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International Studies

Bachelor

The Bachelor of Arts in International Studies provides students with the tools to investigate globalisation, and its regional effects, from a humanities perspective. They study these effects through the prism of four disciplinary perspectives: culture, history, politics and economics, coupled with in-depth knowledge of one of eight world regions. The humanities perspective is ensured by placing an understanding of the historic and cultural context central in the programme, and linking this directly to the political and economic conditions. Students learn to apply the acquired knowledge of the four disciplinary approaches in the analysis of a geographical area of their choice with the aid of a language native to that area.

The programme’s combination of multidisciplinary knowledge, geographical specialisation, language training, and a global perspective, provides students with a unique understanding of the interactions of global, transnational, national, and subnational conditions and developments. Disciplinary understanding is introduced in three stages. The programme starts with a general introduction of the relevant theoretical and methodological approaches. It goes on to provide students with practical knowledge of the historical, cultural, political and economic conditions in a specific geographical area, and completes the disciplinary understanding by placing these conditions in their international context.

The areas offered in the degree, and their corresponding languages are:

Area Foreign Language
Africa Arabic, French, Portuguese, Swahili
East Asia Japanese, Korean, Mandarin
Europe Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish
Latin America Portuguese, Spanish
Middle East Arabic, Modern Hebrew, Persian, Turkish
North America French, Spanish
Russia and Eurasia Russian
South Asia and Southeast Asia Hindi, Indonesian

First Year

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

First semester
Academic Reading and Writing 5
Cultural Studies 5
Global History 5
Introduction to International Studies 5
Principles of Economics 5
Sociolinguistics 5

Second semester
Foundations of Political Economy 5
Politics 5

Culture

Choose one of the following courses:
Culture and Language: Africa 5
Culture and Language: East Asia 5
Culture and Language: Europe 5
Culture and Language: Latin America 5
Culture and Language: Middle East 5
Culture and Language: North America 5
Culture and Language: Russia and Eurasia 5
Culture and Language: South and South-East Asia 5

History

Choose one of the following courses:
History: Africa 5
History: East Asia 5
History: Europe 5
History: Latin America 5
History: Middle East 5
History: North America 5
History: Russia and Eurasia 5
History: South and South-East Asia 5

Foreign Language 1

Choose one of the following courses:
Arabic 1 Beginners 10
Arabic 1 Pre-Intermediate 10
Dutch 1 Beginners 10
French 1 Beginners 10
French 1 Intermediate 10
German 1 Beginners 10
German 1 Intermediate 10
Hindi 1 Beginners 10
Indonesian 1 Beginners 10
Japanese 1 Beginners 10
Korean 1 Beginners 10
Mandarin 1 Beginners 10
Mandarin 1 Pre-Intermediate 10
Modern Hebrew 1 Beginners 10
Persian 1 Beginners 10
Portuguese 1 Beginners 10
Russian 1 Beginners 10
Russian 1 Pre-Intermediate 10
Spanish 1 Beginners 10
Spanish 1 Intermediate 10
Swahili 1 Beginners 10

Second Year

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

First semester

International Cultural

Choose one of the following courses:
Communicating Across Cultures 5
Cultural Interaction: Conflict and Cooperation 5

Economy

Choose one of the following courses:
Economy: Africa 5
Economy: East Asia 5
Economy: Europe 5
Economy: Latin America 5
Economy: Middle East 5
Economy: North America 5
Economy: Russia and Eurasia 5
Economy: South & South-East Asia 5

Thematic Seminar: Research Methods

Choose one of the following courses, as well as the lecture series:
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Attitudes to Language: from Cognition to Action 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Cold War History: From Analog to Digital 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Cultural Transfer, Power, and Identity Politics 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Democracy and Political Transitions 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Energy and Sustainability: Concepts and Applications 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Liberalism, Populism, and the Search for Social Justice 1 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Liberalism, Populism, and the Search for Social Justice 2 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Post-colonialism and Human Rights 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Religion, Politics, and the Public Domain 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Researching Insecure Authoritarianism 1 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Researching Insecure Authoritarianism 2 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Researching the Global Economy. Trends, Problems, and Policy 1 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Researching the Global Economy. Trends, Problems, and Policy 2 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: The Historical Study of Terrorism 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Transnationalism and Global Diasporas 1 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Transnationalism and Global Diasporas 2 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: War and Strategic Studies 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: What Language Reveals about our Identity 1 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: What Language Reveals about our Identity 2 5
Thematic Seminar: Research Methods: Women and Politics 5

Politics

Choose one of the following courses:
Politics: Africa 5
Politics: East Asia 5
Politics: Europe 5
Politics: Latin America 5
Politics: Middle East 5
Politics: North America 5
Politics: Russia and Eurasia 5
Politics: South and South-East Asia 5

Foreign Language 2

Choose one of the following courses:
Arabic 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
Dutch 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
French 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
French 2 Upper-Intermediate 10
German 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
German 2 Upper-Intermediate 10
Hindi 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
Indonesian 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
Japanese 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
Korean 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
Mandarin 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
Modern Hebrew 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
Persian 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
Portuguese 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
Russian 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
Spanish 2 Pre-Intermediate 10
Spanish 2 Upper-Intermediate 10
Swahili 2 Pre-Intermediate 10

Second semester
Global Political Economy 5
International Relations 5
Philosophy of Science 5

Foreign language 3

Choose one of the following courses:
Arabic 3 Intermediate 5
Dutch 3 Intermediate 5
French 3 Intermediate 5
French 3 Advanced 5
German 3 Intermediate 5
German 3 Advanced 5
Hindi 3 Intermediate 5
Indonesian 3 Intermediate 5
Japanese 3 Intermediate 5
Korean 3 Intermediate 5
Mandarin 3 Intermediate 5
Modern Hebrew 3 Intermediate 5
Persian 3 Intermediate 5
Portuguese 3 Intermediate 5
Russian 3 Intermediate 5
Spanish 3 Intermediate 5
Spanish 3 Advanced 5
Swahili 3 Intermediate 5

Thematic Seminar

Choose one of the following courses:
Thematic Seminar: Art, Literature, and Law - The Question of the Human Nature of Right(s) 10
Thematic Seminar: Capitalism, Modernity, and Geopolitics 10
Thematic Seminar: Comparative Accounts of Human Flourishing 10
Thematic Seminar: Comics at the Crossroads: Transnational and Interdisciplinary Perspectives 10
Thematic Seminar: Emerging Economies: Policy and Problems of Growth and Development 10
Thematic Seminar: Emerging Economies: The Rise of the Giants and its Global Implication 10
Thematic Seminar: Gender in a Global Perspective 10
Thematic Seminar: Global Protest Movements 10
Thematic Seminar: Labour Studies: Work in Global Perspectives 10
Thematic Seminar: Language and Ideology 10
Thematic Seminar: Legacies of War and Memory in World Politics 10
Thematic Seminar: Multinational Corporations, Technology, and the Emerging Economies 10
Thematic Seminar: On the Border: The Sovereign and the Refugee 10
Thematic Seminar: Philosophical Perspectives on Capitalism: Past, Present, and Future 10
Thematic Seminar: Philosophical Perspectives on Global Issues 10
Thematic Seminar: Politics and Culture in the Indian Ocean World 10
Thematic Seminar: Religions in the Modern World 10
Thematic Seminar: Religions ‘On the Move’: the Case of Global Buddhism 10
Thematic Seminar: Science, Media, and Society 1 10
Thematic Seminar: Science, Media, and Society 2 10
Thematic Seminar: Terrorism in Modern History 10
Thematic Seminar: The Linguistic Lens: How Language Influences our Perception of the World 10
Thematic Seminar: The Transformation of (Inter)National Political Community 10
Thematic Seminar: The Ugly: Politics and Aesthetics of Taste 10
Thematic Seminar: Thinking Global Politics Through the Museum 10
Thematic Seminar: Waging War - Cultural Approaches 10

Optional Internship program

This course is mandatory for students who intend to take up an internship.
Organizational Theory, Culture and Behavior 5

Third Year

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

First semester
Elective Credits (International Studies) 30

Optional for students taking a two semester minor:

Thesis seminar

Choose one of the following courses:
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Africa A, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Africa B, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Africa C, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia A, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia B, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia C, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia D, Sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia E, Sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Europe A, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Europe B, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Europe C, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Latin America A, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Latin America B, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Latin America C, Sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Middle East A, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Middle East B, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Middle East C, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar North America A, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar North America B, Sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Russia and Eurasia A, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Russia and Eurasia B, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar South and South-East Asia A, sem 1 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar South and South-East Asia B, sem 1 15

Second semester
Practising International Studies 10

Foreign Language in Practice

Choose one of the following courses:
Arabic in Practice 5
Dutch in Practice 5
French in Practice 5
German in Practice 5
Hindi in Practice 5
Indonesian in Practice 5
Japanese in Practice 5
Korean in Practice 5
Mandarin in Practice 5
Modern Hebrew in Practice 5
Persian in Practice 5
Portuguese in Practice 5
Russian in Practice 5
Spanish in Practice 5
Swahili in Practice 5

Thesis seminar

Choose one of the following courses:
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Africa A, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Africa B, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Africa C, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Africa D, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Africa E, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia A, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia B, Sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia C, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia D, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia E, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia F, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia G, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar East Asia H, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Europe A, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Europe B, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Europe C, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Europe D, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Europe E sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Latin America A, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Latin America B, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Latin America C, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Latin America D, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Latin America E, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Middle East A, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Middle East B, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Middle East C, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Middle East D, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Middle East E, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Middle East F, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Middle East G, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar North America A, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar North America B, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar North America C, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar North America D, Sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Russia and Eurasia A, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Russia and Eurasia B, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar Russia and Eurasia C, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar South and South-East Asia A, sem 2 15
Thesis and Thesis Seminar South and South-East Asia B, Sem 2 15

Additional Information

Objectives

The Bachelors of Arts in International Studies provides students with the tools to investigate globalization and its regional effects, from a humanities perspective. They study these effects through the prism of four disciplinary perspectives: culture, history, politics and economics, coupled with in-depth knowledge of one of eight world regions. The humanities perspective is ensured by placing an understanding of the historic and cultural context central in the programme, and linking this directly to the political and economic conditions. Students learn to apply the acquired knowledge of the four disciplinary approaches in the analysis of a geographical area of their choice with the aid of a language native to that area.

For the programme's achievement levels please see the Course and Examination Regulations.

Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Duration: 3 years, full-time
Credits: 180 EC
Language of instruction: English

Additional requirements Binding Study Advice (BSA)

To be issued with a positive binding study advice (BSA) students must obtain at least 45 EC in their first academic year and meet the additional requirements set by the study programme.
For International Studies the additional requirements are passing the courses: Academic Reading and Writing (semester 1) and Foreign Language 1 (semester 2).

More information on the BSA regulations can be found on the University website.

Programme

Please note that the programme has undergone some changes from 2017-2018 onwards. More information on this topic can be found in the e-prospectus.
The programme’s combination of multidisciplinary knowledge, geographical specialisation, language training, and a global perspective, provides students with a unique understanding of the interactions of global, transnational, national, and subnational conditions and developments. Disciplinary understanding is introduced in three stages.
The programme starts with a general introduction of the relevant theoretical and methodological approaches. It goes on to provide students with practical knowledge of the historical, cultural, political and economic conditions in a specific geographical area, and completes the disciplinary understanding by placing these conditions in their international context.
Parallel to the disciplinary approach the students are equipped with a range of instruments essential to the study of the impact of global developments on an area, including language and research skills.
In their higher level courses students can further pursue self-selected combinations of an internship or exchange programme, thematic seminars and a consultancy project culminating in the BA thesis. Students thus exit the programme with a set of analytic skills and tools for investigating, understanding, and navigating the world and its diverse regions.

Elective Credits

In the third year all students have 30 EC of Elective Credits to spend on courses outside of the programme. There are different options to choose from: Study Abroad, conduct an Internship or follow a minor. More information can be found here.

BA Thesis and requirements for graduation.

The Bachelor programme is concluded with a Bachelor thesis (10,000 words, excluding footnotes and bibliography). The Bachelor thesis is written in the context of a Thesis Seminar specialising on the student's chosen area.
Requirements for graduation are: succesful completion of all courses in the Bachelor programme including the Elective Credits and the Thesis.
In order to graduate you will be asked to fulfil certain administrative procedures, which can be found on the website of International Studies (BA).

Follow-on master's programme

Not applicable

Compensation Regulations

Not applicable

Transitional Arrangements

Year 1 courses 2018/19 Retake in 2019/20 Remarks
Culture: Area (S2) Culture and Language: Area (S2) Name change
Year 2 courses 2018/19 Retake in 2019/20 Remarks
Cultural Interaction: A Global Perspective (S1) Cultural Interaction: Conflict and Cooperation (S1) The course Cultural Interaction: Conflict and Cooperation takes a cultural studies perspective
OR while
Communicating Across Cultures (S1) Communicating Across Cultures takes a linguistics perspective.
Students can choose one of the two courses.
Year 3 courses 2018/19 Retake in 2019/20 Remarks
Practising International Studies (5 EC) (S2) Practising International Studies (10 EC) (S2) Change in number of credits/workload (5 EC to 10 EC)
Elective year 3 (S2) Thematic Seminar (Year 2, S2) Course no longer offered in year 3, Thematic Seminar in year 2 is similar, but lower level (300 instead of 400).

For courses you need to retake from 2016-2017, or 2017-2018 please contact your Coordinator of Studies.

Career Preparation

The International Studies programme offers you ample freedom to tailor your studies to your own needs and interests. The choices you make are often driven by the future you envisage. For example, some students will join the labour market after graduation, while others will pursue a master’s degree. Other choices are driven by personal interest. The choice to study a certain area, or learn a particular language, for example, is often rather intuitive.

To make sure the choices you make are well-informed, please visit “Mapping your Future” on the This is International Studies website.