Design Cultures

Premaster and premasterassessment

Joining the programme with a vocational education diploma 
Holders of an a vocational education (HBO) diploma do not receive automatic admission to the programme. There are three possibilities depending on your previous education: 

• You can take an abbreviated Bachelor’s programme. This means that you will be exempted from a number of courses (depending on your previous education).
• You can take the premaster programme. Completing the one-year programme will lead to admission to the Master’s programme.
• You may be admitted directly to the Master’s programme if your HBO programme meets very strict requirements.

The Examination Board will decide if you must take the pre-Master’s programme or enroll in the abbreviated Bachelor’s programme.

Programme Design Cultures pre-Master
The Dutch speaking, one year pre-Master’s programme Design Cultures contains 30 ects.

For more specific information on the content of the premaster, please mail to: designcultures.let@vu.nl.

Enrollment with a Dutch HBO diploma

Dutch HBO students  can apply via Studielink  before the 1st of May for the premaster Design Cultures under the label premaster Kunst – en cultuurwetenschappen (Arts & Culture). Select in Studielink first 'Bachelor or other non Master’ and then the premaster.

VU University Amsterdam makes use of its own VU Portal (vunet.vu.nl), which is linked to Studielink and allows you to upload digital copies of all the documents containing the information we need to decide whether or not you are admissible. After you have applied for the master in Studielink, the university will 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 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.
• HBO diploma
• Curriculum Vitae

Don’t forget to fill in your specialization on VUnet: premaster Design Cultures.

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.

Assessment
If you have an HBO diploma and have been admitted to the pre-Master’s programme by the Examination Board, you will have to take an assessment test. The results of the assessment are indicative/diagnostic (i.e. not binding): the assessment gives you the opportunity to identify potential shortcomings. The assessment consists of the following components: 

• A cognitive capacity test
• A test into your mathematical abilities
• A test into your English comprehension
• A test into your motivation and style of learning
• A scientific case

The assessment takes four hours. You will receive information on the assessment once you have registered for the programme. Click here for more information (in Dutch).