Bachelor-Master system in the Netherlands

The Netherlands started using the bachelor-master structure, also know as the BaMa-system, a few years ago. This means that the higher education has been divided into a bachelor phase and a master phase.

If you’re enroled in a university of applied science (HBO) in The Hague, your bachelor's degree will take 4 years. A bachelor's degree at a research university (WO) takes 3 years.

If you have earned your bachelor's, you can proceed to a master's education. Universities of applied sciences determine which requirements you need to be allowed to do a master's study. If you've earned your bachelor's degree at a research university, you can proceed to a master's study at a research university. A master's degree education takes at least 1 year.

Difference between HBO and WO

Despite the same name, there is a difference between a bachelor's and master's degree from a university of applied science and a research university. A HBO bachelor's and master's degree aims more at developing skills which are closely connected to professional practice. WO studies have a more academic orientation. They prepare students for doing research and for solving issues at an academic level.

Foundation course

The first year of your bachelor education is the foundation course (propedeuse). With a foundation course from a HBO study, you can go on to all other courses for which your foundation course is valid. It’s also possible to use a foundation course from a HBO study to proceed to a university education. To do this you need to have a foundation course that fits the study you are planning to take. For instance, a foundation course in public administration won’t grant you access to a natural sciences study.

Course credits

The BaMa-system works with course credits under the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). ECTS makes teaching and learning in higher education more transparent across Europe and facilitates the recognition of all studies. The system allows for the transfer of learning experiences between different institutions, greater student mobility and more flexible routes to gain degrees. It also aids curriculum design and quality assurance.

Background to the BaMa-system

The BaMa-system is the result of the Bologna Process, launched in 1999 by the Ministers of Education and university leaders of 29 Euroepan countries. The intention is to allow the diversity of national systems and universities to be maintained.

The European Higher Education Area created by the Bologna Process improves transparency between higher education systems, as well as implements tools to facilitate recognition of degrees and academic qualifications, mobility, and exchanges between institutions. Most importantly, all participating countries have agreed on a comparable three cycle degree system for undergraduates (Bachelor degrees) and graduates (Master and PhD degrees).

More info

On the page Higher Education in The Hague you’ll find more information about the Dutch educational system.