Museum Studies (MA)

Pre-master’s programme

The pre-master's is a bridging programme for students who have applied for the MA Arts and Culture, but who, according to the Board of Admissions, still have deficiencies in their educational background. Once you have completed the pre-master’s programme, you will be admitted to the relevant specialization of the Master’s programme.

Diploma requirements

Students with a bachelor’s degree from a research university, equivalent to the level of a Dutch academic Bachelor’s degree in Humanities or Archaeology, but who have not yet completed the 40 EC worth of relevant courses in the field of Art History and/or Museum Studies, which demonstrate:

knowledge and understanding of the history of art production in western and non-western cultures and of different forms of art, architecture and design;
knowledge and understanding of the history, theories and practices in the field of art in a global perspective or museum studies and of the relevant contexts in which art works or art museums, institutes and heritage sites function.
art historical skills, such as the ability to give well-founded criticism to academic art-historical texts.

It is not possible for candidates with a degree from a Dutch University of Applied Sciences (hbo) to remedy deficiencies with the pre-master’s programme.

English language requirements

The English language requirements for a pre-master's programme are identical to the language requirements for the master's programme for which admission has been requested. These requirements must be met before the start of the pre-master.

Application procedure pre-master programme

In order to apply for the pre-master programme, you must first apply for the master’s programme.

After submitting your application for the master programme in Studielink, the Board of Admissions will decide whether you can be directly admitted to the master’s programme, whether you will first need to complete a pre-master’s programme, or if you’re not eligible for either programme because the deficiencies are too extensive.

Students who have been offered a pre-master programme, will find the procedure for the registration into the pre-master programme stated on their admission statement.

Start date

This pre-master offers 2 intakes: September and February.

More information

For more information on the content of the pre-master programme, see the Prospectus. Search for “Arts and Culture pre-master”. The programme prospectus of the pre-master has a yearly update for the upcoming academic year in June.

The pre-master is taught in English.