Extra opportunities

For students looking for an extra challenge in addition to their Master's, there are several options. 

One of the ways in which you can add to your studies is to take part in some of the following extra-curricular activities:

Research Groups

Within our department, there are several active research groups dealing with new media and digital culture related themes and topics which welcome participating MA students. Here, you can meet research staff, PhD candidates and other students through organized lectures, seminars, expert meetings, and other activities. Have a look at the websites of the groups for more information:

• [urban interfaces]
  [urban interfaces] is a platform for a critical investigation of urban interfaces for creative and participatory engagement at the crossing of academic research and cultural practices. Focusing on mobile and situated media, arts, and performances, the platform brings together and initiates critical reflections on, and actual interventions in, these socio-spatial activities and their shaping and staging of urban culture.
• Center for the Study of Digital Games and Play
  GAP examines digital games as well as the role of play in our contemporary culture. Due to an increased ludification of culture, we aim to re-evaluate the manner in which we study media and culture. One approach we use for this purpose is the notion of play as a conceptual framework for the analysis of media use. The study of digital games and play therefore enables us to address fundamental changes in the way we create and use media.
• Data School 
  At the Data School (UDS) we co-shape our datafied society through supporting responsible data practices and investigating public debate through projects with external parties. Students of Master New Media and Digital Culture with some basic data skills can opt to do a research internship with DS. Under the guidance of experienced researchers from DS students actively apply their knowledge to data collection, analysis and visualization of data and the formulation of a comprehensive analysis of their findings in a professional report for external partners. The Data School can be summarised as a unique experience for students to reflect on the transformation of society through data-driven practices.
• Media industries, Infrastructures and Institutions
  MI3 is a collective of researchers who investigate the current transformations of media industries and institutions with particular attention for the material infrastructures and political, social and cultural conditions that shape media production and distribution and, thus, different sorts of media content. MI3 organizes events, discussion series and seminars  that offer a space for productive exchanges between media scholars and creative practitioners.
• Utrecht Game Lab
  The Utrecht Game Lab (UGL) is a space where scholars and designers meet to design and study games. It is a research project that bridges research in computer science and humanities. The UGL pursues several on-going projects and organizes weekly meetings, some with a specific agenda and others dedicated to project work. Participants will learn to make and remix games using tools like Game Maker: Studio, Unity 3D or paper prototyping and to use them as a means of analysing games; existing programming skills are not required. Rather, students with non-technical backgrounds acquire experimental game creation skills and learn how to productively incorporate practical design activities into their theoretical work on and with games. The game lab is part of the Centre for the Study of Digital Games and Play (GAP) and Utrecht University’s Focus Area Games Research. Participation is free.

Membership of the Curriculum Committee

In order to oversee the educational quality of the programme, each year an independent Curriculum Committee (“Onderwijscommissie” or OC) is assembled, consisting of lecturers and students in the two programmes New Media and Digital Culture (NMDC) and Film and Television Studies (FTV). The Committee evaluates courses and the overall programme by convening four times in a year and organizing informal talks with programme coordinators. The student members of the OC represents the students of the programme and acts as an ‘interface’ between coordinators and students. He/she will receive a financial compensation for this.

Honouring your curiosity

Utrecht University offers several honours programmes for students looking for an extra avenue to nurture their curiosity and foster their personal development. Honours education is followed on top of your regular Master’s programme. The UU Honours College offers 4 university-wide honours programmes.

University-wide honours programmes

In these interdisciplinary programmes, you can let your diverse interests run wild as you work on varying social and academic issues together with students from other disciplines. By analysing issues from different perspectives, you’ll learn how to navigate complex societal issues through a broader lens.

In an increasingly interconnected world, learning how to work with people from different fields is a vital skill. After completing these honours programmes you will receive an honours certificate during a festive ceremony. The following programmes are offered: 

For more information on honours education at the UU, go to the Honours College webpage, the honours Instagram, or email us at honourscollege@uu.nl.