Educational background

'Before enrolling in the Master's programme Dutch Art, I graduated from University College Utrecht where I obtained my Bachelor's degree (majoring in the humanities). Most of my courses were in the fields of history, art history and literature, but I've also completed courses in museology and political science. After three years of studying within the field of liberal arts and sciences, I realised that I wanted to pursue my love of art history by doing a Master's in Art History.'

Why Dutch Art ?

'After I started applying for Master's programmes, I quickly realised that most art history programmes weren't flexible with regard to their prerequisites. In short, my educational background didn't  meet the demands of most Master's programmes because I hadn't obtained enough credits within the field of art history. So there I was, thinking a liberal arts education would be an advantage for my future career! Then I noticed that the Master's programme Dutch Art at the UvA didn't have these restrictive prerequisites and in principle allowed entry with any BA in the humanities. Apart from this, the interdisciplinary approach and the scope of the programme seemed to fit perfectly with my interests and future career plans.'

Why the University of Amsterdam?

'Part of the appeal of studying art history in Amsterdam is that, apart from it being the political capital of the Netherlands, it is also - according to me - the cultural capital of the country, with its rich history, many beautiful and innovative museums and cultural organisations. The University of Amsterdam offers its students a variety of opportunities in the fields of research and internships. Moreover, I believe that although the UvA is one of the largest universities in the country, it is still flexible enough to meet individual students' demands.'

About the programme and the University of Amsterdam

'In some respects, the content of the Master's programme didn't meet my initial expectations; it was actually better than I anticipated! I have experienced most of my classes as instructive and very stimulating, and the professors have contributed greatly to my career orientation and aspirations. Before starting my Master's, I expected to have trouble catching up with the students who had completed a BA in Art History. However, most of the other students were also from other disciplines, which resulted in a multidisciplinary and refreshing approach to the subject matter. For instance, when I think about the subjects my fellow students and I chose for our Master's thesis, I'm struck by the variety of different and interesting approaches each of us have. I feel all of us have benefited from the flexibility of the programme. I had anticipated beforehand that the UvA would not be as strictly organised as UCU and I have experienced this to indeed be so. I can imagine this could be problematic for some students who want to know what to expect at all times. For me it allowed the freedom and offered the opportunity to take my own responsibilities and set my own goals (with the continuing support of the Master's coordinators).'

Career goals

'Compared to most of the other students in the Master's programme, I'm still quite young. I have therefore decided to continue studying for a while. For next year, I've applied to the Master's ‘Redacteur/Editor', for which I hope to be accepted. In the distant future I see myself working at my own publishing house, i.e. writing, editing, designing, and publishing art books.

Would you recommend this programme to other students?

'Yes, but not to everyone. I believe the Master's programme Dutch Art is mostly suitable for students with an interdisciplinary background who want to develop their knowledge of the different subjects that are dealt with within the programme. Students looking for a particular focus in their studies would do better to look for a more specifically oriented Master's programme.'