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About us Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society Our education Master's

Pre-master's and exemptions

The Faculty offers several pre-master's programmes. It depends on your previous education and the master's programme you want to choose, wheter and wich pre-master's programme applies to you.

N.B. On the specific programme webpages, you can find more information about the entry requirements of each MA-programme.

  • Pre-master's programme one-year English taught MA-tracks

If you do not have a bachelor's degree in either the Humanities, Arts or Behavioural and Social Sciences, you probably need to complete a pre-master's programme of 60 ECTS first before you can enter one of the English taught tracks of the one-year master's programme in Theology and Religious Studies. You can find the content of the programme below.

  • Pre-master's programma Spiritual Care (in Dutch)

For the Dutch taught track Spiritual Care (Geestelijke Verzorging) also applies a pre-master programme, generally speaking. You can read more about the details - and the exemptions - below.

Exemptions

However, there are also exemptions. You can read more about the exemptions below.

Pre-master's programme one-year English taugt MA-tracks

There are compulsary courses and several electives you can choose from, depending on the master's track of your choice. In brackets is the abbreviation of the master's track mentioned for which this particular course is compulsory.

1st Semester (30 ECTS)
Concepts and Methods 1: Study of Religion
Rituals in Theory and Practice, or: Christianity: History, Sources and Praxis*
Religion in South Asia
Anthropology of Religion (ARC), or: Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism (RP)
2nd Semester (30 ECTS)
Judaism: History, Sources and Praxis (RP)
Religion, Media and Popular Culture (HR), or: Psychology and Sociology of Religion
Islam: History, Sources and Praxis
Philosophy of Religion and Spirituality, or: Religion and Politics (RCG)

*If you want to keep open the possibility to follow the teacher training (LVHO postmaster in Mens- en Maatschappijwetenschappen) after the one-year MA, you have to choose the course 'Christianity: History, Sources and Praxis'. Please note: the teacher training is only taught in Dutch.


For the pre-master's programme, you will pay a so called compensation in stead of regular tuition fees per ECTS. This compensation is the same for both EU and non-EU students. The study load for each course is 7.5 ECTS.

For any questions, please contact our student advisors to see what the options are.

Pre-master Spiritual Care (Dutch)

For the Dutch taught specialization in Spiritual Care (Geestelijke Verzorging), you need to follow a specific pre-master's programme. Even if you have completed a BA degree in Theology or Religious Studies, unless you have done the Minor in Spiritual Care in your BA programme.

Pre-master's Programme Spiritual Care

Semester 1 (30 ECTS)
Geestelijke Verzorging in beeld. Inleiding en praktische vaardigheden*
Christianity: History, Sources and Praxis
Ethics, Religion and Care
Trauma, rouw en rituelen*
Semester 2 (30 ECTS)
Psychology and Sociology of Religion
Filosofie als levenskunst*
Islam: History, Sources and Practices
Philosophy of Religion and Spirituality

*These courses are taught in Dutch. And please note: the MA Spiritual Care is taught in Dutch.

The study load for each course is 7.5 ECTS.

For questions about this pre-master programme, please contact the study advisor.

Exemptions

Students who do not have a bachelor's degree in Arts, Humanities or Behavioural and Social Sciences are exempted from the requirement to complete the pre-master programme, and still have direct acces to the English taught master's tracks, if they have:

Completed a Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society university minor of 30 ECTS, that is:

Or:

Can demonstrate completion of 30 ECTS worth of subjects in their previous degree programme that have introduced them to the following disciplines:

Students who have completed a bachelor's degree at HBO level are still required to complete the one-year pre-master programme.

For questions about your admissibility, please contact our study advisors.

Application in Studielink

For the pre-master's programme for the English taught master's tracks, you apply in Studielink for the premaster's programme of the BA in Religious Studies.

For the pre-master's programme for the Dutch taught track in Spiritual Care, you apply in Studielink for the pre-master's programme of the BA in Theology.

Last modified:03 April 2025 11.29 a.m.
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