Inhoud
Broad Associate Degree
Summary
This page describes the broad Associate Degree (AD) programme offered by Fontys ICT in both full-time and part-time formats. For details about the part-time AD programme, see section 4.
Text responsible: Curriculum Owner (CE) AD. Updated 26 November 2025.
1. Programme content
1.1. Nature and offering
The broad Associate degree (AD) is a two-year higher professional education programme offered by Fontys ICT. The Ad focuses on enabling students to start working in their chosen profession within ICT after two years. Regardless of their chosen profession, all students receive the same Associate Degree ICT certificate.
Fontys ICT positions the AD as a higher professional education programme par excellence for students with a clear career vision who want to get started quickly. We therefore use the phrase “get started” repeatedly in our communications, for example on fontys.nl. (Of course, students who choose the AD for other reasons are equally welcome.
For students who have completed the AD programme, we also offer the opportunity to obtain a Bachelor's degree within two years, preparing them for a broader career in IT.
The AD programme is offered full-time in Tilburg and both full-time and part-time in Eindhoven. In Eindhoven, the full-time AD programme can also be taken in English. For students, the AD programme is described in the Study Guide.
1.2. Level
In the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), the HBO-AD is level 5. The AD degree is included in the Higher Education Act (WHW). The study load is 120 ECTS credits.
According to the domain description Higher Education ICT Programmes (HBO-i), the exit level in semesters 1, 2 and 3 is the same for AD and Bachelor's degrees in all architecture layers (user interaction, organisational processes, infrastructure, software and hardware interfacing), namely level 2 of the HBO-i framework. Fontys ICT focuses on the general exit level in accordance with the agreements of the National Consultation on AD Programmes (LAdO).
See: https://www.deassociatedegree.nl/wp-content/uploads/Beschrijving-van-niveau-5_NL_nov2022-1.pdf
The professional development (PO) level of qualification differs in two respects for AD and Bachelor's programmes. The Bachelor's programme focuses broadly on the ICT field. The AD student focuses on a profession to be acquired. During the four-year programme, the Bachelor's student focuses broadly on forms of applied research. During their two years of study, AD students focus on action-oriented research, in other words, going through relatively short cycles: analysis, design, realisation, evaluation. Fontys ICT follows the LAdO agreements regarding research in the AD.
See: https://www.deassociatedegree.nl/wp-content/uploads/210603-g-Handreiking-Onderzoekendehouding-1.pdf
Fontys ICT has further elaborated on the LAdO's guidelines on research in the AD in the document The positioning of research at AD: Spot on (12 July 2024).
In semesters 2 and 3, AD students and Bachelor's students are expected to perform equally on all learning outcomes. In semester 4, AD students demonstrate their graduation level in practice, in line with the level they demonstrated in the educational context in semester 3 (level 2 HBO-i framework).
1.3. Learning outcomes
It follows from section 1.2. that the learning outcomes directly linked to the HBO-i domain description are the same for AD and Bachelor's programmes. Deviations may arise from the professional context. This can be indicated, for example, in the explanation of the learning outcome. If the learning outcomes differ significantly, an explanation should be provided.
The learning outcomes linked to professional development differ in terms of research. For both AD and Bachelor's students, the same requirements apply in the first two years (or up to and including the internship in semester 5). The difference is that AD students focus on action-oriented research as one of the forms of applied research. AD students can, of course, also explore other forms of research. The introduction and main topic semesters provide their own considered interpretation of this.
The AD programme follows the NLQF guidelines for drawing up learning outcomes.
1.4. Professional profiles
In accordance with the OER, every student graduates with a broad Associate Degree in ICT. The AD does not have any fields of study, specialisations or specialisations. The OER states that AD students choose a professional profile in semester 1. That professional profile has the following functions.
* The professional profile serves to create realistic expectations regarding the profession to be acquired after a two-year higher professional education programme. It must be clear that the Bachelor's student is preparing for a broader spectrum of work than the AD student and that the AD graduate will be dealing with a different labour market than the Bachelor's graduate.
* The professional profile provides direction for the topics to be covered in semesters 2 and 3 of the AD programme. Whereas bachelor's students have four years to develop into ICT professionals, AD students start working after two years. The professional profile indicates a targeted study path for this purpose. These study paths are listed in the Study Guide.
* The professional profile is leading in the search for a suitable graduation internship and assignment. The professional profile is a tool that the graduation coordinator uses in discussions with students about the approval of the internship assignment.
The following professional profiles will be available for the 2025-2026 academic year.
- Assistant Service Delivery Manager - Digital Media Operator - Junior App Developer - Junior Application Manager - Junior Cloud Engineer - Junior Data & BI Analyst - Junior Embedded Software Developer - Junior Ethical Hacker (Pentester) - Junior Front End Developer - Prompt Engineer - Smart Industry System Operator - Software Prompt (AI Integration) Engineer - Junior Full Stack Developer
See: https://studyguide.fontysict.nl/?c=ad
The descriptions of the professional profiles in the Study Guide have been deliberately kept brief. Any further specification would be an arbitrary choice from numerous different descriptions of the profession that circulate in professional practice. AD students are encouraged to conduct their own research into their intended profession and to develop a personal job description. This fits in with the learning outcome of Personal Leadership.
No learning outcomes or competencies are linked to the professional profile. These are linked to topics to be followed. The professional profile is explicitly intended to facilitate students in making choices in their study career. Once chosen, a professional profile is not a straitjacket. Changing career profiles is done in consultation with the semester coach and other lecturers. The chosen career profile is not recorded in the administration, except by the student, the semester coach and the graduation coordinator. The certificate states graduation from the broad Associate Degree ICT. The career profile is not mentioned. The diploma supplement mentions the topics followed.
An AD student can draw up a personal, individual professional profile. In doing so, the student indicates which topic semesters are relevant to that profile. The examination board approves these choices. In doing so, the examination board first checks whether the professional profile drawn up reflects a realistic assessment of the labour market opportunities.
1.5. Content structure of the curriculum
Since the level and learning outcomes of the AD and Bachelor's programmes have both similarities and differences, AD and Bachelor's students follow an equivalent curriculum in years 1 and 2, with some noticeable variations.
The Canvas course and the MS Teams learning environment can be shared by Bachelor's and AD students. Bachelor's and AD students can work on the same (group) assignments. If the content of the Bachelor's and AD curricula is broadly similar, the distinctive differences should be specified in the programme guide (curriculum management system CBS).
Because AD students start looking for a graduation internship immediately after year 1 and acquire a suitable graduation assignment during semester 3, there are study activities in semesters 2 and 3 for AD students that are aimed at accelerated professional development (compared to regular Bachelor's students). These additional, empowering activities will be developed during the 2025-2026 academic year.
Fontys ICT has opted to keep Bachelor's and AD students close together in terms of teaching, for example in the same open learning environments or in mixed project groups. The experiences with this have been positive. Indications are that being able to mirror themselves on Bachelor's students gives AD students self-confidence and has a favourable effect on their overall study motivation and discipline. It is assumed that this will also have a favourable effect on the continuation rate.
The New Programme Assessment emphasised the “independence” of the AD programme. At Fontys ICT, we apply the following criteria: 1) after completing the programme, the AD student is ready for the profession; 2) the AD programme has distinctive elements due to the professional profiles, the designated study paths and the emphasis on accelerated professional development; and 3) the AD is, in principle, independent of the Bachelor's programme in terms of educational implementation (although we deliberately seek synergy with the Bachelor's programme).
1.6. Curriculum Management System (CBS)
In the curriculum management system, the full-time AD and AD-Pro have their own educational units. Similarities and differences as referred to in 1.2, 1.3 and 1.5 are identified and explained in the CBS.
1.7. Graduation level
Graduates demonstrate that they can replicate the level of attainment achieved in an educational context in a professional setting. The HBO-i graduation level AD is therefore comparable to semester 3 AD and semester 3/4 Bachelor, except for the nuances in professional development.
2. Implementation
2.1. General overview of the structure of the programme
Starting semester: same as the starting semester of the Bachelor's programme. Professional orientation assignment.
Semester 2: topic semester in accordance with the chosen professional profile; study activities for accelerated professional development.
Semester 3: topic semester in accordance with the chosen professional profile; study activities for accelerated professional development, including graduation preparation.
Semester 4: graduation semester in a chosen professional profile.
The AD does not have a propaedeutic phase.
2.2. Starting semester
Full-time students who have enrolled for AD-ICT or Bachelor-ICT follow the same starting semester. At the end of the starting semester, students choose whether to continue with their original enrolment or to switch. See 3.2. and 3.3.
2.3. Classification
From semester 2 to semester 4, AD students are administratively classified in different classes (groups) than the Bachelor's programme, with their own code, starting with (O-)A-Xsemnr-volgnr(T). Education may take place jointly with a corresponding Bachelor's semester.
2.4. Career orientation assignment
The CE is responsible for the career orientation assignment in semester 1. The Topic Owner for semester 1 ensures that the assignment is included in the regular AD-Canvas course. The (compulsory) career orientation assignment prepares students to choose their professional profile for semesters 2, 3 and 4.
The TO can assign the supervision and handling of the career orientation assignment to semester coaches or other lecturers.
2.5. Graduation preparation
The AD graduation coordinator (TO S4) provides graduation information in semester 3.
In semester 3, students acquire a graduation internship confirmed by the company and submit an interview form to the graduation coordinator for approval. In accordance with the procedure for bachelor's internships, the graduation coordinator can insist that these conditions must be met by the end of week 15 at the latest. If the start date is week 11 of the semester, the deadline is the end of week 5. See section 2.6.
2.6. Graduation semester
The graduation semester has a theoretical and a practical component. The theoretical component prepares the student for the work in the chosen professional profile. The student carries out a practical assignment in the professional profile at the graduation internship company. This practical assignment is concluded with a portfolio and a graduation session in which the student presents and defends the practical assignment. The assessment model for graduation is included in the CBS.
The graduation semester has four starting dates per year: week 1 and week 11 of each semester. The student makes agreements with the graduation coordinator about the time allocation between the theoretical and practical components. Students are free to start with the practical component immediately. (This is often the normal course of action.)
Students may only commence the graduation semester if they have a place for the graduation internship confirmed by the graduation company and an interview form approved by the graduation coordinator in accordance with the deadlines specified in section 2.5.
2.7. Assessment
The AD follows the assessment policy of Fontys ICT and has its own Education and Examination Regulations (OER).
3. Transition
3.1. General
Since semesters 1, 2 and 3 of the Bachelor's and the AD have a corresponding exit level in accordance with the HBO-i domain description, it is possible to transfer from the Bachelor's to the AD under the conditions set out below. In all cases, a transfer after week 15 of a semester is no longer possible. There is then insufficient time to correctly adjust the enrolment in Studielink and Progress. The assessment that a student takes at the end of a semester always counts for the programme for which the student is currently enrolled.
3.2. Semester 1
In semester 1, switching between Bachelor's and AD is part of the regular educational structure of the starting semester: in that semester, a student chooses between Bachelor's or AD. It does not matter what the student originally enrolled for. The semester coach supervises this process. The student is responsible for ensuring that they are correctly registered in Studielink by week 15 at the latest (see 3.1).
3.3. Semester 2
Transfer from Bachelor's to AD during semester 2: the student has a meeting with the semester coach and, in consultation with the semester coach, completes the AD professional profile orientation assignment. The student submits a request to the Examination Board for an exemption from semester 1 AD on the basis of having passed semester 1 Bachelor's and having completed the orientation assignment. The student states the professional profile.
The student changes their registration in Studielink. The Examination Board informs the semester coach and the Student Desk. The Student Desk archives the permission in Content Manager.
3.4. Semester 3
Transfer from Bachelor's to AD during semester 3: the student has a meeting with the semester coach and, in consultation with the semester coach, completes the AD professional profiles orientation assignment. The student submits a request to the Examination Board for an exemption from semester 1 and 2 AD on the basis of having passed semester 1 and 2 Bachelor's and having completed the orientation assignment. The student states the professional profile. The student changes their registration in Studielink. The Examination Board informs the semester coach and the Student Desk. The Student Desk archives the permission in Content Manager.
N.B. Since semester 4 can only start with a confirmed internship placement, a late switch during semester 3 may lead to study delay. See 2.5.
3.5. After semester 3
Transfer from Bachelor's to AD from semester 4 and higher: the student has a meeting with the semester coach and, in consultation with the semester coach, completes the AD professional profiles orientation assignment. The student submits a request to the Examination Board for an exemption from semesters 1, 2 and 3 AD on the basis of having passed the corresponding semesters of the Bachelor's programme and having completed the orientation assignment. The student states the professional profile. The student changes their registration in Studielink. The Examination Board informs the semester coach and the Student Desk. The Student Desk archives the permission in Content Manager.
N.B. Since the student in the Ad immediately starts the graduation internship, the transfer may lead to study delay. See 2.5.
It is possible that the student has earned more credits in the Bachelor's programme than the 90 credits required for the transfer to the AD. The normal validity periods in accordance with the OER apply to those remaining credits.
3.6. From AD to Bachelor's
Transfer from AD to Bachelor's is possible as long as the student has not completed the assessment in semester 2. The procedure for this is in accordance with 3.3., with the exception of the career orientation assignment. The latest transfer date is week 15.
After completing the AD assessment in semester 2, it is not possible to transfer to the Bachelor's programme in subsequent semesters. In order to continue the Bachelor's programme, a propaedeutic certificate must be obtained.
3.7. After graduation**
Continuation of Bachelor's programme after obtaining the AD: in spring 2023, Fontys ICT endorsed the agreements of the National Consultation on AD programmes, which state that after obtaining the Associate Degree, it must be possible to graduate from the Bachelor's programme within two years. For full-time students, their follow-up programme consists of semesters 4, 6, 7 and 8 of the Bachelor's programme. The Associate Degree then grants exemption from semesters 1, 2 and 3 of the Bachelor's programme and from semester 5, the internship semester, as the student has already completed an AD graduation internship. For Pro students, who do not have an internship in semester 5, the follow-up programme consists of semesters 5 to 8. The exemptions for the relevant Bachelor's semesters are regulated in the OER.
4. Specific provisions for part-time AD Pro
The part-time AD (Pro) is offered in Blended learning. This approach requires a study time of 20 hours per week, supplemented by at least 20 hours per week of work experience in the ICT field. This is exactly in line with the Bachelor's programme.
This study time is divided per week as follows.
- 3 hours of face-to-face meetings (fixed evening per week)
- 1.5 hours of online meetings (evening sessions)
- 13 hours of home work, portfolio, professional development
- 2.5 hours of study organisation and other activities
Students can use their daily practical experience and issues from their own work environment to demonstrate their learning outcomes.
For the part-time AD Pro programme, a selection has been made from the 13 professional profiles that apply to the full-time AD programme. The reason for this is that, given the more limited student population, not all topic semesters are offered. For some professional profiles, there is only minimal interest in the part-time AD Pro programme. Furthermore, the Digital Media Operator professional profile is linked to the R10 building (not available for part-time Pro).
The seven professional profiles for AD Pro are listed below.
- Assistant Service Delivery Manager - Junior Application Manager - Junior Cloud Engineer - Junior Data & BI Analyst - Junior Embedded Software Developer - Junior Front End Developer - Junior Full Stack Developer
See: https://studyguidepro.fontysict.nl/?c=ad
Pro students can also submit their own professional profiles to the examination board for approval.