Hi everyone, I am an international student from India and I am preparing to come to the Netherlands for my bachelors. I have chosen to apply to UTwente but I am confused as to which major I should enroll in. I will be studying in English and I wanted to do a BSc. However, I have not yet decided which major I want to do. I know it will be either mechanical or electrical or maybe (fewer chances because I don't like coding) computer science. However, Utwente also offers programs such as Advanced Tech and Creative Tech. I can't properly understand the point of these programs, so can you guys help me? What are the pros and cons of such programs for me and will it be difficult for me to find a job if I choose these majors? Also, will it be difficult for me to apply for a master's in some other countries like the USA?
Thanks a lot for the help!!
University of Twente Undergraduate Major Choice
Hi and welcome to the Forum.
If your aim is to come to Twente as a stepping stone to a Masters course at one of the world top universities elsewhere, then you've probably chosen the wrong place - Twente is ranked 184th in the world rankings and its Computer Science and Social Sciences are ranked as the better courses they offer. The Engineering courses aren't rated that well and they all appear to be heading in the wrong way.
With regards to what major you should choose; ideally, you want one in a subject with which you can excel - you want to soar with the eagles, not scramble around the ground like a turkey. You want a course where you will be the best; the world is full of people with mediocre degrees - of all the universities in the world you could have chosen, how did you come up with Twente, or the Netherlands even?
As for "will it be difficult for me to find a job if I choose these majors?"; well, my opinion is that you will not have helped yourself - there are at least 183 universities that are ranked better than your current choice.
Having said all that; they offer English language degrees, they are probably cheaper than the rest. If your aim is MIT, then Twente is definitely the wrong choice.
Hope this helps.
Cynic
Expat Team
Nah, actually I from India and the competition to get into even a good university here is crazy! Hence, I was looking at other options for my bachelors. I have applied to the US, however, it is very expensive and Europe seemed much more affordable (except the UK and Ireland cause they cost more as well). I looked at the Netherlands because, in Twente, it said that the cost of attendance will only be 20,000 euros.
The thing is, I am leaving India because I wanted a cultural change, and I believe I can get a better university in some other country than in India. Also, after bachelors, I plan to do a job in the Netherlands or some other part of Europe for some years before I do my masters. And as for my course, I don't even know what I actually want to enroll in. Doing research is good and all, but I can't make up my mind. I enjoy everything related to science! So, I thought that I will decide my specialization in college. What is your recommendation? And does it mean that if I choose a major like Advanced Technology, I will have difficulties in finding jobs or doing masters in the US or other countries? Please clarify...
Thanks,
Shiven
Hi again.
If cost is the sole driver then, by all means, come to Twente. If you put the hours in, do all your course work yourself, you will get your degree. Will it help you get a job, maybe. If a degree is an absolute requirement, then no, there will be plenty of people with degrees from better universities and if it matters, they will get in before you.
This link will take you to the World University ranking website; my advice is to check it out and use your spare time wisely.
Hope this helps.
Cynic
Expat Team
Thanks for all the help! Still, I didn't get my answer... Will doing multidisciplinary courses like advanced technology make it difficult for me to get a master's degree in the US?
Hi again.
No, I don't think it will make it difficult for you (or anyone else contemplating doing what you're unable to decide about) to get a course; focusing now on the masters element, assuming you have already conceded that Stanford, Harvard, Yale and MIT etc are not what we're talking about because you will need excellent grades from a good Uni to get into those, as with most universities nowadays, courses in the US are very much tailored to the amount of $ you have to spend; if you have the money in your back pocket to pay for it, you will be able to enrol for a master programme somewhere in the US.
I've just checked the link I gave you earlier and I can see why you would wish to do your courses outside of India. As to what degree, I'll tell you what I told my son when he asked me; the world will always use electricity and generally you don't get your hands so dirty with electricity, he went the electrical route and hasn't looked back (although apparently, I was wrong about the cleanliness part); my degree is Logistics, wtf do I know about it, I need an instruction book to use a multimeter.
Your culture comment made me smile; I love Holland to bits, but culture ............. really? I sometimes wonder if people actually know what culture means. If your definition includes becoming Dutch, integrating and doing things the Dutch way, then I can see the point, but if your definition is that Holland is attractive because you don't have to be Dutch, then the cultural side all becomes rather pointless, you could do that anywhere in the world, the word becomes an excuse for doing something, it's no longer a reason.
All that said, I do wish you the best of luck in your future choices
Hope this helps just a little bit.
Cynic
Expat Team
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