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international study programmes 2011-2012

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`choosing the university of amsterdam means opting for the intellectual depth of an academic study in an environment that offers unique opportunities and experiences professor dymph van den boom cover photo esther vleugel and borja sanz dominguez 2 www.uva.nl/isp

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welcome choosing the university of amsterdam means opting for the intellectual depth of an academic study in an environment that offers unique opportunities and experiences at the uva students from all over the world learn together on an equal footing discussion takes on a whole new dimension in this environment thanks to the diversity of the participants cultural national and academic backgrounds as one of the largest educational institutions in the netherlands we want you to feel at home and to enjoy your studies at the uva we provide everything you need to learn successfully in an inspiring challenging and international setting all we ask in return are your commitment and effort involvement and initiative we want you to feel responsible for your own academic progress and so put the best of yourself into your work from wherever in the world you come to us we hope and believe your time here will prove to be of lasting value for the rest of your student life and beyond professor dymph van den boom rector magnificus university of amsterdam 3 university of amsterdam international study programmes

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contents welcome university of amsterdam study programmes programme overview practical matters student facilities useful addresses 3 5 10 16 20 22 26 4 www.uva.nl/isp

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university of amsterdam a research university the uva prides itself on being an excellent research university many of its master s programmes directly reflect leading research in a given field of study exposing students to groundbreaking research during their studies research master s programmes are offered in nearly every discipline these are designed specifically to prepare students for phd level research or a research based career the research activities significance at the uva extends beyond the confines of the academic community and their findings benefit society at large in fact the problems and issues affecting society often provide the stimulus for the scientific studies amsterdam s cultural and scientific institutes such as the maison descartes the royal netherlands academy of arts and sciences knaw international institute of social history the goethe institute sara computing and network services and aletta formerly the international information centre and archives for the women s movement iiav enriches research and independent study the uva is in the league of european research universities leru an association of leading research universities founded to strengthen the position of european universities in the arena of international scientific research the university of amsterdam is a metropolitan university with an excellent reputation for research which gives students the chance to study in an international environment and enjoy the academic social and cultural opportunities the city of amsterdam has to offer the university of amsterdam uva is a modern university with a rich history its roots trace back to 1632 when the amsterdam city council founded the athenaeum illustre to train students in trade and philosophy until the nineteenth century this remained a small institution with no more than 250 students and eight professors in 1877 it was renamed the university of amsterdam and granted the right to confer the highest academic degrees the uva is now one of the largest universities in europe with seven faculties and more than 30,000 students it currently offers the highest number of bachelor s and master s degree programmes in the netherlands with master s programmes covering nearly every academic discipline partly because many of the master s programmes are taught in english the uva is able to attract many international students it therefore has a student body in which countless nationalities are represented in addition the wide range of academic programmes and courses available to choose from means students can tailor their studies to suit their personal ambitions and talents the uva ensures they are supported during and after their studies via academic and career counselling 5 university of amsterdam international study programmes

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`amsterdam needs a university like the university of amsterdam steadfast in its commitment to excellence engaged in the life of the city at the same time the university of amsterdam flourishes in amsterdam where her students and their contribution to the city is highly appreciated and valued amsterdam is small enough to find your way around while still big enough to make it your own and leave your mark dr e.e van der laan mayor of amsterdam a metropolitan university the uva is inextricably linked with the city of amsterdam its facilities offices and faculties are spread throughout the city uva s arts and social science programmes are housed in the city centre along with a large number of facilities including the university library the special collections library and the zoological museum amsterdam many of the faculties are housed in characteristic old buildings in the heart of the city most of the science programmes are based just outside the old city centre in the newly developed science park amsterdam in the watergraafsmeer district science park amsterdam brings together a dynamic mix of educational institutes research institutes and knowledge based enterprises in an inspiring collaborative environment in fact with the faculties spread across the city in this way the uva s campus is amsterdam itself uva numbers 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 scientists entrepreneurs and artists who often work together inspiring and stimulating one another it is this dynamic and challenging environment that attracts students to the city the capital of the netherlands amsterdam is an exuberant smallscale metropolis where you quickly feel safe and welcome the city of rembrandt van rijn h.p berlage anne frank and johan cruyff it has a unique cultural and intellectual life countless museums festivals and artistic groups stage exhibitions and performances all year round amsterdam was deemed one of the top 15 cities worldwide in terms of quality of life by mercer s 2010 quality of living survey and with schiphol one of europe s major airports a mere 20 minutes away the world is just around the corner named after the amstel river amsterdam expanded rapidly from the thirteenth century onwards due to a thriving maritime industry to become the largest city of the netherlands by 1500 during the seventeenth century the `golden age it grew into one of the wealthiest and most powerful cities in the world it was then that its famous crescent-shaped canals were built with its tradition of intellectual tolerance amsterdam attracted scholars and writers unable to find the same level of freedom in their own countries baruch spinoza and rené descartes flourished here alongside dutch painters poets and scientists such as johannes vermeer constantijn huygens and antonie van leeuwenhoek intellectual and cultural curiosity have prevailed in the netherlands ever since this same rich and diverse culture can be found in amsterdam today amid a climate of forward-thinking professionalism education has always played a vital role in the development of dutch culture the uva as one of the largest centres of study and research in the netherlands continues to be one of its key players studying in an international environment to create an 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 2000 international students from over 80 countries it also has one of the largest numbers of international study programmes of any university in europe most classes at the master s level feature students with different nationalities and cultural backgrounds in an era of globalisation and an increasingly international labour market this helps students prepare for their future careers it also allows faculties to establish international standards of excellence 65 bachelor programmes 2 taught in english n 244 master s programmes 123 taught in english n 301 phds awarded n 7,900 scientific publications n 30,825 students n 2,004 international degree students n 1,036 doctorial phd candidates n 2,796 academic staff n 39 academic staff are women n 2,294 non-academic staff n 6 www.uva.nl/isp

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esther vleugel studying for the master in chemistry `after doing my bachelor here deciding where to do my master was easy the uva was and is perfect for me in my study there is a personal approach which means contact with students and teaching staff during classes as well as during café hours you might not expect an `international feeling from a dutch student but this really is the case along with old friends from the bachelor we have been joined by new students from abroad or other universities these motivated international students have made me improve my study mentality and english skills i got to make some international friends and to enjoy tapas and sangria the curriculum is constantly reviewed and revised and comprises more than 120 study programmes taught in english the uva constantly strives to improve the quality and efficiency of existing programmes a well as developing new courses of study institutions and agencies related to their academic programme the uva has an excellent relationship with numerous regional national and international businesses and organisations in an expanding global labour market international students in amsterdam can find many major multi-national organisations the uva student career centre provides international graduates with information training advice on career planning identifying opportunities for employment and advising them on how to market themselves effectively www.student.uva.nl/work amsterdam university college career prospects the research-oriented and metropolitan uva could have no better home than a centre of cultural scientific and international business activity such as amsterdam students have ready access to a businesses amsterdam university college auc offers a top quality honours broad interdisciplinary internationally oriented bachelor s programme in the liberal arts and sciences the programme taught in english targets excellent students from in and outside the netherlands auc is a joint initiative of the university of amsterdam and the vu university amsterdam www.auc.nl 7 university of amsterdam international study programmes

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10 reasons to study at the university of amsterdam 1 2 3 range of study the uva has one of the largest numbers of international master s study programmes of any university in europe with over 120 taught in english and several of the courses offered being unique to the uva international student barometer 96 of uva students polled were `very satisfied about safety and 96 said it was `the place to be 7 practical support depth of study excellent academic career paths with multiple options to pursue study within or across disciplines all the way from bachelor through to phd level and further research quality the uva presently has more than 2,000 international degree students from over 90 countries all actively supported by uva staff and fellow students while in amsterdam the uva helps with logistics such as opening a bank account applying for visas and finding accommodation the uva is in the league of european research universities leru an association founded to strengthen the position of european universities in the arena of international scientific research the uva is also an active partner in many eu wide initiatives with other universities or research institutions 8 career prospects 4 5 6 international recognition the presence of numerous dutch and international firms e.g philips ing heineken academic institutions and cultural organizations make amsterdam the commercial social and artistic heart of the netherlands and a prestigious global business centre students benefit from having access to major corporations during and after their studies the university of amsterdam scores highly in rankings such as the times higher education academic ranking of world universities shanghai ranking leiden ranking and the che ranking 9 prime location history the university of amsterdam continues a tolerant open and international academic tradition dating back to 1632 the faculties are located in either the heart of the old city or state of the art purpose-built facilities amsterdam is well connected for travel to the rest of europe with excellent links to the rest of world the city has long been a cultural and commercial crossroads and gives students access to all the arts entertainment and social possibilities of a capital city 10 personal development quality of life the city of amsterdam features as one of the world s 15 best places to live in mercer s 2010 quality of living survey in the 2009 pan-european study programmes at the uva offer a high level of autonomy respect for each individual s opinions and convictions are central in the netherlands diverse and plural society this leads to an interactive teaching style encouraging students to develop self reliance and independent thought 8 www.uva.nl/isp

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9 university of amsterdam international study programmes

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study programmes the uva offers a range of programmes which not only allow students to study the subjects they want in depth but provides the opportunity to investigate multi-disciplinary topics the university actively cooperates with its peers to provide students with access to the best academic minds available in whichever areas they choose all the bachelor s and master s programmes are overseen by one or more of the relevant faculties or graduate schools the uva comprises seven major faculties providing both education and research in their specific disciplines undergraduates course are offered by colleges while graduate and post graduate courses are provided by the various graduate schools in addition there is the interdisciplinary bachelor s programme in the liberal arts and sciences offered by the amsterdam university college auc a joint initiative of the university of amsterdam and the vu university amsterdam be more advanced than in some countries outside the region at the uva two bachelor s programmes are taught entirely in english the bsc in economics and business and bachelor s programme in the liberal arts and sciences at the auc all other bachelor s programmes are taught in dutch cooperation with the hogeschool van amsterdam undergraduate programmes bachelor s programmes these are three-year study programmes leading to a bachelor s degree ba/bsc/llb students with qualifications equivalent to the dutch university preparatory education vwo can apply for these programmes this starting level is equivalent to that of most other western european countries but can the uva cooperates closely with the hogeschool van amsterdam hva a university of applied sciences with some 38,000 students the hva is one of the largest institutes of professional education in the netherlands it offers a number of bachelor s programmes taught entirely in english www.international.hva.nl 10 www.uva.nl/isp

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studying in dutch students with foreign qualifications wishing to enrol in an undergraduate programme taught in dutch can visit www.uva.nl/education for more information about the options available www.uva.nl/education equivalent in a relevant field students are also selected on the basis of motivation research skills and previous academic results a research master s programme usually takes two years students with a previous master s degree may be allowed to complete the programme in a shorter period professional master s programmes phd programmes graduate programmes master s programmes the uva has more than 240 master s programmes several of which are unique in the netherlands and others renowned around the world the master s programmes take one or two years and students receive a master s degree ma msc llm upon successful completion they cover a diverse range of subject areas ranging from public international law to forensic science from mathematical physics to gender sexuality and society from urban studies to preservation and presentation of the moving image and from cultural analysis to business economics more than 120 of these are taught entirely in english from regular to advanced professional master s programmes are extended master s programmes lasting between one-and-a-half to two years designed to combine indepth theoretical knowledge with practice-based learning the knowledge of theory that students acquire is put into practice during an internship upon successful completion of the programme graduates receive a master s degree in the appropriate discipline advanced and executive master s programmes each faculty has a keen interest in supporting phd research in or across all the disciplines covered at the university international candidates must have an academic qualification equivalent to a dutch master s degree students at the uva pursue their phd qualifications in different ways n as a `promovendus which is in effect a researcher employed within a research initiative which has advertised for applicants n occasionally by enrolling on an existing formal study programme where they pay tuition n or as an external candidate with funding who has proposed a research programme which has been accepted by a full professor www.uva.nl/phd non degree programmes summer and winter programmes in addition to regular master s programmes the uva offers research professional advanced and executive master s programmes www.uva.nl/isp see `programmes research master s programmes research master s programmes prepare students for a career in research or the pursuit of a phd the minimum entry requirement is a dutch bachelor s degree or its advanced master s programmes are intended for specific groups of professionals holding a master s degree who are seeking to extend their knowledge of a specific discipline these usually last one year students with a bachelor s degree and in certain cases several years of relevant work experience can also apply upon successful completion of the programme graduates receive a master s degree in the appropriate discipline executive master s programmes are similar to advanced master s programmes these are designed for professionals who already hold a master s degree and who have either experience in management or management potential each year the university offers a range of summer programmes in the fields of law the social and behavioural sciences and cognitive science www.uva.nl/summerprogrammes exchange programmes all the programmes described in this brochure are open to fee-paying students enrolled at the university of amsterdam students already registered in a degree programme at a foreign partner university with an agreement can also take courses at the uva i.e an `academic exchange exchange students attend the uva for a limited period of time one academic year or one semester while remaining registered at their 11 university of amsterdam international study programmes

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home university they attend the uva as part of an exchange programme such as erasmus tempus or isep or as a result of a bilateral agreement between their home university and the uva exchange students do not receive an academic degree or diploma from the uva but they are issued an official transcript credits received at the uva should be transferable to their home university www.uva.nl/exchange dutch grade 8 10 7.5 8 7 7.5 6-7 5.5 6 5.5 ects equivalent excellent very good good satisfactory sufficient fail distribution 10 25 30 25 10 us grade abbcdf ects grade abcdef transfer system ects a full-time study for one academic year represents 60 credits corresponding to 1,680 hours of study grading system core courses and electives certificate programmes these non-degree programmes made up of electives are designed for students who have successfully completed two years of academic training in a relevant field certificate students receive an official transcript indicating the courses taken and the credits and grades obtained students can enrol in certificate programmes for one semester or for a full year the criteria and grading system used at the uva are common to dutch academic institutions although students will find they vary from those applied in other parts of europe and elsewhere the grading system is on a scale of 1-10 where a 6 is regarded as sufficient educational style most bachelor s and master s programmes include a number of compulsory core courses and electives which the students can choose students enrolled in one of the international study programmes may also take courses in other academic disciplines or programmes at the uva if there is room and the student meets the entrance requirements plagiarism study information the academic year the uva s academic year is from 31 august to mid-july divided into two semesters of 21 weeks each the first 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 www.uva.nl/isp credit system semesters are composed of courses each worth 5 to 10 ects credits in accordance with the european credit students from other countries may notice a considerable difference between the style of education in their own country and here in the netherlands the approach at the uva entrusts students with a high degree of individual responsibility encouraging them to develop an independent and critical way of thinking this type of academic environment will be part of the challenge students face when they follow a programme at the uva study programmes comprise a number of courses and generally conclude with a thesis depending on the course classes meet once or twice a week in sessions of two or three hours each if you copy material from websites encyclopaedias books or other sources without giving full credit to the original authors you are committing plagiarism this is regarded as a serious breach of the university s rules and can result in the loss of credits or even suspension this can seriously jeopardise your academic future or other career prospects papers may be electronically screened for plagiarism please familiarise yourself with the uva s regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for uva students and contact your programme coordinator if you have any questions on this matter teaching students at the uva will be exposed to diverse teaching methods assessment for participation in a course can be based on a written 12 www.uva.nl/isp

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borja sanz dominguez student master business studies `studying abroad has never been easier and the uva is an internationally orientated university the international master s programme means i ve met a wide variety of people with different backgrounds and got to know their cultures i am becoming much more pragmatic and improving my out of the box thinking i was happily surprised by the methodology students are an essential element of each course whose experiences judgments and inputs are taken into account i am building a wide variety of skills that i didn t develop in my previous education amsterdam is the city of freedom and open minded people if i went back in the past i would choose to study at the uva again no doubt examination a test a paper or a combination of all three tutorials have to have sufficient knowledge of english before they can be admitted to any programme www.uvatalen.nl application and admissions procedures entry requirements during tutorials or seminars students discuss subject matter undertake assignments and write papers as well as practice their presentation skills practical training dutch language courses practical training forms part of the curriculum of some programmes during practical training the emphasis is on assignments rather than reading academic texts in chemistry or physics the assignments can take the form of laboratory experiments while dentistry or medicine students may copy or perform medical procedures practical training can also involve computer work fieldwork the uva s institute for dutch as a second language intt offers dutch language courses at six different levels from absolute beginners to advanced before the start of the academic year there are intensive three-week summer courses extensive day and evening courses 36 hours in total are also organised at all six levels throughout the year applicants are advised to apply at least two months before the starting date to be sure of a place www.intt.uva.nl student language exchange amsterdam in some programmes students conduct fieldwork students go into the field in order to examine their object of study in its natural environment or to gather research data language courses english language courses are you interested in learning dutch and meeting dutch students if so check out the student language exchange website at www.sle-amsterdam.nl faculities entry requirements vary per programme the minimum requirements for most bachelors programmes include a suitable high school education equivalent to the dutch vwo diploma including relevant topics applicants from some countries require an additional one or two years of university or college education for all master s programmes a bachelor s degree in a related subject is a general entry requirement students will also need a letter of motivation letters of recommendation and a curriculum vitae some programmes have additional selection procedures check the programme details on the international study programmes website for details www.uva.nl/isp go to `programmes and then `application and admission english language requirements various courses are available at uva talen the independent language centre of the uva for students wishing to improve their english english skills courses are offered at four different levels from elementary to advanced courses focus on speaking writing and presentation skills including writing academic papers in english and preparing essays for lectures and tutorials these have to be funded by the student themselves students the goal of this online forum a joint initiative of the international student network and the asva student union is to foster language exchange between dutch and international students at the uva and the hogeschool van amsterdam in this way international students can learn dutch from dutch students who also want to improve their skills in another language in an informal setting non-native english speakers must have a reasonable level of proficiency in english please note that some faculties or institutes require higher test scores than others scores from the following tests are accepted n toefl n ielts academic module n cambridge international please note that not every department or programme accepts all these test scores for more information about each study programme s english language requirements please visit www.uva.nl/isp go to `programmes and then `application and admission 13 university of amsterdam international study programmes

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native english speakers with a degree from one of the following countries do not need to take an english language proficiency test australia canada ireland new zealand the united kingdom and the united states of america applications current application forms are available online completed application forms and all accompanying documentation should be sent directly to the programme managers or institutes as indicated on the website these will be the point of contact for all further information regarding application and admissions please note that many study programmes charge non-eu students an application fee for diploma validation www.uva.nl/isp go to `programmes and then `application and admission deadlines the deadlines for application vary per programme since the application procedure and possible visa procedures can take some time it is strongly recommended to begin the application procedure well in advance early registration also increases the chances of finding suitable accommodation as a rough guide for students from outside the eea deadlines are between 1 february and may 15 for those coming from inside the eea between 1 april and 15 may again individual programmes have their own schedules and students are generally advised to apply as soon as possible www.uva.nl/isp see specific programme information 14 www.uva.nl/isp

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financial matters students from eu/eea countries suriname and switzerland financial aid most international study programmes are financed by the dutch government students from one of the eu/eea countries or from suriname and switzerland pay the regular national tuition fee for these programmes students from non-eu/eea countries in additions to the amsterdam merit scholarships other forms of financial support are available to exceptional students for studying in the netherlands please note that in some cases students may make use of the dutch government s system of student grants and loans studiefinanciering www.uva.nl/scholarships www.ib-groep.nl/international_visitors welcome.asp www.grantfinder.nl www.studyin.nl government funding for students from non-eu/eea countries with the exception of switzerland is no longer available the tuition fee for these students is therefore now considerably higher the uva has established a scholarship programme known as the amsterdam merit scholarships ams specifically designed to offer talented and hardworking non-eu eea students the opportunity to pursue a degree at the uva www.uva.nl/ams www.uva.nl/tuitionfees please note that some programmes such as the certificate advanced master s and executive master s programmes are not funded by the dutch government as a result tuition fees for these programmes are generally substantially higher than the regular tuition fee the same fee is applicable to all students regardless of their nationality 15 university of amsterdam international study programmes

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