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bachelor degree program liberal arts sciences honors college university college utrecht

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welcome to university college utrecht universitycollegeutrechtucuistheinternational undergraduateliberalartsandscienceshonors collegeofutrechtuniversity ucu is a place for ambitious students who have broad academic and social interests and an international orientation ucu students believe learning is much more than taking classes they want to achieve their best through active and intensive study as well as participate in a range of extracurricular activities and an active campus social life ucu offers its students the opportunity to transform their interests and ambitions into academic excellence intellectual independence and world-citizenship qualities that will benefit them in both their professional and personal lives ucu graduates are accepted in outstanding graduate programs and by international employers around the world in affirmation of ucu s high rate of student achievement the college received the predicate excellent in the categories level achieved and graduation and retention rates during evaluation by an independent international higher education assessment comission in 2007 ucu was founded in 1998 on the principles of the liberal arts and sciences philosophy common to most higher education institutions of the anglo-saxon world this entails in-depth multi and interdisciplinary approach ucu students are equipped with a broad knowledge base at the same time they choose a number of fields to study more in-depth they learn to look beyond the scope of one subject or profession and are trained to combine knowledge and insights from different fields of study internationalorientationandsocialgrowth ucu provides an environment that stimulates the development of openminded individuals students are trained and encouraged to see the world beyond their doorstep to appreciate and enjoy cultural differences general academic training and constant guidance students acquire the fundamental academic skills that enable them to work in a constructive and independent manner fully preparing them for the world of international postgraduate education and/or professional life in addition tutors or academic advisors are assigned to students to help them plan their personal curriculum and career after ucu community input an active stance in the community is much encouraged ucu students learn to conceptualize organize and host events both on and off-campus this allows them to develop their non-academic talents and it helps the community grow ambition and character as an honors college ucu looks for ambitious students who are dedicated to making a real difference in their academic or professional environment this is reflected by the expectation that students combine a significant study load with numerous social engagements at ucu and also display active civic engagement in a local or international context living on campus and being part of the international campus community is an important aspect of the ucu experience ucu is proud of its multicultural campus approximately 40 of the 675 students at ucu represent over 50 different countries while the rest are dutch nationals many of whom have international backgrounds alexis aronowitz lecturer and academic advisor at university college utrecht about her experiences with the students perhapsthemostrewarding aspectofbeingatutoris watchingstudentsbecomemore self-aware,self-confidentand findingtheirpathinlife studentsareabletointegrate anddrawlinkswithinand acrossdisciplines,providing bothdepthandbreadthto theireducationalexperience as most of the students i also combined my studies with i decided to study at university college utrecht because it extra activities i am interested in the most i was one of the offers a perfect combination of quality education and also a members of the united nations simulation team sife i was fascinating international student life one of the main reasons one of the social sciences student representatives why i chose ucu was that it gives an as a next step in my a member of the ucu pr team i was a opportunity to combine several disciplines career i am starting a member of the dance co where i learned for instance i majored in economics and traineeship at the street-dance latin-american and classical sociology with courses in law and european commission dances ucu also stimulates you to be active development studies because of the small in brussels outside the campus during one summer i had classes you are not only encouraged to get an internship at the united nations involved in discussions and get to know development program after 3 years at uc i students with the same interest much faster did my masters in business administration at lund university but you also have an opportunity to communicate with the sweden as a next step in my career i am starting a traineeship professor on an individual basis more often ucu covers a big variety of disciplines every student has a personal tutor at the european commission in brussels my dreams are coming true who helps you organize your ucu career olga muravjova 08 2 university college utrecht

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· ucustudentsmake useofalltheutrecht universityfacilities includingstate-ofthe-artlibraries ucu students form an active community a range of established student clubs and committees awaits the contributions of the next group of incoming students sports visual arts music drama dance debate philosophy poetry and the boomerang the student newspaper are a few examples of student committees these committees host an array of activities on campus ranging from sport tournaments and debate competitions to art exhibitions and performances situated in a beautiful part of historic utrecht ucu provides high quality living and studying facilities for students with student residences classroom buildings computer labs an auditorium and recreational facilities such as a gym a library a music studio and a bar students eat three meals a day in the dining hall which serves as a social hub for the community in addition ucu students are free to use the numerous facilities that are offered by utrecht university uu these include extensive libraries with various study areas computer labs and restaurants at the library uu students from all fields meet interact and study ucu students are also entitled to make use of the numerous sports facilities available through the university s sports center olympos where a broad range of sports are practiced from baseball tennis and field hockey to swimming cycling and boxing in addition olympos offers classes in 40 different sports all the facilities described here are located in the inner city or on uu campus de uithof and are within walking distance of the ucu campus ucu students live in student residences sharing their living quarters with other ucu students from around the globe each residence has between six and twelve single rooms students share a living room kitchenette laundry facilities and bathrooms the individual rooms are furnished with a bed desk chair cupboard and bookcase more than half of ucu s students spend a semester abroad ucu and utrecht university have extensive international networks for student exchange including many excellent research universities in the united states europe asia and australia special ucu programs include the africa summer program and the china program with a semester at xiamen university the four most popular exchange destinations are australia united states china and united kingdom utrecht university uu officially became a university in 1636 and is the largest university in the netherlands today with the most extensive study program additionally uu is an important world player in academic research students will find a wealth of academic fields in which the university excels as well as some of the world´s most renowned experts in these fields ucu students profit from the expertise of the researchers that teach classes on campus as well as from uu courses that they can follow off-campus these include practical lab courses in uu s outstanding laboratory facilities apart from ucu s exchange partnerships uu also has an extensive network of partner universities where students can choose to study for a semester according to various academic rankings utrecht university rates as one of the best universities in europe utrecht university has a student body of 28.000 resulting in a noticeable student presence within the city itself utrecht has a population of approximately 300,000 people the city is known for its rich cultural life and festivals in dance film music and theater the city´s skyline is dominated by the domtoren a church steeple built between 1321 and 1382 those who climb its 465 steps will enjoy a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings around the domtoren the old town center offers many attractions including movie houses theaters musical venues and sports facilities canals meander through the city center and are lined with quaint little restaurants and cafés creating a unique and enjoyable atmosphere throughout the city as utrecht is located in the center of the country visiting other cities like rotterdam the hague and amsterdam couldn´t be more convenient the netherlands is an internationally oriented country with a strong cultural emphasis on quality in education and research its many universities offer about 1,300 study programs taught entirely in english making it the frontrunner in continental europe university college utrecht 3

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the curriculum theucucurriculumisinterdisciplinaryaswell asmultidisciplinary,coveringabroadrangeof academicdisciplinesandskills.threemajors areoffered:humanities,scienceandsocial science jolieke van oosterwijk was a science major at ucu afterwards she did a master s in molecular medicine in berlin and she is currently doing her phd research on bone tumors at the leids universitair medisch centrum in 2009 her master s thesis research was published in nature genetics the study program comprises three years of two semesters each students take four courses per semester which makes for an intensive timetable each course meets for 2 hours twice a week and requires an additional 10 hours for self-study ucu classes are taught by outstanding lecturers and professors the majority of whom are recruited from uu the learning process is interactive and varied and evaluation is constant papers presentations discussions and exams are regularly on the agenda in the first year of study students take required courses that focus on acquiring academic skills or that support a broad knowledge base the remaining courses in the first year are distributed over at least two of the majors the study program also offers a variety of foreign languages at the end of the first year students choose a major in one of the departments and fill their schedules accordingly each major offers a number of fields which in turn are divided into courses of different levels of depth and scope after a major is declared a student will choose at least two fields of study within the major and study them to a high level of academic competence all students are assigned a personal tutor who provides individualized academic guidance and helps the student compose his or her study program the tutor monitors student progress and assists in making choices which suit academic interests and career ambitions in this sense the tutor also takes part in advising students about career options fellows of ucu advise students about graduate studies and other perspectives students may elect to participate in an internship as part of their chosen curriculum this allows them to become acquainted with the practical aspects of their intended professional career and it enables them to start building an appropriate network ucu has established internships at host institutions ranging from development ngo s and commercial companies to research institutions and museums students are encouraged to discuss internship options with ucu s career development officer who is also available for advice on graduate studies and career options the following section describes the departments of science humanities and social science each representing the major areas of study at ucu mybroadknowledge baseindifferentfields ofscienceallowed metobecomfortable interactingwith colleaguesinwidely differentsubdisciplinesofthefield ofneuroscience marieke van vugt is a postdoctoral fellow at princeton university science as a discipline science aims to understand the underlying principles and laws which govern all aspects of nature from the origins of the universe and the evolution of life to the workings of the brain and the constituents of space time and matter in science knowledge is derived by the use of formal reasoning modeling and simulation but always in close connection to observation and experimentation the ucu science department covers the following disciplines mathematics physics chemistry earth and environment life science cognitive neuroscience and medical science students are encouraged to explore as many of these fields as they want and to develop a cross-disciplinary eye for the sciences studying science at ucu carries a number of advantages first of all students benefit from the excellent utrecht university researchers who teach at ucu as well as from the outstanding laboratory facilities and research equipment that utrecht university as one of the world s top research universities has to offer secondly ucu s liberal arts sciences approach allows students to create unique combinations of disciplines such as mathematics philosophy biology law evolution religion biotechnology developmental studies and modern traditional medicine a challenging track like cognitive neuroscience seeks answers using knowledge from the field of neuroscience but also from those of psychology and linguistics this track is an excellent example of the interdisciplinary curriculum at ucu creating an environment of intellectual stimulation and creativity for its students ucu graduates enter high-profile master s and phd science programs both in the netherlands and abroad aspiring doctors will also find that the breadth and depth of ucu s education makes their bachelor of science from ucu an excellent asset for a career in medicine thesmallclassesof highlymotivated studentsallow forauniqueand interactiveclass dynamics.many ofthesubtleand counterintuitive explanationsabout howtheworldwe liveinworkscan bedebatedbothin depthandbreadth filipe freire teaches astrophysics at ucu 4 university college utrecht

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edwin demper studied literature history art history journalism and philosophy with a minor in political science and drama he went on exchange to the university of california at berkeley after ucu he did a research master in literary theory at utrecht university he is currently doing a phd program at the graduate center of the city university of new york cuny and finishing course work there as an adjunct instructor of english at hunter college humanities the humanities comprise the study of subjects that are fundamental to understanding the human experience how do we grapple with reality and give meaning to our existence what lessons can be learned from the past what are our values and beliefs what are our dreams and our fears how do we communicate these feelings and ideas the humanities department at ucu offers courses in history philosophy languages literature classics religious studies art history museum studies and performing arts students gain insight into the different ways humankind has tried to come to terms with the nature and meaning of its existence throughout the ages they acquire the basic skills of humanistic scholarship such as critical reading analysis and interpretation of sources within the relevant cultural historical context the ucu humanities curriculum creates unique opportunities for students who wish to design an academic program that fruitfully links different fields of study for example the study of history is of great interest to any serious student of politics or law as it puts their theory and application into context the art history/museum studies program combines well with social science courses in anthropology and human geography or with biology or chemistry if the student has a particular interest in the history of science and/or conservation chemistry the linguistics program offers a psycholinguistics course that uses paradigms from psychology for studying linguistics phenomena students interested in chinese language and culture can do a minor in china studies that includes a semester abroad at xiamen university in china to complement the more rational realms of human activities courses in the performing arts offer ample opportunities to `reunite the hands the heart and the head ucu graduates with a major or minor in humanities have successfully pursued professional and academic careers in the netherlands and abroad atucu,theteacher onlyrepresentsone sideofadebateand isconfrontedwith awholearrayof questionsthatmight notberelatedtohisor herfieldofexpertise thisoftenleadsthem toreassesstheirown standpointsand arguments:sheerjoy andpleasure tijana zakula ma teacher of dutch 17th century painting about teaching at ucu beingpartofan ambitiousgroupof studentshasmotivated metostrivefor excellence,andithas inspiredmetoapplyto prestigiousuniversities andemployersthati wouldotherwisehave thoughtoutofreach.i cantrulysaythatthese institutionsgreatly valuetheinternational orientationandbroad knowledgebasei broughtwithme,which ucuhashelpedmeto acquire miriam alt is a consultant at oliver wyman financial services 5

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an example of a course schedule below is an example of a course schedule for a ucu science student you can see how the academic foundation for her major has been plotted apart from studying spanish and pursuing an interest in psychology she also did the course science laboratory which is an academic preparation for the practical side of science after graduating she followed up with a master s degree in computational biology at cambridge university england the ucsa and asic student activities on campus are organized through a variety of committees that are overseen by the student-run university college student association ucsa ucu strongly believes in the social role these committees play meaning that if students´ interests are not represented on campus students can always present a plan to the ucsa and start a new committee the all students´ interest council asic represents students in academic issues and facilitates communica¬tion between students and the college administration asic also organizes many events in order to involve students in current issues on campus and regularly launches projects to improve campus life firstyear fallsemester introduction to academia academic english introduction to quantum physics molecular biology and genetics springsemester introduction to psychology cognitive neuroscience i introduction to philosophy science laboratory the ucaa the university college alumni association ucaa is the official representative of ucu graduates ucaa hosts activities such as career days and workshops as well as get-togethers in various cities around the world where alumni study or work the combined efforts of ucaa and the ucu alumni office are aimed at preserving the connection between alumni and the college and providing ucu students and alumni with a valuable source of information through magazines newsletters and an online platform claire stramrood is the chair of the ucaa and a medical doctor completing a phd in gynecology secondyear fallsemester molecular cell biology ii developmental biology beginner mathematics calculus lifespan developmental psychology springsemester elementary spanish ethnic relations advanced developmental biology classical and quantum electrodynamics success rates the gpa distribution of ucu students at the time of their graduation is as follows summa cum laude 3.90 ­ 4.00 magna cum laude 3.80 ­ 3.89 cum laude 3.50 ­ 3.79 with honors 3.00 ­ 3.49 no distinction 2.00 ­ 2.99 9 7 34 34 16 thirdyear fallsemester intermediate spanish advanced cell biology human and animal biology intermediate mathematics springsemester advanced spanish advanced mathematics human and animal physiology research project in bioinformatics retention rates 85 of the students who start at ucu complete the program national average 46 76 of whom finish within 3 years national average 26 6 university college utrecht

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as a science master coordinator i meet and talk to bachelor students from all over the world that enter into the science master at the uu ucu graduates bring to our programs extraordinary study skills an excellent work attitude perseverance and creativity dr frank witte chairman of the admissions committee of the graduate school of natural sciences in utrecht and senior lecturer in theoretical physics after university college utrecht ucu graduates are awarded an internationally recognized diploma from utrecht university a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree they have reached advanced undergraduate levels in the fields of their choice through individual study programs off-campus courses and research projects ucu graduates are well-prepared to take on their specific ambitions after ucu 87 of ucu graduates continue their education with a master s degree program and 23 of this group follows up in a phd research position of those who continue their education 36 do so abroad the most popular universities are the london school of economics 6 and the universities of oxford and cambridge 4 60 of the ucu graduates who stay in the netherlands continue their studies at utrecht university over the years we have had the privilege to supervise many ucu graduates after they successfully participated in the neuroscience cognition master we offered several of them positions as graduate students but other universities also know where to find the best so the rest went to oxford berkeley london paris melbourne and even hong kong but then again science is a borderless enterprise and we proudly consider all of these students our offspring to the scientific community prof dr frans a.j verstraten professor and ucu-science fellow cognitive neuroscience he is also the phd supervisor of hinze hogendoorn see below ucu graduates continue their studies in the following fields political science international relations law psychology sociology anthropology human geography life science neuroscience medicine linguistics philosophy art history journalism languages media studies economics business natural sciences engineering technology ict other 25 24 20 11 11 4 3 2 coming out of high school i did not yet feel ready to choose a specific study ucu offered me the opportunity to study a variety of topics and then specialize when i was ready to do so furthermore the wide range of available classes allowed me to study topics not directly related to my major such as classical languages which gave me a broad knowledge base which i have found to be very valuable after graduating from ucu i enrolled in a neuroscience cognition master´s program at utrecht university neuroscience is by its very nature an interdisciplinary field lying somewhere between biology and psychology while touching on aspects of many other disciplines ­ a range of topics that few conventional programs completely cover i found that ucu prepared me for this study in a way that i believe no other study could have almost three years down the road i am currently working on a phd studying visual cognition at utrecht university while regularly spending time in boston to collaborate with harvard university and massachusetts institute of technology two of the leading research institutes in the field after finishing their higher education ucu graduates find employment in the following fields teaching research consultancy management governance policy making health care business finance government politics legal affairs communications marketing ict other 25 14 10 9 8 5 4 4 2 19 hinze hogendoorn ucu alumnus university college utrecht 7

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selection and admission ucu applicants must undergo a selection procedure prior to being accepted for admission candidates must meet a set of minimum requirements and fit a general profile to be accepted the same assessment criteria hold for all students and are applied fairly and impartially minimum requirements applicants must have a dutch high school diploma at the vwo level any profile or a foreign equivalent such as the international baccalaureate diploma the british a-levels or an american high school diploma with at least 4 advanced placement certificates please refer to the ucu website for more information since english is the official language at ucu non-native speakers are also required to demonstrate proof of proficiency selection procedure applicants who meet the minimum requirements for admission enter the ucu selection procedure during which their accomplishments motivation and ambitions are assessed against the mission of ucu application forms are available online or can be obtained by contacting ucu´s office of admissions for further details on the selection criteria and procedure as well as current deadlines please consult the ucu website after the initial selection process promising candidates are invited for an interview telephone interviews can be arranged if candidates are unable to visit the college successful candidates will be invited to attend ucu by the dean of the college tuition and college fees an integral part of the ucu educational program is for all students to live on campus thus the costs of studying at university college utrecht consist of a tuition fee and a ucu campus fee the tuition fee is set by the dutch government each year eea-citizens qualify for substantially lower tuition fees than non-eea citizens ucu campus fee include the costs of room and board as well as an additional fee for ucu s international profile room and board provides students with meals during the two semesters of 15 weeks each and on-campus housing for 10 months of the year september to june on-campus housing is available during the summer break for emergencies only at additional cost the international profile fee preserves ucu´s international character by helping to defray part of the costs for outstanding international students with insufficient means scholarships ucu has scholarships available for excellent international students specific information about current ucu fees and scholarships is available on the ucu website www.uu.nl ucu for additional information about financial assistance see the uu website www.uu.nl/financialassistance are you a ucu student · interested in more than one field of study and in a crossdisciplinary approach to learning · internationally oriented and culturally curious · ambitious motivated and eager to make a difference in the world around you · socially active and willing to contribute to the community both on as well as off-campus · ready to start shaping your own future ifyouransweris yes pleasevisitourwebsiteat www.uu.nl/ucu.youwillalsofindourapplicationform there,aswellasinformationontheopendays 8 university college utrecht colophon november 2009 developed by university college utrecht in cooperation with communicatie service centrum utrecht photography fried keesen ivar pel and others layout and printing ucu pr office and joh enschedé amsterdam.

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