General guide to the Bachelor's degree programme

The first year (B1)
The second year (B2)
The third year (B3)
Academic counselling and mentoring

The division into a major with two minors is characteristic of our Bachelor's programmes. The major is the basic programme offered by the degree programme itself. Minors are the associated subjects offered by other degree programmes that help you deepen or broaden your knowledge. Students can also use the minor for an internship or to study abroad. The major includes several courses that play a role in other programmes as well. This means you'll work with students from other disciplines.

A Bachelor's programme consists of 180 credits, of which 135 are reserved for the major, 30 for the minors (2 x 15 credits) and 15 for the core curriculum.

When deciding on the two minors in B2 and B3, you can choose from any of the minors offered by your faculty. An overview of the minors can be found in the Minors guide. Alternatively, you can do an internship in the Netherlands or go abroad (internship or student exchange programme).

The following minors are offered:

- faculty minors (15 credits)
- programme minors (15 or 30 credits)
- internship minor (15 credits)
- study abroad minor (15 or 30 credits)
- teacher-training minor (30 credits)
- elective minors (15 credits)

For more information, please consult the Minor's Guide.

The schedule is as follows for the 2016 cohort and later:

The first year (B1)

During the first year you will take introductory courses that will give you a good foundation for your continued studies. The History of Arts course runs from September to June and offers a thorough introduction to the history of different art disciplines (literature, theatre, visual arts, music and film). You will also acquire important analytic and academic skills and learn about various cultural and critical theories. This year also includes an intensive mentoring programme to help you transition to the university.

The second year (B2)

During the first semester of the second year, you will work on developing the knowledge and skills you acquired in the first year and focus more intensively on American art and culture. B2 students have a critical attitude and are capable of making connections independently and understanding the relevant contexts and backgrounds. The courses in this year will teach you how to interpret, compare and explain artistic and cultural objects and issues and formulate, explain and understand your own perspectives and those of others.

N.B.: Some courses in the second year have prerequisites. This means that you have to have completed specific courses of the first year in order to be allowed to take some of the second year courses.

The third year (B3)

The third year focuses on deepening your knowledge and skills and prepares you for the Master's programme. B3 students have an academic mind-set and can present critical and nuanced arguments. Formulating specific theoretical assumptions, evaluating your own research and that of others and drafting a substantiated research question are key components. In the second semester of the third year you will write a Bachelor's thesis.

N.B.: Some courses in the third year have prerequisites. This means that you have to have completed specific courses of the first and/or second year in order to be allowed to take some of the third year courses.

Academic counselling and mentoring

The student advisor and the mentors are responsible for providing first-year students with academic counselling and support. You can contact the student advisor for study-related questions and problems and personal issues. All conversations with the student advisor will be held in strict confidence. It's important to notify your student advisor of anything that may impede your study progress, including illness, lack of motivation or doubts about your study.

The mentor aims to help students transition from secondary school to university (or professional education to university). First-year students are divided into small groups (max. 10 students) and appointed a staff mentor (one of the lecturers) and a student mentor. In the mentoring meetings, you will discuss the difference between secondary school and university, the curriculum, your initial experiences, how to prepare for exams and study skills. Other issues may include study planning, student life, workload, side jobs and career perspectives. You will have at least two individual meetings with your mentors during the first year to discuss study progress. The mentors will also accompany you on several cultural excursions during the first year. Mentoring will take place during a series of seminars that are officially part of the History of Art courses. Participation in the mentoring process is mandatory.

If you have any questions or problems, please do not hesitate to contact the ACS student advisor. You can contact her to discuss the curriculum and schedule, elective minors, study delays, study methods, quitting your programme, personal problems, prolonged illness or conflicts with a lecturer. You can also contact your advisor for information about the programme and the relevant regulations. She will answer questions about extensions, the examination board, late intake, exemptions, the special entrance exam (colloquium doctum), etc. You can contact the student advisor whenever you need her and you may be invited to a meeting. All private information will only be discussed with third parties with the approval of the student.

N.B.: If you expect to incur a study delay due to prolonged illness or personal circumstances, make sure to contact your student advisor as soon as possible. This can be extremely important when determining your Binding Study Advice or when applying for an extension! The student advisor for ACS is Lieneke Setton: StudieadviesACW@let.ru.nl or 024 36 11 379. You can request a consultation through the Faculty of Arts’ Student Information Point website (www.ru.nl/stip/english/).