Comparative Arts and Media Studies
Admission requirements and application
Admission to the Master's Arts &Culture, programme Comparative Arts and Media Studies is possible with a Bachelor's degree in art, film, television, digital media, or (visual) cultural studies. If you have an academic Bachelor in the Humanities (history, journalism, communication studies, comparative literature), a solid background with a minimum of 30 credits is required in either art, film, television, digital media or (visual) cultural studies. Students with a theoretical interest are particularly welcome. The Master’s programme starts in September and takes one year.
Students, who have successfully completed an applied BA (HBO) in art, film, television, digital media, or (visual) cultural studies, will take a Comparative Arts and Media Studies pre-Master’s. The exact combination of modules is put together by the examination board, based on the previous qualifications of the student. Beware that the pre-Master’s will be mostly in Dutch and is not accessible for students who don't speak Dutch. It is not possible to do the Master part time. Those with an applied MA (HBO-MA) in art, film, television, digital media or (visual) cultural studies have to submit their application to the Examination Board for assessment.
Dutch Students
Dutch students and international candidates with a Dutch degree can apply via Studielink before the 1st of May for the master programme Comparative Arts and Media Studies under the label Kunst – en Cultuurwetenschappen (Arts & Culture). After you have applied for the master in Studielink, the university will retrieve your application details from Studielink, prepare your VU Portal account, and e-mail you the login details. Please note that this may take a couple of days.
The e-mail will contain instructions on how to access your account and complete your application. The VU Portal (vunet.vu.nl), which is linked to Studielink, allows you to upload digital copies of all the documents containing the information we need to decide whether you are admissible.
The required documents to be uploaded in VU Portal are:
- Application form (in Dutch)
- Letter of Motivation
Please supply a letter (1-2 pages in length) stating your reasons for applying to the master. - Bachelor diploma(s)
- Curriculum Vitae
The curriculum vitae should include your personal details and list your previous education and relevant work experience. - Don’t forget to fill in your specialization on VUnet: Comparative Arts and Media Studies.
Your application will be reviewed by the Faculty of Arts. The final decision on admission is made by the Examination Board of the Master's programme within 6 weeks.
A formal statement regarding admission will be sent to you by e-mail and/or by post. The statement will specify whether you have been admitted unconditionally, admitted subject to certain conditions, or not admitted.
For more information on admission requirements and procedures, click here if you are a VU student, here if you have a BA from another Dutch university, or here if you have you have a BA from an HBO (Higher Vocational Education).
Contact information for Dutch students
E: cams.let@vu.nl
International students and students with a foreign Bachelor/Master degree
If you would like to start a Master’s programme at the Faculty of Arts, you can apply using our online application system, using the following link. The departmental Examination Board will decide upon your admission after having officially reviewed and evaluated your diplomas/degrees. Diplomas unknown by the board will be assessed by the master coordinator in cooperation with the NUFFIC.
Admission
For general admission requirements, please check the information on the main VU website. The Master’s Arts & Culture with a specialization in Comparative Arts and Media Studies is designed for students with an academic Bachelor’s in either art, film, TV, digital media, or (visual) cultural studies. You may also be accepted if you have an academic Bachelor in other disciplines of the Humanities (history, journalism, communication studies, comparative literature), with a major or specialization in art, film, television, digital media, or visual culture (equal to a minimum of 30 ECTS).
International students may apply for various kinds of funding. Check here for some options.
You must always present official test results proving your proficiency in English. Only students who have completed a full high school or bachelor’s degree in Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, or Australia may be exempted. We require a TOEFL score (score 580 paper based, score 237 computer based or score 92 internet based) or an IELTS score (score 6.5).
Deadline for international students
The application deadline for EU students is 1st May 2012. Please note that we must have received all required documents and the application fee before the deadline in order to start the evaluation process. The application deadline fornon-EU students is closed, this was 1st of April.
Contact information for international students
E: master.let@vu.nl
T: + 31 (0)20 598 6429
F: + 31 (0)20 598 6500
