Testimonial
From hbo to wo: now I did choose Wageningen
Dorine de Gast, Master's Communication, Health and Life Sciences.
Previous education: Diermanagement, Van Hall Larenstein
After secondary school, Dorine de Gast opted not to go to university but to do a hbo bachelor. After her bachelor's, she wanted to further expand her knowledge with a wo-master's degree. She chose the master's in Communication, Health and Life Sciences. Dorine looks back on a well-chosen study path.
In retrospect, my Master's is a good addition.
In secondary school, I already knew pretty well what I wanted. But also what I didn't want. That meant not going to university. I remember going to Wageningen for a bachelor’s open day. It didn't appeal to me at all. The bachelor's programme in Animal Management at Van Hall Larenstein did. I had always wanted to do something with and for animals, but preferably not as a veterinarian. Animal management is a management programme that focuses on human-animal relationships and animal welfare. That fitted in well with what I wanted at that time.
Expanding knowledge
And it also turned out to be the right choice. With my gymnasium background, I was given extra courses and more depth in my first year at the hbo. I enjoyed many subjects and did several internships. I gradually discovered that I was particularly interested in the areas of communication, education and policy. Those four years flew by and I wanted to further expand my knowledge in these areas.
This time the choice for Wageningen was quickly made: the master Communication, Health and Life Sciences. I visited an open day and had a nice conversation with a study advisor. Before I could start, I had to do a six-month pre-master's course because I had not taken enough communication courses. In the end, the pre-master wasn't that bad. It was useful to get to know the university better, though.
Master as a great addition
Looking back, my master's is a good addition. I had already gained a lot of experience in higher vocational education, including practical experience. At university, I learned to link that experience to theory. You work more independently, but I found the level quite manageable. Only my thesis didn't really work out. I had difficulty getting started and really getting going, partly because of corona. But in the end, that also worked out well and I graduated, with a year's delay.
And now I apply all my knowledge and experience in my job at the Maatschap voor Communicatie, a communication agency in the public domain. My job fits like a glove. I feel confident that I can use the knowledge I gained in the master's programme to work on my assignments independently. Yes, I wouldn't have done it any other way.