General information

General profile of the programmes
Structure of the two-year research master's programmes starting in 2015/16
Future prospects
Tutor protocol for Research Masters
Rules for elective courses
Research training individual programme in the third semester
Organisation of the programme
Academic year 2020-2021

The Research Master in Historical, Literary and Cultural Studies  includes three different study programmes:

• Historical Studies
• Art and Visual Culture
• Literary Studies

Each programme has a duration of two years, is a continuation of a bachelor's programme in a related discipline and is taught in English. They offer an advanced programme for highly qualified students interested in the relevant disciplines and train students as scientific researchers in one of these fields. The two-year research master programme prepares its students for a PhD trajectory or for positions outside the academic world for which a high degree of academic research competence is required. During their training, the students work under the individual supervision of a tutor.

General profile of the programmes

This research master’s programme is designed to provide a disciplinary focus in historical, literary and art historical / visual studies respectively, and at the same time an interdisciplinary perspective of theories and methods of the Humanities. This aim has been realised by means of a parallel structure of the three curricula: a package of specific disciplinary courses in each programme, common theoretical and methodological courses of all three disciplines together and finally a programme of individual specialisation.

Each student develops an individual examination programme to emphasise his / her personal research interests. This is submitted to the Examination Board for approval. To help achieve this, each student selects a tutor from the academic staff at the start of the programme. Throughout the programme this personal tutor plays an essential role in supervising the individual student and facilitating the direct contact between trainee researcher and experienced researcher. The tutor helps the student to make his / her choices, gives advice on approach and planning and offers consideration of content. The tutor - who often, but not necessarily, becomes the thesis supervisor as well - is responsible for advising the student.

Future prospects and PhD positions

This programme offers an excellent stepping stone to a scholarly career. Its affiliation with various research institutes and networks is an undeniable advantage. The combination of breadth, depth and interdisciplinary exchange ensures that you are well equipped for a career in scientific research. Moreover, Radboud graduates are qualified for other posts with research oriented duties at a high academic level without having the aim of a doctoral degree, such as researcher in a cultural or scientific organisation, assistant of a senior researcher, teaching staff in institutions for higher education, policy-making official in the fields of culture and science, editor in the field of historical or cultural scholarship, curator or director in the museological sector, critic, scientific staff member of heritage and conservation institutions or archaeological agencies, critic, scientific staff member of publishing companies and text agencies.

Tutor protocol for Research Masters

Students choose a staff member as tutor. He/she has a crucial role as an individual coach of the research master student's learning performance and academic attitude. As researchers, the staff members participate in RICH, the Radboud Institute for Culture & History (RICH). Students are advised to consult the information about the RICH research groups and the individual researchers of the faculty in order to find a tutor that suits their interest and ambition (http://www.ru.nl/rich/)

As soon as possible each student must select one research staff member from his/her programme or discipline to serve as tutor. Students will receive an official letter of acceptance requesting them to submit their tutor's name to the executive secretary. The student and tutor will discuss the student's academic planning and progress on a regular basis. The tutor may also invite the student to become involved in his/her research.

The tutor will advise the student on all the decisions and options he/she is presented with during the learning process. All optional modules will be chosen in agreement with the tutor and need the explicit approval of the Board of Examiners who will ultimately check if the weight of the proposed module meets the standards of the research master.

Although the tutor will guide the student through the entire thesis process, he/she will not automatically become the student's thesis supervisor. If the thesis topic so demands, the student may request that a different instructor serves as supervisor. The thesis supervisor must be a staff member of Radboud University. This does not apply to the second reviewer, who may be employed elsewhere.

The tutor will also advise on internships and funding opportunities to support the student in all possible areas. Further information can be requested from the International Office (internationalrelations@let.ru.nl or room E7.21)

The coordinators expect the tutor and/or the student to first submit to them any plans for any study abroad as well as any changes to the implementation of the curriculum. The Board of Examiners must to approve the proposal.

Rules for elective courses

The elective component of the curriculum consists of courses of regular master programmes (15 EC) and courses offered by national research schools (10 EC). At the start of the academic year, students are required to register with one of the national research schools (via the executive secretary). All optional modules will be chosen in agreement with the tutor. Language courses and transferable skill modules are excluded. The final assignments will have to be accomplished in English.

Research training individual programme in the third semester

In the third semester students widen their horizons of research practice and deepen their disciplinary knowledge abroad by means of a research training or course programme with a research component. The programme encourages taking the initial steps of the preparation for this research training in the first semester. In principle, all students are expected to spend a period of four months abroad. For foreign research master students similar training programmes in the Netherlands may be taken into account. Students in Dutch literature may be allowed a training period in the Netherlands, with the emphatic advice to put together a supplementary programme of conferences etc. abroad.

The host institutions must be recognised universities or research institutes abroad, and in specific circumstances, in the Netherlands outside Nijmegen. In all cases, the programme must strengthen the learning process in the student's specialisation and provide an in-depth preparation for the research project of the master thesis.

Scholarly article and research proposal

Both assignments must be written in English. In both cases the tutor acts as a supervisor. The article will be assessed by the tutor and a second reviewer. The aim is to have the article published in a scientific journal. More information about courses/internships and the thesis can be found in this study guide.

Organisation of the programme

Director of Studies:  Prof. dr. M Monteiro (m.monteiro@let.ru.nl)
programme coordinator Historical Studies: Dr. S. Meeder (s.meeder@let.ru.n).
programme coordinator Literary Studies: Prof. dr. M. Depourcq (m.depourcq@let.ru.nl)
programme coordinator Cultural Studies: Prof.dr. H. Grootenboer (a.grootenboer@let.ru.nl)
study counselor: Lieneke Setton / Nol Vermeulen (hlcsmaster@let.ru.nl)
executive secretary: Cecilia Stutvoet (secr.researchmastershlcs@let.ru.nl)

Academic year 2020-2021

In Nijmegen the Academic Year 2020-2021 starts on 31 August 2020.

Students admitted to the research master Historical, Literary and Cultural Studies must be present at the start of the Academic Year.

For an overview of the Academic Year 2020-2021 at Radboud University, Faculty of Arts, https://www.ru.nl/facultyofarts/stip/english/study-information/annual-calendar-arts/

NOTE: Time periods in different universities and faculties are not harmonized. Therefore, if you are planning to take any courses offered by another university or faculty, you should always check the scheduling there.