Career prospects

The gaming industry has undergone rapid development in the past decades and now generates turnover that exceeds that of the entertainment and movie industry. Needless to say, the industry requires many savvy employees with high-level degrees in gaming and multimedia. In addition, the potential of games as an educational tool is increasingly recognised, giving rise to new market opportunities. The rapid development of the computer sciences and computer hardware – including new gaming media such as mobile phones – drives the constant need for up-to-date professionals.

Graduates with an interest in software development are well qualified for jobs in many different companies, in such fields as:

• Multimedia
• Consumer electronics
• 3D web design
• Game development
• Industrial computer vision
• Medical image analysis
• Automated cartography
• Geographical information systems
• 3D interactive systems

Their work could involve the development or supervision of new products and applications. Graduates are also qualified for jobs in consultancy or can establish a start-up company in an emerging market.

For graduates interested in a research-oriented career, the Master’s degree offers the opportunity to start a PhD research project, leading to a doctorate degree in any of the related topics at a university in the Netherlands or abroad. There are a number of such positions available within the Centre for Advanced Gaming and Simulation, and our staff maintain extensive contacts with other universities. Graduates may also find challenging positions in research departments of international companies.

Are you considering starting your own business? Now is a good time to prepare. Utrecht University can offer you a number of opportunities to explore entrepreneurship.

You could, for instance, take electives from Master's degree programmes that cover entrepreneurship in their curriculums:

• If you’re interested in becoming an expert at creating the prerequisites for running a successful business, take an elective at the Master’s programme Business Development and Entrepreneurship of Utrecht School of Economics.
• If you have a background in Economics and Business, and wish to do a Master’s programme in Entrepreneurship: check out the Master’s programme Business Development and Entrepreneurship.
• If you have a background in Science or Medicine, you can take classes Science and Business Management classes.
• If you're interested in sustainable business practices and sustainable innovation, take an elective at Sustainable Business and Innovation.

The Utrecht Center for Entrepreneurship (CE) also organises Spring schools, Summer schools, Winter schools, Honours classes and short seminars on entrepreneurship for non-Dutch students. All courses are offered in English except when the entire group is Dutch.

StudentsInc

Would you like to run a business while still at university? Do you want to graduate on running your own business? StudentsInc (Dutch language website) is home to a number of student businesses and offers programmes to develop your entrepreneurial skills.

UtrechtInc

Have you (nearly) graduated and do you want to start a business? UtrechtInc is the place to find financing, office space, expertise and coaching. UtrechtInc is there for

• starting entrepreneurs and alumni, doctoral candidates, and researchers (preferably from Utrecht University, Hogeschool Utrecht, UMC Utrecht)
• who are still in the ideas phase OR further along (less than five years) and have
• and have a (IT) start-up focusing on health, environmental sustainability, or education.

Would you like to know more? Visit the UtrechtInc site, register your idea, and drop by for a cup of coffee.

Enactus

Would you like to know whether entrepreneurship is right for you? Are you driven, socially conscious, and ambitious? Are you willing to spend a year working on a business for at least 8 hours a week? Enactus Utrecht (Dutch language website) offers you the opportunity to run a business and provides workshops and professional coaching.

Useful links

• Register at the Chambers of Commerce.
• You can read about all the other things you need to take care of on the Revenue Service (Belastingdienst) website.
• Join relevant groups on LinkedIn to share knowledge online and expand your network.
• Will you run an especially sustainable, innovative, and/or internationally oriented business? The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can support you with subsidies, knowledge, regulation, and more.

Upon completion of your current Master's degree programme, you can follow a one-year (Dutch language) teacher training programme. This will grant you a first degree teaching qualification for secondary education. That means you will be able to work in the upper and lower years of vmbo, havo, and vwo in the Netherlands.

Take a look at UU's Master's degree programme selection site.

When you complete your Master's degree programme, if you enjoy doing research in your area of expertise, perhaps you should pursue a PhD. You will start out as a research assistant or trainee research worker. Check the two-years Master's Programmes of Utrecht University.

The best way to find a research traineeship is to contact the professor in the field you want to specialise in. Another option would be www.academictransfer.nl.

If you'd like to pursue a PhD at Utrecht University, your PhD programme will fall under the auspices of one of the Graduate Schools. For more information, consult the Prout | PhD Network Utrecht website.