Frequently Asked Questions VU Honours Programme

Practical Issues

• For whom is the VU Honours Programme?

  The Honours Programme is designed for students who have the motivation to take extra courses in the second and third year of their Bachelor’s programme. You are an eligible candidate if you passed all your first-year bachelor courses with a grade average of 7.5 (by the end of that first year).

• Why should I apply?

  The Honours Programme offers students a lot of opportunities and benefits. Most students participate in the Honours Programme because they want to learn more, both in and outside their own field of study. 

  But that's not all! 

  Summing up all the benefits of following the VU Honours Programme: 

  • You challenge yourself | By crossing the boundaries of your own study programme, you develop skills you might miss out on if you only complete a Bachelor degree. You become familiar with interdisciplinary thinking and will find out which other disciplines excite you. 
  • You receive intensive, small-scale teaching | You gain a deeper understanding of new subjects while being taught by passionate academics. During the course there is lots of interaction in class, guest lectures from the working field and specially organised memorable excursions where students can experience the subject  first-hand. 
  • You meet like-minded students in small groups | An opportunity to actively apply theoretical knowledge in close collaboration with like-minded peers and inspirational guidance.
  • You shape your degree to suit your own ambitions and interests | While you compile your own set of courses, you broaden and deepen the knowledge and skills you aspire, and create your own learning journey.
  • You distinguish yourself | By showing that you are motivated, not afraid to take on extra challenges and achieve more than average.
  • You become part of a community | Extra opportunities will be brought to your attention, so you can establish new connections. Projects, jobs, internships and summer schools.
  • You receive an honours mentioning on your diploma | This will give you a head start when applying for example to a selective Master's degree programme and enhance your career prospects.

• How is placement in courses handled?

  Placement in courses will be at random and not on a first come, first served basis. It is determined by an algorithm. Some courses are more popular than others so we are forced to use an allocation system.

• Are there any costs involved in participating in the Honours Programme?

  No, participating in the Honours Programme does not increase your tuition fees. However, there might be additional costs for books and other study materials. Some interdepartmental courses also include an excursion (e.g. to Gent or Istanbul) for which you have to bear the costs.

• Are the honours courses offered in English?

  Yes, almost all honours courses are taught and assessed in English. For the few honours courses that are taught in Dutch, it is always clearly indicated in the course title and course description that these are Dutch honours courses.

• My VU.nl Dashboard does not display that I am an honours student.

  From September onwards, all new hours students get a special honours status in the VU administrative system (SAP). This honours status is not visible to you as a student on VU.nl, but it is visible for your faculty.

• I do not see my honours courses on my VU.nl dashboard.

  This is correct (in case of interfaculty honours courses of VU, UvA and AUC). These courses only appear on your dashboard after you successfully passed the course and your grade has been registered.

• I have a disability; how can I make use of support facilities while taking VU honours courses?

  If you have a functional disability and/or chronic illness, you can arrange for special facilities you might need. Contact your academic advisor for assistance in these matters. Once you have these facilities assigned, please inform us on honours@vu.nl so that you can also use these for your interfaculty honours courses.
  
  More about Studying with a disability or illness:
  
  Many students in higher education are dealing with a disability or (chronic) illness. Quite a lot of these students cope with dyslexia. In addition, there are students with chronic pain, an autism spectrum disorder or psychological problems. VU is committed to helping students with a disability or illness, to participate as fully as possible in all aspects of academic life. This certainly also applies to honours education.

  If you have a functional disability and/or chronic illness, you can arrange for special facilities you might need. Contact your academic advisor for assistance in these matters. These facilities may relate to your participation in educational activities and assessments, but they may also concern your personal circumstances. Some commonly used extras are additional educational facilities (including adjusted planning, attendance requirement) and facilities for exams (including extra time, permission to visit the rest room).

  Honours education is administered differently compared to regular bachelor education. If you want to make use of special facilities for interfaculty honours courses, please contact us on honours@vu.nl.

  We will need a confirmation of approval from your academic advisor when you want to make use of extra time or extra facilities to enable you to best participate in interfaculty honours courses. For your faculty honours courses, appointed special facilities should be known already to the course coordinator and/or the exam proctor.

  If you have further questions about using these facilities, please visit the website https://vu.nl/en/student/studying-with-a-disability

• I want to know more about the Code of Conduct and the Regulations of the Honours Programme?

  Studying with a disability?
  Want to know how you can make use of support while taking VU honours courses? See the Q&A regarding this topic. 

  Honours Programme Code of Conduct
  This document provides the framework for what is expected of students and teaching staff within the VU Honours Programme. 

  Regulations VU UvA Honours Programme
  Read here all about the Honours Programme regulations regarding several topics: descriptions, characteristics, admission, pass requirements, etcetera. 

• What is the studyload of the VU Honours Programme?

  You earn 6 EC for each honours course, which equals a studyload of 168 study hours, just like for your regular Bachelor courses. There are some 12 EC courses that require double the time investment. This time includes contact hours with teaching staff and peers in- and outside of class meetings, literature study, assignments and preparation for assessments.

Schedule and Planning

• Is my current schedule (lectures and seminars of my regular bachelor) taken into account?

  Most honours courses take place in the evening, which means that overlap with your regular bachelor courses is less likely. However, we cannot take your individual schedule into account. When choosing which honours courses you will take, please make sure that their schedules do not overlap with the schedules of your regular bachelor courses.

• Is it true that you follow courses from your own faculty, but also outside of your own faculty? How does this work?

  Yes, this is true. The Honours Programme consists of two parts: the faculty part, and the interfaculty part. You follow 12 – 18 EC in courses at your own faculty, and 12 – 18 EC in interfaculty courses at VU, UvA or AUC.

• Is it possible to take more honours courses in one semester?

  Yes, this is possible, as long as the schedules of these courses do not overlap and only if there are sufficient places available in the courses of your preference.

• How much time does this programme take on average per week?

  In practice, you do not take extra honours courses every single period. During the periods you take on extra courses, you should expect an additional study load of 15-22 hours per week.

• I fear that the extra exams of honours courses during exam weeks will lower my study results for regular bachelor courses.

  Honours courses hardly ever have exams, but written assignments, essays and presentations instead. The deadlines usually do not run parallel to the regular exam weeks.

• Is it possible to do honours and to study abroad for one semester?

  Yes, but this will increase your extra study load. It is not possible to follow an interfaculty honours course during an exchange period. Make sure to take this into account if you wish to go on exchange, by planning your honours courses before and after the exchange period. If you have or expect to have a study delay due to this exchange period, you can submit a request for an extension to the Examination Board.

Passing Requirements

• Can I re-sit exams in order to meet the (admission or passing) requirements for the Honours Programme?

  Yes, you can re-sit exams for your regular bachelor courses to improve your grade average. Note: the last result obtained determines the final result.

• Does the required grade average of at least 7.5 apply to my regular bachelor courses, or to both my bachelor and honours courses?

  Upon graduation, you will need a grade average of 7.5 for all your regular bachelor courses. The grades obtained for honours courses are not taken into account in calculating your grade average.

• Do the results of honours courses count towards awarding cum laude?

  No, the results of honours courses or other honours projects do not count in awarding cum laude. For a cum laude classification, only the results of your regular bachelor’s programme (180 EC) are taken into account.

• What should I do if I do not manage to complete the 30 EC of the Honours Programme / if I do not meet the required grade average of at least 7.5?

  This means you will not get an honours mentioning on your diploma. However, this doesn’t mean that your work was a waste of effort! The extra courses you completed will appear as extra-curricular courses supplementing your diploma.

• What should I do if I want to quit the Honours Programme?

  We of course encourage all honours students to continue the programme, but there may be valid reasons to drop out. If you wish to quit the programme, please inform us via e-mail (honours@vu.nl).

  The extra courses you completed will appear as extra-curricular courses on your diploma supplement.

• What happens to the honours courses I passed if I decide to stop or if I fail to meet the requirements?

  Passing courses is no waste of effort. The extra courses you completed will appear as extra-curricular courses on your diploma supplement.

• What are my options if I have a study delay (for example due to an exchange period abroad)?

  The passing requirements state that you have to complete your bachelor’s programme and Honours Programme within three years. However, if you have or expect to have a study delay, you can submit a request for an extension to the Examination Board.

  The Examination Board may grant permission to deviate from the prescribed duration of study in the event of exceptional personal circumstances or if your prescribed course of study has been extended as a result of an approved exchange period or student work placement abroad.

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