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Understand today’s world by studying the past

History and International Studies

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The Bachelor's degree programme History: History and International Studies at VU 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. A highly motivated staff, strongly committed to teaching excellence and the learning experience of their students, teaches it.

Great variety of themes

Courses discuss the history of Europe and the world from antiquity to the present. Students can also choose electives that cover a great variety of themes, such as Global Political Economy, Transatlantic Connections and Environmental History. In addition, students can take courses in modern languages, learn about different approaches from the fields of international relations and global history, and are trained in academic skills. In Year 3, students can study a semester abroad, take an internship or choose a minor.

Small scale in Amsterdam

The small scale of the programme offers close interaction between students and staff, several of whom have won University Teaching Awards for outstanding performance and dedication to undergraduate education at the VU. 

The staff of History and International Studies cooperates with different public and private organisations as well as with the Rijksmuseum, Tropenmuseum, the Anne Frank Huis and many other international, research and heritage institutions. The University is located in Amsterdam, a city with international and historical allure. 

The start date of this programme is September 1st.

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First year

In the first year, you acquire a solid foundation of knowledge on Western and non-Western history, from antiquity to recent times. You analyse primary sources, conduct research and write papers, developing your skills along the way. You also take a number of general courses, including Academic Skills for Historians, and more specialised courses, such as Current Debates in Global History, which reflects on global inequality and the advance of China from a historical and current perspective.

We are currently working on an optimized curriculum; the Studyguide is not up to date yet. Please use this overview year 1 History and International Studies instead.

Subjects

Term 1:

  • Academic Skills for Historians
  • Ancient History 1
  • Modern Europe 1800-1900

Terms 2 & 3:

  • Academic English 
  • Ancient History 2
  • Modern Europe 1900-present

Term 4:

  • Debates in Global History
  • Medieval Europe
  • World History 500-1800

Terms 5 & 6:

  • History of Philosophy
  • Early modern Europe
  • World History 1800-present

Second year

In the second year, you specialise by choosing courses on themes that interest you. The relationship between Europe and the United States? The history of climate change? The rise and fall of world empires? You also take several compulsory courses that focus on skills development, as well as two courses in a modern language of your own choosing. Options include Spanish, Portuguese and Moroccan Arabic.

Subjects

  • Theory of History
  • Cultural Contact: East and West
  • Decolonizing Europe: History and Memory
  • Global Political Economy
  • Sub-Saharan Africa and the World, 1800-present
  • History and Ethnography
  • History by Numbers
  • Oral History & Biography
  • The Maghreb in Global History
  • Commodity Chains
  • History of Knowledge
  • Politics and International Relations in Antiquity
  • History of Water and Environment
  • International Relations from Below
  • Latin America in Modern History

You can find the complete course overview for this year in the Study guide. There you can also download an overview of your programme (see ‘download your schedule’).

Third year

The third year is dedicated to deepening your knowledge and writing your thesis. In the first semester, you can do an internship, study abroad or follow a minor at VU Amsterdam. In the second semester, you take a research course on International Organizations and write your thesis on a topic of your own choosing. This is your chance to demonstrate what you have learnt and share your views. Once you successfully complete your Bachelor’s programme, you are ready to move on to the Master’s.

Subjects

  • Bachelor Thesis Colloquium History and International Studies
  • Bachelor Thesis History and International Studies
  • Internship Bachelor History and International Studies
  • Research Seminar Global Economic and Social History 1500-present
  • Research Seminar Global and Political History 1500-present
  • Research Seminar HIS: International Organizations

You can find the complete course overview for this year in the Study guide. There you can also download an overview of your programme (see ‘download your schedule’).

  • 1st year

    First year

    In the first year, you acquire a solid foundation of knowledge on Western and non-Western history, from antiquity to recent times. You analyse primary sources, conduct research and write papers, developing your skills along the way. You also take a number of general courses, including Academic Skills for Historians, and more specialised courses, such as Current Debates in Global History, which reflects on global inequality and the advance of China from a historical and current perspective.

    We are currently working on an optimized curriculum; the Studyguide is not up to date yet. Please use this overview year 1 History and International Studies instead.

    Subjects

    Term 1:

    • Academic Skills for Historians
    • Ancient History 1
    • Modern Europe 1800-1900

    Terms 2 & 3:

    • Academic English 
    • Ancient History 2
    • Modern Europe 1900-present

    Term 4:

    • Debates in Global History
    • Medieval Europe
    • World History 500-1800

    Terms 5 & 6:

    • History of Philosophy
    • Early modern Europe
    • World History 1800-present

  • 2nd year

    Second year

    In the second year, you specialise by choosing courses on themes that interest you. The relationship between Europe and the United States? The history of climate change? The rise and fall of world empires? You also take several compulsory courses that focus on skills development, as well as two courses in a modern language of your own choosing. Options include Spanish, Portuguese and Moroccan Arabic.

    Subjects

    • Theory of History
    • Cultural Contact: East and West
    • Decolonizing Europe: History and Memory
    • Global Political Economy
    • Sub-Saharan Africa and the World, 1800-present
    • History and Ethnography
    • History by Numbers
    • Oral History & Biography
    • The Maghreb in Global History
    • Commodity Chains
    • History of Knowledge
    • Politics and International Relations in Antiquity
    • History of Water and Environment
    • International Relations from Below
    • Latin America in Modern History

    You can find the complete course overview for this year in the Study guide. There you can also download an overview of your programme (see ‘download your schedule’).

  • 3rd year

    Third year

    The third year is dedicated to deepening your knowledge and writing your thesis. In the first semester, you can do an internship, study abroad or follow a minor at VU Amsterdam. In the second semester, you take a research course on International Organizations and write your thesis on a topic of your own choosing. This is your chance to demonstrate what you have learnt and share your views. Once you successfully complete your Bachelor’s programme, you are ready to move on to the Master’s.

    Subjects

    • Bachelor Thesis Colloquium History and International Studies
    • Bachelor Thesis History and International Studies
    • Internship Bachelor History and International Studies
    • Research Seminar Global Economic and Social History 1500-present
    • Research Seminar Global and Political History 1500-present
    • Research Seminar HIS: International Organizations

    You can find the complete course overview for this year in the Study guide. There you can also download an overview of your programme (see ‘download your schedule’).

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Change your future with the History and International Studies programme

After the Bachelor’s, you can specialise further by following a Master’s programme. As a graduate of History, you could work at a research institute, university, heritage institution, media companies or in government, for example as a researcher, teacher, journalist or policy advisor. 

Explore your future prospects

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