The Faculty of Humanities aims to produce graduates whose knowledge and skills correspond to the needs of modern day society. We thus provide education that links directly to important societal themes such as globalization, communication and media, philosophy, sustainability, and the creative industries.
During your time at VU Amsterdam, considerable attention will be paid to your future career and job market perspectives. With our help, you will be asked to think about your future career and you will get to know the professional world through research assignments from professional practice, practical assignments and internships. A bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Humanities puts you right in the middle of society.
Below is an overview of all Bachelor’s programmes taught in English in the Faculty of Humanities. Each programme has its own information page where you can find out about the content and structure of the programmes, as well as your job market perspectives. By exploring the programmes, you will quickly find out which ones you find interesting.
 | Ancient Studies Dive into the fascinating world of Antiquity. The degree programme offers a lot of variation and is multi-faceted: you will learn about the origin of different religions, political systems, philosophy and about the history of spectacular cultures, such as those of the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans. |
 | Archaeology In the Bachelor’s programme Archaeology, you will study past societies – from the Celts and the Romans to the Middle Ages and beyond – and their importance in today’s world. |
 | Communication and Information studies: Language and Media One of the key competences of communication professionals these days is to understand and successfully employ the relation between media use and communication processes. Our programme will offer you insight into the factors that, in professional contexts, influence the interplay of media, communication processes and language in a globalized world. In our courses, you will study new phenomena in media use and international communication and develop a thorough theoretical understanding of communication. |
 | Communication and Information studies: Language Learning and Language Teaching This programme bridges the gap between what linguists know about the learnability of languages and what language teachers experience in daily life. We aim to explain why certain aspects of languages are extremely difficult to learn while others are not, and how this varies for different learner groups. We use this information to critically analyze teaching and assessment materials and to develop and investigate new teaching methods and language interventions. |
 | History and International Studies History and International Studies at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is a unique programme combining approaches from history and the social sciences to understand how societies have been connected throughout history. The programme offers a combination of history courses, modern language units and research skills from the fields of global history and international relations. It is taught by a highly motivated staff, strongly committed to teaching excellence and the learning experience of their students. |
 | Literature and Society: English This 3-year Bachelor’s degree programme in Amsterdam focuses on literature written in English from the perspective of two contemporary perspectives. You will read canonical British works, and also explore contemporary novels from different English-speaking countries, such as Ireland, America, and Canada. In our courses, you will analyse these texts from two cutting-edge perspectives: English literature in a changing world, and English literature in a visual culture. . |
 | Media, Art, Design and Architecture Pursue a bachelor's degree in Media, Art, Design and Architecture at VU Amsterdam and study the significance and contested histories of images, objects and environments. |
 | Philosophy Philosophy deals with fundamental themes in life. You will learn how well-known philosophers approached these themes and you will be encouraged to develop and share your own thoughts. |
 | Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) This unique 3-year Philosophy, Politics and Economics Bachelor’s degree programme will prepare you for future leadership positions in business, politics, academia, and beyond. Complex social problems require generalists, that is, researchers, policy makers and professionals who are able to examine an issue from several angles, who can combine different perspectives in a constructive way, and who are aware of the broader social and historical context of problems. PPE provides you with the necessary tools and knowledge to be a leader in the 21st century. |
Honours programme
The faculty has created an Honours Programme for ambitious and talented bachelor’s students that allows students to contribute to current research projects.