Please note: this FAQ is for HU students.
What is a minor?
A minor is a unit of courses zooming in on a specific topic or discipline and is usually taught over two periods (30 ects). It fits in the optional courses profile of the fulltime bachelor programme (also 30 ects, with a maximum of 60 ects). A minor will help you gain new insights and demonstrably explore your interests. This is a great benefit in the future when you apply for a job and need to distinguish yourself from others.
You can choose to take a minor within your regular degree programme to specialise within your discipline or in a different discipline to widen your professional perspective. Your minor underlines your interests.
When do I take a minor?
Your curriculum includes certain open timeframes for you to complete your optional course programme: these are specified in the study guide for your degree programme. Many students will take their minor in their 3rd or 4th year. This means that you will have to explore your options and select a minor during your 2nd or 3rd year, respectively. To help you along, you can count on information and counselling. In any case, always discuss your plans with your study counsellor first.
At HU, you can take a minor in either period AB or period CD, or opt for a continuously running course taught in both periods AB and CD. Not all minors are available in each period. Which and when they will be running, is stated in the description of each minor.
Can I fill my optional courses profile with something different?
Yes, you often can. You can find the options in the study guide of your programme.
Is it possible to participate in a minor outside HU?
The minor offer from other higher educational institutes in The Netherlands is searchable at the Kies op Maat website.
If you are sure that you do not want to take a minor at HU, you do not have to participate in the draw or (if you do not participate in the draw) register for a minor where there are still spots left. Are you unsure whether you want to do a HU minor? Then it is wise to register. If it turns out later that you are not going to follow a minor at the HU, you can always disenrol or have your enrollment terminated.
Do you want to go abroad? Then you can visit the Go International site. You can ask questions about a minor abroad to the International Office via io@hu.nl.
Are there costs associated with following a minor?
If you fill in the optional courses profile with a minor from the offer of your own university of applied sciences or another educational institution via Kies op Maat (see www.kiesopmaat.nl), this falls within the costs of the tuition fees that you already pay. The participating institutions have made agreements about this.
If you want to participate in a minor that is not part of the offer of your own university of applied sciences and/or another educational institution via Kies op Maat, you should bear in mind that you may incur additional costs.
Prepare yourself well for choosing the minor you want to follow and also check whether the minor you want to take is part of the Kies op Maat range. If this is not the case, ask the institution that offers the minor whether there are costs for you to follow that minor.
Do you have a question? Then make an appointment with your dean or send an email to minors@hu.nl.
How do the credits for my completed KOM minor end up in Osiris?
Submit a request to the examination board via HUKAS to enter your obtained points. Please attach a copy of the learning agreement. You must submit the original document (certificate or list of grades) that you received from the educational institution where you took the KOM minor during the walk-in consultation hours of the examination board. You can see when the walk-in consultation hours are on the website of the examination board of your institute.
You can also choose a different route. Then you send an email to the examination board of the educational institution where you took the KOM minor, with the request to email a copy of your grade list to your examination board at HU. Do not forget to include the email address of the examination board of your institute in your email. Then you can be sure that your list of grades ends up in the right place. The examination board of your institute makes sure that your results are registered in Osiris.
On the website of the examination board you will find more information about the walk-in consultation hours and the email address of the examination board of your institute.
Can I participate in a minor during my parttime programme?
Are you a parttime student and have you found an interesting minor with a parttime program and do you have questions about the teaching days and the program for parttime students? Send an email to the contact person of the minor. You can find the button on the information page of the minor in the menu on the right.
More information about the possibilities to fill in your profile as a parttime student can be found in the study guide for your study programme. Your study program can set specific conditions, have its own offer or offer an adapted program. Make an appointment with your study counselor or the study program coordinator of your study program to discuss your plans and options.
I already finished a minor. Can I take an extra minor?
Are you considering taking an extra minor at HU after completing your profile section? Please send an email to minors@hu.nl explaining your motivation for taking an extra minor. This is possible from 29 April to two weeks prior to the start of the minor. You will receive a decision whether or not you can participate no later than two weeks after sending your request. Be aware that the possibilities to take an extra minor are often limited because the registrations of students who are going to do their first minor take precedence over your registration. It is not allowed to register yourself in Osiris to participate in an extra minor.
The ECs you obtain with the extra minor do not count towards the compulsory 240 ECs for the Bachelor’s degree. You must be enrolled in a HU programme to follow minor education (without enrolment in a programme you are not entitled to education).