Before the start of the second semester (Q3 & Q4) of the first year, first-year students must choose a domain. This domain contains 30 ECTS to be followed throughout the bachelor.
With the knowledge you gain within the bachelor's programme, you apply this to socio-technical issues. These issues can vary widely, so you have to choose to specialise in one of the three domains mentioned below. Almost every quarter, you follow a course focused on your chosen specialisation, the rest you follow together with all TB students. Within these courses, you will delve further into the relevant field.
There are three domains:
Energy and Industry (the E&I domain): This domain focuses on complex problems within the energy, industrial and water sectors. Within all three sectors, there are extensive, technically complex infrastructures and networks, such as electricity and gas infrastructure, water supply and sewage networks and large industrial networks of several interconnected factories. These networks have three things in common: they are not easy to modernise, they are of great economic importance and they have a great impact on the quality of the living environment. In the propaedeutic year, students mainly face subjects on chemistry and chemical engineering, resource management, air, water and soil pollution.
Information and Communication Technology (the I&C domain): The ICT domain falls broadly into three parts: the infrastructures or networks (telephone network, (fibre-optic) cable, Internet, airwaves, wireless networks); the services (telephony, broadcasting, Internet, WWW, e-mail); applications (long-distance learning, telebanking, electronic trading, remote control, road signalling). Examples of topics in this domain include: market operation of the telecom sector, fast access to the Internet via wireless communication, connection issues between networks, optimisation of business processes using information technology. In the foundation year, students are exposed to operating systems and system architecture, software development, databases, communication technology and networks.
Transport & Logistics (the T&L domain): This domain is about arranging the transport of people and goods in such a way as to meet the need for movement without affecting living space too adversely. In terms of content, the curriculum is shaped by covering transport-, infrastructure- and logistics-related topics in both breadth and depth. In the propaedeutic year, the transport system is discussed in depth. In all elements, cargo (passengers and freight), means of transport and traffic infrastructure, the focus is alternately on passenger and freight transport.
A digital domain choice form will be sent to all first-year students in early December so that you can register.
For more information about your domain choice, you can go to the study information day. You will get more information about this later this year. The domain choice guide will be shared online, prior to the information day! Also, for questions, you can always contact Anna at bachelor@curius.nl.
Consequences of your domain choice
Domain choice and your further career
Often, choosing a particular domain will also mean that you will later work in that domain. Especially when getting your first job, content knowledge can play an important role. Many students build their further expertise around this field.
Relativising the weight of your domain choice
Should you have any doubts, the following might be reassuring. The subjects and modules in the general curriculum constantly involve practical case studies. Since these subjects are intended for the entire group, the choice of cases is spread across the domains. So you will still come into contact with the three domains you have not chosen. Of course, this does not alter the fact that you will mainly immerse yourself in the technology and issues within the domain of your choice. If you feel that you would also like to immerse yourself in another domain, you can make use of the minor space in the third year!