Admission requirements
Heritage Studies: Museum Studies
The dual Master's programme in Museum Studies is accessible to students with:
A university Bachelor’s degree
The dual Master's programme in Museum Studies is open to students with a Bachelor’s degree from the UvA or an equivalent, recognised degree from another university in:
- Humanities
- Archaeology
- Anthropology
A precondition for admission is a grade average of 7.0 or above and a grade of at least 7.5 for the Bachelor's thesis. In addition, the candidate must have successfully completed the Museum Studies minor* or possess demonstrable evidence of similar competencies. * The Museum Studies minor is offered within the Cultural Studies curriculum and consists of the following courses: Museology (12 ECTS), Collecting (6 ECTS) and Practical Exhibition/Museum Internship (12 ECTS).
Selection procedure
To ensure optimal preparation before starting your Master's programme and maximum guidance during the registration process at the UvA and for the separate courses, make sure you register as early as possible. The deadline for registration for the dual programme in Museum Studies is 1 April.
Register no later than 1 April via the online registration system and upload the following documents:
- a passport photo;
- a motivation letter (motivation is reflected by the choices you have made in previous years with regard to your curriculum) containing a proposal for the content of your Master's programme;
- your CV;
- two references (for Humanities students, the names and contact details of two lecturers will suffice; non-Humanities students must upload two reference letters via their personal page);
- your grade list (SIS printout for Humanities students; certified copy for all other students). For admission to a dual Master's programme, your grade average must be 7.0 or higher. If it is lower, include an explanation;
- an overview of courses yet to be completed (including title of thesis);
- if applicable, an explanation for any study-completion delay you have incurred;
- a certified copy of your Bachelor's/Master's/Doctorate degree diploma (for non-Humanities students only);
- your Bachelor's thesis (or an essay/paper if your thesis is not yet complete);
- a brief description of the content of courses that you have completed outside of the UvA.
After the first selection round
Due to the limited number of internship placements, all dual Master's programmes involve a selection procedure. Once you have been admitted to the procedure, selection will take place over three rounds based on:
1) your registration, including appendices (see above);
2) at the beginning of May, upon request from us, you will submit your thesis (or a paper) completed during your prior study programme and an opinion article (600 words) about a Dutch museum of your choice;
3) you will then be invited to an interview with the Master's programme coordinators and representatives of the participating institutions that offer internship placements, including the Amsterdam Museum and the Tropenmuseum.
Re 1.
Your registration, motivation letter etc. must clearly explain why you believe you are suitable for admission. This must be shown by means of:
- compliance with the formal admission criteria;
- your motivation;
- any experience already gained, in education or professional practice, in connection with museums or museum activities.
Re 2.
Your thesis and opinion article must reflect your competence in:
- designing and carrying out a research project;
- forming an opinion on a current museological issue;
- expressing yourself effectively in writing.
Re 3.
The interview should yield evidence that you:
- possess a sufficient level of general knowledge (ready knowledge, vocabulary);
- are aware of current developments in culture and society;
- have made regular visits to museums and exhibitions in the Netherlands and abroad, and hold an opinion on these museums and exhibitions;
- have insight into the scientific work that museums carry out (outside the professions of curator and conservator-restorer);
- are able to substantiate your motivation for participation in the programme in connection with these last three points.
The results of the selection process will be announced by post between 15 and 30 May.