Bachelor in Arts and Culture

Do you have broad interests and are you a critical thinker? Do you enjoy discussing current social issues? Do you want to understand their historical roots and engage in philosophical reflection? If so, the bachelor's programme in Arts and Culture is the right choice for you.

You will learn to understand Western culture by looking at how it shapes and is shaped by art, science, technology, media and politics. You will explore the issues of modern society from a variety of perspectives. This interdisciplinary approach (based on philosophy, literature and art studies, history, and science and technology studies) will teach you to understand and frame complex social issues.

You will learn to think analytically, make connections across a variety of perspectives and develop storng argumentation skills. This will make you an attractive employee in a variety of jobs. Arts and Culture graduates work, for instance, as consultants for cultural institutions, policy advisors for governments, journalists and researchers. However, most graduates will opt for a master's degree before they enter the job market.

Information for Dutch-speaking students

All teaching materials are provided in English and students are attending English-taught lectures and tutorials. However, the programme will also offer you the possibility to write your exams, papers and bachelor's thesis in Dutch if you are a Dutch-native speaker

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS) is one of the six faculties at Maastricht University . It was founded in 1994. There are approximately 240 employees and around 1800 students. The format of the education is, like at all the faculties of Maastricht University , based on the principle of Problem-Based Learning (PBL). The faculty is internationally oriented and most of the programmes are offered in English. Its students come from all over the world. The faculty is located in the centre of Maastricht, in two renovated buildings on the Grote Gracht: the ‘Hof van Tilly’ and the ‘Soirongebouw’.

Academic programmes

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences offers two three-year bachelors programmes: Cultuurwetenschappen/Arts and Culture; and European Studies, and eight one-year masters programmes: Kunst, literatuur en samenleving/Art, Literature and Society; European Studies; Globalisation and Development Studies;European Public Affairs; European Studies on Society, Science and Technology; Kunst, cultuur en erfgoed/Arts and Heritage; Politiek en samenleving/ Politics and Society and Media Culture. Furthermore, two two-year research masters are offered: Cultures of Arts, Science and Technology; and European Studies.

The faculty has a Graduate School with an intake of about 10 PhD students each year.

Research

The Research Institute for Arts and Culture encompasses all research of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences . The Research Institute comprises three programmes: 1. Politics and Culture in Europe, 2. Science, Technology and Society, and 3. Cultural Memory and Diversity. The research area overlaps both the humanities and the social sciences.