The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences enjoys a prominent standing within the social sciences sector in Europe and is the largest educational and research institution in these fields in the Netherlands. Each semester, the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences welcomes over two hundred exchange students from partner universities. Are you nominated to study at our faculty? Then please find all the information you need here.
The faculty offers nine BSc programmes:
All programmes offer a number of English-taught courses that are open for exchange students. These courses are part of the Exchange Programme Social and Behavioural Sciences. This is a multi-disciplinary non-degree undergraduate programme for exchange students with courses in the following fields of studies:
The Bachelor of Child Development offers insight into the normal and abnormal development of children, adolescents and (young) adults in relation to their immediate environment. The environment in which they grow up (family), in which they learn (school) and in which they become adults (friends, leisure time).
The Bachelor of Educational Sciences focuses primarily on the learning and development of children, adolescents and adults within educational settings. What exactly is good education and which factors influence the way in which people learn?
Courses are offered in the following fields:
We are constantly influenced by media and communication. In Communication Science we study this impact. How do media influence voters during elections? What is the effect of an anti-smoking campaign? And what are the consequences of the growing importance of social media vs. traditional media?
Courses are offered in the following fields:
Psychology offers insight into the workings of the mind, the brain and behaviour. Scientific knowledge and methods are applied to gain an understanding of what other people think, feel desire and do. The College of Psychology offers English taught courses for exchange students at the undergraduate level.
Courses in Psychology are offered in the following fields:
Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology:
In the bachelor programme Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology the relation between worldwide developments and experiences of people on a local level is studied. Do you want to know more about other cultures, or are you interested in what happens just around the corner? Studying Anthropology gives you a new perspective on the world around you.
Courses are offered in the following fields (among others):
Human Geography, Planning and International Development Studies:
In the BSc Human Geography, Planning and International Development Studies the relationship between people and their environment is the focus of research. Issues to be studied include inequality and exclusion; diversity; consequences of globalization; consequences of climate change and migration.
Courses are offered in the following fields:
Interdisciplinary Social Sciences:
The BSc Interdisciplinary Social Sciences is an innovative modern programme where current social issues are being researched using insights from different disciplines, especially from political sciences, psychology, sociology, human geography and anthropology.
Courses are offered in the following fields:
Political Science:
Politics is how communities settle their differences and achieve their goals. As a result, politics is everywhere and at all levels from the local to the global. The programme offers a broad orientation in International Relations, Political Economy, Public Policy and Governance, Comparative Politics, Political Theory, Middle Eastern Studies, and European Politics and Global Change.
Sociology:
The Bachelor's in Sociology allows you to develop expertise in subjects such as migration, inequality, healthcare, art & culture, labour markets, education, sexuality and social movements.
Courses are offered in the following fields:
Computational Social Science:
The study programme of Computational Social Science is uniquely organised around semester long projects in a realistic context or provided by a real-world client organisation. This supports students in developing and integrating social sciences and humanities expertise (SSHE), digital expertise (DE), research expertise (RE) ánd changemaking expertise (CME).
Incoming exchange students are welcome to the semester long course:
The Exchange Programme Social and Behavioural Sciences is designed for international exchange students who are selected by their home institution in the framework of existing exchange agreements. To be accepted to the Exchange Programme Social and Behavioural Sciences students should have at least 1,5 - 2 years of academic education in a relevant field at the start of their exchange in Amsterdam.
Students can study in the Exchange Programme Social and Behavioural Sciences for one or two semesters, according to the agreement with the student's home university. The 20-week semesters start in September and in February.
All students in the Exchange Programme Social and Behavioural Sciences receive a transcript stating the courses they have successfully completed with the credits and grades they have obtained . The transcripts are sent digitally about five weeks after the official end of their exchange semester. A hardcopy can be issued upon request.
The Exchange Programme Social and Behavioural Sciences is managed by the International Office Social and Behavioural Sciences in cooperation with the College of Communication, the College of Child Development and Education and the College of Psychology.