History: Global History and International Studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Learn about global history and flows of people, goods and ideas

The MA specialisation History: Global History and International Studies is a unique programme combining approaches from history and the social sciences.

The History department of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has a long tradition in teaching and researching global relations and international history. Special areas of attention are economic, colonial and postcolonial relations between Western countries and the postcolonial world – including Africa and Southeast Asia.

We also focus on the relations between Europe and the US in the wider context of the Atlantic world and the global impact of changes in Asia and China.

Mehr Infos zum Studiengang? Besuche die Website!

weiter: Studieninhalte »

History: Global History and International Studies

How globalization has shaped today’s world

The History department of VU Amsterdam has a long tradition in teaching and researching global relations and international history. Our focus areas include economic, colonial and postcolonial relations between Western countries and the postcolonial world—including Africa and Southeast Asia. We also have a large amount of expertise in the relations between Europe and the US in the wider context of the Atlantic world and the global impact of changes in Asia and China.

Furthermore, this specialisation programme focusses on how the circulation of people, goods and ideas has shaped the world as we know it today. The link between history and contemporary political debates on migration, nationalism and ethnicity is discussed throughout the specialisation. A combination of core courses and specialisations

Those who specialise, in addition to the general subjects, take research seminars and specialised tutorials. Your courses will cover a range of issues, such as:

• the ‘Great Divergence’ between industrial development in China and Europe
• unfree labour in a global perspective
• the circulation of racial theories
• global migrations

Students interested in pursuing an internship as part of their study programme can propose a project with a collaborating institution, subject to approval from the university.

You have the freedom to choose the subject of your master’s thesis, as long as it linked to the broader field of your specialisation.

Learn from our experts

You will learn about the latest methods and research from our experts in the field.

The programme is taught by staff from the Chair of Economic and Social History (dr. Pepijn Brandon, dr. Wybren Verstegen, and prof. dr. Ulbe Bosma from the I.I.S.G.), the Chair of Water and Environmental History (Prof.dr. Petra van Dam) and the Chair of Global History from an Anthropological Perspective (Prof.dr. Pál Nyiri).

You will have the opportunity to improve your knowledge, network and skills by participating in activities of VU research institutes such as the centre for Environmental Humanities and CLUE+.

Mehr Infos zum Studiengang? Besuche die Website!

« zurück: Kurzprofil

weiter: Karriere »

History: Global History and International Studies

A master’s degree in History: Global History and International Studies makes you an attractive employment prospect because you have broad-based knowledge of societal challenges from a contemporary and historical perspective. Besides, you have developed an analytical way of reading and writing. These are skills that are specially important in today’s information driven society. Many of our alumni found jobs as advisor, journalist, consultant and policy analist.

With a master’s title in History you can embark on PhD research at a university or research institute. If you aim at an academic career you could also consider following the two-year research master’s degree course in History. This master’s degree course trains you specifically as a (university) researcher.

Mehr Infos zum Studiengang? Besuche die Website!

« zurück: Studieninhalte

weiter: Zulassung »

History: Global History and International Studies

I have an international degree

Admission is based on a strict selection procedure. The Faculty’s Admission Board will decide upon your admission after having evaluated your complete online application. 

To qualify for the master’s programme, you must have a bachelor's degree from an officially recognised research university, including a minimum of three years of full-time academic studies with at least 180 ECTS or the equivalent.

The master’s programme in History is for students with an academic bachelor’s degree in History. You may also qualify if you have an academic bachelor’s degree in another discipline of the Humanities (e.g. Theology, Philosophy) or in Anthropology or Sociology, if you have a major or specialisation equal to a minimum of 30 ECTS in History courses.

For international students, the level of studied academic theory needs to be based on the course description, literature list and sample of academic writing, due to a lack of distinction between applied and academic universities abroad.

Proof of sufficient proficiency in English

You must always present official test results proving your proficiency in English. Only students who have completed a full high school/International Baccalaureate in English or bachelor’s degree in Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, or Australia may be exempted. You can already apply online without having the test results. In case you haven’t taken a test yet we advise you to plan a test date as soon as possible.

Below you will find the minimum English test scores for the English taught programmes at the Faculty of Humanities:

• TOEFL score (score 600 paper based with a minimum of 55 in each of the subtests plus 4.0 in TWE, score 250 computer based or score 100 internet based with a minimum of 20-23 in each of the subtests).
• IELTS score of 7.0 overall band score (with none of the separate section scores dropping below a minimum score of 6.5).
• Cambridge English: Cambridge Proficiency Exam A, B, C, or Cambridge Advanced Exam A, B, C.

Please refer to the Admission and language requirements page for the general requirements.

I have a Dutch university level (WO) bachelor’s degree (VU bachelor's degree, VU premaster or bachelor's degree at another university)

You will be directly admitted to the master’s programme if you have a bachelor’s degree in History from a Dutch research (WO) university.

If you have a bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g. European Studies, Anthropology), your application must be assessed by the Board of Admissions.

Mehr Infos zum Studiengang? Besuche die Website!

« zurück: Karriere

weiter: Masterstudiengänge »

Übersicht der Masterstudiengänge - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Mehr Infos zum Studiengang? Besuche die Website!

« zurück: Zulassung

weiter: Kontakt »

« zurück: Masterstudiengänge