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Language, Culture and History: Dutch Studies MA

London, Bloomsbury

Advance your Dutch language skills while learning about Dutch culture, giving you crucial and in-demand expertise ideal for today’s job market. The Language, Culture and History: Dutch MA incorporates the study of Dutch literature, history and society. Taught at UCL, you’ll benefit from access to the university’s renowned scholars and one of the largest Dutch libraries outside of the Low Countries.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£16,800
£8,400
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£35,400
£17,700
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. A knowledge of Dutch at least equivalent to CEFR B2 is required. Applications from students who do not have formal qualifications in Dutch but who are competent in the language, will be considered.

The English language level for this course is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree


Founded in 1919, UCL houses one of the oldest centres for Dutch Studies (Neerlandistiek) in the UK. The Dutch Studies pathway of the Language, Culture and History MA provides the opportunity for in-depth study of Dutch literature, culture, history and society. It offers the opportunity to improve Dutch language skills as part of the course, along with the methods, concepts and theories essential for the intercultural labour market.

There are seven language routes on the MA course:

  • Dutch Studies pathway
  • French and Francophone Studies pathway
  • German Studies pathway
  • German History pathway
  • Hispanic Studies pathway
  • Italian Studies pathway
  • Scandinavian Studies pathway

The Language, Culture and History: Dutch Studies MA, comprises of one compulsory module. This core module provides a combination of methodology and research topics (historiography, literary studies, cultural studies), and is designed to work as a postgraduate-level foundation. Providing you with the specific skills and knowledge to research, write academic essays and the dissertation.

You will also take optional modules and a dissertation. If you choose the 60-credit dissertation, you take 90 credits of optional modules. If you choose the 90-credit research dissertation, you take fewer optional modules (60 credits), in favour of writing an extended dissertation to focus on your own interests.

You will choose optional modules which are specific to your subject language, as well as cultural modules, which cover a range of topics that draw on literature, film, history, and linguistics, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Further details can be found on our Postgraduate Modules page.

Who this course is for

The course is suitable for students with a first degree or equivalent with an interest in Dutch language, history, culture and society, or the impact Dutch had or continues to have in the world. Reading knowledge of Dutch is required, but this can also be improved as part of the course.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

UCL Dutch houses the largest Centre for Low Countries Studies in the Anglophone world. It was here that Dutch first attained the status of an academic discipline and a chair in Dutch has been occupied almost continuously since 1919.

UCL Dutch has one of the largest Dutch libraries outside of the Low Countries and hosts an annual Writer-in-Residence, as well as regular research seminars by visiting lecturers and professors from the Netherlands and Flanders. Students on this course benefit from these rich resources. Together with exchange students, the department enjoys incredibly close contact with the Dutch-speaking world.

UCL's central location offers students easy access to London's extraordinary resources, including the major collection of Dutch and Flemish Art in the National Gallery, the Courtauld Institute of Art, and the Warburg Institute, among many others. The cultural offerings of the Dutch Centre Austin Friars, Flanders House, and the Dutch and Belgian embassies and associations, and a wealth of exhibitions, films and theatrical performances are all nearby for students to explore.

UCL Dutch is housed within the UCL School of European Languages, Culture & Society (SELCS). Supervision and teaching is available from world-leading researchers in SELCS and the Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry (CMII), with 83% of SELCS-CMII research activity being graded 4* ‘world leading’ and 3* ‘internationally excellent’ in the REF 2021.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

The course will be of interest both to those who wish to enhance their knowledge of Dutch culture for professional purposes – in the fields of education, media, commerce and tourism, for example – as well as to students wishing to subsequently pursue their studies at doctoral level.

Recent SELCS-CMII graduates from our Language Culture and History MA courses have gone on to work in sectors such as: Publishing, journalism and translation (14.3%); PR, advertising and marketing (4.8%); media (9.5%), teaching and other educational activities (23.8%). They have gone on to work for employers such as the BBC, Toyota and the Financial Conduct Authority. Others have gone onto further study.*

*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017-2022 cohorts.

Employability

Learning Dutch opens up unique career opportunities across Europe and beyond, with Dutch being spoken across the Netherlands, Flanders, Suriname and parts of the Caribbean. The Netherlands are a top export and import destination for the UK and the connections with Flanders also make Dutch an extremely useful skill to have in an increasingly competitive job market.

Graduates with Dutch are rare and this makes for a vibrant employment situation, even in times of economic crisis. There is demand for graduates who can help overcome the shortage of teachers of Dutch and translators from Dutch into English. The demand for teachers may come from adult education institutes and from higher and secondary education; in the case of translators, it may come from Dutch, Belgian and European institutions, from translation agencies and from business.

Modern Languages graduates are highly valued by employers for their linguistic and cultural knowledge, and for their set of transferable skills in communication, translation and intercultural understanding.

Networking

Our location offers students access to special collections in modern languages and culture at UCL and other world-class libraries nearby such as Senate House and the British Library. 

These resources, besides their collections of books, articles, videos, sound recordings and non-public online resources, offer a wide range of seminars, lecture series and other opportunities to exchange ideas. Other libraries and research centres within walking distance of campus include the British Museum; the Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies; the Institute of Historical Research and the Warburg Institute.

UCL Careers also offers a range of services, providing access to skills development, recruitment and networking events.

Teaching and learning

You will gain experience of writing essays and training in conducting original research and applying the appropriate methodology. Demonstrating intellectual flexibility by engaging with a diverse range of subject areas and disciplinary approaches. 

The course is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and private study. Term 3 is devoted to revision sessions and the dissertation project. 

Students are assessed by a variety of methods, which may include coursework, presentations, written essays, groupwork, unseen examinations and the research dissertation. Teaching sessions are interactive, with a limited amount of lecturer presentation and an emphasis on student participation and critical discussion.

For a full-time postgraduate course, typical contact hours vary between 8-10 hours each week during term time, depending on module choices, and include lectures, seminars, practice-based activities and e-learning activities.

You will also display a level of independent study (25-30 hours per week), by engaging with key topics and required readings in preparation for the discussions promoted in the course.

For a part-time postgraduate course, contact hours would usually be 4-6 hours per week across 2-3 days and we recommend around 10-12 hours of independent study per week.

There is minimal teaching during Term 3, as students focus on the dissertation and other assessments.

Modules

You will take a total of 180 credits and choose either a dissertation taught pathway (60 credits) or a dissertation research pathway (90 credits).

During the academic year, you will take one compulsory module. This core module sets the foundation for the whole MA, preparing you for further learning and for your dissertation. You will also choose approximately 90 credits of optional modules (usually six 15-credit modules). On the research pathway, you will take 60 credits of optional modules (usually four 15-credit modules).

During Term 2, in addition to your taught modules, you will start to formulate your dissertation proposal. Planning and research will continue into the third term, when you will develop your dissertation outline and structure in discussion with your supervisor. You will give a presentation of your dissertation project to your peers and tutors. This is a non-assessed compulsory element of the MA.

You will then spend the summer researching and writing your dissertation with the support of your supervisor. On the taught pathway, your dissertation will be 12,000 words, and on the research pathway, your dissertation will be 18,000 words.

There are two pathways through the course: taught and research. In Year 1, you will take one compulsory module. This core module sets the foundation for the whole MA, preparing you for further learning and for your dissertation. You will also take 30 credits of optional modules (usually two 15-credit modules).

During Terms 2 and 3, you will begin to formulate your dissertation proposal. In the summer you then develop your outline and structure in discussion with your supervisor and begin to research your dissertation.

In Year 2, you take a further 60 credits of optional modules (usually four 15-credit modules spread across both terms), to develop your broader understanding and build on key concepts introduced in the first year. On the research pathway, you will take 30 credits of optional modules (usually two 15-credit modules).

In Term 3, you will give a presentation to your peers and tutors on your dissertation project. This is a non-assessed compulsory element of your MA. You will then spend the summer of Year 2 continuing to research and write your dissertation with the support of your supervisor. On the taught pathway, your dissertation will be 12,000 words, and on the research pathway, your dissertation will be 18,000 words.

Compulsory modules



Optional modules


Contemporary Culture and History of the Low Countries




The Contemporary in Dutch Literature


Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Language, Culture and History: Dutch Studies. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Language, Culture and History: Dutch Studies. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Language, Culture and History: Dutch Studies.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

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All open days and events

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Book a 1-2-1 with the Language, Culture and History MA Course Team

Book a meeting with the Language, Culture and History MA course team. You will be able to ask any questions you may have about the course: how the course will be taught, where the course could take you or about studying this course at UCL.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £16,800 £8,400
Tuition fees (2026/27) £35,400 £17,700

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

There is no fee deposit required for PG Dip and PG Cert applicants.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Additional costs may include expenses such as books, stationery, printing or photocopying. Students receive a free printing allowance each year and pay for any additional printing (see details), while books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library as hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For more details about this scholarship and other funding available to MA students in the department, including Postgraduate Bursaries (Dutch), please refer to our Funding, Scholarships and Prizes (Masters) webpage.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Jean Orr Scholarship

Value: £7,000 (1 year)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: UKOverseas

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application, we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Dutch Studies at graduate level;
  • why you want to study Dutch Studies at UCL;
  • what particularly attracts you to this course;
  • how your personal, academic and professional background may assist with meeting the demands of a challenging course;
  • where you would like to go professionally following the degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this course match what the course will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

School of European Languages, Culture and Society
School of European Languages, Culture and Society

selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk

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