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Postgraduate Certificate in Dutch Cultural Studies

Description	Pathways through the Certificate
Who is the Certificate for?	Study Guide
Eligibility	Fees and Funding
Curriculum	Application Forms
Programme Structure	Further Perspectives

Description

The Postgraduate Certificate in Dutch Cultural Studies, which is taught entirely online as a distance learning programme, offers a unique opportunity to study the modern society of the Netherlands and Flanders.

The programme is taught in English. It is available to students without previous knowledge of Dutch as well as to those already proficient in the language. Learning Dutch, or improving your command of it, is possible as part of the programme.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Dutch Cultural Studies is offered under the aegis of Virtual Dutch, a consortium of four British universities aiming to promote Dutch studies through online learning and teaching. Teaching staff are drawn from the two major centres of Dutch studies in the United Kingdom: the Department of Dutch at University College London (UCL) and the Department of Germanic Studies at the University of Sheffield.

The programme can be taken full-time (one academic session, October to June) or part-time (spread over two academic sessions).

Who is the Certificate for?

The programme aims to attract suitably qualified students who:

- wish to develop research and analytical skills and upgrade their qualifications;
- have an interest in Dutch and Flemish society and culture;
- are looking for an intellectual challenge at postgraduate level;
- enjoy distance learning.

Eligibility

To be admitted to the Certificate you need a good first degree (BA or equivalent), preferably in a humanities or social science subject, or relevant professional experience. Click here to check the programme’s technical requirements. Contact the UCL Department of Dutch if you are in doubt about your eligibility.

Curriculum

The following five modules, comprising one Core Module and four 'electives', are available in the Postgraduate Certificate:
Core Module: Identity and Belonging in the Low Countries
Identities in Transnational Contexts
Project in Dutch Cultural Studies
Business Dutch Reading Skills Course
Hogelands Advanced Language Course

Structure

The Postgraduate Certificate consists of modules worth a total of 60 credits (or 24 ECTS). Individual modules are 30 credits (or 12 ECTS).
All students take (1) the Core Module and (2) one other module selected from the list of options to reflect your individual interests as well your level of proficiency in Dutch.

Pathways

Several module combinations are possible.

PATHWAY 1. If you do not have any previous knowledge of Dutch and want to develop reading skills in a particular kind of Dutch, i.e. economic and business language:
1. Core Module
2. Elective: Business Dutch Reading Skills Course
Note: if you have no previous knowledge of Dutch and would like a comprehensive Dutch language course for beginners, you should take the Lagelands Beginners Dutch Short Course before entering the Postgraduate Certificate.

PATHWAY 2. If you do not have previous knowledge of Dutch and want to learn about Dutch and Flemish society and culture without acquiring reading skills in Dutch:
1. Core Module
2. Elective: either Identities in Transnational Contexts or Project in Dutch Cultural Studies
The materials for these modules are in English, and you will write your Project in English.

PATHWAY 3. If you have some previous knowledge of Dutch and want to improve your overall command of the language (i.e. listening, reading, speaking and writing):
1. Core Module
2. Elective: Hogelands Advanced Dutch Language Course

PATHWAY 4. If you already possess a good all-round knowledge of Dutch:
1. Core Module
2. Elective: either Identities in Transnational Contexts or Project in Dutch Cultural Studies
You will use Dutch-language alongside English-language materials for the modules. If you choose the Project module, you can write your project work in Dutch if you wish.

Study Guide

The Study Guide provides detailed information on all aspects of the programme. It can be consulted here.

Fees and Funding

The fees for the Postgraduate Certificate in Dutch Cultural Studies in the 2010-11 session are as follows:

UK/EU: £1,705 full-time; £855 part-time (2010/11)
Overseas: £4,740 full-time; £2,435 part-time (2010/11)

The UCL Department of Dutch is offering TWO scholarships covering part of the fees for new students starting in September 2010. To read more about the scholarships, click here.

Further Perspectives

Successful completion of the Postgraduate Certificate in Dutch Cultural Studies entitles you to carry the abbreviation PgCert (Hum) (UCL) behind your name.

The Postgraduate Certificate is part of a new and larger programme which comprises a Postgraduate Diploma in Dutch Cultural Studies (from September 2010) and a fully-fledged MA in Dutch Cultural Studies (from September 2011 onwards). The Certificate comprises 60 credits, the Diploma 120 credits, the MA 180 credits.

When you have completed the Postgraduate Certificate you can, if you wish, continue with the Diploma and afterwards the MA. The credits you have accumulated in the Certificate will count towards the Diploma and the MA. Fees you have paid for the Certificate will be deducted from the Diploma fee. See the Postgraduate Diploma pages for details.

Application Forms

Click here to access the application form for admission to the Postgraduate Certificate in Dutch Cultural Studies.
You can also pre-register an interest in individual courses by completing and submitting the relevant forms that you find in the course descriptions.

Last modified: 15.04.2010
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