Frequently asked questions on minors

In the third or fourth year of your degree programme, you will take a minor. But what exactly is a minor? Are there any conditions for taking a minor? How and when do you register? And can a student from another university of applied sciences also take a minor at HZ? Here are the answers to all your questions.

A minor can have a study load of 15 or 30 credits. In total, you must complete 30 credits for your minor. You can do this by taking two minors of 15 credits or one minor of 30 credits.

To take a minor, you must have completed the propedeuse and at least 30 credits in the main phase. Some minors also have additional requirements. You can find these in the minor under the heading 'Entry requirements'.

There is an application period within which you can apply for a minor. That period is always mentioned with the minor. This applies to both the minors on the HZ website and the external minors on the Kies op Maat website.

During the minor day on 8 February 2024, you will find out all about the minors at HZ. If you want to do a Study Abroad minor, you can find out during the Go Abroad Fair. This is held every year around mid-November. Furthermore, your study programme may organise specific meetings to inform you about the minors.

If you find it difficult to choose a minor, you can discuss this with your study career coach. You can also always ask the minor's contact person for information or advice. It is also a good idea to ask senior students about their experiences.

If, as HZ student, you choose a minor from those on offer on the HZ website, you can immediately register via the website. Before registering, make sure you meet the conditions of the minor of your choice. You will find this information under the headings 'Entry requirements' and 'Registration'.

Some minors have a limited number of places and/or a selection procedure to join the minor. Therefore, you may not be admitted to a minor. Make sure you have another minor as a reserve option in addition to the minor of your choice.

If a minor has too few enrolments, it can be cancelled. Make sure you apply on time and that you have another minor in addition to the minor of your choice as a reserve option. The programme will inform you whether you will be placed for the minor of your choice.

As HZ student, you can also take your minor at another university of applied sciences. You can find the range of minors on the website Kies op Maat. You cannot immediately register for an external minor. First, you have to prove that the minor you want to do will deepen or broaden your study. That is why you should always discuss your choice with your study career coach.

Once you have done this, you can create a learning agreement in Kies op Maat. You do this by clicking on the button 'Enroll' on the minor page. You send the printed learning agreement, together with a motivation letter and the module details via e-mail to the departmental examination board (DEX). The DEX will then assess your application. What exactly you have to submit and the e-mail addresses of the DEX can be found on this page on MyHZ. In addition, you have to indicate on the minor page on Learn that you want to follow an external minor.

As HZ student you can also study abroad for a semester. You can do this with the Study Abroad minor. You can only study at an institution which is a partner of HZ. Furthermore, you need permission from the departmental examination board to do a minor abroad and for the courses you want to take there. You can find all the steps to follow on the page about the Study Abroad minor. For possible destinations, please check the overview of partner institutions.

Choosing a minor at another educational institution in the Netherlands or abroad will not always be approved. Make sure you submit a complete and well-reasoned application.

What else you should pay attention to is that the programme:

• equals 30 credits;
• is offered at the right level;
• does not overlap with the regular programme of your study programme;
• leads to a broadening or deepening of your competences;
• is a coherent whole and not a collection of separate courses;
• differs enough in content from a minor that is also offered at the HZ.

When you send a motivation letter to the departmental examination board, you describe at least:

• your reasons for taking an external minor;
• the learning objectives of the minor;
• the level of the minor;
• how the minor fits in with your study choice and study career.

If you have permission from the departmental examination board for the minor of your choice, send the signed learning agreement to the institution where you want to take the minor. If this host institution also agrees with your application, you can actually enrol. The host institution will inform you on how to do this.

At the end of your minor at another university of applied sciences in the Netherlands, ask that host institution to send a proof of completion via e-mail to the belonging to your programme. Based on that proof, the departmental examination board can award the credits for your minor.

The e-mail addresses of the departmental examination board are:

• Programmes from Business, Vitality & Hospitality domain: dex.bvh@hz.nl
• Programmes from the Health, Education & Welfare domain: dex.hew@hz.nl
• Programmes of the Technology, Water & Environment domain - location Middelburg: dex.twe-m@hz.nl
• Programmes of the Technology, Water & Environment domain - location Vlissingen: dex.twe-v@hz.nl

At the end of your minor at an educational institution abroad, the HZ International Office receives the Transcript of Records (ToR) from your host institution. They send this to the study career coach or the minor coordinator. The latter checks whether the subjects on the ToR match those on the approved learning agreement and calculates the weighted average. This information then goes to the departmental examination board. The departmental examination board assesses whether the credits are awarded and enters the results in Osiris.

As a student from another university of applied sciences, you can register for a minor at HZ. You can view the minors on the HZ website and on the website Kies op Maat. Check the minor of your choice to see if you meet the conditions. You can find this information under the headings 'Entry requirements' and 'Registration'.

You can register for a minor on Kies op Maat. A learning agreement will be drawn up for you. You will contact the study advisor of your institution, who will inform you what you need to submit in addition to the learning agreement in order to request permission from the examination board. Once you have obtained this permission, send the signed learning agreement to HZ; the address can be found on the learning agreement.

Once you have received approval from the HZ on your application, you can register via Studielink. You will go to the minor via the HZ programme to which the minor belongs. You will submit a proof of paid tuition fees to the HZ Student Office via e-mail address csa@hz.nl.

At the end of your minor at HZ, you ask for a proof of completion. You have this sent via e-mail to the departmental examination board that belongs to your programme. Based on this proof, the departmental examination board can award the credits for your minor.

Did you register for a minor and changed your mind about doing it? Then unsubscribe via Studielink and inform the contact person of the minor.