Curriculum
This programme is generally perceived as tough and challenging. Usually approximately six hours per day are scheduled for lectures, tutorials and guided self-study.
Every five weeks, you will complete three or four courses with a final exam. If the course takes ten weeks, a midterm exam will be held in week five. Every course comprises multiple assignments and a final exam which students must pass in order to complete the course.
Approximately 50% of the contact time is in Delft and 50% in Rotterdam. The timetable is designed to avoid needing to travel between the universities on one day.
In the first year, you will lay the foundations of your knowledge. You will take courses in Evolutionbiology, Advanced Mathematics, Calculus, Linear Algebra, Physics, Biophysics, Genetics and Biochemistry. You will have the opportunity to work with a computer programme that simulates biological systems, which will assist you with your research projects throughout your study. The courses emphasise the relationship between principles of health and disease.
In the first semester of the second year, you will further expand your knowledge in Mathematics, Physics and Biology. This and all the knowledge you gained in the first year forms the foundation of the second semester courses in year two. From this point on, you will be taking ‘integrated’ courses, which focus on different specialisations. You will explore the relationship between Physics and Biology through courses such as Optics and Microscopy, Image Analysis and Bioinformatics, and Nanotechnology.
In Semester 1 of Year 3 of the Bachelor's degree programme you will have the opportunity to spend five months broadening your horizons and exploring a subject that interests you, in the way that suits you best. This could be a cohesive unit of modules, or a self-composed minor. You can choose a minor that deepens your knowledge, or rather broadens it. You can also choose to do a minor abroad. A well-chosen Minor can help you to find the career direction that suits you, or to discover which Master’s programme you would like to take after your Bachelor’s degree programme.
Read more about Admission requirements
Binding recommendation
TU Delft employs the BSA system: the binding recommendation on the continuation of studies. This means that you must obtain at least 75 per cent of your credits (i.e. 45 of the 60 ECTS) in your first year in order to continue your programme. If you receive a negative binding recommendation on the continuation of studies, you will not be permitted to enroll in this programme again in the next 4 years.
