The Master’s in Eternal Rome is officially called Eternal Rome: Transformations from Antiquity to the Middle Ages. The programme offers an in-depth examination both of the city of Rome and its role as the capital of the Roman Empire, and of the representation of the ‘idea' of Rome throughout the centuries. Eternal Rome presents a unique programme that focuses as much on the transition between ancient and medieval history as on those periods themselves. A group of specialists from the fields of ancient and medieval history teach this specialisation. Their expertise also includes the status of Rome beyond the Middle Ages into the Renaissance and modern times as well.

Why choose History in Rotterdam?

The Master History is an interdisciplinary programme: we combine knowledge and theories from both the humanities and the social sciences to analyse complex historical issues. An international and comparative approach teaches us to identify similarities and differences in historical case studies.

The international track of the Master History is titled ‘Global History and International Relations’. In this programme, two otherwise independent fields of study are combined to analyse international relations from a historical and global perspective. We focus for example on the rise and fall of great powers such as the British Empire and the United States. We discuss the historical backgrounds of contemporary geopolitical issues and show how the past itself is mobilized by groups and individuals to legitimize policies and to construct identities.... [-]

What is freedom and why is it valuable? What makes an argument convincing? How do body and mind interact?

Philosophy is the systematic study of fundamental questions. Students are trained to think and write in a clear manner about topics such as the relations between mind, body and cognition, the nature and basis of moral judgments, the limits of knowledge, or the principles of social justice.

The Research Master Philosophy offers you the opportunity to work with leading scholars in the history of philosophy, practical philosophy and theoretical philosophy. It prepares you for an academic career but also teaches useful skills for other jobs.

The programme offers a core curriculum on philosophical problems related to ongoing research in the faculty, as well as many opportunities to pursue your own interests.... [-]

Research Master Modern History and International Relations

You can take the Master's programme in Modern History and International Relations as a specialization within the Research Master's degree in History or the Research Master's degree in International Relations.

The two-year Master's programme in Modern History and International Relations teaches you to carry out independent academic research in the fields of modern history and international relations. You will explore recent developments in these fields and study relevant theoretical and methodological backgrounds. You will learn about subjects such as the international political economy, the history of cultural identity and European cooperation and integration.... [-]

Research Master Literary and Cultural Studies

The two-year Master's programme in Literary and Cultural Studies is a specialization within the two Research Master's degrees in Literary Studies and in Arts and Culture.

The programme in Literary and Cultural Studies provides you with an advanced investigation of the arts. You will focus specifically on the role the arts play in processes of cultural change. Also, you will study arts and culture in general and specialize in one of these art forms: literature, film, theatre, music, and multimedia forms.

The programme has a multi-disciplinary approach. You will study the arts from perspectives such as history, philosophy and sociology. In addition, the programme is closely related to the multidisciplinary research carried out at the Groningen Research Institute for the Study of Culture (ICOG).... [-]

Archaeology in Leiden encompasses the study of societies and cultures from the past, aiming to reconstruct and revive them. Make a meaningful contribution to resolving present-day societal issues such as migration, globalisation and climate change, using your interest in the past.

Leiden's Faculty of Archaeology

Leiden’s Archaeology master’s degree has the most diverse programme in the Netherlands. Leiden also boasts the only independent Faculty of Archaeology in the Netherlands. The study programme offers various regional and thematic specialisations and the teaching programme is closely linked to ongoing research.

Our academic staff are involved in research all over the world, with a strong focus on field research. In addition, the programme emphasises ecology and geology, combined with both iconology and historical studies, as well as ethnoarchaeological, anthropological and experimental approaches. A combination of modern museum practices and developments in archaeological heritage management broadens your scope even more.... [-]

Explore language from a (socio)linguistic and pragmatic perspective while gaining proficiency in one of seven European languages. In the one-year Master’s programme Language and Society, you will develop the knowledge and skills to analyse your target language within its unique social context.

In the Master’s programme Language and Society, you will examine the role of language within a society and how a society can, in turn, shape a language. Providing real-world examples of core linguistics concepts and theory, the programme focusses on the analysis of language use and variation. You will explore how and why languages vary within particular communities, differences in language use and policy, and the influence of issues such as multilingualism and computer-mediated communication.... [-]

Master in Theology & Religious Studies (Research)

The Theology & Religious Studies research master's program offers students the opportunity to study theology, both contextual and classical, at an advanced level. Our dedicated teaching staff consists of leading scholars from within VU University Amsterdam. They participate in national and international networks in their fields and provide state of the art expertise to make sure you are ready to meet the academic challenges ahead.At VU University Amsterdam you can choose to do theological research in the following disciplines: Biblical Studies, Church History, Dogmatics, Ecumenics, World Religions, Philosophy of Religion, Practical Theology, and the Social- Scientific Study of Religion. The specialization you choose will define the content of your personal Theology & Religious Studies (research) program.... [-]

Master in Theology & Religious Studies

The one-year Master's program Theology and Religious Studies focuses on specific professional fields. In this master's you will be prepared for a professional career within or outside religious institutions. You can choose from various specializations that each focus on their own field. You will not only follow courses in which you reflect on a specific field or professional context; an internship is an obligatory part of this master's as well. Of course, you will write a thesis to finish your master's program. Throughout the program, you will be actively coached in your study progress and personal development.The five specializations to choose from are:... [-]

Master in Ancient studies

The Master’s program Ancient Studies does not adhere to disciplinary boundaries. There is almost not a single question which can be answered solely from an archaeological or literary vantage point. At Ancient Studies you learn to use that which is necessary, be it Ancient History, Archaeology, Ancient Languages or Philosophy. An ideal situation if you consider yourself both an historian and archaeologist, and want to view literature as a product of society.Questions you come across are, for example: Rome was an ethnic melting pot during imperial times. How did classical poets react to this, and can traces of this ethnic intermingling be found in studies of living conditions and artistic expressions? There are a lot of texts about dreams originating from the classical world (from Mesopotamia to Rome and Byzantium). Can we learn more about the people of antiquity by studying these dreams? And what is the influence of Latin literature on Dutch literature? Or: For once don’t compare Homer with Virgil, but with the Gilgamesh epic.Core moduleThe core module of this degree program is "Great Debates in Ancient Historical Studies". In this module, lecturers from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the University of Amsterdam deal with a number of key themes from the field of Ancient studies that have been the subject of heated debates. You will write a paper on one of these debates. Depending on your background, you will specialize further in Ancient history and Archaeology, Latin language and culture, Greek language and culture... [-]

Master in Landscape and Heritage

The Master’s program Archaeology: Landscape and Heritage is not fixed on geographical or chronological boundaries, but deals thematically with archaeological landscapes and archaeological heritage in many different societies. In the specialization Landscape Archaeology, the cultural landscape will be addressed from many perspectives. The specialization Archaeological Heritage focuses on the varieties of meanings that archaeological remains can obtain in modern society.

Specializations

The Master's program Archaeology: Landscape and Heritage distinguishes two specializations:

Landscape ArchaeologyLandscape archaeology is a specialism which is well developed at VU Amsterdam and the UvA. The Netherlands (large scale excavations) and the Mediterranean (surface surveys) form the historical landscapes on which fieldwork is conducted, and are also the focal points for ongoing research projects about the use of GIS in archaeology and villa landscapes in the north of the Roman Empire.Core themes in the program are ecological and economic dimensions of the interrelationship between man and landscape; the historical stratification of landscapes; the ‘past in the past’; landscape and identity.... [-]

Master in Classics and Ancient Civilizations (Research)

The research Master’s program aims to deliver well-equipped researchers in the field of Ancient Studies. It focuses on the cultures and societies of the Mediterranean region, Western Europe, and Western Asia in the period from c. 1000 BC to 500 AD.The program offers a good mix of disciplinary and interdisciplinary teaching and research. Disciplinary because the program builds on the specializations offered in your Bachelor’s program; interdisciplinary because you make use of the results of related disciplines during the so-called ‘core modules’. These are two interdisciplinary tutorials, in which members of the teaching staff from various disciplines from the Department of Ancient Studies and Archaeology teach you how to approach a shared research theme from different perspectives and to provide a theoretical underpinning for this theme.Opting for the research Master’s program will bring you into an inspiring research environment. The Department of Ancient Studies and Archaeology has been extremely successful of recent years in creating research opportunities for doctoral and postdoctoral research students, including large thematic projects which have room for a number of doctoral and postdoctoral research students.... [-]

Master in Classics

Classics as a discipline is alive and kicking. The study of the texts, literature, and material culture of ancient Greece and Rome offers a treasure trove of information. This information is of the highest interest in itself but is also highly relevant to our present-day culture. Do you consider it a challenge to nuance the image of Greco-Roman antiquity, as well as make new links between the present and the past? In that case the Master's in Classics is the programme for you. This Master's programme combines linguistics, literature, and cultural history. Its special profiles are narratology and discourse linguistics, intertextuality and reception, and ancient thought.The world of Greco-Roman antiquity has many facets and hence Classics embraces many disciplines. You will be analysing representative primary sources much more in-depth than was the case during the Bachelor’s phase. Choosing your own areas of interest you will be introduced into scholarly debates and learn to handle the academic instruments to contribute yourself to those discussions. In addition, you will be shown how to relate your specialist, critical knowledge of antiquity to texts and other cultural phenomena from later periods.... [-]

Master in Ancient History

The Master's program Ancient History provides two specializations. Each specialization comprises two core modules that introduce you to a number of important debates in the field in question("Great Debates in Ancient Historical Studies"). There is also considerable emphasis on interdisciplinary research.

Master in Linguistics (Research)

The Research Master’s in Linguistics is a two-year program which will enable you to develop into a professional researcher. The program deals with linguistics in its broadest sense. All students take a general course in the field of linguistic research in the first year. The course, appropriately called Linguistic Research, is taught by three or four lecturers, each of whom lectures on the history of research in the field of linguistics from the perspective of their own specialization and on the methods and techniques used in their individual fields. In addition, you will select an area in which you wish to specialize. During the program, you will choose four courses from a list of available Master’s courses. You will base your choice on your own interests and the specialization that you wish to pursue. Our areas of expertise include not only phonology and syntax but also subjects such as textual and/or genre analysis, anthropological linguistics, applied linguistics, and sociolinguistics. The program is taught in English.... [-]