Maastricht University, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Bachelor in Arts and Culture
Maastricht, Netherlands
Bachelor's degree
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 May 2026*
EARLIEST START DATE
01 Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 2,695 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* EU/EEA-students: 1 May. Non-EU/EEA-students who need a visa and/or residence permit: 1 April
** the institutional fee for this program is €13,200
Key Summary
Does this suit you?
- Are you curious and eager to explore complex issues from different perspectives?
- Do you have an inquisitive mind and enjoy thinking critically about contemporary dilemmas?
- Do you look forward to studying independently and in teams?
Modern-day societies face complex challenges. How do new and emerging technologies, like AI or biotechnology, change how we see ourselves and the world? How do we navigate cultural diversity and questions of identity in an increasingly polarised world? How do power and representation shape what matters to us, through politics, media or art?
These challenges are inherently cultural—and shape how we see ourselves and others. In the Bachelor of Arts and Culture, you will learn to interpret and explain these questions through the lens of culture, tracing their deep historical roots as well as their current social and ethical implications.
Because culture permeates science, media, technology, politics and art, these challenges cannot be understood through one vantage point only. That is why you will explore these questions using an interdisciplinary approach that integrates perspectives and methods from history, philosophy, art and literature studies, and qualitative social sciences.
Through our Problem-Based Learning didactic and hands-on training in academic skills and a range of research methodologies, you will develop a ‘researcher mindset’—the ability to approach, research and communicate complex problems from multiple angles, work collaboratively, and present and defend convincing arguments. Such transferable skills are highly valued in both academia and the professional world.
Bachelor Arts and Culture 2025-2026
Elementary phase in years 1 and 2 (semesters 1, 2 and 3)
The elementary phase has a nominal duration of one and a half years. It comprises 96 credits and consists of the following modules:
Year 1
- Research and Writing I
- Onderzoeks- en Schrijfvaardigheden I
- Mentor Programme
- Apollo and Dionysus
- Academic Reading Across Disciplines
- Knowledge and Criticism
- Finding Sources
- Disenchantment and Ideology
- Doing Conceptual Analysis
- Art and Modernity
- Analysing Arts
Year 2
- Research and Writing II
- Onderzoeks- en Schrijfvaardigheden II
- Mentor Programme (not compulsory)
- Technological Society
- Doing Ethnography
- Cultural Pluralism
- Doing Discourse Analysis
Graduation phase in years 2 and 3 (semesters 4, 5 and 6)
The graduation phase has a nominal duration of one-and-a-half years and comprises 84 credits**.
- In semesters 4 and 6, students take courses and skills at FASoS in accordance with the below overview (38 credits) and write their Bachelor's thesis (16 credits).
- Semester 5 consists of elective units of study with a total study load of 30 credits. During this semester, each student will compile an individual programme. The individual programme may include:
- a minor or interfaculty minor offered in the programme (Article 3.8.1);
- a study abroad via the faculty’s International Relations Office (see Rules and Regulations);
- an internship under the supervision of a faculty examiner (Article 3.8.2);
- elective units of study offered by the faculty (elective courses, skills trainings, tutorials) and literature exams (Article 3.8.3);
- electives outside the faculty (at another UM faculty, or at another Dutch or foreign university; see Article 3.8.4 and Rules and Regulations).
Year 2
- Othering Europe
- Art, Literature and Technoscience
- Living in a Digital Age
- Research Methods: Advanced Document Analysis
- Research Methods: Interviewing
- Analysing Arts II
- Power and Democracy
- Vulnerable Bodies
- Authority, Expertise and Environmental Change
- Doing Conceptual Analysis II
- Doing Discourse Analysis II
Year 3
- Semester 5: elective units of study
- Mentor Programme (not compulsory)
- Doing Research in Arts and Culture
- Writing a Research Proposal*
- Onderzoeksvoorstel Schrijven*
- Bachelor Thesis*
- Bachelor Scriptie*
*Depending on whether students write their BA thesis in Dutch or in English, they follow the Dutch or English version of the course Writing a Research Proposal in year 3, period 4.
The result for ACU3015/3016 only remains valid if the thesis ACU3905/3906 is passed in the same academic year!
** If a student chooses Skill EUS3500 or EUS3508 during period 4, the graduation phase comprises 85 credits.
*** Please note: ‘EUS3500 Research Methods: Interviewing’ has a maximum capacity of 150 students. Once the limit is reached, registration will no longer be possible.
- You lay the foundation for a career in the cultural sector, education, research, or policy.
- Learn to apply humanities and social sciences approaches to real-world questions.
- You will develop strong analytical, critical thinking and communication skills.
As an open and accessible academic community, UM offers several scholarships to support top-performing undergraduate and graduate students with personal development potential that are experiencing financial difficulties to pursue a degree at UM. UM scholarship students function as important ambassadors of the university during and after their studies. UM scholarship students are selected on the basis of their academic excellence, extracurricular engagement, active citizenship and financial need. As the number of scholarships is limited, the selection process is highly competitive.
As a graduate of the Arts and Culture programme, you will have many career opportunities. Your deep understanding of contemporary challenges and their historical development, your researcher mentality and ability to approach complex problems from a variety of perspectives, and your practical skills, such as discussion leadership, communication and life-long learning, will allow you to work across a wide range of sectors and jobs, including:
- Policy advisor for governmental and non-governmental organisations,
- Media personality, editor, writer, content manager for radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, and online platforms.
- Cultural entrepreneur, programmer or curator for cultural institutions such as museums, galleries or publishing organisations
- Politics, consultancy, education or scientific research