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graduate school for humanities international master s programmes in humanities

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cover photo jing lin ma in linguistics photo by eduard lampe.

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word of welcome the university of amsterdam uva is one of the most experienced universities on the european continent with respect to the development of international study programmes taught in english today within the faculty of humanities of the uva the graduate school for humanities offers 29 master s programmes taught in english as well as seven taught in other european languages within the graduate school scholars and students in various disciplines of the humanities meet each other in the context of a dynamic and international academic community where individual students find unique opportunities for cooperation and participation in ongoing debates subjects are often studied in an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary perspective the social and cultural diversity of the faculty s international student body further contributes to the fruitful and stimulating exchange of knowledge and opinions and then there is amsterdam one of the most beautiful and intellectually stimulating cities in the world with its unique combination of cosmopolitan flair ­ nearly everyone speaks english ­ and village-like charm it is the perfect place to study and experience the kaleidoscope of a wider world this brochure provides an overview of the international master s programmes offered at the faculty of humanities of the uva more detailed information and updates can be found on our website at www.gsh.uva.nl we very much look forward to receiving your application and welcoming you to the graduate school for humanities professor jan willem van henten director graduate school for humanities 3 university of amsterdam graduate school for humanities

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contents university of amsterdam general information overview of the international master s programmes 5 7 10 practical matters financial matters scholarships and loans 47 50 52 useful addresses and websites 54 description of the international master s programmes 11 american studies art studies artistic research biblical studies cultural analysis discourse and argumentation studies dutch art dutch golden age studies english language english literature european studies identity and integration film studies general linguistics hebrew language and culture holocaust and genocide studies international performance research linguistics literary studies media studies modern greek language and culture musicology mysticism and western esotericism new media philosophy philosophy research ma preservation and presentation of the moving image religious studies religious studies research ma rhetoric argumentation theory and philosophy rap slavonic languages and cultures television studies theatre studies master s programmes in dutch and other languages 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 4 university of amsterdam graduate school for humanities universiteit van amsterdam faculteit der naam

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university of amsterdam university of amsterdam the university of amsterdam uva is a modern university with a rich history its predecessor the athenaeum illustre was established in 1632 by the amsterdam city council today the athenaeum illustre has grown into a world-class research and teaching university the uva offers a broad range of bachelor s and master s programmes it now has more than 180 master s programmes covering almost every academic discipline from accountancy and control to philosophy many of which are taught in english the uva is thus able to attract a large number of international students and has countless nationalities represented in its student population the wide selection of courses available allows students to design a programme to suit their personal ambitions and talents students are also given the best support possible both during and after their studies in the form of extensive academic and career coaching many of the master s programmes reflect the top international research being conducted in a specific field thus exposing students to groundbreaking research during their studies amsterdam is an inspiring city for students and scientists alike the close proximity of scientific institutes such as the maison descartes and the international information centre and archives for the women s movement facilitates and enriches research and independent study the uva is a research university with a city as its campus many of the uva s facilities such as the university library and the student cultural organisation crea are located in the heart of amsterdam with the cultural and scientific institutes and uva facilities spread across the city in this way amsterdam itself can be said to be the uva s true campus the city amsterdam famous for its historical buildings and canals is a multifaceted city bustling with knowledge commerce creativity and innovation the tolerant atmosphere and the openmindedness of its inhabitants form an inviting setting for scholars scientists entrepreneurs and artists alike they frequently work together inspiring and stimulating one another with surprising discoveries enterprises and creations as the result it is this dynamic and challenging environment that attracts many national and international students to the city the capital of the netherlands amsterdam is an exuberant small-scale metropolis where you quickly feel safe and welcome the city of rembrandt van rijn h.p berlage anne frank and johan cruijff it has a unique cultural and intellectual life countless museums festivals and artistic groups stage exhibitions and performances all year round in 2010 amsterdam was deemed one of the top 15 cities worldwide in terms of quality of living and with schiphol one of europe s major airports a mere 20 minutes away the world is just around the corner www.iamsterdam.nl 5 university of amsterdam graduate school for humanities universiteit van amsterdam faculteit der naam

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studying in an international environment in an effort to create an international environment where learning and creativity can flourish the uva has always encouraged international cooperation it attracts students from all over the world and presently has more than 2,000 international students the uva currently has one of the largest numbers of international study programmes of any university in europe most classes at the master s level include students with different nationalities and cultural backgrounds in an era of globalisation and an increasingly international labour market such an environment helps to prepare students for their future careers it also allows faculties to seek international standards of excellence the curriculum is constantly being developed and today comprises more than 80 study programmes taught entirely in english as well as developing new programmes the uva constantly strives to improve the quality and efficiency of existing programmes of these are taught in english and seven in a language other than english or dutch this brochure includes a description of the master s programmes taught in english director of the graduate school for humanities programme and is responsible for its quality and intellectual content in general he or she also acts as the academic adviser the academic adviser helps degree candidates to develop their study programmes and also approves the candidate s choice of a thesis supervisor exam committee the director of the graduate school for humanities oversees the master s programmes and the degrees offered and is responsible for the overall academic quality of the programmes admissions committees the exam committee of the graduate school for humanities is ultimately responsible for conferring the appropriate degree on the student research in the humanities each master s programme has its own admissions/selection committee on behalf of the faculty of humanities the admissions/selection committee handles all the applications for admission to a specific programme and decides on the number of courses a student must take in order to fulfil the requirements for that programme admissions office studying at the graduate school for humanities graduate school for humanities the graduate school for humanities is the administrative and coordinating body for all the master s programmes of the faculty of humanities it offers over 70 master s programmes all of which are open to dutch and international students twenty-nine the admissions office of the graduate school for humanities is responsible for the day-to-day administration and coordination of the various programmes and courses as well as for administering admissions the office helps students with application procedures and enrolment in the graduate school for humanities it also gives them information about living and studying in amsterdam before their arrival and during their time at the uva programme directors and academic advisers there is a strong link between teaching and research at the uva research at the faculty of humanities is organised under the following research institutes n institute of culture and history n amsterdam school for cultural analysis n amsterdam center for language and communication n institute for logic language and computation the research institutes have a strong influence on the content of the research master s programmes offered at the graduate school for humanities for information on research projects and activities organised by the institutes see www.english.uva.nl/research each master s programme has its own programme director the programme director organises and coordinates the 6 university of amsterdam graduate school for humanities universiteit van amsterdam faculteit der naam

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general information four types of master s programmes the graduate school for humanities offers four types of master s ma programmes regular ma programmes these one-year programmes consist of advanced courses in various fields of study in the humanities they offer participants a broad education in the field of their choice and a wide range of possible specialisations professional ma programmes1 these one-and-a-half-year programmes combine in-depth theoretical knowledge with practical learning the students theoretical knowledge is put into practice during a three to six-month internship research ma programmes1 these two-year programmes prepare participants for entry into a related phd programme at the uva or elsewhere erasmus mundus ma programmes1 these one-and-a-half-year programmes are so called because they receive support from the eu s erasmus mundus programme which promotes cooperation and mobility in the field of higher education around the world among other things the erasmus mundus programme supports topquality european master s courses it also provides eu-funded scholarships for third-country nationals participating in these master s courses as well as scholarships for eu nationals studying at partner universities throughout the world 1 due to the limited number of places available in these programmes all applicants must undergo a selection procedure the selection of suitable candidates for the professional and research master s programmes is based on grade average motivation and study pace in the case of the professional master s programmes relevant work experience or the lack thereof may also be taken into account 7 university of amsterdam graduate school for humanities universiteit van amsterdam faculteit der naam

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general admission requirements students applying for master s programmes at the graduate school for humanities should have at least a bachelor s degree or an equivalent thereof in a field relevant to that programme relevant fields are listed under `admission and degree requirements in the description of each master s programme an applicant s degree should be comparable to at least a three-year bachelor s degree from a dutch university see `practical matters page 47 there are two application deadlines n early-bird deadline 1 january n general deadline 1 april teaching most teaching at the uva is organised in the form of classes each class is held two or three times a week with individual sessions lasting two to three hours classes are taught mostly in the form of seminars with a maximum of 20 students per group dutch and international students are always mixed students from certain non-european countries may notice a considerable difference between the way teaching is organised in their own countries and the way it is organised at the uva the european educational system expects students to show a high degree of individual responsibility and initiative and strongly encourages the development of independent and critical thinking the academic year the academic year of the uva runs from september to mid-july and is divided into two semesters of 21 weeks each the first semester runs from early september to early february the second from early february to mid-july the duration of individual programmes can be found in the specific programme descriptions in this brochure or at www.gsh.uva.nl credit system upon successful completion of a course students are granted credits that are subsequently listed on their transcript in accordance with the european credit transfer system ects most courses yield 5 to 10 ects credits in a full-time 8 university of amsterdam graduate school for humanities universiteit van amsterdam faculteit der naam

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programme students must earn 60 credits per academic year 30 credits per semester corresponding to 1,680 hours of study for a full year credit transfer manuscripts letters and maps www.uba.uva.nl university restaurants theatre music dance literature the visual arts video radio multimedia and photography crea its own café and theatre www.usc.uva.nl www.crea.uva.nl students who show exceptional promise during a one-year master s or a one-and-a-half-year professional master s programme are encouraged to continue their studies in a research master s programme after selection and admission to a research master s programme they can transfer the credits they have obtained in their previous master s programme which will then count towards their research master s degree the board of examiners decides which credits are eligible for transfer food in the two university restaurants atrium and agora is both good and cheap both restaurants also have a bar student life student organisations of departments student facilities computer facilities most faculty departments have their own student organisations these organisations advocate the protection and promotion of student interests and organise such things as excursions social activities and book discounts they also play an important role in departmental and faculty committees international student network amsterdam uva students receive an uvanetid upon enrolment this provides access to a range of online services including student email blackboard and studyweb students also receive a personal email account a homepage free internet dial-up access and discounts on uva-dsl cable internet access and various software products in addition 100mb of storage space is available for each student to use on the uva network s u-drive libraries amsterdam isn-a takes care of the social and cultural integration of international students studying at the uva to this end it organises a wide variety of activities including movie nights weekly drinks cultural outings and excursions the isn-a also organises a four-day introductory programme and provides a mentoring service for international students www.isn-amsterdam.nl sports en cultural activities the uva s library facilities comprise the university library and an additional seven faculty libraries the uva has an extensive collection which includes some four million titles plus a large collection of rare the university sports centre usc offers fitness facilities and a wide range of classes for students covering everything from aikido to swimming the cultural organisation crea organises courses and workshops in 9 university of amsterdam graduate school for humanities universiteit van amsterdam faculteit der naam

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overview master s programme american studies3 art studies artistic research3 biblical studies3 cultural analysis discourse and argumentation studies3 dutch art dutch golden age studies3 english language english literature european studies film studies3 general linguistics hebrew language and culture holocaust and genocide studies3 international performance research linguistics literary studies media studies modern greek language and culture4 musicology mysticism and western esotericism new media3 philosophy philosophy preservation and presentation of the moving image religious studies religious studies rhetoric argumentation theory and philosophy rap slavonic languages and cultures5 television studies3 theatre studies 1 type1 regular ma research ma research ma regular ma research ma regular ma regular ma research ma regular ma regular ma regular ma regular ma regular ma regular ma regular ma erasmus mundus ma research ma research ma research ma regular ma regular ma regular ma regular ma regular ma research ma professional ma regular ma research ma research ma regular ma regular ma regular ma workload2 60 credits 120 credits 120 credits 60 credits 120 credits 60 credits 60 credits 120 credits 60 credits 60 credits 60 credits 60 credits 60 credits 60 credits 60 credits 120 credits 120 credits 120 credits 120 credits 60 credits 60 credits 60 credits 60 credits 60 credits 120 credits 90 credits 60 credits 120 credits 120 credits 60 credits 60 credits 60 credits we also offer master s programmes in dutch arabic german french italian romanian scandinavian and spanish see page 45 please contact the graduate school for humanities for more information about these programmes www.gsh.uva.nl duration regular ma 1 year professional ma 1½ years research ma 2 years erasmus mundus ma 1½ years the workload measured in terms of ects credits is based on students commencing study with a bachelor s degree or the equivalent thereof in a relevant field 3 this is a track within a master s programme not an independently registered master s programme see section in chapter description of the international master s programmes for details 4 taught in greek 5 also taught in russian polish and/or serbian/croatian 2 10 university of amsterdam graduate school for humanities universiteit van amsterdam faculteit der naam

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international master s programmes 11 universiteit van amsterdam faculteit der naam

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adamo discenza from canada ma in american studies `this programme is a great way of gaining a different perspective on the studies surrounding the united states i was able to discuss current and historical issues in a different context and gain the insight of my colleagues and professors alike american studies track of ma in geschiedenis history type of programme track of one-year regular ma credits 60 ects language of instruction english programme director prof ruud janssens applicants must also fulfil the general entry requirements of the graduate school for humanities regarding academic background grade average and english language proficiency see `practical matters degree awarded american studies is an interdisciplinary programme combining history and the social sciences central themes in the programme are american democracy american-european diplomatic and military relations the americanisation of europe and the concept of american cultural imperialism programme structure and curriculum american studies is a track of the ma in geschiedenis history this means that upon successful completion of the programme students receive a master of arts ma degree in geschiedenis in this programme students look at the united states as an international presence examining the way it affects other countries and cultures politically economically militarily and culturally the different ways in which american and european intellectuals analyse america and their respective attempts to grasp the critical differences between american and european traditions are also studied the master s programme in american studies yields 60 ects credits n 40 credits for courses n 20 credits for a master s thesis details for next year s courses will be available from may www.coursecatalogue.uva.nl admission and degree requirements this programme is intended for students who already have a bachelor s degree or the equivalent thereof in the field of history with 30 ects-credits in american studies courses the level of the bachelor s degree must be comparable to that of a dutch bachelor s degree admission is not necessarily limited to students with a background in this specific field those with a bachelor s degree in a different subject are also encouraged to apply the admissions committee will assess each application individually on the basis of the educational background and its suitability to the master s programme career prospects the programme in american studies prepares students for postgraduate studies or for a career in independent research journalism or a variety of advisory and managerial positions in public organisations and government institutions 12 university of amsterdam graduate school for humanities universiteit van amsterdam faculteit der naam

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art studies type of programme two-year research ma credits 120 ects language of instruction english programme director dr bram van oostveldt the programme yields 120 ects credits n 30 credits for core courses n 30 credits for tutorials n 30 credits for electives n 30 credits for a master s thesis details for next year s courses will be available from may www.coursecatalogue.uva.nl a selection committee assesses each candidate on a case-by-case basis transcripts the bachelor s or master s thesis and the motivation are taken into account one-year programme countless theatres galleries museums concert venues and libraries put amsterdam at the heart of art and culture in the netherlands the two-year research master s programme in art studies lets you dig deeper into the part of the art world where your interests lie it is an intensive scientific programme which gives you the freedom to follow your own line of study within this programme two tracks are offered artistic research and theory of music in conjunction with the amsterdam conservatorium programme structure and curriculum students with a relevant master s degree should be able to complete the programme in one year 70 ects credits degree awarded career prospects art studies provides a valuable foundation for students who whish to go on to conduct independent scientific research it also provides a sound basis for pursuing a career in roles such as a policy function within a cultural institution or government department admission and degree requirements upon successful completion of the programme students receive a master of arts ma degree in art studies students subject a research proposal before the start of the programme this along with discussions with the programme director forms the basis for the course of study in the research proposal students write down their ideas for the three tutorials their thesis and the three electives they choose the three electives can be chosen from the master s programmes cultural studies algemene cultuur wetenschappen art history kunst geschiedenis musicology muziek wetenschap or theatre studies theaterwetenschap all students will attend three core courses these provide a theoretical background in art studies the research master s programme in art studies is intended for students with a bachelor s degree or the equivalent thereof in cultural studies art history theatre studies or musicology the level of the bachelor s degree must me comparable to that of a dutch bachelor s degree applicants must also fulfil the general entry requirements of the graduate school for humanities regarding academic background grade average and english language proficiency see `practical matters selection procedure due to the limited number of places available in research master s programmes all applicants must undergo a selection procedure 13 university of amsterdam graduate school for humanities universiteit van amsterdam faculteit der naam

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artistic research track of research ma in art studies type of programme track of two-year research ma credits 120 ects language of instruction english programme director dr jeroen boomgaard completed by the start of the academic year is a prerequisite for admission those students must also have practical experience in the arts or be able to demonstrate a relationship between their academic work and artistic practice applicants with practical experience in the fine arts but no academic training can be asked to complete a preparatory academic programme applicants must also fulfil the general entry requirements of the graduate school for humanities regarding academic background grade average and english language proficiency see `practical matters selection procedure the artistic research track of the research ma in art studies seeks to form a bridge between art and standard scholarly research by offering insight into and training in new forms of research in this programme both specific art objects and broader artistic concepts are used experimentally and opened up to interpretation topics and strategies relevant for current scholarly debates and contemporary artistic practice are central programme structure and curriculum part of this programme is taught in collaboration with other internal or external art institutes in such cases the programme is carried out by the `supplying institute examples are the professional art training programmes at the amsterdam school of the arts and the rietveld academy/sandberg institute the academic programmes at the schools of art religion and cultural sciences at the faculty of humanities of the university of amsterdam the master s programme in artistic research yields 120 ects credits n 30 credits for core courses of the research ma art studies n 40 credits for core courses combining theory and practice n 20 credits for electives n 30 credits for a one-semester research project resulting in a thesis and an artistic work details for next year s courses will be available from may www.coursecatalogue.uva.nl career prospects artists who have completed the artistic research programme will have a distinct advantage when applying for phd programmes in the fields of arts research and art practice their ability to formulate theoretical concepts in relation to their artistic practice will better equip them to develop their own work and to find exhibition and performance venues in which to present it admission and degree requirements because of the nature of the programme and the limited number of places available at the participating art institutes or groups where students will complete their research project only a limited number of students are accepted each year degree awarded artistic research is a track of the research ma in art studies this means that upon successful completion of the programme students receive a master of arts ma degree in art studies applicants with an academic background or practical experience in fine arts are encouraged to apply for those with an academic background a bachelor s degree that has been 14 university of amsterdam graduate school for humanities universiteit van amsterdam faculteit der naam

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biblical studies track of ma in religiestudies religious studies type of programme track of one-year regular ma credits 60 ects language of instruction english programme director prof caroline vander stichele the programme yields 60 ects credits n 20 credits for core courses 10 credits at the uva and 10 credits at the uu n 20 credits for electives n 20 credits for a master s thesis details for next year s courses will be available from may www.coursecatalogue.uva.nl the biblical studies track of the religious studies master offers a wide range of courses covering the hebrew bible and the new testament jewish literature from the second temple period and the early rabbinic period and early christian literature the programme focuses on the historical and literary contexts in which the bible took shape and the rich history of its interpretation in various times and situations in addition to the texts themselves looking at the bible from different angles in this way offers new perspectives on this ancient book cooperation including theology the social sciences or law are also eligible to apply the level of the bachelor s degree must be comparable to that of a dutch bachelor s degree all applicants must have a basic knowledge of the bible minimal 7,5 ects of the exegesis of the bible minimal 7,5 ects on the hebrew bible and/or new testament and knowledge of hebrew and/or greek minimal 15 ects students who do not meet the formal criteria but who have completed a bachelor s programme involving at least three years of full-time study at the university level can also apply in these cases selection will be made on a case-by-case basis applicants must also fulfil the general entry requirements of the graduate school for humanities regarding academic background grade average and english language proficiency see `practical matters degree awarded career prospects the biblical studies programme is a joint venture of the university of amsterdam and the utrecht university programme structure and curriculum a unique feature of this programme is the possibility to choose between three different trajectories the first one includes courses on both the hebrew bible and the new testament in this case knowledge of hebrew as well as greek are required the second trajectory focuses on the hebrew bible a knowledge of hebrew is a prerequisite the third option is to focus on the new testament which only requires greek the ma in biblical studies prepares students for a career in teaching journalism or any of the other writing professions as well as an advisory or managerial position in a public organisation or government institution it also provides students with the basic knowledge and skills that will enable them to pursue a professional career at the academic level in any of the diverse fields of research or general education particularly where the study of the bible is involved graduates can also opt to continue their studies in the research ma in religious studies which offers an excellent opportunity for those interested in pursuing a phd in the field students who have completed one of the tracks of the one-year master in religious studies are usually able to complete the twoyear research ma in one year admission and degree requirements biblical studies is a track of the ma in religiestudies religious studies this means that upon successful completion of the programme students receive a master of arts ma degree in religiestudies the programme is intended for students with a bachelor s degree or the equivalent thereof in religious studies students with a bachelor s degree or the equivalent thereof in another field of the humanities 15 university of amsterdam graduate school for humanities universiteit van amsterdam faculteit der naam

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