The track Philosophy of Law and Governance of the two-year master Philosophy trains students to reflect philosophically upon the presuppositions and basic features of contemporary Western legal systems. The programme is interdisciplinary. General philosophical courses and specific courses in philosophy of law are combined with a student’s own selection of legal courses. The students of this track usually complete simultaneously a one year master’s degree in Law.

What is a legal system? Under what conditions is law just? Are citizens of modern, liberal welfare states free and equal? Are there any natural rights? Is international law legitimate? Does social justice apply beyond the state? Which understanding of a person underlies bioethical legislation? Do new forms of technology and governance undermine standards of what it is to be an autonomous legal subject? These and many other questions are raised and addressed in the two-year master track Philosophy of Law and Governance.... [-]

Master of Linguistics: Language Consultancy and Linguistic Documentation offers a program in general linguistics that focuses on the interaction between theory and data in the research traditions of anthropological, typological and descriptive linguistics. The emphasis on practical field work, cultural pragmatics, and anthropological perspectives makes this program unique in the Netherlands. Upon graduation, the student has the knowledge, skills and expertise to function as a linguistic consultant or linguistic researcher in many settings, especially in translation, cross-cultural communication and language documentation:

This program prepares you for a career as a researcher in philosophy. It focuses on central questions concerning human knowledge and morality, and it allows you to specialize in different directions. The combination of historical and contemporary perspectives is a key feature of the entire program. The aims of our program are

Neuroscience belongs to the sciences that in the future will have a large impact on virtually all aspects of our functioning as humans. Neuroscience has already changed the view we have of ourselves. This programme offers an answer to a need for responsible scientists, scientists who are sensitive to the conceptual issues in their own specific subdomain and who are, on the other hand, able to reflect and communicate about the broader implications of their field, clinical as well as societal. We aim at philosophy in neuroscience instead of philosophy about neuroscience.

The curriculum of PNS includes 30 ec in Philosophy, 36 ec in Neuroscience, 42 ec in Philosophy of Neuroscience, and 12 ec for the individual Master’s thesis, at the total of 120 ec. For details of the curriculum, please consult the website at www.vu.nl/philosophy... [-]

Master in Literary Studies (research)

The focal point of this programme is the interrelation between literature and social change. Fiction matters because it shapes the way we view the world, other people, and ourselves. It is through fantasy that we can begin to change reality. In this programme, you will learn to analyse the form, language and material aspects of texts as carriers of cultural, ethical, religious, scientific and political systems of meaning. You will learn to design research that combines perspectives from literature studies and literary history with other disciplines, such as cultural and (post)colonial history, environmental and digital humanities, global history and visual culture.... [-]

Master in History (Research)

This two-year’s program prepares talented students for a research career in history. You can specialize in political, (post)colonial history, global social history or cultural history. The History group is acclaimed for its unique expertise in the fields of the history of knowledge and religion, heritage studies, emotions studies, material culture, and environmental humanities. You will research the complex constellations in which people, objects, spaces, and ideas intersect, with a focus on the role of power, social relations, religion, and emotions. The program also offers students the possibility to explore and train skills in digital analysis and reflect on the possibilities of the emerging digital humanities techniques.... [-]

History matters. The master’s degree program in history at the VU trains you to become a professional historian. The course is broad-based and also allows you to specialize in a particular area of history. Each specialization is based on one of the chairs of the History Department. The progress of your study is personally mentored by a professor. According to a student, “History at the VU distinguishes itself by its small community of students and the support of its staff.”

All students follow a number of basic courses. In addition, you choose the broad master’s curriculum or one of the five specializations. If you decide to follow the broad master’s curriculum then you make your own choice from the other subjects offered. Each specialization is connected to one or more of the chairs of the History Department. The progress of your study is personally mentored by a member of the academic staff. Some specializations are in English; others are in Dutch, but with some courses in English.... [-]

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 Philosophy, Bioethics, and Health (Specialization of Philosophy, 2 years)

The Master’s specialization in Philosophy, Bioethics and Health will provide you with the theoretical and practical tools to deal with ethical issues in health care and health-care policy.You will learn how to reflect on practical problems from a medical, moral, legal, political and economic perspective.The need for interdisciplinary reflection is growing as developments within society lead to new challenges in health care. Take the shifts in responsibility for example patients are expected to take greater responsibility for their own health and to ‘manage themselves’ and insurers are becoming responsible for both the cost and the quality of health-care provisions. In addition, there are many rapid scientific and technological developments to take into account: from knowledge of the genetic basis of diseases, pre-implantation diagnosis and IVF, to the use of plastic surgery for aesthetic enhancement. Then there are the problems of just allocation caused by the growing number of treatment options for all kinds of diseases and the growing number of people living well into old age. Such developments cause a change in the medical ethical agenda.... [-]

Master in Mediterranean Archaeology

A shared strength of the UvA and VU Amsterdam is their long tradition of conducting research in the Mediterranean area. This can be seen from the large number of fieldwork projects in Italy and Greece, as well the museum collections in the Allard Pierson Museum. The two specializations interlink with the long, yet very current, disciplinary traditions of the UvA and VU Amsterdam, which include attention for the study of the basis of archaeology, objects and – for interaction and connection – also creators and users.

Two specializations

The master's programme Mediterranean Archaeology offers two specializations:Issues of objects and peoples... [-]

Master in Literatures in English

The Master’s in Literary Studies, program Literatures in English at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam focuses on the relation between literature and visual culture. Rooted in VU Amsterdam tradition of studying the relations between word and image, this specialized interdisciplinary program will teach you to analyze the various ways in which textual and visual culture interact. The topics studied from this perspective range from the Renaissance stage to screenwriting, from the relation between poetry and photography to film adaptations of gothic novels.The courses in this program are closely linked to the current research of staff members so that students are involved in cutting-edge developments. You are encouraged to explore your own interests in depth using the tools and theories we provide you with, culminating in your own research project when you write your MA-thesis in the second semester.... [-]

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.... [-]

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.... [-]