Degree structure

The foundation of the Sustainable Innovation (SI) program is made up of core social science and technology courses. You combine courses on, for example, technology innovation, economic policy, sustainability analysis and transition studies. The technical courses are part of the Sustainable Energy and Urban Planning & Mobility specializations (tracks). To prepare you well for your work as an engineer, you will also take a number of basic courses required for this, such as mathematics and applied physics.

In Sustainable Innovation, you will additionally study research methods and work on practical assignments. You will also develop your professional skills in writing, presentation, collaboration and organization, among others. A quarter of your bachelor’s degree will consist of electives that you choose together with your teacher coach. You can use these electives to broaden your knowledge or specialize in a specific field. In this way, you can craft a personalized version of the bachelor’s program!

First year

The first year introduces you to the areas of expertise that make up the Sustainable Innovation field. You develop your competencies with technical courses (mathematics, applied physics) in combination with core courses and an Impact of Technology (ITEC) course on ethics. The core courses fit into the most important learning trajectories of the degree program:

  • Economics of Innovation
  • Sustainable Technology in Society
  • Research Methods and Sustainability Assessment
  • Global Sustainability

In the first year, you choose one of the technical specializations (Renewable Energy or Urban Planning & Mobility) and follow the first courses within this.

Second year

In the second year, you deepen your knowledge in the key areas above. You continue your technical track and learn to apply your knowledge. In addition, you develop your professional skills. You also work on a multidisciplinary and challenge-oriented project course. There are three electives with which you will begin to personalize your program.

Third year

The third year is devoted to strengthening your vision and personal identity. You do this in the first half of the year with electives. In the other half of the year, you take the final basic courses and the Engineering for Society ITEC course. In addition, you demonstrate your competencies in the bachelor’s final project.

Challenge-Based Learning

A third (33%) of the courses in the bachelor’s program are designed according to Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). In CBL courses, you apply the knowledge gained during the course to society via open challenges. In the second year of the bachelor’s program, CBL consists of an interdisciplinary challenge course that brings together different technical disciplines.

Electives

In addition to the core courses, you choose electives that allow you to add your own emphases to your program. You can choose subjects from another field that help broaden your knowledge or you can choose to go deeper into your own field. You can use the elective space to deepen or broaden your technical knowledge with courses at TU/e or broaden the scope of your studies by taking courses at Wageningen, Utrecht University or the TU/e alliance program. You can also use the elective space to work on challenges with societal and industrial stakeholders in projects at TU/e Innovation Space. The free choice ensures that you can put your program together in a way that suits your needs and goals. Having many choices does not always make things easier. With good guidance, we will help you make the best choices for your bachelor’s degree and the possible continuation of your studies.

Bachelor’s final project

The bachelor’s final project is the final project of the Sustainable Innovation bachelor’s degree. You independently go through the entire research cycle of a specific socio-technical issue. You devise and formulate your own clear research questions, construct a sound research methodology and conduct the necessary data collection and analysis. From this, you develop a policy, strategy and/or research recommendations.

Check the education guide for more information on the curriculum of the Sustainable Innovation bachelor’s program and the bachelor’s final project. Please note that the education guide is an important source of information for TU/e students that contains detailed, practical information on all aspects of the program and courses.

ITEC

Like all TU/e bachelor’s students, you will take courses on Impact of Technology (ITEC). These courses address the functions of technology in a broader context. After all, Eindhoven engineers develop technology for users to solve societal problems and create economic opportunities. During these courses, we pay attention to the moral dimensions of technology and the different demands of stakeholders.

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