
BA/BSc Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global challenges
The Hague, Netherlands
DURATION
3 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
EUR 19,295 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* This additional fee for studying at LUC, called ‘institutional fee’, is €2.795 for the academic year 2024-2025 and needs to be paid by all students. | The EU fee for 2024-2025 is €2.530. The total fee for 2024-2025, if you have an EU passport and i
Introduction
Global Challenges lie at the centre of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Bachelor programme of Leiden University College (LUC). Our residential college is located in the centre of The Hague, the ‘City of International Peace and Justice’. If you want to participate in a vibrant, stimulating living-learning environment and grasp the opportunities it provides, then LUC is the place for you!
What makes LUC The Hague special?
- Our theme-based curriculum with a focus on four Global Challenges: Peace and Justice, Sustainability, Prosperity and Diversity
- Our top-rated, student-centered, intensive academic programme at our top-rated University College
- Our interactive small-scale classes with our dedicated staff
- Our residential campus where all first and second-year students live together, creating a vibrant living-learning community
- Our location in the centre of The Hague, with its many ministries, international organisations and NGOs offering opportunities for internships and career development
Is this the programme for you?
- Do you want to learn how to think critically about complex societal issues?
- Do you want to connect global challenges with local realities?
- Do you have broad interests and an international orientation?
- Are you talented and like to work hard?
- Do you want to live on campus with fellow students in The Hague?
- Are you looking for an English-language programme?
- Do you want to ‘Build Knowledge for a Better World’?
What is Liberal Arts and Sciences?
The Liberal Arts and Sciences approach to education is an opportunity for you to develop a wide range of academic and social skills, laying the foundations for you to make your next moves after graduation with confidence.
Liberal Arts and Sciences or 'LAS' involves an educational programme that is both multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary in orientation. You learn to think along with and move between disciplines, enabling you to develop critical skills and enhance your academic horizons. The Global Challenges covered in the 1st Year – Sustainability, Diversity, Peace and Justice, and Prosperity – provide the foundation for choosing one of six Majors to follow in the 2nd and 3rd Years, providing the analytical tools to get a grip on the fast-paced demands of 21st century life.
Our additional focus on Global Citizenship links the global challenges with local realities, grounding you with an ethical outlook, an understanding and appreciation of your place in the world, and what you can contribute to it.
Alongside the educational programme, you are encouraged to engage in extra-curricular activities as a fundamental part of their LUC Liberal Arts and Sciences experience. The merging of our academic and residential communities within our own building is an essential part of this. The wide range of student-run clubs provide a host of openings for pursuing hobbies with friends, engaging in volunteer work around the city, or running the student bar. Student input in the College itself is also valued, with opportunities for representing the student body on boards and committees.
Academically, we enable you to respond critically and creatively to the flows of a rapidly changing world, drawing on a set of diverse and dynamic perspectives. Socially, we provide you with an intense and rewarding intercultural experience that facilitates your journey to become global citizens. LAS is thus an all-encompassing educational philosophy that empowers our graduates to pursue their chosen careers with self-confidence and success.
Admissions
Curriculum
LUC's programme, with the focus on Global Challenges, consists of four core components which are spread out over three years of study. Each year is divided into two semesters and each semester consists of two blocks.
Programme components
LUC's programme consists of the following components:
- Mandatory courses which lay the foundation of knowledge
- Major courses which allow you to specialise in a field of interest
- Global Citizenship to develop cross-cultural communication and reflection skills
- Elective space for minors, study abroad, internships or various courses
In the beginning of the study programme the focus will be on gaining the basic knowledge and laying the foundation and skills for the rest of the programme. Therefore, the mandatory courses are part of the first year as well as part of the specialisation taken from the second year onwards. The rest of the components can be taken at any year except for the study abroad option as this can only be done in the first semester of the third year. For more information, please view the individual items below.
Year 1
In your first year, you follow the mandatory foundational courses in the four Global Challenges: Peace & Justice, Sustainability, Prosperity and Diversity. The four mandatory Global Challenge courses introduce you to interdisciplinary thinking by showing how issues can be explored from different perspectives. These courses also help you in choosing your specialisation (Major) at the end of your first year.
The first year also includes other mandatory general skills courses which will help you in the transition from secondary education to university and to build your academic skills. The following courses of the first year are mandatory general skills courses:
- The four Global Challenges courses
- Academic writing
- Mathematics
- Statistics
- History of philosophy
The remaining space is filled with electives which you can use to explore your interests.
Year 2
At the end of the first year, you choose a specialisation based on your interests. LUC offers six specialisations called Majors. Each major has mandatory foundational courses which lay the foundation of knowledge. However, more than half of your major courses are chosen by you from the courses on offer.
In your second year, you can also follow courses for your Global Citizenship component and follow courses to fill up your elective space. Please note that if you wish to fill up your elective space to study abroad, your second year will mostly be filled with Major courses. This is because you will use your elective space for study abroad and this will be a whole semester in your third year.
Year 3
In your third and final year, you continue with your major courses and other programme components. If you wish to study abroad, you can do so in the first semester of your third year. It is also possible to fill up your elective space with a minor at Leiden University or by doing an internship.
You end your third year by writing a Capstone Bachelor thesis, which is a final piece of independent research in which you apply the knowledge, analytical, and methodological skills you have acquired during your studies. Each student has an academic supervisor for the thesis from among our staff, who will guide you through the process.
Gallery
Ideal Students
Is this the programme for you?
- Are you passionate about addressing the global challenges of today’s world?
- Do you have broad interests and an international orientation?
- Do you read the international news with interest?
- Are you committed to finding innovative, sustainable solutions for global challenges?
- Are you bright, talented, enjoy a challenge and like to work hard?
Then the Leiden University College The Hague Bachelor’s is for you!