Expectation vs. Reality of Studying Engineering Bachelors

The reality of studying engineering from a third-year electrical engineering student in the trenches

When deciding where to study, it’s important to compare your expectations with the reality of the programme. Every university has its own approach to teaching, and engineering programmes can vary a lot in their methods. It’s super important to understand how you would like to learn engineering and the goals you want to work towards, this will make your decision easier. At Hanze, the Institute of Engineering follows a very practical approach for both the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, which we’ll look in detail to help you decide whether it’s something you’d like to be a part of.  

Programming Skills

The first impression that I got, and everyone else in that classroom, when starting studying engineering at Hanze was that there’s an expectation to already have some programming skills. This is both true and false. Right from the start, you’ll be given a project that involves programming, even before taking a programming class. The task itself isn’t difficult, but it gives you a realistic idea of the teaching approach you can expect, and your first headaches. The expectation isn’t that you already know how to program, but that you have problem-solving skills when faced with a challenge.  

You will take programming classes as the course progresses, but the level of skill required to complete projects and assignments is higher, as it’s expected that you’ll be able to adapt and find solutions even when you’re unfamiliar with the topic. While this might seem like a tough teaching method, especially when you are a week away from your project delivery and nothing is working for you, the goal is to prepare students for the workforce. In your job you might not always have all the knowledge needed for a task but the important thing is that you will have the skills to problem-solve and approach it from different angles. This is where Hanze stands out compared to research universities, which often take a more theoretical approach to engineering education.  

Practice vs. Theory

Continuing the practical vs. theoretical topic, let’s look a bit deeper into Hanze’s approach. As mentioned, Hanze’s electrical and mechanical engineering programs are both very practical. In the first year, about 50% of your classes are practicals or labs. Alongside regular classes, you will work on two major team projects throughout the year. In the second year, you continue to have both practical and theory lessons but must complete one project per period. These projects include all stages of development, like administrative documents and client meetings, which are similar to what you might encounter when working with companies. One difference that students often notice is that theory classes aren’t always taught with the exam in mind but rather with the project’s development as the focus. Since the main priority is applying theory in a practical way, most classes are structured around that idea. This doesn’t mean that you’ll be unprepared for exams, it just means that self-study is something you should be doing. These three elements (practicals, projects, and theory classes) are the key differences between Hanze’s engineering programs and those at more academic universities.  

Extra Skills & Workshops

The Institute of Engineering at Hanze aims not only to teach you engineering but also to prepare you for your future careers. Throughout the program, students participate in workshops covering topics that may not be directly related to engineering but are valuable in a professional context. Some workshops include report writing, conflict resolution in the workplace, and an ethics course. The most significant workshop focuses on job interview preparation. It covers how to manage a LinkedIn account, prepare your CV and cover letter, and navigate the job application process for various companies. This workshop also includes a real mock interview conducted with a talent acquisition company in Groningen. These workshops will help you so much to feel more prepared and confident after graduating and develop skills that go beyond the technical aspects of engineering.  

If you were wondering how the mock interview is, this was my go-to it. I chose a job listing from the ASML (a Dutch company) webpage and sent it to the recruiter with my CV and a cover letter for that job. During a previous workshop we got to learn how to write an effective CV and cover letter. Once I got to the place of the interview I talked for a bit with the recruiter, he was super friendly, and then we started the assignment. I followed the structure that they gave us in class beforehand and asked my pre-made questions. The recruiter asked me some questions, like “how would your friends describe you” and to describe some of the projects I had worked on. After finishing the interview, he gave me his notes on how I did and the areas that I could improve. It is really a great thing to be able to do.