Built Environment

From year 2 onwards you will broaden or deepen your knowledge in addition to your specialism and role within projects, by choosing your own modules. You can choose from various modules, join our own research projects or take an in-depth look at a certain area from your specialisation. Think of, among other things, Sustainability, Trends & Transitions or Architecture. Then you will use this knowledge and these skills in your projects to think up even smarter and better solutions. 

In year 2, you will also go on an excursion abroad. 

Year 3 starts with a six-month work placement at a government institution, consultancy firm or another organisation. Or you choose a research project in our own Research & Business Innovation (RBI) department. In the latter half of the year you will take part in a big project, in which you will use all the knowledge acquired to date to create your own vision and plan for the future’s (urban) living environment. 

At the beginning of year 4, you will attend a minor; a deepening minor in which you will further specialise in the field of study, or you will take a look beyond the boundaries of your field of study: a broadening minor. In the latter half of the year, you will do your graduation project and a graduation assignment for an organisation. 

Placement

In the first half of year 3, you will do an 18-week work placement. You carried out several business cases/practical cases within groups in the project education in year 1 and 2. Now you are going to do so on your own. This means you will carry out (an) assignment(s) independently or contribute to (a) project(s). You will do so at consultancy firms, design agencies, government institutions, and big companies such as Arcadis, BAM, Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat), Dutch Railways (NS), ANWB, etc. 

It is also possible to take an in-depth look at one of the research projects within our Research and Business Innovation (RBI) department for six months. You are going to search for a company that matches your interests, or which you would like to work for in the future. The department will assign a lecturer or supervising lecturer who will supervise your placement. 

Graduation project

In year 4 you will commence your graduation project as from February. You will conduct your own research commissioned by a company. Upon completion of the research, it can be used for the organisation. You will search for a graduation host company and graduation assignment independently. You will work on the site during the graduation project. You will be supervised individually by a BUas supervising lecturer and by a company supervisor. 

Examples of topics are: 

• Research into multiple use of space at railway stations 
• Satisfaction survey among users of cycle routes 
• Restructuring of business parks 
• Design research into urban infill development locations 

You will write a thesis about this assignment, which you will defend during your final exam.   

You will have a chance to go abroad for your placement and graduation project, and, in doing so, develop in terms of content and personally in another culture. Something we would encourage very much. 

Exchange

Spending time studying abroad offers you the opportunity to push your boundaries, both literally and figuratively. You expand your international network, learn another language and gain more insight into intercultural differences (and similarities!). Breda University of Applied Sciences has contacts with numerous universities all over the world where you can go as an exchange student. 

Minors

During a minor, you can choose whether you want to delve deeper into your current field of study or broaden your horizons in a different subject. You can choose to take a minor at BUas. Check out all the minors that BUas offers here. You can also choose a minor at another university of applied sciences in the Netherlands or go abroad.

If you want to take an in-depth look at the Built Environment discipline, we offer several minors. An example is the minor International Urban Redevelopment. You will take a look at solutions for sustainable mobility and growth in cities all over the globe. BUas students and lecturers went to visit Calgary, where they made a plan for restructuring a high street. If you are curious about what they did there, please read on here. 

Pre-master

We offer all students the chance to attend the academic pre-master Strategic Business Management and Marketing (SBM). This pre-master gives you direct access to Master of Science programmes in business-related studies at our university partners, such as the University of Amsterdam, Maastricht, Tilburg, Brussels (B) or Warwick (UK). After this pre-master, you also have direct access to our academic master’s programme of Leisure and Tourism Studies. In this way, you can obtain an academic master’s degree in just five years, or even in four years (if you opt for a three-year bachelor’s track)!

The educational programme of Built Environment is very diverse and hands-on. When doing this study programme you will learn about people and society, how cities operate, and how you can study, analyse and (re)design them. You will soon apply theoretical knowledge in learning communities, and in doing so, you cooperate a lot with fellow students, your lecturers and the industry. 

You will work on joint and individual projects. You will attend workshops and guest lectures, but you will also visit businesses, for example. Each term contains a LAB (project) and several modules/business cases. In addition, you will constantly work on your personal and professional development under the guidance of your coach. 

Learning community 
In the learning community (called LAB) of our professional bachelor’s programme Built Environment, you will learn to think up sustainable and innovative solutions for spatial and social issues in cities and regions. You will learn how to design and manage attractive cities, you will learn how to encourage people to make smart transport choices and you will learn to think and design strategically. You work on theoretical and practical knowledge and develop your professional skills. 

This programme is available in Dutch and English. If you choose English, you will join an international class. The mix of students and lecturers from the Netherlands and abroad naturally brings more attention to intercultural differences; not only in education but also in international projects and excursions. This enhances international cooperation and atmosphere, preparing you even better for an international career. 

In the Dutch-language programme, it may happen that you take projects or guest lectures in English. In addition, some of the literature used may be in English. The working language on our campus is English. 

You will have 25 contact hours a week in year 1, but you should take as a starting point that you will be engaged in your studies full-time. Your study timetable will be created in such a way that you will have enough time to attend lectures, and you will have time to work on your projects and assignments outside classes. 

It is a full-time study programme and your LAB projects will take quite a lot of time, but they will also be included in your study timetable. Of course, there will also be enough time for relaxation, during drinks parties and activities organised by the BELO study society. There are also various clubs at BUas that you can join. 

A typical week

In year 1 the lectures you will attend are very diverse. You will be offered theory in lectures, and you can immediately apply it to assignments to be carried out in seminars. Also, experts from the Built Environment discipline come and tell you something about their work or a certain topic in guest lectures. What’s more, you will spend a lot of time on working on a project in groups with fellow students.  

A study week may look as follows (Please note: this is just an example): 

Monday 

• 10.00-12.00: Lecture about Introduction to Built Environment 
• 12.00-13.00: Lunch 
• 13.00-15.00: Working on your development with the Personal & Professional Development course 

Tuesday 

• 13.00-17.00: Introduction to your ‘Discover your Environment’ LAB project 

Wednesday 

• 11.00-12.30: Lecture on ‘People, Society & Space’ 
• 12.30-13.00: Lunch 
• 13.00-15.00: For the Personal & Professional Development course, two alumni come and tell something about their work at a consultancy firm and a municipality.  

Thursday 

• 11.00-12.30: Lecture on ‘Analysis and Design’ 
• 12.30-13.00: Lunch 
• 13.00-15.00: Working on the group assignment of ‘People, Society & Space’ together with your fellow students  
• 15.00-16.00: Independent study 
• 16.00-18.00: Drinks party organised by the BELO study society 

Friday 

• 10.00-12.00: Seminar on ‘Analysis and Design’ 
• 12.00-13.00: Lunch 
• 13.00-17.00: Working together on the LAB assignment with your project group.  

Coaching 
During the first two years of your study programme you will attend the Personal & Professional Development (PPD) course. You will attend a programme consisting of workshops which will support you in your personal and professional development. You will work on various types of assignments and reflect on your development and choices (e.g. with regard to a work placement in year 3). In the PPD track, you will receive personal guidance from your study coach, during which your study progress will also be discussed. 

Student well-being
BUas encourages and helps you to make the most of yourself, whatever your circumstances. Maybe you have a chronic illness, are a family carer, a competitive athlete, or juggle your studies with running your own business? Our study coaches, student counsellors and student psychologists are here to help. Do you need extra support or advice? Or extra facilities? Then take a look at the options here.

After the first semester in year 1, you will make a choice from one of the three specialisations:  

1. Mobility 
The world of mobility is in a state of flux, with innovations coming in rapid succession. Think of smart mobility, shared mobility, new vehicle technologies, the rise of cycling and walking, and the use of big data. In this specialisation, you will dive into these developments. Not only will you be introduced to these groundbreaking themes, but you will also have the opportunity to actively contribute to the future of mobility. 

2. Spatial Planning 
You will ensure that new plans for the city are in line with the wishes of residents, the municipality, businesses and other stakeholders. You will take into account the latest social and technological developments, and study  trends in living, working and undertaking recreational activities. You will make plans that are financially feasible and comply with the law. You will supervise the entire process, from idea to implementation, thus contributing to the sustainable and future-oriented growth of cities. 

3. Urban Design 
In this specialisation, you will learn to make urban design plans for different types of areas, from new sustainable neighbourhoods to urban redevelopments. You will also work on designs for entire regions and rural areas. In our design workshops, you will bring your ideas to life by building models. This is how you develop the practical and creative skills you need to help build the future of cities and regions. 
 

As a Built Environment student you will explore your field of study during excursions at home and abroad  throughout your studies. In the first year, you will visit cities (e.g. Rotterdam, Eindhoven) and organisations (e.g. Rijkswaterstaat) in the Netherlands where you will learn about the different specialisations of Built Environment.  

In the second year, you will also go on an excursion abroad, exploring differences and similarities between Built Environment in the Netherlands and in a European city. The cities of Copenhagen and Barcelona are recurring excursion destinations. Also during the projects you often do field research, so you can incorporate the findings and ideas into your plan. 

With an associate degree (BE) - 2 years

With an associate degree in Built Environment or Spatial Planning and the right specialisation area, you will qualify for admission into our bachelelor’s programme in Built Environment, both the English-taught and the Dutch-taught variants. The duration of our bachelor’s programme is 4 years, however, with an associate degree already in your pocket you can complete our bachelor’s programme faster. 

After completing your associate degree, you will follow another 2 years of education (120 ECTS credits) at Breda University of Applied Sciences. After earning all your credits, you will have obtained your Bachelor of Science degree.

Want to know more? 

Do you want to obtain more information about moving on to further study after your associate degree? If so, please contact the student counsellors of this programme, Minke Snels and Lizanne Hessels: [email protected].

After a related mbo programme – 3 years

Did you complete one of these mbo programmes at level 4? 

• Middenkaderfunctionaris bouw
• Middenkaderfunctionaris infra
• Middenkaderfunctionaris verkeer en stedenbouw/Urban Design

If so, you may qualify for the mbo-hbo transfer track. Based on one of these mbo programmes you can get exemptions for year 1 of the Built Environment programme (NL), upon successful completion of the track. As a result, you will be able to complete the degree programme in three years’ time. 

What does the mbo-hbo transfer track entail?

When you are in the last year of your mbo programme, you can take part in the mbo-hbo transfer track. Over a 16-week period, on Wednesdays, you will take several training sessions and courses and carry out a project. If you receive a positive recommendation after having completed this track, you will be able to enter the second year of the Built Environment degree programme. The transfer track always starts around mid-February and lasts until mid-June. Please download the brochure (see below) for more information. And feel free to contact the student counsellor to discuss the possibilities ([email protected]). 

Please note: Only students of the programme middenkaderfunctionaris verkeer en  stedenbouw/Urban Design of Koning Willem I college in 's-Hertogenbosch will qualify for transfer into the second year of the Urban Design specialisation area.  

Is it for you?

The transfer track is meant for you to find out whether education at hbo level suits you and whether you can handle education at this level. If you are going to follow this track, you will be enrolled as a course participant at Breda University of Applied Sciences. You do not yet pay any tuition fee, but you can make use of our student facilities. Just come and visit us on one of our open days, so you can get a taste of the atmosphere of studying at an hbo institute, and you will have the opportunity to talk about the transfer track with our student counsellor.  

How and until when can you apply?

To apply for the mbo-hbo transfer track, please go to Studielink. You have until 29 January to apply for this track. 

Want to know more?

Do you want to know more about this track? Please contact the student counsellors of this programme, Minke Snels and Lizanne Hessels: [email protected], telephone (076) 533 2600, or download the mbo-hbo transfer track brochure (in Dutch).

After vwo – 3 years  

If you are interested in a three-year track, you should study the course material of year 1 yourself, so you master the basics of Built Environment. To be able to complete this four-year programme in three years, you must have a range of abilities in addition to your vwo diploma, for instance:  

• Plan your studies well;
• Work and learn independently;  
• Take responsibility for your studies;  
• Know what you want;  
• Enjoy working together with other people.  

The track consists of three years, each year comprising 60 ECTS credits, adding up to 180 ECTS credits in total. You will start your first year in the regular second year, which will be your propaedeutic year. After that, you will attend the regular third and fourth years.

How can you apply?

If you want to take part in this track, please follow the regular application procedure and indicate, in Studielink, your preference for the three-year track.  

Want to know more?

If you want to know more about this three-year track, please contact the student counsellors of this programme, Minke Snels and Lizanne Hessels: [email protected], telephone (076) 533 2600.

After hbo or wo – 3 years

If you are in possession of a hbo / wo degree or propaedeutic certificate, please contact the student counsellors of this programme, Minke Snels and Lizanne Hessels: [email protected], telephone (076) 533 2600.

At BUas, you are trained to become an entrepreneurial professional. In all our professional bachelor’s programmes, you are given the opportunity to develop your entrepreneurial skills. Alongside your studies, you can join BUas Startup Support, BUSS. BUSS organises (networking) events and connects student startup entrepreneurs, there is even the possibility to apply for guidance from your own startup coach.

You can also graduate within BUas with your own company! Every academy offers this opportunity, though a selection process may apply. Maybe, by that time, you already have a small profitable business or have plans to start one? BUas Startup Support can help you. 

Read more about starting your own business.