B.Sc. in Political Science: Global Politics

You will begin with a rigorous introduction to the core concepts and theories of national politics, international relations, and public administration. You will pay a visit to the Dutch Senate and delve into the philosophy of politics. You will be working on your debate and communication skills so that you can support your arguments and write strong political papers. You will also develop your skills through the Model United Nations, and investigate the functioning of the UN by means of a topical case study, such as the conflict in the South China Sea.

• Mentorship Global Politics 1
• Academic Skills Workshop Political Science 1
• English Language Test
• State, Power and Conflict
• Social Research Methodology
• The Governance and Politics of Social Problems
• Academic Skills Workshop Political Science 2
• Descriptive and Inferential Statistics
• History of Political Thought
• Workshop Model United Nations
• Dutch Politics and Qualitative Methods
• History of Social Science

In Global Politics you focus on international issues. What are the results of the protracted conflict in Syria? You will learn about the consequences of civil wars, and study how the world economy influences governments and vice versa. In the second semester, you will follow international courses with students from other social science disciplines, and you will investigate in depth an important social science theme: globalisation, diversity, or digitisation. In lectures and tutorials, you will seek solutions to the challenges facing society today.

In the first semester, you have the time and space to shape your own curriculum. You might study abroad, do an internship (e.g., at an embassy or with the Amsterdam city council), or follow a minor. You can choose a minor within the social sciences or in a different field that interests you, such as economics or law. This way, you can give your study programme its own particular flavour. In the second semester you will write a Bachelor’s thesis, developing special expertise on the topic of your thesis research.