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Minors at VU Amsterdam

View our minors offer!
Last updated on 13 February 2025
In the first semester of the third study year of your bachelor's degree, you can take a minor in the elective space.

A minor consists of a fixed selection of courses of 30 EC on a specific subject, allowing you to broaden or deepen your study programme. You can choose to take a minor within or outside your field of study, at your own or another faculty or even at another university.

With a minor, you can better prepare yourself for a specific master's programme, follow your interests or get an idea of the kind of work you want to do after graduation. Not sure yet? Get advice from your academic advisor and find out about the various possibilities.

Most minors have entry requirements, so check these carefully before registering. A minor can also be taken extracurricularly.

Check the other options within the elective space as well, such as exchange, an internship or electives.

Registration procedure

Registration for a minor can be done via the registration module, provided that the minor is part of your study programme. In the Teaching and Examination Regulations (TER) (see the Study Guide) can be found which minors you can follow as part of your study programme without requesting permission beforehand. More information about applying for a minor as a VU Amsterdam student.

Please note! It is possible that not all minors offered by your faculty are also accessible for your programme.

Permission from the Examination Board

In some cases, you need permission from the Examination Board to include a minor in your programme's elective space.

  • Non pre-approved minors
    It is possible to take a minor outside your study programme and/or offered by another faculty or university. If you want to take this minor within the elective space of your study programme, you have to request permission from the Examination Board of your own programme in advance.
  • Courses already taken
    If one or more courses from a minor are already part of your regular courses, you cannot take this minor (in full). This is because courses cannot be counted twice. In that case, you have to ask the Examination Board for permission to fill in your elective space.

Please note! Check the entry requirements of the various minors carefully: not all minors are open to all students.

More about minors

Minors per faculty

The terms and conditions for minors may differ per faculty. Check with the faculty of your bachelor's programme which requirements your minor must meet.

  • ACTA

    The Faculty of Dentistry (ACTA) does not offer any minors.

  • BETA

    Minors of the Faculty of Science (BETA)

  • FBMS

    Minors of the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences (FBMS)

    For minors of the bachelor's programmes Pedagogical Sciences, Movement Sciences and Psychology you do not need to request permission from the Examination Board.

  • HUM

    Minors of the Faculty of Humanities (HUM)

    Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) students do not follow a minor or elective courses in the first semester of the third year but can do an internship or go on exchange instead.

  • FRT

    Minors of the Faculty of Religion and Theology (FRT)

  • FSS

    Minors of the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS)

    When you choose for a minor, you follow a 30 credits programme with fixed courses on one subject. This can be within the Faculty of Social Sciences, at another VU Amsterdam faculty or at another university.

    All students who are going to fill in their elective space must meet the requirement that at least 12 ECTS are courses of “level 300” (advanced level).

    If a certain course from the faculty minor is already part of your regular courses, you will not be able to (completely) follow this minor as courses cannot be counted twice. In that case, ask the Examination Board for permission to fill your elective space.

    You can fill in your elective space without permission from the Examination Board with a FSW-minor (if none of the courses of the minor are part of your regular courses) or university minor. For other minors you must first request permission from the Examination Board.

  • MED

    Minors of the Faculty of Medicine (MED)

    The minors of the bachelor's programme of Medicine focus on medical scientific deepening and broadening and the translational connection between research and clinic. The aim is to strengthen academic and scientific education within the clinical context. As a result, you will be better prepared for current developments in healthcare. In light of internationalisation and the reinforcement of academic training, the minors are taught in English. Please mind that in some minors certain components (e.g. patient presentations) will be taught in Dutch.

    The minors Challenges in Women's & Child Healthcare, Clinical & Scientific Internal Medicine, Comprehensive Care and Anatomy and Global Health Indonesia are only open to Medicine students of VU Amsterdam.

    The minors at the Faculty of Medicine start in September, last 16 weeks and comprise a total of 24 EC. Teaching is small-scale and consists of interactive tutorials of +/- 25-48 students, study groups of approximately 12 students, practicals and working visits. Each minor is multidisciplinary in scope. You can complete your minor in January with a literature essay (6 EC) to make it 30 EC.

    For more information see the web page International Minors in Medicine (electives/exchange).

  • LAW

    Minors of the Faculty of Law (LAW)

    In principle, a minor which is to be included in a bachelor's programme of the faculty of Law must meet the following level requirements:

    • maximum of 1 course (or 6 EC) on level 100; and
    • minimum of 2 courses (or 12 EC) on level 300.

    For VU minor courses the level is mentioned in the Study Guide. For more information see the OER of your programme.

    Completing a specific minor is not a requirement for admission to the master's programmes of the Faculty of Law, except for the master's programme in Tax Law. For this master you must have successfully completed the Business Economics courses (9 EC) and a Tax Law course (6 EC) of the minor Tax Law. 

  • SBE

    Minors of the School of Business and Economics (SBE)

The Faculty of Dentistry (ACTA) does not offer any minors.

Minors of the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences (FBMS)

For minors of the bachelor's programmes Pedagogical Sciences, Movement Sciences and Psychology you do not need to request permission from the Examination Board.

Minors of the Faculty of Humanities (HUM)

Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) students do not follow a minor or elective courses in the first semester of the third year but can do an internship or go on exchange instead.

Minors of the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS)

When you choose for a minor, you follow a 30 credits programme with fixed courses on one subject. This can be within the Faculty of Social Sciences, at another VU Amsterdam faculty or at another university.

All students who are going to fill in their elective space must meet the requirement that at least 12 ECTS are courses of “level 300” (advanced level).

If a certain course from the faculty minor is already part of your regular courses, you will not be able to (completely) follow this minor as courses cannot be counted twice. In that case, ask the Examination Board for permission to fill your elective space.

You can fill in your elective space without permission from the Examination Board with a FSW-minor (if none of the courses of the minor are part of your regular courses) or university minor. For other minors you must first request permission from the Examination Board.

Minors of the Faculty of Medicine (MED)

The minors of the bachelor's programme of Medicine focus on medical scientific deepening and broadening and the translational connection between research and clinic. The aim is to strengthen academic and scientific education within the clinical context. As a result, you will be better prepared for current developments in healthcare. In light of internationalisation and the reinforcement of academic training, the minors are taught in English. Please mind that in some minors certain components (e.g. patient presentations) will be taught in Dutch.

The minors Challenges in Women's & Child Healthcare, Clinical & Scientific Internal Medicine, Comprehensive Care and Anatomy and Global Health Indonesia are only open to Medicine students of VU Amsterdam.

The minors at the Faculty of Medicine start in September, last 16 weeks and comprise a total of 24 EC. Teaching is small-scale and consists of interactive tutorials of +/- 25-48 students, study groups of approximately 12 students, practicals and working visits. Each minor is multidisciplinary in scope. You can complete your minor in January with a literature essay (6 EC) to make it 30 EC.

For more information see the web page International Minors in Medicine (electives/exchange).

Minors of the Faculty of Law (LAW)

In principle, a minor which is to be included in a bachelor's programme of the faculty of Law must meet the following level requirements:

  • maximum of 1 course (or 6 EC) on level 100; and
  • minimum of 2 courses (or 12 EC) on level 300.

For VU minor courses the level is mentioned in the Study Guide. For more information see the OER of your programme.

Completing a specific minor is not a requirement for admission to the master's programmes of the Faculty of Law, except for the master's programme in Tax Law. For this master you must have successfully completed the Business Economics courses (9 EC) and a Tax Law course (6 EC) of the minor Tax Law. 

VU Minor Market

VU Minor Market

You might be looking for something that dovetails with your degree programme, or maybe you’d like to take a look behind the scenes of another academic field. Perhaps you need to take a minor as a prerequisite for a Master’s programme.

At VU Amsterdam you will always find a minor that suits your needs and interests.

Visit the VU Minor Market!
A face shaped by a variety of social themes

Do you need help making your choice?

Get advice from the academic advisor and discuss the different options.

Contact the academic advisor of your faculty or study programme.

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