Name: Jos Mulder

Prior education: HBO Bachelor's degree in Chemistry

'I studied organic chemistry on HBO level. But I realised, lab work really wasn’t my thing. I was more interested in calculations. The combination of chemistry and math was much more appealing. Theoretical chemistry combines aspects of math, physics and chemistry. This is where my strengths lie. During my internship, I was working on the cutting edge of theoretical and organic chemistry. I found theoretical chemistry so fascinating I wanted to pursue it further.'

'The fundamental approach of the Chemistry programme is what I find so attractive. You start from nothing, and delve deeply into the material. Since this programme is much more theoretical than my HBO programme, and concerns another facet of chemistry, I did a six-course pre-Master’s programme. I definitely had to do some catching up in math and theoretical chemistry. It wasn’t too hard to handle, and certainly not more difficult for me than it was for the university’s Bachelor’s degree students.'

'The biggest difference with HBO is that you have more material to cover. On the HBO level, I could get away with starting to study a couple of days before an exam. Now, I really need to keep up with the course material. This is a big challenge. Another difference is that you have to be more self-sufficient. Instructors are happy to help you, but you have to take the initiative.'