you in entrepreneurship and academic research and grants direct access to MSc programmes in business-related education.
Pre-master Leisure & Tourism
Graduates have direct access to the Master of Science Leisure and Tourism Studies. You will work on a solid theoretical basis and on your research skills.
Master Game Technology
Focuses on facilitating your growth in research and development with support from industry partners and expert lecturers from the game industry. Training in research methods allows you to develop deep insights into your chosen area of game development.
Msc Leisure & Tourism Studies
Learn about the value of leisure and tourism in a more complex society. This academic master’s programme builds on the knowledge and expertise from various disciplines. We look at leisure and tourism from the perspective of Experiences & Storytelling and Placemaking & Events. To enter this master’s course you will first need to complete one of the two pre-master or academic bachelor’s programmes BUas offers.
Master Strategic Event Management
A programme for young professionals with some degree of experience in events to specialise further in the dynamic, fast-moving and experience-focused event industry. This is a two-year, part-time programme where you have classes on campus one day a week.
Master Sustainable Outdoor Hospitality Management
Europe’s first Master degree on hospitality and camping resort management. A multiple degree professional master’s programme in which you combine theory and practice, offered at the Universities in the Netherlands, Croatia and Spain.
Master Supply Chain Management
Develop specialist knowledge of the entire supply chain and understanding of the latest developments to become a future supply chain manager with the right analytical skills in the areas of business intelligence and research skills, as well as the right social skills in the areas of leadership, change and innovation. This will enable you to translate supply chain concepts into useful solutions, which you can implement in practice.
Master Media Innovation
Learn about the cutting edge of the media industry and how to come up with new groundbreaking concepts that are innovative, future-oriented and which bring something new into use. Also available in executive format.
Executive Master Media Innovation
Do you work in the media industry and want to develop further? Then join our online part-time online executive master’s programme where we shed light on the building blocks that can be found in any media product.
Master Tourism Destination Management
Learn how to develop strategies for responsible, resilient and sustainable destination management. You will study at four locations in the world; after gaining theoretical knowledge and developing professional skills in Breda, you will do field research for a period of three months at three different destinations somewhere in the world.
Master Imagineering
A unique MBA programme where you learn how to build and strengthen your expertise to innovate, participate in and lead processes of collaboration and creativity. The Imagineering approach fits a range of new emerging complexity-based approaches aiming at innovation by empowering collective creativity.
Executive Master Imagineering
The executive MBA programme offers a deeper insight into issues of organizational design in the context of enterprise logic transformation. It enables you to develop analytical, proactive, problem-solving attitudes and design skill.