FAQ's

Our society strongly depends on complex systems: think of the infrastructures for telecom, transport and energy. These systems are not only technologically complex, but almost always involve many parties if we are to innovate. Maintaining cyber security, increasing the amount of sustainable energy without compromising our electricity supply, and safely introducing autonomous vehicles are just some of the challenges we face. In this programme we explore the innovations in complex socio-technical environments. You learn to think about more than technology alone. After all, when designing technological innovations, you have to deal with matters such as existing regulations, subsidies, distribution channels and infrastructures, as well as interests, cultures and human behaviour. In order to achieve successful innovations, these aspects must be considered and used in your socio-technical design. These kinds of designs always have an ethical dimension and an international character. The programme therefore spends a great deal on ethical issues and has an international character.

Check out this page: Programme structure CoSEM

The two-year programme starts with a Boot Camp week in which you design a sociotechnical system. You choose one of three different tracks that are based on major current issues in which you will gain the in-depth technical knowledge you need to make sociotechnical designs. This means you will focus on your area of interest from the start.

You can choose from the following tracks:

• Energy
• Information and Communication
• Transport and Logistics

The third semester can largely be tailored to your preferences. You can choose from a range of TU Delft electives packages, or design your own package. This also gives you the opportunity to study outside TU Delft and even abroad. In addition, you follow a course on writing a project plan and a scientific paper in preparation for the Master’s thesis project. The master thesis itself can be carried out in a company.

For more detailled information you can visit: studyguide.tudelft.nl.

The CoSEM MSc programme has set ambitions high and students should match this ambition. For many of them CoSEM is a first step in their ambition to have an international career. International students are subject to a highly selective TU Delft admission procedure and demanding scholarship requirements oblige these students to perform well.

Energy track:

Master’s thesis projects might, for example, involve consulting on policy analysis for government or industry or working as a corporate strategy analyst, or be related to the activities of plant managers, quality managers and/or consultants involved in operations and tactics in the process industry, or to industrial policymaking.

I&C track:

Recent graduation projects focused on such issues as the formulation of a global IT sourcing strategy, improving innovation processes, the design of a quick-scan information awareness tool, the development of new mobile services (e.g. for police officers), the design of processes that are enabled by smart meters, the design of information sharing among private and public organisations, the exploitation of social software/Web 2.0 applications to promote new ways of working in banking, and the design of a patient portal for communicating with doctors at a medical centre.

T&L track:

Thesis projects relate to the analysis and design of transport systems at all levels and for all purposes: the economic, spatial and legal environment of transport systems, issues associated with environmental and safety concerns, challenges regarding accessibility, etc. Thesis projects include the analysis and design of either internal logistics processes or inter-organisational processes. Important themes are the optimisation of procurement, inventory, transport, sales and customer service related processes. Other projects examine the impact on logistics of new technologies and policies, such as the possibilities in city distribution, or greening supply chains or container terminal processes. The focus can be quantitative (e.g. operation research or simulation based) and/or qualitative (analysing and generating management decisions). 

Orientation on your thesis theme and electives package starts in the very first year of your MSc programme. You will explore the topics or types of research that interest you in order to choose your specialisation/electives package. Choosing a specialisation/electives package is in fact the start of your graduation. More information can be found here.

It is possible to do an internship as part of your TPM master’s programme. On this page, you will find more information about the different kinds of internships and how to find one. Start the process for your internship in time.

More information can be found here.

CoSEM focuses on designing in socio-technical systems in a specialization domain (ict, infrastructure and logistics, energy and industry, land-use planning) with a focus on  the design of technical artefacts and institutional arrangements. 

EPA focuses on the grand challenges; climate change, energy security, cyber security, water, international development and uses methods like data analytics, dynamic modelling, simulation and gaming to analyse large scale natural and socio-technical systems.

CoSEM focuses on designing in socio-technical systems in a specialization domain (ict, infrastructure and logistics, energy and industry, land-use planning) with a focus on  the design of technical artefacts and institutional arrangements. 

MOT focuses on optimizing production and innovation processes in private companies. MOT studies technology & innovation management and innovation systems, it focuses on business analytics, micro economics, and discusses strategy, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

CoSEM graduates typically take up positions as project managers, policy makers and strategic consultants. Graduates are just as comfortable speaking to technical experts as they are when speaking with managers, and they often work in an interdisciplinary environment. They have a systematic approach to problem solving, think analytically, discern the linkage between technical and social aspects of a situation, and are adept at recognising common patterns linking issues across domain boundaries.

Many CoSEM graduates work in multinationals, consultancy companies, energy companies, engineering companies, insurance companies and financial institutions, as well as in ministries and governmental agencies. In addition, graduates have launched their own ventures or became a PhD candidate whithin the faculty.

Around 31% of CoSEM students is female. The current CoSEM population consists of 83% Dutch students and 17% Non-Dutch students. Half of the Non-Dutch students are from outside Europe.

CoSEM is an international programme, meaning that we have an international staff, and staff with a lot of international experience; we have a programme that pays attention to international developments and uses international examples and case studies; we have ample exchange opportunities allowing you to spend the third semester abroad, and we have an international student population. Therefore CoSEM is an ideal starting point for an international career. 

The Academic calendar can be found here

The holidays (in green) are shown in the academic year calendar. No exams or lectures take place on these days. There are about 10 weeks of vacation and some public holidays. Many students use part of these days to prepare for (re)exams or to work on reports. 

Your timetable can be found on mytimetable.tudelft.nl

You can find all information about our information events on the master information webpage.

I would like to talk to students about this program

TU Delft uses the platform UniBuddy to make it possible for prospective students to chat with current students. On this page you can find how to reach these students.

Dutch students (HBO and University) can have a look at the Doorstroompagina to find all information about this topic.

Please be aware: Students with a multidisciplinary engineering degree could be able to enter the programme directly. Students with a monodisciplinary engineering or natural sciences background and a proven interest in management (30 ECTS in at least two of the subjects Policy, Economy and/or Law). HBO students always have to follow a bridging programme (schakelprogramma) as well. For more information please check the CoSEM admission requirements.

Foreign students may be admitted to CoSEM as well. Please check the CoSEM admission requirements for Non-Dutch BSc degree. Our international officer can tell you more about this. You can send a message to internationaloffice-tbm@tudelft.nl. 

You can find all information about this on our application and admission page.

Only Dutch students have the possibility to start in February, although it is highly recommended to start in September. If you start in February it is not guaranteed that you finish the programme in just two years. More information can be found here.

More information about studying with a disability can be found here. Always contact your study advisor, he or she can help you with a good study planning, possibly arrange extra time for your exams or refer you to other parties within TU Delft if other (facilitating) measures need to be taken.

There are special circumstances that can influence your study progress. Examples of circumstances are illness, an accident, psychological problems, care tasks, an unpleasant home situation or unpleasant experience. It is also possible that the circumstances of a friend or family member influence you, but also matters such as top sport, board work or pregnancy can influence your study progress. You can also contact the study advisor if you are concerned about fellow students.

Read more

Give yourself time to get used to your new environment. A useful aid in this regard is the website Welcome new MSc student  where you can find more information. 

TU Delft has an extensive introductory period during which you can get to know people and get acquainted with Delft student life before you even start studying. For example, there is the introduction week in August for all students who are going to study in Delft.

The first full week of study starts at the end of August/beginning of September. During this first week you will receive the first lectures of a number of subjects and other meetings are planned that are important for your study. These meetings help you prepare for the coming year. Attendance is therefore mandatory.

If your progress is not going well, the academic counsellor can help you get back on track. The academic counsellor is also the point of contact for all kinds of other issues that you may encounter that are not directly related to the study programme. Of course, everything you discuss with the academic counsellor remains confidential. More information about the academic counsellor can be found on this page.

For Dutch students:

You can get a room in different ways. If you have friends in town you can try through them. If you join a student association, you can also try to get a room through the association. There are also a number of websites to find rooms. For example, there is Room.nl. This is a website of DUWO (the largest lessor of student rooms in Delft) and rooms on this site therefore go through the priority arrangement. The longer you are registered there, the more chance you have of a room. The sooner you are registered, the greater the chance that you will have a room quickly. So register on time at www.DUWO.nl. There is also Kamernet. Many student houses set up rooms here when they are looking for new roommates. On this website you can look at rooms for free, but if you want to respond you have to be a premium member. 

For foreign students:

More information about finding rooms can be found on this page. Make sure to arrange your accommodation before arriving in the Netherlands, as you are officially required to register a valid Dutch address within 5 days after arrival in the Netherlands. Registering a valid Dutch address at the local municipality is a legal obligation for all who intend to stay in the Netherlands for 4 months or more, irrespective of nationality or purpose of stay. A valid and registered address allows you to obtain a BSN (Citizen Service Number), which is needed to interact with Dutch authorities.