Are you a current student? For the programme of this academic year, check the course guide.
Curriculum of Science, Management and Innovation
During your first year, you focus on either Biology, Computing Science, Mathematics, Medical Biology, Molecular Sciences or Physics and Astronomy, depending on the Master's programme that you follow. The specific content of SMI starts in the second year of your Master’s programme, which consists of some compulsory courses, theme courses and a research project.
About this study curriculum
The course overview is an indication of the study programme of the academic year 2023-2024. Are you a current student, please consult the online course guide for your course overview.
Course overview
This course overview presents the SMI-specific course overview, which takes place in the second year of your Master's. The first year curriculum depends on which Master's you choose. You can find the first-year course overview for each Master's at the bottom of this page.
The structure of your SMI year is as follows:
- Compulsory courses (15 EC)
- Theme courses (15 EC)
- Research Project (27 or 30 EC)
You select a societally relevant theme to focus on and following a total of 15 EC of courses related to this theme. We offer four themes that are available to all students in this specialisation: Climate and Energy, Health, Green Industries & IT and Biodiversity. For these themes, we created courses directly geared to students interested in management and innovation.
- P1
- P2
- P2
Theme courses: Energy and Climate
Total number EC: 15 EC- P1
- P2
Theme courses: Health
Total number EC: 15 EC- P1
- P2
- P1
- P2
- P3
- P4
Theme courses: Green Industries & IT
Total number EC: 15 EC- P1
Theme courses: Biodiversity
Total number EC: 15 EC- P1
- P2
* Students who follow the Master's specialisation Water and Environment choose the course NWI-BM060C Quantitative Conservation Ecology (6 EC) instead.
The SMI Research Project is 27 EC with the option to make it 30 EC.
During your research project, you’ll work outside of the university on a real-world research problem in the theme you have chosen. Here, you take the essential step of applying what you have learned in your courses into practice. The project can be done within a company, a governmental organisation or department, the strategy department of a research lab or a non-governmental organisation, both inside or outside the Netherlands or Europe. The staff as well as our Career Service will help you find a tailor-made internship position that meets you future ambition.
Domains
This is an overview of the first-year curriculum if you combine Science, Management and Innovation with one of the Master's specialisations in Biology. During your first year you follow courses from your Biology specialisation and complete a research internship at one of the Biology research groups. The SMI-courses and activities start in the second year (see above).
The following components are part of the programme when you take the Master's specialisation in Science, Management and Innovation within the Master's in Biology:
- Compulsory courses (15 EC)
- Philosophy course (3 EC)
- Free electives (3 EC)
- Review article (6 EC)
- Research internship (33 EC)
Please note: this course overview gives an indication of the study programme. For more information about current courses, timetables, and literature, please have a look at the online course guide:
This is an overview of the first-year curriculum if you combine Science, Management and Innovation with one of the Master's specialisations in Computing Science. The SMI-courses and activities start in the second year (see above).
The following components are part of the programme when you take the Master's specialisation in Science, Management and Innovation within the Master's in Computing Science:
- Compulsory courses (27 EC)
- Specialisation electives (24 EC)
- Free electives (9 EC)
Please note: this course overview gives an indication of the study programme. For more information about current courses, timetables, and literature, please have a look at the online course guide:
This is an overview of the first-year curriculum if you combine Science, Management and Innovation with the Master's specialisations in Mathematics. The SMI-courses and activities start in the second year (see above).
The following components are part of the programme when you take the Master's specialisation in Science, Management and Innovation within the Master's in Mathematics:
- Compulsory courses (8 EC)
- Track electives (24 EC)
- Mathematical electives (26 EC)
- Philosophy course (3 EC)
- Free electives (3 EC)
Please note: this course overview gives an indication of the study programme. For more information about current courses, timetables, and literature, please have a look at the online course guide:
This is an overview of the first-year curriculum if you combine Science, Management and Innovation with one of the Master's specialisations in Medical Biology. The SMI-courses and activities start in the second year (see above).
The following components are part of the programme when you take the Master's specialisation in Science, Management and Innovation within the Master's in Medical Biology:
- Compulsory courses (15 EC)
- Philosophy course (3 EC)
- Free electives (3 EC)
- Review article (6 EC)
- Research internship (33 EC)
Please note: this course overview gives an indication of the study programme. For more information about current courses, timetables, and literature, please have a look at the online course guide:
This is an overview of the first-year curriculum if you combine Science, Management and Innovation with one of the Master's specialisations in Molecular Sciences. The SMI-courses and activities start in the second year (see above).
The following components are part of the programme when you take the Master's specialisation in Science, Management and Innovation within the Master's in Molecular Sciences:
- Compulsory courses (15 EC)
- Philosophy course (3 EC)
- Electives (9 EC)
- Free electives (3 EC)
- Research project (29 EC)
- Career orientation (1 EC)
Please note: this course overview gives an indication of the study programme. For more information about current courses, timetables, and literature, please have a look at the online course guide:
This is an overview of the first-year curriculum if you combine Science, Management and Innovation with one of the Master's specialisations in Physics and Astronomy. The SMI-courses and activities start in the second year (see above).
The following components are part of the programme when you take the Master's specialisation in Science, Management and Innovation within the Master's in Physics and Astronomy:
- Specialisation electives (23 EC)
- Philosophy course (3 EC)
- Free electives (3 EC)
- Professional preparation (1 EC)
- Thesis (30 EC)
Please note: this course overview gives an indication of the study programme. For more information about current courses, timetables, and literature, please have a look at the online course guide: