Expanding your knowledge and at the same time developing your skills is key. That is why you will participate in a variety of teaching activities. Most of the courses are evaluated with one or more tests. This is usually a written examination, but it can also be an essay, a report, or a presentation.

• Lectures (8 hours): Lectures give an introductory overview into the course content. You will attend them together with your fellow students. You take notes and have the opportunity to ask questions. Also, you can expect guest lectures from experts working in a wide range of economic organisations and fields.
• Tutorials (6 hours): During tutorials, you will discuss specific subjects from the lectures in smaller groups. Exercises and practice assignments will help you to become adept with the theory. There are two types of seminars, those with plenary sessions and the small scale groups where you will work individually.
• Practicals (2 hours): During practicals, you learn how to work with various mathematical and statistical computer programmes.
• Self-study (20 hours): During your study week, you spend time to study theory, go over lectures and seminars, and prepare for exams and presentations.
• Skills & Connect: In the first 6 months of your studies, you will receive weekly coaching from a senior student in a small group. This mentor will help you learn to study more effectively and you will work together on your basic mathematics and statistics skills. In the meantime, you will also get to know your fellow students.

This year is all about your basic knowledge of mathematics, information science, probability theory, statistics and economics. You will apply this knowledge of mathematics and statistics to economics subjects, such as:

• Macroeconomics: how does the economic system function in general.
• Microeconomics: how businesses and consumers behave in a market.
• Finance: what does a business structure look like and how are investments made.

In the 2nd half of year 1 you will be introduced to the specialisations: Econometrics and Data Science (of the Bachelor's programme in Econometrics and Data Science) and Actuarial Science (of the Bachelor's programme in Actuarial Science) - in the first 2 years of both studies you follow almost the same programme.

• In the course Introduction Econometrics and Actuarial Science, you will use advanced mathematical and statistical programming software such as 'R' and 'Python' to make your first predictions and analyses based on data.
• In the final course Introduction Data Science, you will learn how to deal with large collections of data. You will learn how to use software to prepare, or structure and clean, data for analysis. A dataset is often much too large to analyse directly, so you will learn different compression techniques that are applied to video and sound on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Focus is on how to obtain the relevant characteristics (features) of your data.

The 2nd year enhances your mathematical, statistical and research skills.

• You will start to apply these tools to econometrics and data science.
• You will take mandatory courses like Mathematical Economics and Econometrics 1&2. The focus here is on making predictions using models that incorporate observed data.
• In the course Statistical Learning, you will explore various machine learning techniques frequently used in artificial intelligence. By the end of this year, you will understand the fundamental concepts behind automatic email spam filtering, financial fraud detection, and how individuals' creditworthiness is assessed based on various financial and demographic data. You will also examine the ethical implications of such analyses, including how to avoid embedding unwanted discriminatory biases in your data models.
• In the final course Empirical Project, you will apply all your knowledge from the econometrics courses in a group project. You will assess the reproducibility of past research by, for instance, investigating the causal relationship between a country's economic growth and its colonial past, all through data analysis.

By the end of year 2, you will be capable of independently conducting a data analysis project. You will have sufficient knowledge of statistics, machine learning, and econometrics to utilise various methods and apply them according to the research question.

In year 3 you construct your own programme in the 1st semester. In the 2nd semester, you will specialise in one of the 2 specialisations.

1st semester (My semester: customise your programme)

Your 3rd year is all about exploring your individual academic interests. The 1^st semester of this year is all yours to construct. Options include an internship, studying abroad or free-choice electives.

• Do an internship: work at a company where you can put the experience and skills that you have gained into practice.
• Study abroad: spend a semester studying at one of our many partner universities to give you an exciting experience.
• Take a minor programme at the UvA or elsewhere: this gives you a chance to broaden and differentiate your knowledge. Minors that our students often choose, include: Programming, Mathematical Topics, and Macroeconomics. The selected minor should be relevant to your specialisation and offer a valuable contribution to it.
• Deepen your knowledge with electives: choose between specialised courses in the area of business and economics to deepen your business knowledge.

2nd semester: Specialisation

In the 2^nd semester, you will specialise by choosing one of two specialisations:

1. Econometrics
   If the government increases excise duties to raise the price of petrol, fewer people will use their cars. By modelling reality, econometricians attempt to prove such statements. These econometric models are used to forecast the economy and make recommendations on economic policy. In this specialisation, you will learn how to develop and use economic models to analyse economic problems and provide policy recommendations. Courses in this specialisation include:
   • Mathematics Economics 2: How do markets and firms operate within the economy, and what policy tools can the government use to steer market operations?
   • Microeconometrics: Learn to analyse large datasets on individuals and households using modern techniques. What patterns of economic behaviour can be identified? This is an application-oriented course where you integrate knowledge from previous econometrics courses.
      
2. Data Science
   In Data Science, the focus is more on making predictions and less on analysing the processes behind a problem. You will concentrate more on programming and fine-tuning tools than on the statistical background of the models. Nowadays, firms collect enormous amounts of data ('big data'), creating a significant demand for data scientists. This data contains valuable information to improve sales and profits. Consequently, the emphasis is more on programming and fine-tuning tools than on the statistical background of the methods. Machine learning and AI are at the core of this specialisation. Courses in this specialisation include:
   • Text Retrieval and Mining: How can you apply computer science and machine learning to automate tasks humans perform on collections of texts? For instance, automatically grouping news articles by topic, detecting plagiarism, or identifying sentiment related to an event or brand.
   • Reinforcement Learning: In Reinforcement Learning, computers learn to make the best decisions through interaction with their environment. Instead of receiving explicit instructions, they learn through trial and experience. This is particularly useful for robots, autonomous vehicles, and playing games.

There is some coursework in semester 2 of year 3, but a large part will be devoted to conducting and reporting on your own research. Is there a particular recent development that sparks your enthusiasm, or do you have a great idea of your own? Writing your thesis, you have the chance to explore it fully while simultaneously training your ability to independently conduct relevant research.

Your thesis is the final requirement to be completed for your graduation. Under the supervision of our researchers, you will follow a clearly defined path that will lead to your graduation with a Bachelor's degree.

This Bachelor’s offers a Dutch and an English track. If you are a Dutch-speaking student, you can choose to follow our Dutch track. Both tracks are identical in terms of level and content.

Dutch track

In the Dutch track, tutorials and some lectures will be conducted in Dutch. You will also complete assignments and exams in Dutch. Each year, the amount of English used in the programme gradually increases, ensuring you a smooth transition to a fully English-taught programme. The Dutch track can be a good choice if you want some time to adjust to the English language and prefer a gradual transition to a fully English-language programme.

English track

If you opt for the English track, all courses are in English. From year 1 you will study with both Dutch students and students from around the world. This creates a diverse and international classroom.

The transition from secondary school to university can be a major step. For this reason, you will receive intensive academic counselling as a 1-year student. You can also count on individual support during the rest of your studies.

The UvA offers a variety of minors and a wide selection of elective courses that you can undertake during your university years to broaden or deepen your knowledge.

If you are ambitious, you can choose to take part in our Honours programme. You take the Honours programme alongside your regular studies. Completion results in you graduating 'with honours': an internationally recognised qualification.

During your Bachelor's programme, you could put your knowledge into practice by means of a work placement.

Studying abroad allows you to get to know a different culture, language and country, and we strongly recommend you take advantage of this opportunity. We have made collaborative and exchange agreements with over a 100 universities abroad, enabling you to study there for a semester.

Are you interested in learning Dutch? There are different options to give you the opportunity to maximise your Dutch experience and prepare for your future job in the Netherlands.

Many of our students are members of a study association. It is fun and useful for your future career at the same time. Faculty student associations are a great way to meet fellow students and future employers. They organise study trips (abroad), career events, weekly debates, parties, and receptions with drinks.

The VSAE is the primary study association for the ‘quant' within the economics department, i.e., students Econometrics and Data Science, Actuarial Science and Business Analytics. Through a membership you can purchase your textbooks and course syllabi at reduced rates. But there are other associations as well.

Overview Study Associations

• Faculty student association Sefa
• International Student Committee (ISC, part of Sefa)
• Study Association Actuarial Sciences, Econometrics and Operational Research (VSAE)
• Financial Study Association Amsterdam (FSA)
• Marketing Association Amsterdam (MAA)
• International study association (AIESEC)

Amsterdam has a thriving student community with many activities organised outside of the university’s grounds. You will find student associations focusing on networking, specific interests and sports. It is only at sororities and fraternities that you can expect an initiation ritual (hazing).

At university, you are entitled to make your voice heard and assess the quality of your own education. Students can participate in the discussion on the university's education policy in various ways, such as by joining the Programme Committee, the Faculty Student Council or the student panel. You can also stand for election and dedicate your efforts to the programme and your fellow students.

Sustainability, ethics, and corporate social responsibility are introduced right from the 1st year in courses like Introduction to Econometrics and Actuarial Science, and Introduction to Data Science. In Mathematical Economics 1, you will encounter issues related to the distribution of resources in the economy. In Econometrics 1 & 2 and the Empirical Project, you will explore research in these themes. In the elective course International Partnerships for Local Global Challenges, in the first semester of the 3d year, you will take on the challenge of working with students abroad to address a societal issue, with a particular focus on these themes.

In the 2nd year course Introduction to Machine Learning, you will  learn how to mitigate unwanted biases in your research design. Climate change has become more of a concern for insurance companies, as policyholders face more frequent and severe damages due to extreme weather events. You will delve deeper into this in the course Risk Theory, where you'll explore whether risks can be insured and, if so, what premiums insurers should charge to continue covering the damages.