Honours College: Tackling Global Challenges
Introduction
Current societal challenges require new thinkers and leading experts to solve evermore complex crises. TGC presents the idea of 'wicked problems', complex social issues that require non-linear thinking. The Honours Track looks at how wicked problems play out within government, science and society and gives you the skills to tackle some of these issues both theoretically and practically. The learning experience is thereby based on thought-provoking theoretical courses and interactive activities, such as excursions to (public) organisations and the government as well as exciting simulation games and assignments; for example, students will receive a real-life assignment in cooperation with the municipality of The Hague. In the Honours Track, you will learn how to address issues and problems in society, as well as how you can provide advice on such problems and find solutions, thus also developing invaluable personal competences such as negotiation and leadership skills. The Honours Track helps you analyze and approach problems using different scientific fields, such as political science, psychology and philosophy.
Learning objectives
Students who have successfully completed this programme are able to:
- Understand the relationships among government, science and society and how they affect public problem-solving capabilities.
- Apply theoretical knowledge to challenges in the real world.
- Demonstrate personal leadership capacities based on theoretical and practical insights.
- Combine knowledge from their own field of study with theories from the courses.
- Reflect on global challenges from various academic perspectives and arrive at possible solutions.
- Use bilateral and multilateral negotiation skills.
- Understand and analyse the complexity of (wicked) problems from different scientific fields, including philosophy, psychology, archaeology and political science.
- Understand and use techniques and methods such as visualisation, stakeholder analysis, integrative negotiation, framing and/or reframing and their relation to problems.
- Give policy advice to real-world policy makers on some of the problems they struggle with based on research and literature.
Content of Honours College Track
This honours programme offers a three-year 30 EC package for students entering the programme in the first BA year, and a two-year 30 EC package for those entering in the second BA year. A combination of didactic principles is used to reach the aims of the programme: lectures, workshops, case study sessions, simulations, field trips, guest speakers and assignments, personal and leadership development conversations, honours internships and individual projects. All activities serve to connect theory and practice in order to tackle personal, local and global challenges. The Living Lab is used intensively for the interactive sessions ‘in house’.
Ongoing in Year BA1, BA2, BA3 (5 EC): Honours Internship or Honours Individual Project
During all the years of your bachelor study you can choose an academic or personal choice of honours internship. However, most students undertake the assignment in the winter break or during summer. Students can also choose to do an individual project by answering a research question of his or her own choice. The output can be a paper, a documentary, a workshop or an event.
Students who entered TGC in the second BA year miss the 5 credits of the first year. Alternatively, they can follow an extra TGC course, an extra honours class or do more honours internships or an honours individual project. It is also possible to double the duration of the HC Internship.
For whom
The Honours Track is open to all students who meet the Honours College requirements. In addition to excellent performance in the BA we expect a strong motivation to tackle personal and global challenges. Moreover, we want you to finish what you start. You must be willing to develop your personality and personal leadership skills, as well as integrate yourself with our international student body. You must also be comfortable completing this track in English.
This track is especially interesting to those students who would like to explore the relationship between theory and practice, to acquire the tools to connect these and who like to work in a innovative and multidisciplinary setting that prides itself on accountability.
Double Bachelor Plus
Are you following two Bachelor’s programmes and would you like to take part in the Honours College? Then why not join the Double Bachelor Plus programme? Click here for more information.
Admission
For admission criteria and deadlines see: Application & admission