Masters Degrees in Anthropology, Netherlands

Overview

A multidisciplinary perspective on the most relevant local and global issues regarding solidarity, including citizenship, poverty, sustainability, migration, welfare reform, social movements and private initiatives.
Solidarity is one of today’s main challenges. Highly volatile flows of people, goods and ideas, as well as the restructuring of markets and governing institutions have led to a high degree of globalization. Global links crisscross national borders and challenge established conceptions and structures. In addition, neoliberal reforms of state and society across the globe rewrite social contracts between people and states. How is solidarity imagined and practiced in this contemporary context?
The Master’s programme in Anthropology and Development Studies – with the theme of Shifting Solidarities – is at the cutting-edge of both social and cultural anthropology and development studies. The issue of solidarity in a neoliberal, postcolonial world encompasses a wide array of anthropological and development questions. By developing your own research questions, you'll be encouraged to delve deeper into the most relevant local and global challenges of solidarity.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/ads

Why study Anthropology and Development Studies at Radboud University?

- This programme is at the cutting edge of both social and cultural anthropology and development studies. Joint classes with students from anthropology and development studies will give you a great opportunity to see all the global challenges from the other discipline as well as your own.
- Using a multidisciplinary perspective this programme also draws on knowledge from other disciplines including sociology, political sciences, economics and geography.
- This programme will prepare you for a wide array of jobs. From policy officer in the public sector or at (international) aid organisations to consultant at an engineering or consultancy firm.
- You can choose to go abroad for the research for your Master's programme.
- The Master's programme is run by the chair of Anthropology and the chair of Development Studies, both of whom have a wide network of international contacts that extends from China to Chile and from South Africa to the Pacific . This means you’ll have plenty of opportunities for arranging internships internationally.
- Radboud University offers a unique one-year Advanced Master in International Development (AMID) that you could apply for after completing your Master's. During this postgraduate programme, you'll combine real-life work at an aid organisation or a government department with practice-based instruction at the university.

Quality label

This programme was recently rated number one in the Netherlands in the Keuzegids Masters 2015 (Guide to Master's programmes).

Current programme (2015-2016)

The programme (including courses, reading requirements and course schedule) for the current academic year 2015-2016 can be found in the online prospectus http://www.studiegids.science.ru.nl/2015/en/socsci/prospectus/caos2

Career prospects

Studying Anthropology and Development Studies constitutes excellent preparation for a wide range of jobs. You're not limited to the career-path of becoming an aid worker, but are also trained for research and policy-making jobs. Many of our students therefore find work in the public sector or at international organisations, as well as in in education. After studying Anthropology and Development Studies at Radboud University, you'll have a broad array of options in the job market.

- Entering the labour market as an ADS graduate
As an Anthropology and Development Studies graduate from Radboud University, you'll have excellent prospects on today's job market. Former student, Margriet Tolsma, found work as a regional coordinator at Amnesty International. Anoeshka Gehring continued in the field of research and commenced her PhD in legal anthropology and migration in February 2011. Other graduates found work as:
- a policy maker or executive at cultural institutions;
- an advisor at aid and welfare organisations such as the UN, Oxfam NOVIB, Cordaid or the Dutch Council for Refugees;
- a researcher at a university or NGO, trade union, consultancy firm or private institution;
- a policy officer, advisor or researcher at the central government (diplomat training, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Justice Department) and local government (provincial and municipal level) or non-profit organisations;
- a social studies teacher in secondary or vocational education;
- a journalist.

- Want to boost your chances of landing a job? Take the postgraduate course!
After completing your Master's you will have the option of doing the Advanced Master in International Development (AMID). This one-year postgraduate programme is offered by the chair of Development Studies and is unique in the Netherlands. During this programme, you will combine real-life work at an aid organisation or a government department with practice-based instruction at the university. This programme will significantly boost your chances on the labour market.

Meet Radboud University

- Information for international students
Radboud University would love to meet you in your country (http://www.ru.nl/english/education/masters/behavioural-science/meet-radboud/information-for) in order to give all the information you need and to answer any questions you might have about studying in the Netherlands. In the next few months, an advisor of Radboud University will be attending fairs in various countries, always accompanied by a current or former student.
Furthermore, we understand if you would like to see the Radboud Campus and the city of Nijmegen, which is why we organise an Master's Open Day for international students (http://www.ru.nl/english/education/masters/behavioural-science/meet-radboud/open-day-0/open-day) which will take place on 5 March 2016.

- Information for Dutch students
Radboud University offers students in the Netherlands plenty of opportunities to get more information on your programme of choice, or get answers to any questions you might have. Apart from a Master's Evening and a Master's Day, we also organise Orientation Days and a Master’s Afternoon for HBO students.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/ads

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Master's specialisation in Philosophical Anthropology (Research)

In Philosophical Anthropology you study the philosophical significance of psychoanalytical hermeneutics as developed by Freud and followers (Lacan, Klein, et al.) Research focuses in particular on the phenomenological tradition (Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Deleuze and Butler).
The Centre for Psychoanalysis and Philosophical Anthropology (CPPA) was founded in 1999 as a cooperative venture between two departments of Philosophical Anthropology, at Radboud University and at the Catholic University Leuven (Belgium). The CPPA works closely with several other psychoanalytical and philosophical centres and departments in the Low Countries.
Philosophers usually assume that philosophy is important for psychoanalysis (and psychotherapy in general) in that it can elucidate and analyse the foundations of the latter, but that psychoanalysis can contribute little or nothing to philosophy as a consequence.
Yet, a long-standing tradition at the Radboud University and the Catholic University Leuven emphasizes the role of psychoanalysis and Freudian metapsychology as critical tools for philosophy. According to this school of thought, the Unconscious (language, the Other) generates a radical alienation in the human subject, which is of the utmost importance for philosophical theorizing about human nature.
However, it would be wrong to reduce the philosophical implications of psychoanalysis to this aspect of alienation. The methodology of psychoanalysis as applied to an understanding of human thinking, feeling and behaviour through psychiatric concepts and phenomena appears to be equally important, with the potential for a theory of human nature, in which different pathological variants are understood as intrinsic possibilities of human existence.
Clearly, this approach has far-reaching consequences for our understanding of the relation between normality and pathology. This avenue is currently being pursued at the CPPA in an endeavour to explore philosophical psychopathology and its consequences, both as a contribution to Freudian metapsychology and as a critique of it.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/philosophy/anthropology

Career prospects

Philosophy has a unique role within contemporary society. Unlike other academic disciplines, its subject matter is not limited to one set of questions, nor to one domain of investigation. Philosophers delve into all aspects of science and society. In order to do this, they must possess essential skills; namely the ability to analyse complex issues logically and conceptually and the ability to document their conclusions using clear and persuasive language. Such skills are not innate; they require intensive training. The Research Master's programme in Philosophy constitutes the first vocational step towards the acquisition of these skills.

Job positions

This programme has been designed for people with the ambition to do research. Graduates tend to fall into three groups. A majority of the students continue their research within academia by applying for a doctoral programme in the Netherlands or abroad. We take particular pride in the fact that more than 75 percent of our graduates manage to obtain a PhD position within two years of graduating. A second group goes on to teach philosophy at secondary schools. And a third group enter research-related professions outside of education. Our graduates are also represented in journalism, science policy, and politics.

Our approach to this field

The Centre for Psychoanalysis and Philosophical Anthropology (CPPA) was founded in 1999 as a cooperative venture between two departments of Philosophical Anthropology, at Radboud University and at the Catholic University Leuven (Belgium), respectively. The CPPA works closely with several other psychoanalytical and philosophical centres and departments in the Low Countries.

Philosophers usually assume that philosophy is important for psychoanalysis (and psychotherapy in general) in that it can elucidate and analyse the foundations of the latter, but that psychoanalysis can contribute little or nothing to philosophy as a consequence.

Yet, a long-standing tradition at the Radboud University and the Catholic University Leuven emphasises the role of psychoanalysis and Freudian metapsychology as critical tools for philosophy. According to this school of thought, the Unconscious (language, the Other) generates a radical alienation in the human subject, which is of the utmost importance for philosophical theorizing about human nature.

However, it would be wrong to reduce the philosophical implications of psychoanalysis to this aspect of alienation. The methodology of psychoanalysis as applied to an understanding of human thinking, feeling and behaviour through psychiatric concepts and phenomena appears to be equally important, harbouring the possibility of a theory of human nature, in which different pathological variants are understood as intrinsic possibilities of human existence.

Our research in this field

What makes this programme special?
The English-taught Research Master's programme in Philosophy is a two-year course that is meant for students of proven ability who wish to prepare for an academic career in philosophy. We offer the following to provide you with the best possible academic background:
- A combination of internationally acclaimed research and excellent teaching
- Research seminars in the history of philosophy, continental philosophy and analytic philosophy
- A broad range of specialisations in Philosophical Anthropology, Metaphysics, Philosophy of mind, Philosophy of language and Logic, Philosophical Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy and the History of Philosophy
- An emphasis on the training of research skills
- A personal supervisor who guides you throughout the programme
- An excellent preparation for post-graduate life by means of the specialised character of the Research Master's thesis, which is composed of a publishable article and of a PhD research proposal
- A high chance of obtaining a PhD position in the Netherlands or abroad
- An international climate.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/philosophy/anthropology

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Cultural Anthropology: Sustainable Citizenship

Explore the relationship between citizenship, cultural diversity, and social sustainability.

Sustainability is not only about the environment, climate, or economy. The social component also demands attention – and requires actively involved citizens in various positions. Their roles span from social citizens to players in political decision-making, and from consumers to carers for health and the environment. In the Master's programme in Cultural Anthropology: Sustainable Citizenship, you'll study these developments and citizenship initiatives through a focus on the triangle of People, Planet, and Profit.

Anthropologists continually focus on cultural diversity and differences based on ethnicity, class, gender, age, and health. This Master's programme will equip you with the knowledge and skills to evaluate these facets of life and their interrelationships. During your studies, you will learn traditional anthropological methods and techniques (fieldwork, participatory observation, and qualitative interviews). However, you will also work with innovative methodologies in the area of narrative and digital ethnography as well as the Sensory Ethnography Lab (SEL), which engages in cutting-edge combinations of aesthetics, digital media, and ethnography.

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Cultural Anthropology: Sociocultural Transformation

This master allows you to develop the knowledge, attitude and skills needed to evaluate and conduct excellent research in this relevant field.

Are you fascinated by issues of ethnicity and religion under globalization, political conflict and social suffering, social justice and reconstruction, power and state formation? This master will provide you with the knowledge and skills to address these subjects through in-depth research. CASTOR introduces you to the analysis of the complex interplay of cultural diversity and power in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean with a particular emphasis on multi-level analyses ranging from interpersonal relations and local communities to regional, national and global socio-cultural configurations. The methodological approach is problem-driven and qualitative. The programme prepares you for a scientific career, whether in academia, research institutes, government organizations, NGO's or in private enterprises.

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Overview

Learning how to make new discoveries that will contribute to a better understanding of the historical, social political and cultural processes that shape societies.

Are people living in ethnically diverse neighbourhoods more inclined to turn inwards and to ‘hunker down’ compared to people of ethnically homogeneous settings? Are there cross-country differences in the causes of hooliganism, and in the effectiveness of methods used to combat hooligans in different European countries?

More and more comparative questions on societies are being raised. At Radboud University we believe that answers to comparative questions are more informative, lead to a better understanding of societal phenomena and processes, and therefore have more scientific and social importance than answers to questions about one society in one historical period.

This programme therefore fully focuses on teaching students how to perform high-quality comparative research. We look into the degree of inequality, cohesion and modernisation in both Western and non-Western societies. You’ll learn how to translate social problems into empirical research questions and understand the diverse theoretical approaches, research designs, data collections and analyses you need to get the answers you are looking for.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/scs

Why study Social and Cultural Science at Radboud University?

- A majority of our courses are exclusively created and offered for the research students enrolled in this programme, and therefore perfectly match the needs and desires of social and cultural researchers.
- This programme is linked to the Nijmegen Institute for Social and Cultural Research (NISCO) who offer an excellent research environment and have extensive social science databases that students are free to use.
- You’ll participate in group-oriented education and be part of a small, select group of highly motivated national and international students.
- You’ll be given your own workplace (equipped with a computer) in a room with your fellow students to enhance solidarity. Every student also receives personal guidance and supervision.
- You’ll write two scientific journal papers which will not only give you plenty of practise but will also give you a good academic research portfolio that you can use when applying for research positions.
- A large majority of our graduates gain PhD and other research positions; almost all of our graduates found work shortly after graduating.

Multidisciplinary

The programme combines the disciplines of sociology, anthropology, development studies and communication science. This programme is therefore ideal for Bachelor’s students from these disciplines with an interest in research. However, we believe that students from disciplines such as political science, economics and human geography can also profit from this Master’s.

The Research Master’s in Social and Cultural Science trains aspiring researchers and is ideal preparation for PhD positions or research positions in relevant non-academic research institutes. Or you could build a bridge between academic research and the world of practice, thereby influencing policy-making in the public and private sphere.

Quality label

This programme was recently awarded the quality label ‘Top Programme' in the Netherlands in the Keuzegids Masters 2015 (Guide to Master's programmes).

Career prospects

The career prospects of a graduate of Social and Cultural Science are good; almost 100% of our alumni found a job or research position immediately after graduating.

Job positions

There are plenty of options open to graduates of the research Master’s in Social and Cultural Science:
- Scientific research career (academia)
The programme provides an excellent basis for a scientific research career and attaining PhD positions.

- Societal research career
Our graduates can also go on to have careers in relevant non-academic research and policy institutes like government ministries, Statistics Netherlands (CBS), The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) and The Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR) and foreign equivalents.

- More
Of course, this Master’s programme does not close other doors. Students with a research Master’s are also highly sought after by (commercial) businesses and organisations because of their analytical and communication skills and in-depth understanding of social and cultural behaviour. Other careers, such as policymaker, manager, journalist, etc are certainly within reach.

Find information on Scholarships here http://www.ru.nl/scholarships

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/scs

Our research in this field

Half of the Master’s programme in Social and Cultural Science consists of practical research training.

In the first year, you’ll do a research project in which you conduct a small-scale empirical research under guided supervision of a senior researcher. The comparative research issue is typically part of the ongoing research within a Radboud chair group. Finally, you’ll write a scientific journal paper regarding the research results. The project is done in small groups (2-3 students) and prepares you well to independently conduct a comparative empirical social science study for your Master’s thesis in the second.

- Master’s thesis topics in the field of Social and Cultural Science
For your Master’s thesis you are completely free to tackle any social issue in the disciplines of sociology, anthropology, communication science or development studies. Important is the ability to reflect on the societal significance of your research question and the societal importance of your research. Thesis topics vary widely:
- Many theses are concerned with cross-country comparisons of behaviour or attitude measures using European cross-sectional survey data on, for example, xenophobia or gender roles.
- Others theses compare classrooms and the effect ethnic composition has on interethnic bullying or the impact of the economic crisis on African migrants in Athens, Greece, or the utilisation of different sexual health services by Aboriginal adolescents.
- Thesis topics can also be found in the field of communication science, like examining the news on extreme right political parties in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands and correlating it with election results, or studying patterns in TV drama (e.g. increasing Americanisation) and comparing these media trends with societal processes such as individualisation.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/scs

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Introduction to the programme

Human Geography is a research field which focuses on studying the spatial behaviour of people, firms and organisations. Or, to put it simply, it is a study that observes the relationship between human activities and their spatial environment. Because it is an integrative discipline, Human Geography serves as an excellent platform for integrating knowledge from various related disciplines, such as Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, International Relations, Economics, Business Administration and Development Studies.

Specialisations in the Master's in Human Geography

The Human Geography Master's programme at Radboud University offers five specialisations and the option to develop your own specialisation:
- Conflicts, Territories and Identities
- Economic Geography
- Europe: Governance, Borders and Identities
- Globalisation, Migration and Development
- Urban and Cultural Geography
- Free specialisation: combination of courses of your own choice, subject to approval by the Examination Board

The Master's programme can also be conducted in dual mode (information in Dutch: studying next to working in the human geographic profession). Additionally there is a post-Master's programme for secondary teacher training also called educational Master's at the ILS (in Dutch).

Assessment during the programme

Throughout the Master's programme you will be assessed by a mixture of written exams, essays, papers, projects, oral presentations and your Master's thesis.

Career prospects with a degree in Human Geography

Graduates of the Master's in Human Geography will be qualified for many different job positions. These jobs all require excellent analytical skills at an academic level, a critical perspective, thorough knowledge of societal relations and a clear vision of how crucial societal problems can be solved. Human Geography graduates find jobs rather easily at (international) research institutes, international companies, or at consultancy firms. Top-ranking positions, in private industry as well as in governmental and non-governmental organisations can also be found.

Our approach to this field

Human Geography is a research field which focuses on studying the spatial behaviour of people, firms and organisations. Or, to put it simply, it is a study that observes the relationship between human activities and their spatial environment. Because it is an integrative discipline, Human Geography serves as an excellent platform for integrating knowledge from various related disciplines, such as Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, International Relations, Economics, Business Administration and Development Studies.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/english/education/masters/human-geography

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The Master Victimology and Criminal Justice at Tilburg University is the only Master's program in Europe and one of a handful of programs worldwide, focusing on victimology.

What is this master about?

Victimology can be considered the younger sister of criminology. Its object of study is the position of victims in society. Drawing upon the insights offered by law, psychology, criminology and other social sciences, victimologists look at the consequences of becoming of victim of crime, accidents or disasters with the ultimate aim of setting people on the path of recovery and restoration.

For whom is it meant?

Being the top-notch program in Victimology and Criminal Justice, this master is aimed at motivated students with educational backgrounds in criminology, law, psychology, sociology, anthropology and liberal arts.

Why study Victimology and Criminal Justice?

The Master aims at teaching students to academically analyze and professionally solve psychosocial, economic, political, and legal problems arising from victimization. It particularly focuses on the victim within the context of the criminal justice system.

Students can expect to acquire the necessary intellectual knowledge and skills to tackle victimological or related challenges in either a academic research or professional setting. With a growing need for employees with an academic background in victimology in international and national, governmental and non-governmental organizations in the field of criminal justice, health care, disaster relieve, human rights, etc. graduates of this program have a wide range of employment opportunities. The master also offers an excellent preparation for those who want to pursue a Ph D.

Career Perspective Victimology and Criminal Justice

Victim-related issues are of increasing interest within academia, policy-making, and the public and the private sectors at both the national and international levels.

Graduates of the Master in Victimology and Criminal Justice are in high demand by institutions and organizations dealing with victims of crime and/or human rights violations, such as:
•ministries
•local governments
•victim support or assistance bodies
•national, European and international public or private institutions dealing with victims of crime and/or human rights violations

Furthermore, with the growing importance of victims' rights in criminal justice systems, graduates of this Master's program can expect to embark on a rewarding career in victim-related services within judiciaries.

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Reconfigure identity constructions and power differences in our globalized world

In this Research Master's programme, you will learn to critically analyse how gender and ethnicity intersect with other social and historical categories.

In the two-year Research Master in Gender Studies (Research), you will analyse and problematise various structurally embedded conceptions about gender and ethnicity while considering other axes of difference, such as religion, age, and sexuality. Together with the academic staff and fellow students representing different academic fields—ranging from anthropology to literary studies—you will investigate gendered and racialised phenomena in a highly interdisciplinary setting.

Utrecht University’s Research Master in Gender Studies is one of Europe’s most advanced interdisciplinary teaching and research programme in Gender Studies. Our research-focused programme prepares students for postgraduate or PhD work in Gender Studies and related fields.

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Master's specialisation Philosophical Ethics (Research)

This course is about researching the moral conflicts and ethical issues in contemporary Western culture and setting them against the backdrop of continental European philosophy.

There is no philosophical discipline that is more deeply rooted in the current and controversial socio-cultural debates than practical philosophy and more specifically than philosophical ethics. The rejuvenation of the philosophical tradition, when it comes to contemporary issues, is never more necessary or more exciting than in this field of philosophy. The hermeneutical perspective – which is so characteristics of philosophical ethics at Radboud University – combines the precise interpretation of influential texts with a focus on culture philosophical approaches, phenomenological analysis and ethical applications. A unique addition in the ethical discussion is the attention for ethical issues, especially in literary sources.

Key authors for this specialisation are, in chronological order, Aristoteles, Thomas van Aquino, Kant, Hegel, Schleiermacher, Heidegger, Gadamer, Levinas, Ricoeur, Habermas, Taylor and Toulmin.

Information for students of the Research Master

In Philosophical Ethics, you investigate the moral implications of human actions from the point of view of virtue ethics (Aristotle, MacIntyre), phenomenology (Heidegger, Levinas) and hermeneutics (Gadamer, Ricoeur). This section also runs an international Nietzsche research project.
The department of ethics participates both in the research programme 'The project of a hermeneutic philosophy' as well as in the research programme ‘Ethos, Polis, Religion' (research programme in practical philosophy).
This section of the faculty investigates the moral implications of human actions from the point of view of virtue ethics (Aristotle, MacIntyre), phenomenology (Heidegger, Levinas) and hermeneutics (Gadamer, Ricoeur). For its ethical research it cooperates closely with the Centre for Ethics of Radboud University (in Dutch). The section also runs an international Nietzsche research project.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/philosophy/ethics

Admission requirements for international students

1. A completed Bachelor's degree in Philosophy or in a related discipline (in the latter case, students must have acquired at least 60 EC in Philosophical disciplines).
The applicant must have a degree with merit or distinction or equivalent. Meaning: a student’s weighted grade-point average in philosophy in the 2nd and 3rd year of their Bachelor's programme must be the equivalent of 7.5 or more (on the Dutch scale of 10).
On the page "Conversions of international grades" you will find an indication of what the equivalent of a Dutch 7.5 or 8 might be in the country where you obtained your Bachelor’s degree.

2. A proficiency in English
In order to take part in this programme, you need to have fluency in both written and spoken English. Non-native speakers of English* without a Dutch Master's degree must either have obtained a higher diploma from an English-teaching institution or be in possession of one of the following certificates:
- A TOEFL score of >577 (paper based) or >233 (computer based) or >90 (internet based)
- An IELTS score of >6.5
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) with a mark of C or higher

3. Highly motivated
An applicant must be able to demonstrate to the Examination Board that they have serious research interests and skills. Applicant must write a motivation letter and send a writing sample which can help evaluate their research and writing skills.

Career prospects

Philosophy has a unique role within contemporary society. Unlike other academic disciplines, its subject matter is not limited to one set of questions, or one domain of investigation. Philosophers delve into all aspects of science and society. In order to do this, they must possess essential skills, including he ability to analyse complex issues logically and conceptually and the ability to document their conclusions in clear and persuasive language. Such skills are not innate. They require intensive training. The Research Master's programme in Philosophy constitutes the first professional step towards the acquisition of these skills.

Job positions

This programme has been designed for people with the ambition to do research. A majority of the students continue their research within academia by applying for a doctoral programme in the Netherlands or abroad. We take particular pride in the fact that more than 75 percent of our graduates manage to obtain a PhD position within two years of graduating. A second group goes on to teach philosophy at secondary schools. And a third group enter research-related professions outside of education. Our graduates are also represented in journalism, science policy, and politics.

Our approach to this field

Philosophy has a unique role within contemporary society. Unlike other academic disciplines, its subject matter is not limited to one set of questions, or one domain of investigation. Philosophers delve into all aspects of science and society. In order to do this, they must possess the ability to analyse complex issues logically and conceptually and the ability to document their conclusions in clear and persuasive language. The Research Master's programme in Philosophy constitutes the first professional step towards the acquisition of these skills.

Our research in this field

What makes this programme special?
The English-taught Research Master's programme in Philosophy is a two-year course that is meant for students of proven ability who wish to prepare for an academic career in philosophy. We offer the following to provide you with the best possible academic background:
- A combination of internationally acclaimed research and excellent teaching
- A big offer of research seminars in the history of philosophy, continental philosophy and analytic philosophy
- A broad range of specialisations in Philosophical Anthropology, Metaphysics, Philosophy of mind, Philosophy of language and Logic, Philosophical Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy and the History of Philosophy
- An emphasis on the training of research skills
- A personal supervisor who guides you throughout the programme
- An excellent preparation for post-graduate life by means of the specialised character of the Research Master's thesis, which is composed of a publishable article and of a PhD research proposal
- A high chance of obtaining a PhD position in the Netherlands or abroad
- An international climate.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/philosophy/ethics

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The objective of the international one-year MSc programme in Population Studies is to train young professionals in the theories, methods and skills required to comprehend population dynamics.

Essential to understanding population dynamics is the study of demographic behaviour of people, in terms of their life events, e.g. birth, marriage, divorce, health, migration, and death. The master programme focuses on these demographic events, on how decision-making regarding these life events (e.g. its timing) is influenced by the historical, economic, societal, cultural, and medical context, and on how these demographic events have an impact on population-level trends.

You will learn about:
- Pressing population issues as population ageing, integration of migrants, health inequalities and poverty
- Individual decision-making processes behind demographic events, such as family formation, residential choices and migration, and health care use
- Collecting and interpreting demographic data
- Methods and techniques to analyze demographic data: life table, population projections, advanced survey analysis, qualitative research methods
- Population policies and intervention programmes

The field of Population Studies reflects on and deals with currently relevant demographic topics and related societal issues. The study is simultaneously concrete and broad.

Why in Groningen?

Our programme is unique in its combination of analytical and social demography, its combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, its structured progress through the research process, and its international, multidisciplinary and strong scientific orientation - as officially being recognized. Interactive ways of teaching are being employed by very enthousiastic and dedicated teachers. Within the Netherlands, Groningen is the only university offering an MSC in Population Studies.

Job perspectives

The program has been developed for future professionals in business, government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and academia. Demographers are competent in reflecting on how the context in which we live affects population dynamics (migration, fertility, mortality, ageing, etc.) and vice-versa. This can be either through analyses of large data files for demographic data and trends, or through in-depth qualitative analysis of people's life.

The career perspectives are good. Many of our alumni continue into a PhD, whereas international mid-career alumni mostly acquire a higher position within the institute they were working.

Our alumni gain employment at:
- (interdisciplinary) research institutes
- universities (lecturer, PhD student)
- (inter)national statistical offices
- national planning and government offices
- United Nations agencies
- NGO's, like Doctors without Borders
- private companies (e.g. as data-manager or communication expert)

Research

The Master's thesis topic is integrated in the research theme of the Population Research Centre: “Population and Wellbeing in Context”. This comprises topics such as population decline, population ageing, global migration, life of migrants, healthy ageing in society, families, households, residence, causes of death, child health, nutrition, access to health care, place making of elderly.

The master programme clearly reflects the major characteristics of the research programme by focussing on both the macro (population) and micro level (the demographic behaviour of people); by adopting multi-disciplinary perspectives (demography, epidemiology, anthropology, geography, social ageing, nutrition); by teaching both quantitative and qualitative research methods; by focusing on the translation of research into policies or interventions.

The students are being taught the theories, methods and skills that the different teachers apply in their research. They participate in seminars and discussion groups in an active research environment including guest lectures and seminars by established professionals from other demographic institutions.

Part of the Master Programme is the participation in the Dutch Demography Day - a conference for demographers - and an excursion to the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute in The Hague.

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Tourism is based on the cultural appreciation and value of the cities and landscapes tourists visit. Tourism also has a major economic, social and environmental impact on places and regions. This Master's specialisation allows you to understand the processes involved and how to use them in practice. In this specialisation you will mainly learn to understand and interpret advanced theories and practices of leisure and tourism and their influence on the social and physical environment. Since tourism is mainly about experiencing places and events, you will learn to understand where these experiences come from, what effects they have and how they can be influenced.

Why study Cultural Geography and Tourism at Radboud University?

•Tourists travel to places which are different, attractive, challenging and special, and which provide them with a thrilling experience. Geographers study, how these experiences actually evolve, how they are created and produced, how these experiences differ from group to group and how places can be designed accordingly?
•Tourism also has a profound effect on places, on the local economy, on the culture of the people who live there and on the ecology and landscape. Also these aspects are of central interest for the scholars in this Master's specialisation. Finally, not just places are affected, but the movements, flows and related streams of people, goods, money, information, images, and traffic have an enormous effect on our global landscape, which we study in the framework of this Master's specialisation.
•This Master's specialisation is a concise and intensive one-year Master's programme preparing you as a full-fledged academic in this field and as such is unique in the Netherlands. Our Human Geography Master's programme, regularly ranks as the best Dutch master programme in this field in the Netherlands.
•This Master's specialisation has an international character, with students and lecturers from all over the world, and at the same time offers many opportunities to do research abroad or to gain professional experience abroad.
•Although the foundation of this specialisation is geographical, our approach to this theme is highly multidisciplinary to include related fields as cultural studies, psychology, anthropology, economics, spatial planning, environmental policy studies, etc..
•You’ll conduct your Master’s thesis research in the framework of a research internship at an organisation active in a field related to tourism. This will give you a taste of professional life in the field and enhance your chances on the job market.
•You’ll also benefit from the advantages of the Master’s programme in Human Geography in general.

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Development and Socialisation in Childhood and Adolescence

This Master focuses on general processes of socialisation and child rearing and offers insight into the development of young people.

The Development and Socialisation in Childhood and Adolescence (DaSCA) programme focuses on general processes of socialisation and child rearing and on normative developmental pathways. Considerable attention is given to the risk factors involved in the development of children and adolescents with a view to developing treatment strategies and preventive systematic intervention programmes.

The programme courses focus on theory and research in development and socialisation in childhood and adolescence, methodology and statistics, and basic academic skills. In the second year students will complete an internship and write their thesis in the form of a draft research article for international publication. Until now about 70% of DaSCA graduates obtained a PhD position within 4 months of graduation, whereas the the other graduates obtained research jobs outside university.

Looking for more information? On http://www.uu.nl/masters/en/development-and-socialisation-childhood you will find more information on the study programme, on where our alumni start their professional careers and much more.

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At first sight, the arts and sciences appear to be worlds apart. While sciences draw on strict procedures, the arts seem to be exempted from such rules. Yet both practices are governed by conventions - such as a consistent focus on innovation - that help to explain their cultural impact.

Moreover, the arts, science and technology mix and mingle in interesting ways. The arts provide scientists with metaphors to describe their work. The sciences are objects of cultural critique in the arts. The arts continuously incorporate new technologies. And both the arts and sciences “imagine” our culture’s future. That is why it is so important to study the contributions of the arts, science and technology to modern culture. And it is why we study all of these in one programme. CAST has roots in the internationally known field of Science and Technology Studies (STS) and is at the same time uniquely embedded in empirical cultural research.

Perfect preparation for a research position

The Research Master in Cultures of Arts, Science and Technology is a selective, intense, and highly reputed programme. The programme is designed to give you the best possible preparation for a professional research position. During your master’s, you will therefore not only study theories from history, sociology, philosophy, the arts and the qualitative social sciences, but you will also follow a number of courses that specifically focus on research methods such as qualitative interviewing, conceptual analysis, archival research, ethnographic observations and rhetorical, narrative and discourse analysis. Most importantly, you will actually learn to work with these methods by writing review papers, research papers and proposals. You will work closely with faculty research staff on their projects and gain a ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at how academic research is actually done.

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The aim of the Master's program Management of Cultural Diversity at Tilburg University is:
First, to equip students with the necessary expertise, tools and skills to analyze cases of cultural diversity in organizations and societal fields like education, health care, labor market and arts and culture.
Second, based on such an analysis they will be able to design management interventions to neutralize the risks and to take advantage of the opportunities stemming from cultural diversity.

A master's program about the impact of globalization and intercultural communication:
Globalization means movement. People, images, symbols, information, capital, goods and so on increasingly move from one corner of the world to another and people communicate with other people many miles away. As a consequence, individual people are increasingly being confronted with (all kinds of) different influences and ideas from other parts of the world.

About collaboration between people with different cultural backgrounds and world views:
Global communication media like the internet and means of rapid transportation facilitate such encounters. The same holds true for multinational organizations that expand globally and thus incorporate people with all kinds of cultural orientations in their workforce.
Organizations and societal fields such as the labor market, education, health care and arts and culture are increasingly made up of employees and citizens with different identities and have to deal with customers and citizens with diverse orientations and world views.

Numerous questions are raised in this multicultural, multinational framework, such as:
•What does it mean to a hospital when patients with various religious beliefs need tailor-made care?
•How are production and service delivery affected when people from all parts of the world come together to communicate and work in a company?
•What are the consequences when citizens representing different identities, traditions, languages and beliefs send their children to mixed schools?
•Do people with different ethnic backgrounds get equal opportunities in the labor market?

Cultural diversity entails both risks and opportunities
•Risks: think of miscommunication, conflict and exclusion.
•Opportunities: think of innovating ideas, creativity and renewal of production and service delivery.

Consequently, there is need for management, policy and intervention to deal with these risks and opportunities, i.e. to neutralize the risks and take advantage of the opportunities presented by cultural diversity.

Do you want to identify these issues and provide management and policy solutions?
There are as yet no management and policy solutions available. New answers need to be developed in each specific case, place, organization or field based on a sound understanding of the issues involved at that moment and in that particular context.
Tilburg University is well-positioned to offer such a program. It has at its disposal of high-level and internationally oriented expertise in the various relevant academic fields, embodied by teaching staff firmly embedded in and intellectually nourished by relevant research programs.

Career Perspective Management of Cultural Diversity

The program offers a Master’s career to prepare students for jobs focusing on management and policy intervention regarding cultural diversity in organizations and societal fields. The program will have an explicit international orientation so students are expected to find a place on the labor market in a variety of countries in Europe and beyond. Your work will either focus on management of a culturally diverse workforce within companies and organizations (profit and non-profit) or you will be working on policy development and implementation regarding issues of cultural diversity in society within governmental organizations or NGOs.

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Ritual in Society is a renewed, fully English-taught Master's specialization within the Master's program Culture Studies.

Rituals are indispensable for human beings, in past and present. The important moments in human life are always highlighted by rituals. In addition to ritual’s traditional function of marking key moments in human life, people assign great value to rituals as instruments to achieve social cohesion, as means of coping with grief and bereavement, and as powerful tools to remember the past. Apart from such a predominantly positive use of rituals, it should be noted that ritual is also a contested phenomenon. Ritual is all about inclusion and exclusion and about power and display in the public domain. Moreover, ritual is dynamic and fluid; it is an excellent gauge of cultural diversity and societal developments. Therefore, the study of ritual is of vital importance for understanding society.

Your lecturers are nationally and internationally renowned scholars who will introduce you to the field of ritual studies on the basis of their own research. They will present to you both the state of the art in ritual studies as well as the most recent developments in their various disciplines. The MA in Ritual in Society offers you a unique, multidisciplinary program with a focus on ritual dynamics in contemporary Europe with regular forays into the global context.

Career Perspective Ritual in Society

The program offers a Master’s career to prepare students for jobs in areas ranging from research to the world of travel and tourism (travel agencies) and from education to consultancy and management. The program will have an explicit international orientation so students are expected to find jobs in the labor market in a variety of countries in Europe and beyond. More specifically, Ritual in Society prepares you for jobs in fields like:
•Research (PhD; contract research)
•Education
•Ritual facilitator
•Ritual consultancy
•Consultancy (culture; memory culture; museum)
•Journalism
•Editorial and publishing work
•Policy work (minorities policy; diversity)
•Project work
•Human Resource Management
•Scholarly Travel Agency

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