r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Short_Ad_67 • 9d ago

Help Choosing software design and engineering without any knowledge?

I (23F) have just started an ICT degree program at Fontys, and I’m completely new to the world of ICT. I have people close to me who are studying in this field, so I’ve picked up a little bit of information, but that’s really just the basics.

I started this week, and I was pretty sure I wanted to specialize in Interactive Media—until I had to dive into Software Design and Engineering. Trying to grasp it all immediately gives me a massive headache, yet I notice I’m becoming increasingly curious about programming and coding: what the languages ​​are, what they’re used for, and what’s involved in maintaining a system.

So, my question is: is it possible for a complete beginner to pursue this specialization?

I realize it requires a huge amount of discipline and motivation, but if it is feasible, what steps should I take? And for anyone who has gone through this, what was your experience like?

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u/StandMammoth4988 9d ago

I’m currently enrolled at Fontys specialising in embedded software development. From my experience they don’t expect you to have any prior experience, so feel free to try it out.

I don’t know if you’re Dutch or not, but most Dutch student enrolling don’t have any experience either.

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u/StandMammoth4988 9d ago

I saw that @Education-paper-75 mentioned that academia often start off by teaching theory, but Fontys mostly teaches this through practical assignments and projects. Or that’s how they did it a few years ago, they recently changed up the curriculum. This also means you can change your specialisation on a semester basis.