The Tesla Minor is an interdisciplinary 30 EC minor for research master students from science faculties. During the minor students work in small groups on complex client projects that combine science with a business or society challenge. Thereby Tesla minor cuts across traditional boundaries between disciplines and professional environments. Besides working on a project for an external partner organization, students attend lectures by speakers from within and outside of academia, participate in a range of skills training and are responsible for organising part of the programme. Special elements such as an integrated sports programme make Tesla Minor a unique learning experience.

During the programme, students have full-time access to their own office space. Most trainings, guest lectures and project work takes place here. Surely, other locations will be visited as well (visiting companies, going on excursions, engaging in training sessions, etc.). The programme takes place in the second semester of the second year of your Master's programme. 

Programme Elements 

Project work

Working on a real challenge posed by an external client (in 2016: TNO, Politie, FrieslandCampina, Port of Amsterdam, AMC etc.)

Training and workshops on:

• Projectmanagement (planning, budgetmanagement etc.)
• Teamwork
• Communication (interaction, influencing, conversational- & interview techniques)
• Self-reflection (What are your talents, drivers, motivation, weaknesses)
•  ‘Information processing’ (structuring and analysing information, presentation skills)´
• 'Doing business' (entrepreneurial skills, consultancy, sales, marketing, persuasion).  
• Theatre (improving communication & presenting)  
• Visual thinking
• Story telling
• and many more...

Lectures 

Guest speakers from all sorts of disciplines visit to speak and provide insights on science, business, and society. Tesla students partially organise the lectures themselves and are welcome to invite inspiring individuals

Previous Guest lecturers included: Alexander Rinnooy Kan, Alexander Klöpping (Universiteit van Nederland, journalist, speaker), Amito Haarhuis (NEMO), prof. Andre Schram, Barend van Bergen (KPMG sustainability), Charlotte van Leeuwen (ex. FNWI, WE CANTEEN), Erik Manders (UvA, Confocal.nl), Frank Bakker (Contronics), Frans Rooijers (CE-Delft), George Molenkamp (former partner KPMG), Jan Sinoo (Conquestor), Jorrit Lootsma (Brouwerij Troost), Karen Arnon (ex. FNWI, assistant Europarlementariër Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy), Louise Fresco (Scientist, writer, advisor), Peter Drent (Confocal), Peter van Gelderen (ICOS capital), Paul Hendriks (AVG Technologies; previous Ziggo), Pieter van der Meer (Gilde Healthcare), Sicco de Knecht (FNWI), Yuri Matteman (ex FNWI, de Praktijk). 

Assignments

• Professional skills
• Consultancy & problem solving
• Media
• Job interviewing

Sports

On top of the normal work week, students participate in a specialised Tesla sports programme, designed in cooperation with the University Sports Center to encourage physical health and team building.