Applied Science

Applied Science trains students to fill a wide range of positions, ranging from the microbiological to the chemical and technological professional fields – from researchers to analysts. One of the characteristics of a broad first-year orientation in the fields of biology, chemistry, materials science and technology, as well as the variety of graduation opportunities with commercial companies, in the field of healthcare, at universities and research institutions.

Following their first year, the students choose a direction that suits their interest and ambitions – directions that can be filled in with variables, causing a high level of flexibility among professional domains in which the graduates will kick off their careers. Because of the broad range of choice options, the programme puts a lot of focus on the self-management competence.

National Educational Programme

Body of Knowledge & Skills

Knowledge

• Basic chemistry: atomic and molecular construction, hybridisation, molecular structures, molecular bonds and interactions, reaction equations, chemical equilibria, reaction kinetics, redox reactions, buffer solutions, acids & bases, salts, catalysis
• Analytical chemistry: spectroscopy, chromatography
• Physical chemistry and physics: electrochemistry, light, mass balances
• Organic chemistry: synthesis of functional groups, reaction mechanisms, substitution and elimination reactions, alkanes, alkenes, carboxylic acids, esters, aromatics, alcohols, ethers, alkyl halides, isomers, enantiomers, stereochemistry
• Polymer chemistry and materials science: monomers, polymers, biopolymers, radical polymerisation, physical properties
• Statistics: data processing, normal distribution and confidence intervals, testing, calibration
• Mathematics: chemical arithmetic, functions, differential calculus
• Biochemistry: biomolecules, DNA, RNA, proteins, sugars, fats
• Cell biology: structure and function of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, metabolism, transport, cell membrane
• Microbiology: growth and classification of micro-organisms, pathogenicity mechanisms, infectious diseases
• Safety, health and environment: sustainability, chemical and biological safety

Skills

• General laboratory skills: weighing, pipetting, micro-pipetting, creating solutions (e.g. buffers), keeping a lab journal, chemical arithmetic, microscopy
• Chemical analysis methods: titrimetry, spectrometry (e.g. UV/VIS, IR, NMR), chromatography (e.g. GC-FID) and other methods such as electrochemistry
• Working with standard laboratory equipment: pH meter, spectrophotometer, refractometer, centrifuge, voltage sources, microscope, fume cupboard
• Laboratory techniques: distillation, extraction, reflux, microbiological techniques, synthesis techniques
• Working safely: both in the laboratory and in the workplace
• Information skills: word processing, spreadsheets and presentations
• Research skills: problem analysis, research questions, literature research, research planning and performance
• Social and communication skills: collaborating, having meetings, reporting (lab journal, research report), oral presentations, project-based work, self-management

The Body of Knowledge and Skills is a summary of graduates’ basic knowledge and basic skills which has been prepared by the HBO-programmes in consultation with the professional field. These are obtained during the first two years of education.