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Liberal Arts & Sciences, BA, BSc, University College Groningen

the Netherlands

University College Groningen

Study options for this course

The award How you will study Study duration Course start Domestic course fees International course fees
BA, BScFull-time36 monthsSeptemberEU 4000 per yearEUR 12000 per year

About Liberal Arts & Sciences, BA, BSc - at University College Groningen

Are you bright?

Studying a Liberal Arts and Sciences degree allows you to explore a range of academic subjects alongside your major specialisation. You will study from a broad academic perspective, with specific scientific programmes in medical and natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, and you can customise your degree to meet your own learning goals. Exploring and integrating knowledge from different disciplines, you will develop your talents in new and exciting directions, collaborating with students from all over the world as part of an active and engaged learning community.

The Liberal Arts and Sciences degree at University College Groningen educates ambitious and broadly-oriented students to be creative and innovative in their approach to the complex challenges of our society. The small scale, intensive programme is taught entirely in English and focuses on important themes of our time: Energy, Healthy Ageing and Sustainable Society.

The programme is demanding and intense, yet it will allow you to think for yourself and outside of the box. The integration of creativity and interdisciplinary methods will help you to generate original and innovative insights and contribute to scientific innovation. You'll be taught to ask original, bold questions, and to deliver creative and impactful responses to them.

Study Programme

At University College Groningen, you will be offered a traditional Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) programme. The LAS programme will provide you with a broad interdisciplinary base of knowledge. You will be introduced to the medical and natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. You will learn about the complex challenges facing society today. You will develop not only academic research abilities but also skills in creativity and entrepreneurialism, collaboration and communication, societal engagement, and international and intercultural awareness. All these skills are invaluable in a wide range of careers. What makes studying at University College Groningen so unique is the freedom of choice combined with small scale education. You get to design your own curriculum that suits your individual interests, skills and ambitions.

Please note that the programme is taught entirely in English. However, for our international students who are interested in learning Dutch, the University Language Centre provides free Dutch classes up to CEFR Level B1.

The first year

In the first year you'll follow a core programme of 30 credits. You'll explore global challenges in a series of theme courses and projects, where you'll learn to apply knowledge and creative approaches to complex problems. You'll also study research methods, logic, math and philosophy of science. This will go hand in hand with the development of your academic and interpersonal skills.

The remainder of the programme is up to you to decide. You just need to make sure you attain 20 credits in one of the three major disciplines: Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, and 10 credits outside your major field. For examples of elective modules and more about the first year programme, go here.

The second and third year

In your second year, you'll have the chance to study one of five majors in one of the three major disciplines, an integrative project (15 credits), and a Research and Methodology programme (15 credits).

In your third and final year you'll gain some international experience, which could include study abroad (30 credits) or a University of Groningen minor. On top of this, you will also study your major courses of choice (15 credits), and complete a Capstone Project or thesis (15 credits).

After UCG

After three years at UCG and 180 ECTS you’ll qualify, depending on your choice of major, for an internationally recognized Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Sciences degree. After finishing your Bachelor’s degree you can leave the university and enter the job market or, like most of our students, apply for a master’s degree programme in the Netherlands or abroad. The self-designed curriculum and your major of choice determines which master’s programmes you qualify for. Your tutor will help you compose a curriculum that matches your desired master’s programme.

At UCG you will gain valuable experiences working on interdisciplinary problems and develop strong competencies in addressing complex societal issues in the fields such as Healthy Ageing, Energy, and Sustainable Society. The strong and growing interest in excellent Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates means that you will not only have a wide variety of Master programmes to choose from but makes you an excellent and highly sought-after employee for countless of employers around the globe.

Career possibilities

Since UCG allows you to design your own curriculum to suit your individual interests, talents, and ambitions, your future career possibilities are nothing short of limitless. Some career options, either in the Netherlands or abroad, include:

  • management consultant
  • researcher
  • government policy advisor
  • industrial designer
  • NGO project coordinator
  • pharmacologist
  • museum curator

With careful planning, you can take the courses required to be admitted to most master's programmes. However, some more vocational programmes, such as Dutch Law and Clinical Psychology, are likely to have additional requirements.

Notes about fees for this course

University College Groningen is accredited as a small, intensive teaching provider, and therefore the tuition fees are higher than for regular Dutch university programmes. The extra investment ensures small teaching groups and the opportunity to customise your degree, both of which provide you with an enhanced learning experience.

Entry requirements for this course

Contact University College Groningen to find course entry requirements.

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Other courses at University College Groningen

There are 1 other courses listed from University College Groningen. A selection of these are displayed below:

Liberal Arts & Sciences BA, BSc

University College Groningen

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View all 1 courses at University College Groningen

Related Information

Find out more about studying in the Netherlands