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Process & Food Technology

Full-time
4 years
The Hague, Main Campus
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For you?

Companies worldwide are carefully reevaluating their production processes. There is a lot to be done: developing more efficient and environmentally friendly production process, creating smarter food and manufacturing more sustainable consumer products.

Do you want to help companies address the challenges of our time? Then the 4-year Process & Food Technology (PFT) degree programme could be right for you.

You will learn everything about the many different production processes, so you can help improve and renew them. Your interest in technology and science will very much come in handy here. After completing this international (English-language variant) degree programme, you will be ready to work anywhere in the world. Where will you make the most impact?

Everything about admission

You have a non-Dutch diploma

 

Preliminary education Required profile
Havo (senior general secondary education)
  • Nature & Health 
  • Nature & Technology 
VWO (pre-university education)
  • Nature & Health 
  • Nature & Technology 
MBO (senior secondary vocational education and training)     
  • MBO (senior secondary vocational education and training)  Level 4, middle management or specialised secondary education programme 

You have a non-Dutch diploma 

To enrol for the PFT 4 year programme you will need a secondary school diploma comparable to a Dutch HAVO, VWO or MBO (level 4) diploma and a good command of English.

Before we can decide on your eligibility, we’ll need to assess your secondary school certificate.

To make sure your certificate is evaluated fairly, we work with NUFFIC, an organisation that specialises in the assessment of international education qualifications.

Language requirements 

If you were not educated in the Netherlands you usually have to submit a language test to be admitted. Depending on the type and country of your diploma you may however qualify for exemption. Please check our entry requirements page for more information. 

Don’t meet the entry requirements?

Perhaps your academic background is not quite the right level. Or you need some help improving your English skills. Don’t worry. There might be some alternative options to help you get in, and prepare yourself for a successful start of your studies at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS). 

English Academic Preparation Programme – at The Hague Pathway College 
Need help with your English? If you haven’t quite reached the right level of English for your chosen Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme, you can enrol for English Academic Preparation Programme. After the successful completion of this programme, you’ll be ready to start your degree at THUAS and you will already have a good taste of studying and living in the Hague. 

Admissions Test 21+  

If you’re 21 years old before 1 September 2022, but don’t have a diploma or a qualification that meets the entry requirements, you can take the 21+ Admissions Test. The 21+ Admissions Test is offered at several dates between January and the start of the academic year, and consists of a digital general capacity test. Please note that you can only participate if you have an EEA-nationality or residence permit for the Netherlands that is valid on the test date. 

Decisions regarding your qualification for admission

There are no exceptions to the official admission requirements. The Enrolment Office is the only party that can make decisions regarding your qualification for admission based on official regulations. You can’t rely on any other sources of information for your qualification for admission. 

Degree programme in figures

23
lecture hours per week
5
projects hours per week
14
independent study hours per week
60
credits per year

Testimonials

About choosing a study

‘I looked at the Nuffic Studyfinder and I filled in the subjects I was interested in - science and chemistry. The content of The Hague University of Applied Sciences’ PFT programme was a good match, both as a study and for my future career. Every block includes a group project and an excursion. Moreover, there is an internship in the third year. This means that we are not only learning the theory, but we put it into practice as well. I hope to become a chemical engineer one day.’

About favorite subjects

“The PFT programme is a combination of some of the favorite subjects that I've had so far. I like how broad it is. You can go multiple ways with this programme. For example you can try the more chemical side or the manufacturing of food products, depending on what you like. I like being in the laboratory. The teachers are very kind and are willing to help you at all times.”
Kanyanat Piwmao
About choosing a study
Omid Ziai
About favorite subjects

Degree programme content

What will you study each year?

Gaining process knowledge

To improve the processes, you first have to know them well. That is why in the first year you learn, for example, how to make cheese, brew beer, purify water and develop chemical products. You can immediately put everything you learn in these chemistry classes into practice. In the process, you develop some initial ideas: how can it be done smarter, faster or cleaner? In the first year, you also work on your communication skills. You learn how to conduct efficient meetings, write clear reports and work respectfully with different cultures. This will prepare you well for your internships (abroad). You will also receive academic career coaching and experience how you can easily reach out to your lecturers with questions.  

Semester 1

  • General Chemistry (4 credits) 

  • Mathematics 1 (4 credits) 

  • Basic Process Technology (4 credits) 

  • Laboratory 1 (3 credits) 

  • Project Water Treatment (6 credits; week 8/9/10) 

  • Project Inorganic Chemistry (6 credits; week 8/9/10) 

Semester 2

  • Organic & Food Chemistry (4 credits) 

  • Mathematics 2 (4 credits) 

  • Biotechnology (4 credits) 

  • Laboratory 2 (3 credits) 

  • Project Food Product 1 (6 credits; week 8/9/10) 

  • Project Food Product 2 (6 credits; week 18/19/20) 

Thinking in solutions

In year 2, you will start working on an important current topic: how to design safe and sustainable production processes. To learn this, you will work with existing companies and organisations that want to upgrade their systems. Responsible conduct is an important topic, so expectations will be high! You will work with big names, such as the international company Sensus or the Dutch multinational Akzo Nobel. Together with your project group, you work on simulation software for risk management and you look at promising and sustainable innovations. Will you and your fellow students discover new food products by using inulin (a natural sugar substitute) from vegetables? Will you help a brewery to improve their heat transfer? Or maybe you will work with sustainable plastics?  

Minors and internships

In year 3, you start with a minor. This enables you to deepen your knowledge in a certain field or broaden your skills. You will also be able to customise your degree programme and distinguish yourself on the labour market. Do you want to improve your technical skills? Or do you want to learn more about entrepreneurship? It is all possible! Maybe international development cooperation is a logical next step for you. You decide how to increase your future value and impact. Do you prefer more in-depth knowledge? In that case PFT offers an interesting minor in Food Product Design. But you can also complete a minor at another university of applied sciences or research university. 

In the second semester, you do an internship. You can choose a longer 20-week project or two shorter 10-week internships. The degree programme has many partners in large and small companies and we cooperate with universities all over the world. Maybe you will perform a safety analysis for a start-up that is launching a new brand of baby food, or you do an internship at a large chemical company that wants to make its operations more sustainable. Students also do internships at engineering firms and pharmaceutical companies, and they conduct research, for example, at TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) or at a foreign university. This is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in a new (corporate) culture. 

Specialising and graduating

In the final year of the degree programme, you specialise: you will focus strictly on the chemical side or on food. In the first semester, you deepen your knowledge of your chosen field with working groups, lectures and projects. Are you focussing on processes in the food industry? Then you could be working on functional foods such as cholesterol-lowering margarine, for example. If you choose to specialise in chemical process technology, you could be working with catalysis to generate as few emissions as possible. And then the moment has come: in the final semester of the 4-year Process & Food Technology degree programme, you graduate by completing an assignment at a company. You apply everything you have learned in the previous years to your graduation thesis, your presentation and thesis defence. 
Working methods

During the 4-year PFT programme, you will learn through an interesting mix of teaching formats. You follow theoretical subjects, but mainly carry out practical assignments. Other learning experiences will also promote your development. You will go on a field trip to a water purification plant, a brewery and a company that produces catalysts for sustainable fuels. You will work alone or with fellow students on projects and issues that directly affect organisations. You immediately apply the theory you have learned in practice, and during your degree programme you already contribute to a more sustainable society.

 

Minors

In year 3 of the 4-year English-language Process & Food Technology degree programme, you choose a minor. This allows you to look beyond your own degree programme or to further specialise as a process and food engineer. You can choose the PFT-minor Food Product Design, for example, where you will also work with students from Nutrition & Dietetics and Industrial Design Engineering. In this minor you focus on the development or improvement of new and existing products. Do you prefer to broaden your knowledge by taking a completely different kind of minor? The possibilities at THUAS and beyond are endless. If you want to set up your own startup you may want to focus on entrepreneurship, or delve into sociology to learn more about the human aspects of business. Would you like to use the minor as an opportunity to go abroad? In the Minor Development Cooperation & Globalisation, you contribute your knowledge to development projects in Africa. 

Jobs

What you will become

  • Operations technician
  • Food technologist
  • Product designer
  • Quality controller
  • Security advisor
  • Chief firefighter
  • Drug safety medical adviser
  • Process safety engineer
  • Production specialist
  • Research technician

Continue studying

At a university of applied sciences or a research university

After you complete the 4-year Process & Food Technology degree programme you can probably find a job almost anywhere, but maybe you prefer to continue your studies. There are plenty of master's programmes in The Netherlands and abroad that align with what you have learned. It’s even possible to get a master’s degree within THUAS. The master Next Level Engineering can be done in just one year.  Also, you will find prestigious master's programmes in Chemical Engineering at TU Delft, TU Eindhoven, UT Twente and at the University of Groningen. Wageningen University offers a master's degree in Food Technology. Depending on the university, you may have to complete a pre-master year before you can enrol.

Prefer to go abroad? You can consider universities in countries such as Denmark, Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom and China.

Practical information

What else do you need to know?
How to apply

Your enrolment request must be submitted through Studielink. Before you do, please check the official name of the programme below. Would you like to find out more about the application process first? Check our page How to apply. The key deadlines are listed here as well. This degree programme starts in September and there is no intake in February. 

Official details of the programme

This degree programme is registered in the Central Register of Higher Education Programmes (CROHO) as follows:  

Official Dutch name of degree programme: Chemische Technologie Official international name: Chemical Engineering 
Programme code (Isat): 34275  
Institution code (Brin): 27UM  

Both the official Dutch and the official international name of the degree programme (current at the time of your graduation) will be printed on your diploma. 
 
For more information on the accreditation of this degree programme, see the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) website. 

Tuiton fee

Tuition fees

You will have to pay tuition fees when you enrol on a bachelor's programme. You can pay in one or more instalments. If you pay in more than one instalment a small administration fee is charged. 

Scholarships

Find out more about scholarships for international students. Please note that these scholarships are one-off scholarships only, meaning that if you obtain them it is only for your first year of study. 

Student finance

Dutch students qualify for extra financial support via a loan. Dutch students automatically qualify for this financial assistance and international students may be eligible if they have lived in the Netherlands for at least five years or are employed for at least 56 hours per month. 

Additional Costs 

You must also budget for books, excursions and field trips. You can expect to pay approximately €800 per year to cover these additional costs. During your semester abroad, you will also need to pay for tickets, housing and insurance. 

Visa and residence permit 

More information about the visas and residence permits. 

Need help making a decision

We would like to help you make the right decision

It takes a bit of thought and research to find the right programme. The Hague University of Applied Sciences organizes various activities throughout the year to give you the best possible idea of the various studies offered. You also learn what it’s like to study at THUAS. This way, you can click on the registration button without a doubt in mind. Or you’ll know for certain it’s not right for you.   

Walk in at our Study & Career Centre for…  

Assistance during your studies

Mentoring, coaching and advice 

A personal supervisor will help you keep track of your study progress and guide your career development. He/she will also support you if you have any personal problems that could adversely affect your school performance. A coaching assistant, usually a recent graduate, will also tutor you. He/she will assist you with the day-to-day practicalities of studying PFT. For example, by helping you improve your time management skills, or finding the right people within the programme to answer more complicated questions.

Downloads
Binding Study Advice (BSA)

To continue your degree programme after the first year, you need to earn 50 of the 60 credits (EC or Credits). In some cases, the degree programme may also require that you pass a specific subject as pEuropean art of the credit requirements. We call this a qualitative requirement. If you meet the credit requirements as well as the qualitative requirement where applicable, you will receive a positive binding study advice (BSA) from the Examination Board at the end of your first year and you will be able to continue your degree programme. 

If you earn less than 50 credits or don’t meet the qualitative requirements where applicable, you will receive a negative binding study advice and will have to leave the degree programme. This is why this advice is called a Negative Binding Study Advice (NBSA).  

Your academic progress may be affected by personal circumstances such as illness or the professional practice of a sport. It is important that you inform the Examination Board immediately of any personal circumstances that might apply to you. The Board can take these into account when issuing its study advice. 

Read all the rules for the binding study advice in Chapter 7 of the Programme and Examination Regulations (PER) for your degree programme.