The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, Dutch: Universiteit van Amsterdam) is a public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Established in 1632 by municipal authorities and later renamed for the city of Amsterdam, the University of Amsterdam is the third-oldest university in the Netherlands, and one of the most prestigious academic institutions of the country, and in the world.

The UvA is one of two large, publicly funded research universities in the city, the other being the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). It is also part of the largest research universities in Europe with 31,186 students, 4,794 staff, 1,340 PhD students and an annual budget of €600 million. It is the largest university in the Netherlands by enrollment. The main campus is located in central Amsterdam, with a few faculties located in adjacent boroughs. The university is organised into seven faculties: Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Science, Law, Medicine, Dentistry.

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The three-year programme is divided in years of two semesters. In the first two years, all students follow the same programme. In the third year, you can choose your own courses. You will get a broad orientation in sociological theories, learn how to conduct research, approach social issues and analyse scientific texts. With this knowledge, you will develop sociological skills. Show less

YEAR 1
YEAR 2
YEAR 3
COURSES
SEMESTER 1
SEMESTER 2
EC
Sociological Theory 1: Social Interactions and Interdependencies
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6
Introduction to Sociology
1—2
9
Sociology as Craft 1
1—2
3
Social Research Methodology
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6
Introduction to statistics
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6
Evolution of Humankind
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3
Sociological Theory 2: Power, Culture, Identity
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6
Sociology as Craft 2
4—5
6
Philosophy of social science
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3
Sociology of institutions
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6
Amsterdam Research Project
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6
See more information in the online Course Catalogue
Additional options
In the third year, you have space to spend on subjects at another programme, an internship, study at a foreign university (exchange) or a minor (a part you spend on another subject).

Honours programme
If you are ambitious, you can choose to take part in our Honours and Talent Programme (HTP). You’ll take the HTP alongside your regular studies. You will be introduced to scientific research in an original way through a challenging package of in-depth or broadening courses. If you are up to it, then it's an opportunity not to be missed!

Exchange
International collaboration is crucial for science. The UvA has partnerships with over ninety universities worldwide. In your third year you have the possibility to study at one of these universities during an international exchange semester.

Electives
There are various opportunities during the Bachelor’s programme for you to shape your programme to your liking. You can gain 30 elective study credits with courses that are part of another Bachelor’s programme at the UvA.

Or you can choose a minor lasting half a year (30 credits) taken outside your own degree programme. You could choose a minor in Communication Science or Entrepreneurship, for example.

More information about studying abroad
Workload
The workload is 40 hours per week.

Lectures and tutorial groups: approximately 14 hours per week (later on in the programme, the number of contact hours decreases)
Self-study: 26 hours per week (reading literature, doing research and writing papers and essays)

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The university is spread across four campuses in the Netherlands – the City Centre Campus, the Roeterseiland Campus, the Amsterdam Science Park and the Academic Medical Center. In a recent year, more than 30,000 students attended the university. Tuition at the Dutch institution is higher for students from non-European Union and non-European Economic Area countries, with the exception of Swiss and Surinamese students. The university reserves a number of rooms for international students in residences that outside housing organizations manage. The university has seven academic divisions: dentistry, economics and business, humanities, law, medicine, science, and social and behavioral sciences. The school's academic calendar is semester-based. The primary language of instruction for bachelor’s programs is Dutch, though several English-taught programs are available. Many master's programs are taught in English. Around one-fourth of the University of Amsterdam's research is conducted in one of the institution’s 20 research priority areas, which include infection and immunity, behavioral economics, and private and public European law. Some of the university’s research institutes include the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies, the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics and the Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy. The university also manages two institutes – one in Athens, Greece, and the other in Saint Petersburg, Russia – that are members of the Dutch Scientific Institutes Abroad network. The institutes support Dutch staff and students who conduct research overseas.

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You will need to book the accommodation after you have been accepted.

You can choose to live on campus or off campus in private accommodation.

How to book:

• Make a booking online after you have been accepted (in this case please let us know your choice when you apply).
• Register when you arrive - its not possible to reserve a room before arriving. You can arrive a few days before and book it

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