The right programme for you?
Your future
The program's curriculum is designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and understanding to solve complex challenges from multiple disciplinary perspectives, ensuring you're fully prepared for the professional field.
Your study structure
The Bachelor's program in Circular Engineering takes three years and is divided into six semesters. Each semester consists of three blocks, following the 7-7-3 model:
- Block 1 and 2 (both 7 weeks): subjects, practical labs and skills training.
- Block 3 (3 weeks): an intensive project in which you apply everything you have learned.
At the end of each block, you have an exam week without other classes, allowing you to fully focus. The rhythm is clear, tightly organized, and gives you a concrete goal to work towards each period.
These skills training sessions and projects are an integral part of the program. The technological skills training sessions and projects can be laboratory-based, engineering-based, or computer-based.
Year 1
In the first year, you'll build a strong technical foundation with courses like mathematics, physics, chemical engineering, and biotechnology. In courses like Life Cycle Assessment and Engineering in a Circular Economy, you'll learn how to analyze the impact and circularity of products and processes.
You'll immediately apply this knowledge in two technical projects, where you'll work on real-world challenges and experience how theory is put into practice.
Year 2
In year two, you'll choose a direction. You'll create your own curriculum with electives and skills training that align with your interests and future plans. If you're more interested in chemistry, you might choose courses like Artificial Intelligence or Sustainable Agronomy.
These courses will expand your technical toolbox and help you gain a broader perspective on circular solutions. Each semester concludes with a project where you'll directly apply this knowledge, with guidance from academic advisors in your choices.
Year 3
In your third year, you'll delve deeper into a specialization. You'll choose a specialization that aligns with your interests, such as Circular Chemical Engineering, Sustainable Biotechnology, Sustainable Mechanical Engineering, or Engineering Physics for Sustainable Manufacturing.
You'll complete your bachelor's degree with a thesis exploring a real-world technical challenge within your specialization, often in collaboration with companies and organizations at the Brightlands campuses.
Concentrations
In your third year, you'll choose a specialization that aligns with your technical interests and the impact you want to make. Each specialization allows you to delve deeper into an engineering field, developing real-world solutions for resource scarcity, energy transitions, or sustainable production.
Circular Chemical Engineering
In this specialization, you'll learn how energy and materials move through chemical systems and how to make them smarter, cleaner, and more efficient. You'll model, analyze, and optimize processes from molecule to factory scale. You'll develop practical skills in systems design, process control, and sustainability. With a focus on real-life applications and circular innovation, you'll be prepared to bring innovation to the chemical industry and beyond.
Sustainable Biotechnology
In this specialisation, you'll learn how to use cells, genes, and microbes to produce sustainable food, materials, energy, and medicines. You'll build a strong foundation in molecular and cellular biology and work with biotechnological tools, fermentation, and bioprocesses. The focus is on scalable and environmentally friendly solutions that conserve resources and replace fossil-based systems. This track prepares you for innovation in the life sciences, biobased industry, and environmental biotechnology.
Engineering Physics for Sustainable Manufacturing
In this specialization, you'll work on technologies that make production smarter, more efficient, and circular. You'll combine mechanics, materials, and electronics with design and analysis skills to accurately measure and improve systems. This way, you'll develop sustainable products and processes that reduce waste and extend life cycles. This prepares you for innovation in areas such as smart production and sustainable product development.
Sustainable Mechanical Engineering
In this specialization, you'll focus on how products and processes become stronger, smarter, and more sustainable. You'll learn all about mechanics, structural analysis, and mechanical engineering, as well as how to design products that last longer, are easier to repair, and more recyclable. With skills in simulation, material selection, and system design, you'll develop practical solutions that reduce environmental impact.
You learn not only what is sustainable, but also how to make it. Lots of project work, lots of collaboration, and very little boring stuff. Love it
Lara, 2nd year CE student
Problem-Based Learning and Research-Based Learning
In Circular Engineering, you learn not just by listening, but by doing. You'll work in small groups on real-world technical and societal challenges. In Problem-Based Learning (PBL), you'll discuss with your team, set your own learning goals, and apply theory directly. This way, you'll retain more and learn to adapt more quickly.
You'll also work with Inquiry-Oriented Learning. In the first year, you'll start with small technical problems and gradually build up to more complex projects. You'll research, design, and test solutions in modern labs and learn to ask questions to which no answers exist yet. Your bachelor's thesis is the ultimate challenge where everything comes together.
In short:
• You learn by researching, designing, and creating
• You work on increasingly challenging real-life engineering cases
• You develop skills such as presenting, collaborating, writing, and experimenting
• You discover new technologies and devise solutions for circular challenges
Click the link below or the video below to learn more.
Completely convinced this is what you want to study? Then apply now.