During the programme
The Master Next Level Engineering (MNLE) will equip you to work with a system and data perspective embedding new technologies or methodologies in companies and organizations and working towards meaningful change with real impact. The program consists of four blocks, of 15 EC each; Systems, Data, Change, Impact. You will gain specific theoretical knowledge with practical applications, and you will work on professional and research skills. Impact consists of your final graduation project.
Within our program, your development is central. We expect you to work on a portfolio. In each block, you will work on assignments that will be added to your portfolio. We will evaluate these assignments by means of feedback from lecturers, experts, and fellow students. At the end of each block, your development is being assessed for the final time.
Throughout the whole year, you will receive support from your fellow students in a learning team.
Content of the Master Next Level Engineering
In block A you will learn how to take a leading role in the development of new systems through prototyping, modelling, and the application of professional and research skills. This is underpinned with an introduction to the field of Systems Engineering. After this block, you will be better equipped to tackle more complex engineering projects that require a more multidisciplinary approach and a system view.
Block A provides four areas of application to work in. You:
- experience the whole curriculum of the program in a single bootcamp week with a hands-on assignment
- work, together with the whole class, on a relevant industry case study with a large-scale system.
- work on an interdisciplinary project by researching a problem for company or organization, focusing on developing a system that meets this problem.
- work on an individual application of systems engineering including modelling & simulation
The content of this block is organized in different tracks.
Systems
In this track you explore the field of Systems Engineering and learn about the Systems Engineering process, Systems Engineering tools and Systems Thinking.
Modelling is a key activity when developing systems. The track will teach you to model the complex context of systems with a more conceptual approach, as well as taking your first steps with simulations which model detailed behaviours underpinning these systems.
Your learning team will consist of a group of fellow students. Together you will study and experience how to function as a multidisciplinary team and learn from each other.
Throughout the whole program, you will develop your professional and research skills. In this block, the focus is on discovering yourself and your role in a team, as well as designing, executing, and communicating applied research.
This track will provide different workshops that can directly be applied in the execution of your projects. For example sessions on writing, iterative working, or mastering the art of “guesstimations”.
In this block, the focus is on data. How can you utilize all the data that is available nowadays effectively in your engineering projects? How can you be an effective engineer in a world that becomes more digital and data-driven each day? You will learn how to collect and transform data into usable information, using the latest techniques and approaches in the field of Data Science. The block covers both the more traditional aspects of data analysis, such as working with data and supervised learning, but also more advanced themes, such as machine learning.
Block B provides four areas of application to work in. You:
- kick-start the block with a week-long bootcamp that shows you how easy and fun it is to create tangible results with a data science approach.
- work on a relevant industry case study which requires the use of a Data-driven engineering approach, together with the whole class.
- continue to work on an interdisciplinary project but will enrich the project with a specific data perspective.
- work on an individual specialization project in which you delve deeper into a specific area such as computer vision, Edge AI & Internet of Things or perhaps even Natural Language Processing.
Within block B, the following topics can be identified:
Data
You will follow the CRISP-DM methodology for data mining to specify a business problem, collect and clean data for it, create a data model to be able to predict outcomes from the data, refine data models using accuracy metrics and deploy a data model. You will learn about Machine Learning, Deep Learning, (generative) AI and Edge AI to create working machine learning systems. You will use programming tools like Web scraping, Python, Scikit-Learn, Tensorflow and Tiny ML.
Throughout the whole program, you will develop your professional and research skills. In this block, the focus is on the skills relevant to data modelling processes, including statistics, data visualization, cross-cultural collaboration and proactivity.
IIn the project workshops topic, the focus is on delivering practical applications of the theory you have learned in the data science topic. Examples include validation, testing, implementation and sustainable development goals.
Block C is about change within complex systems. It’s about making a difference, setting innovations in motion and taking steps towards significant system improvement. How to make sure that developing new (technological) systems leads to meaningful and responsible change for users, environment and the company. It requires engineers that blend their skills and competencies of previous blocks with high context-awareness, high self-awareness, the competency to organize themselves, while being well-connected to multiple communities and understanding the effects of the change on the larger (holistic) system.
Block C provides four areas of application to work in. You:
- revisit the projects in block A and B and rethink their solutions, the way it was approached, chosen system boundaries and its possible effects, and the role that Systems Engineering or Data Science played.
- will use a rich societal case in class to explore a variety of complexity models.
- do a scientific experiment, full-cycle, and apply the results either as starting point for a final project or as a spin-off following up on a project in block A and B.
- elaborate a detailed project proposal for your individual graduation project in block D at a research group or a company. This final proposal is not just ‘a’ project proposal, but selected from a large variety of possible approaches dealing with a complex context in which your graduation project will intervene.
Block C provides four topics to work on (or ingredients to work with).
Change
Knowledge can be a key leverage when trying to make a change. In this topic, you will go through a scientific cycle and use your experiences and its outcomes in various project contexts. What is knowable with some effort and could help a system development process? What research methods, qualitative and/or quantitative, may do the job for a project and its context? How to prove statistically that change really happened?
In the topic complexity, you will learn about relevant complexity theories to assess and understand change in systems that do not solely include technical systems. For example, you learn about the importance of systems thinking, the approach to more complex innovation projects, and modelling systems to get a clearer idea of how to deal with ever-changing complex systems and its possible effects.
Making meaningful change requires genuine support among a diverse group of stakeholders. The crystallisation point of block C is to get their commitment as the result of being context-aware, future oriented, providing a shared knowledge base and being self-aware in why you want to play the role you play. You will do this by learning for example about organizational change approaches.
Making a change needs introspection. What change is meaningful to you? Context-awareness, as worked on in this block, allows engineers to see they are not kings in their castle, but just one role among a great many other roles in system development processes. How to align with all these other roles? It requires informal leadership, collaboration, and well-understood project dynamics.
In this final block, you will work full-time on the execution of your final graduation project that you have planned in block C – Change. This means you will be embedded full-time at an organization or company of your own choosing.
Throughout the block, several “back-to-school” days are organized in which you will have the possibility to follow specific expert workshops where we will support you with additional theory or practical examples. But you are also in the lead, as you will have the opportunity to get extra feedback sessions with lecturers on e.g. topics from the Systems, Data and Change blocks. These days are also intended to share experiences and learn from your fellow students.
Lecturers
Steven Haveman
Lecturer Systems Engineering & Interdisciplinary Projects, Thesis Project Supervisor
Steven Haveman is a lecturer and researcher at the HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. In his career, he has explored Systems Engineering from various perspectives: research, industry and education. In 2015, he achieved a PhD in Systems Engineering from the University of Twente focusing on the use of models and simulations in conceptual systems design. He has researched both mechatronic and socio-technical systems. Steven has been active as Systems Engineer and System Architect in the development of autonomous vehicles, both in logistics and mobility. Since 2022, he is employed at the HU at the Master Next Level Engineering, teaching amongst other Systems Engineering, and in the research group Organisations in Digital Transitions, researching local energy communities.
Patrick van Veenendaal
Chairman of the Curriculum Committee and Thesis examiner (and Founding father of the Master)
Patrick is trained as a Materials Engineer at Delft University of Technology, after which he conducted doctoral research at the University of Utrecht into silicon solar cells. He is currently an associate professor at the Institute for Design and Engineering and senior researcher at the research group Smart Systems for Healthy Living.
Patrick is motivated by multidisciplinary collaboration between different fields and at different levels. His current focus is on health technology, because many disruptive innovations will be applied in this field over the coming period to fortify cure & care.
Johan Looijenga
Docent/Lecturer Data Science/AI/ML
MSc in Computer Science. Business and market development in international telecommunications and media industry. Experience in management positions in leading mobile telecommunication and media companies.
Expertise: entrepreneurship, management, business development, innovation, data science, AI/Machine Learning, finance, product development, audio engineering, sound synthesis, lecturing management & media courses.
Danielle Vossebeld
Lecturer on Complex Systems
Industrial designer, interested in systems thinking, lecturer at the bachelor on product development and people-centred design, and researcher on the effect of developing and implementing technology in a healthcare setting.
Bart Bozon
Lecturer Modeling & Simulation and Data science
Background applied physics at TUDelft. Well-rounded background in line- and project-management in the semiconductor industry. Passionate about people and science. Author of the physics book Het Boek van het Alles. Elaborate YouTube-channel on education and physics.
Bauke Steenhuisen
Teacher in Next Level Engineering
My expertise in key words is systems engineering, large scale complex systems, professional skills, creative writing, qualitative science and guiding interdisciplinary projects. My teaching is based on a degree in systems engineering, working experience at Arcadis, a large engineering company, a PhD on how infrastructure companies implement innovations in their daily operations and years of research experience as an assistant professor at the TU Delft.
Lennard Spauwen
Mechanical Engineering graduate and alumni of the Master Next Level Engineering
Supervises learning teams in the same master’s program. He is a PhD-student at HU/UMC Utrecht, where his research focuses on the intersection of Engineering and biofabrication. His main topic is the 3D-biofabrication of cartilage implants.
https://www.hu.nl/onderzoek/onderzoekers/lennard-spauwen
Would you like to know more about this programme?
Next Level Engineering students are expected to form an active and reinforcing learning community. This community consists of you and your fellow students and if necessary, teachers of the core team. This community is similar to a group of co-workers in your future work environment. You will work independently but together when needed, all working towards the same goal: making a success of your Master Program.
You are expected at Hogeschool Utrecht for an average of four days a week to work together in project groups and your learning team.
All of the programmes at HU University of Applied Sciences are tested and approved by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO).
Use our tuition fee calculator to find out what you will be paying. Additionally, you can expect to pay between € 250 and € 500 for books, materials and excursions.
"I learned to not only professionalize my projects, but also my own vision, communication style and working methods."
Mees Luten Student MNLE
"I learned to not only professionalize my projects, but also my own vision, communication style and working methods."
Mees LutenStudent MNLE
The study program of the Master Next Level Engineering was one of the first things that immediately grabbed my attention. I was especially interested in the focus on Systems Engineering and Interdisciplinary Projects. I started with this master to deepen my prior technical knowledge and can firmly assert that my skills have already improved on a higher level. When I am working on and presenting a project, I pay attention to more intricate details and simultaneously have the ability to take a broader perspective in mind. As a student, you will work on challenging projects with your classmates and professionals, which can be quite demanding. However, as long as you are willing to put in the work and communicate with your teachers, the program offers you many benefits.
After this master, I would like to start my career at a technical company, such as a technical consultancy organization. I am looking forward to incorporate both my practical and advanced theoretical technical knowledge to improve and structure complex processes. Eventually, I can see myself working in a technical management position. During the Master Next Level Engineering I learned to not only professionalize my projects, but also my own vision, communication style and working methods. I feel more confident in overseeing projects from a strategic perspective and I hope to apply this in my professional career.
"The Master Next Level Engineering allows me to explore diverse ways of education and meet like-minded responsible individuals."
Abdonnaser Jamali Student MNLE
"The Master Next Level Engineering allows me to explore diverse ways of education and meet like-minded responsible individuals."
Abdonnaser JamaliStudent MNLE
For me, the Master Next Level Engineering is my second master. I got my master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at the Iran University of Science and Technology 10 years ago. After that, I started working in process engineering, industrial research and development and technical management. I also founded an industrial workshop where we produce chemicals used in the automotive industry. However, I was looking for a new challenge and wanted to learn more about technical engineering and management in an international setting and different country. The Master Next Level Engineering allows me to explore diverse ways of education and meet like-minded responsible individuals who are also striving to expand their engineering skills.
It's very interesting to notice how Dutch companies operate and are connected to universities. Although it took some time to find my purpose within this program, I would definitely choose this master again. I gained a lot of interesting insights from the Systems Engineering course, because it included a lot of new information for me and it helped me to perceive projects from a different angle. I can even apply the gained knowledge within my own company. Next to that, the teachers are very helpful and are always trying to do their best to help you and at the same time encourage you to take the next step. I am sure this program will help me to develop and push the boundaries of my managing skills.
Why study Master Next Level Engineering at HU?
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Applied Master programme
Study hands-on complex problems in the engineering field that require a Master’s approach; real Applied Science.
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Master of Science in one year
This ambitious programme is demanding, so you have to be motivated to study hard. You will obtain a Master of Science (MSc) in one year.
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Applied Master in Utrecht
Centrally located in the Netherlands. As a city with many students, Utrecht offers you great opportunities during your study and for your professional life afterwards.
