Degree from a Dutch university of applied sciences (HBO)

To be admitted to the Master's programme in Arts and Society with a degree of a University of Applied Sciences, you almost always have to complete a Pre-Master's programme first. Below you will find the required competences to be admitted to the Master's programme and the selection procedure for the Master's programme. Information about the Pre-Master's programme you will find under step 2.

Competencies

This is a selective Master's. You will be considered for admission to the Master's programme Arts and Society if you have a Bachelor’s diploma from a Dutch university and can demonstrate the following knowledge, insight and skills:

• You are able to interpret and apply complex theories in the field of art and society (e.g., the social turn in the arts, applied arts, art policy), as demonstrated by having obtained at least 15 EC in this field at advanced Bachelor level.
• You are able to design, perform, analyze and report on scientific research in at least one of the following fields: applied arts, arts policy, cultural studies, media studies, literary studies, performance studies, sociology of the arts, or cultural anthropology. You meet this criterion by demonstrating that you have obtained at least 15 EC in any of these areas at advanced Bachelor level;
• You possess good social and intercultural communication skills that enable you to professionally collaborate with fellow students and arts professionals. You can demonstrate your ability by providing evidence of practical work experience in the cultural field or an internship of at least 7.5 EC supported by a letter of recommendation from your internship provider;
• You have the necessary social and communication skills in order to professionally collaborate and communicate with fellow students and professionals;
• You are able to express yourself in excellent English, both orally and in written text. This can be demonstrated by either presenting a Bachelor's thesis in English, an advanced research paper written in English, or a specially written 1000-word essay in English (see below). All three texts should be on a topic related to arts & society. A convincing letter of motivation and a live interview completes this English proficiency requirement.

Selection procedure

The Admissions Committee decides on your application. The committee will assess whether you will be able to succesfully complete the Master’s programme within one academic year. The committee takes into account:

• Motivation and talent (also on the basis of GPA and study progress monitoring).
• Level of required knowledge and the mastery of methods and techniques used in the subject area.
• General high level of professional and intellectual ability.
• Command of the language(s) used in the programme.

The Admissions Committee bases their decision in general on the documents you have submitted for your application. An interview may be part of the selection procedure if deemed necessary. In the online interview, we will ask you to elaborate on your motivations for and expectations of the Master's programme and on your vision on the relationship between arts and society.

The programme admits a maximum of 20 student per year. If the number of applications exceeds the number of available places, the Admissions Committee will select the most eligible candidates. Ranking takes place on the basis of motivation, GPA, relevant Bachelor's degree, relevant courses in the general area of arts & society, proficiency in English, and a balanced composition of the group (e.g. academic and cultural background).

It is not possible to register separately for the Pre-Master's. Arts and Society is a selective Master's programme with a maximum of 20 students per year, which means offering the Pre-Master means that one of the fixed places for the following academic year must be kept free. You need to apply according to the regular Master's application procedure. During the selection round, University of Applied Sciences (HBO) candidates who we consider suitable for the Master's, but who lack some academic skills (including knowledge of specific theories and methods), will be offered a Pre-Master's programme (also read the entry requirements for the Master's programme under step 1). 

Costs

Have a look at the costs of a Pre-Master’s programme (in Dutch). 

Application procedure Pre-Master's programme

If you want to be considered for a Pre-Master's programme, you simply go through the application procedure for the Master's programme, just like students who meet all entry requirements. The Admissions Committee will decide whether you can follow a Pre-Master's programme and what form it should take. Once you have been notified, you can register for the Pre-Master's programme.