BSc in Global Responsibility & Leadership
Leeuwarden, Netherlands
BSc
DURATION
36 months
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 May 2027*
EARLIEST START DATE
01 Sep 2027
TUITION FEES
EUR 17,200 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Dutch I EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA students
** non-EU/EEA | EU/EEA: € 5343/year
Fast-track counseling
By contacting the school, you'll get access to free priority counselling for any study and application questions.
Key Summary
Ready to turn your ideals into action? With Global Responsibility & Leadership, you can shape your own path while keeping your eyes on the future. Mix and match courses that fit your passions and gain the skills to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and respectful society.
- Inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals: global challenges, local solutions
- Learn to think critically and shape the world you aspire to
- Choose your major: "Politics, Philosophy & Economics", "Ecology, Energy & Climate", "Culture, Psychology & Global Health."
- For the fifth year in a row, BSc Global Responsibility & Leadership is the best bachelor's program in the Netherlands!
This study is rooted in the Liberal Arts & Sciences philosophy. At this University College, you study in a small-scale setting with plenty of personal contact with lecturers and fellow students.
Research
Global Responsibility & Leadership and research
After Year 1, the program offers students multiple ways to apply their knowledge and engage in research projects with local impact.
A central feature of the GRL program is the Living Lab projects, where students collaborate with senior researchers, fellow students, and private or public stakeholders on real-life challenges affecting organisations, local governments, or companies.
Beyond the Living Labs, Campus Fryslân provides opportunities to become a student researcher by participating in ongoing projects related to the Frisian Flagships and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Student researchers work alongside senior researchers on active projects, gaining practical experience, expanding their networks, and contributing to research outputs with tangible societal impact. Availability of these opportunities depends on the needs of ongoing projects and is not guaranteed for all students.
In the final year, students may also undertake a research internship at a local or international organisation. While students are responsible for identifying and applying for internships, GRL staff provide support by sharing ideas and contacts.
Leeuwarden is a vibrant student city and the capital of Fryslân, deeply engaged with sustainability, social innovation and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As the only Dutch city in the UN Global Compact Network, it actively promotes fair trade, inclusion, circular economy and climate action. With local partners, community initiatives and real-world challenges to explore, Leeuwarden offers a place to critically study and contribute to meaningful global change.
Why choose this program?
Award-Winning Program
Recognised as the best bachelor's program in the Netherlands for five consecutive years, this bachelor's program offers top-quality education and a solid knowledge foundation that connects sustainability, social responsibility, leadership, and innovation.
Interdisciplinary & Broad
Choose a major in Energy, Ecology & Climate, Politics, Philosophy & Economics or Culture, Psychology & Global Health while exploring Political Science, Economics, Psychology, Global Health and Earth Science: perfect for students with broad interests.
Real-World Impact
Work on solutions the world truly needs, developing the skills, knowledge and mindset to tackle today's societal and global challenges while creating meaningful, positive change in communities and the environment.
Hands-On & Connected
Apply your learning through Living Lab projects with an extensive network of professional partners and develop your personal leadership style in Leadership Labs.
Personalised & Career-Ready
Tailor your program with majors, minors, and a Capstone Project or thesis, graduating with a unique portfolio ready for leadership roles or advanced studies.
Graduates of the BSc in Global Responsibility & Leadership benefit from a broad, interdisciplinary education that combines exploration across disciplines with structured guidance, preparing them for a wide range of next steps.
After completing the program, many graduates continue their studies in a master's program. Popular options include:
- Political Science
- Economics
- Psychology
- Environmental Sciences
- Health Sciences
- International Relations
- Psychology, Politics, Economics
- Sustainable Entrepreneurship
- Business and Public Administration
- Euroculture
Job prospects
Following a master's degree, graduates can pursue a PhD or enter the workforce in roles such as policy advisor, consultant, entrepreneur, or development specialist in the private or public sector.
Thanks to the program's international orientation and recognition, graduates enjoy strong career prospects in global working environments.
Job examples
- Policy Advisor
- Researcher
- Entrepreneur
- Consultant
- Development Specialist
Year 1: Foundation
Your first year is designed to ground you in the essentials of global responsibility and leadership, preparing you for deeper exploration ahead. You will develop key research skills and dive into the basics of politics, sustainability, and psychology, all while discovering which major aligns with your passions. This year is your chance to establish a strong knowledge base, sharpen your academic tools, and sample foundational subjects to confidently choose your path.
Courses
- Explaining Human Behaviour (5 EC)
- Information Technology for Interdisciplinary Studies (5 EC)
- The Earth System (5 EC)
- Introduction to Global Health (5 EC)
- Language and Culture (5 EC)
- Politics, Power and International Responsibility (5 EC)
- (Major) Elective Course 1 (5 EC)
- Introduction to Sustainable Energy Transition (5 EC)
- Principles of Economics (5 EC)
- (Major) Elective Course 2 (5 EC)
- Qualitative Methods (5 EC)
- Statistics I (5 EC)
Year 2: Focus on your major
Your second year centres on your chosen major, allowing you to select courses that match your academic interests and help you build a specialised profile. It also emphasises the real-world application of knowledge through the Living Lab. Majors available for Global Responsibility & Leadership students are:
- Energy, Ecology & Climate
- Politics, Philosophy & Economics
- Culture, Psychology & Global Health
Your major offers you the opportunity to personalise your curriculum, moving from the broad foundation established in the first year to a more focused and specialised path. This stage allows you to develop expertise in areas that inspire you and begin shaping your academic identity.
Together with your Living Lab project and Minor choice, your major helps define your unique academic profile, one that reflects your passions and places you at the heart of the global conversations that matter most to you.
Living Lab examples:
- Fries Sociaal Planbureau: investigate how civilian initiatives can collaborate and co-create with institutions to promote social inclusion and economic change.
- Amnesty International: conduct participatory research to enhance the social capital among youngsters in order to strengthen international human rights.
- Elodea: look into climate-resilient food production in Friesland, specifically how peat soils can be repurposed to make them more resilient to change.
Courses
- (Major) Elective Course 3 (5 EC)
- Personal Leadership Lab (5 EC)
- Statistics II (5 EC)
- (Major) Elective Course 4 (5 EC)
- (Major) Elective Course 5 (5 EC)
- Ethics and Global Responsibility (5 EC)
- (Major) Elective Course 6 (5 EC)
- (Major) Elective Course 7 (5 EC)
- Living Lab (10 EC)
- (Major) Elective Course 8 (5 EC)
- (Major) Elective Course 9 (5 EC)
Year 3: Connecting the dots
Your third year brings the pieces of your learning together and gives you the freedom to further personalise your curriculum.
Your Minor can take several forms: a study exchange abroad at one of our partner universities, courses from another faculty or institution, or an internship that helps you prepare for your next career step. In short, it is your opportunity to explore new directions and design an experience that truly fits your goals.
Your Capstone Project, or bachelor's thesis, is a research project on a topic of your choice. It may be carried out in collaboration with a partner organisation and include fieldwork abroad, depending on your interests and with your supervisor's approval. You may also choose to present your Capstone Project in a creative format that reflects your personal strengths and vision.
Courses
- Minor (30 EC)
- (Major) Elective Course 10 (5 EC)
- (Major) Elective Course 11 (5 EC)
- Capstone Bachelor Thesis and Portfolio (10 EC)
- (Major) Elective Course 12 (5 EC)
- (Major) Elective Course 13 (5 EC)
Study abroad
- Study abroad is optional
Study abroad is optional in Year 3