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Contact information
- SELCS Admissions Team
- selcs.admissions@ucl.ac.uk
- +44 (0)20 7679 3096
Dutch BA
This four-year programme focuses on language, culture and history of the Netherlands and Flanders, two neighbouring countries that are among the largest trading partnersof the UK. Dutch is also an official language in Suriname and to a large extent mutually intelligible with Afrikaans, one of South Africa’s languages. Students graduate as fluent and interculturally competent speakers of this global language.
Covid-19 programme updates
Due to COVID-19, there may have been updates to this programme for the 2020 academic year. Where there has been an update, these are indicated with a red alert and a link which will provide further information.
Key Information
Programme starts
September 2020
- UCAS code
- R911
- Duration
-
Full-time: 4 years
- Application deadline
- 15 January 2020
- Location
- London, Bloomsbury
Entry requirements
A Levels
- Grades
- ABB
- Subjects
- Foreign language preferred.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade B or 6, plus Mathematics at grade C or 5. For UK-based students, a grade C or 5 or equivalent in a foreign language (other than Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is required. UCL provides opportunities to meet the foreign language requirement following enrolment, further details at: www.ucl.ac.uk/ug-reqs
Contextual offer
- Grades
- BBB (more about contextual offers)
- Subjects
- Foreign language preferred.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade B or 6, plus Mathematics at grade C or 5. For UK-based students, a grade C or 5 or equivalent in a foreign language (other than Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is required. UCL provides opportunities to meet the foreign language requirement following enrolment, further details at: www.ucl.ac.uk/ug-reqs
IB Diploma
- Points
- 34
- Subjects
- A score of 16 points in three higher level subjects preferably including a foreign language, with no score lower than 5.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 32 (more about contextual offers)
- Subjects
- A score of 15 points in three higher level subjects preferably including a foreign language, with no score lower than 5.
UK applicants qualifications
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Equivalent qualification
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Pass in Access to HE Diploma, with a minimum of 28 credits awarded with Merit in the Level 3 units. Modern Foreign language preferred.
D3,M1,M1 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. Foreign Language preferred.
ABB at Advanced Highers (or AB at Advanced Higher and BBB at Higher). Foreign Language preferred.
Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A-Levels at grades ABB. Foreign language preferred.
International applications
In addition to A level and International Baccalaureate, UCL considers a wide range of international qualifications for entry to its undergraduate degree programmes.
English language requirements
If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency. Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.
The English language level for this programme is: Advanced
A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.
Degree benefits
No previous knowledge of Dutch is required, as you will receive intensive language training in the first two years if you start the subject from scratch. You may also start the programme as a more advanced speaker of Dutch.
You can go on summer language courses after the first year and will spend the third year of study in the Netherlands or Flanders (the northern part of Belgium). You will benefit from the extensive contacts the department has with Dutch and Belgian universities including Amsterdam, Utrecht and Antwerp.
You will study in a small, friendly department. Our high staff to student ratio is unusual in higher education.
You will have access to one of the most comprehensive Dutch libraries in the English-speaking world, including our collection of Dutch and Belgian films and multimedia learning resources.
Degree structure
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
The Dutch BA is a four-year, single-subject programme. Each year, students take a total of 120 credits. The intensive language module develops practical language skills while the cultural studies modules focus on issues of identities and communities, as well as on ways of investigating contemporary culture. Aside from core modules, you can choose options in literature, history and sociolinguistics.
You will also take modules from the UCL School of European Languages, Culture & Society (SELCS). This will allow you to study subjects such as literature, film, linguistics and history and focus on broad cultural movements, issues and approaches from an interdisciplinary perspective.
The third year of study is spent in the Netherlands or Belgium, during which you may study at a Dutch or Belgian university, teach as a language assistant, or work on placement in a field related to your studies or intended career.
Covid-19 study abroad updates
For this academic year, if you were due to study abroad, you should have been contacted by your department with more information. Further guidance can be found on FAQs for 20/21 Study Abroad students about coronavirus (COVID-19).
If you are planning to study abroad in 2021/22, UCL and your department will be in contact with you at the start of the upcoming academic year with information on the application process.
If you plan to study abroad in future years, UCL and your department will provide relevant information and guidance nearer to the time.
Modules
An indicative guide to the structure of this programme, year by year.
Core or compulsory module(s)
Dutch language I
Optional modules
You will select modules from a wide range of options. Options may include:
- Born out of Rebellion: The Netherlands from the Dutch Revolt to the Eve of World War I
- Modern Dutch Literary Texts
You will also choose from a wide range of Interdepartmental modules offered by SELCS. Options may include the study of literature, linguistics, history and film.
Core or compulsory module(s)
Dutch Language II
Optional modules
You will select modules from a wide range of options. Options may include:
- At the Crossroads Of Europe: Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg in the 20th and 21st Centuries
- Multiculturalism and Identity
- 20th Century Dutch Literature: Themes
You will also take SELCS Interdepartmental Intermediate modules from a wide choice including literature, history, linguistics and visual culture options.
Year abroad
You will spend your Year Abroad in a Dutch-speaking country.
You will undertake an internship or a university placement, subject to language choice and approval, to make the most of your cultural and linguistic immersion. The experiences and skills developed while abroad further academic and personal development, cultural and social awareness, provide a foundation for further study and enhance career prospects.
For general information about the year abroad please visit UCL Study Abroad for further details.
Core or compulsory module(s)
Dutch Language III
Optional modules
You will select modules from a wide range of options. Options may include:
- Making Modern Dutch Literature
- Contemporary history and society of the Low Countries
- Project in Dutch
- SELCS interdepartmental advanced modules
Covid-19 module updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be updates to the modules for your chosen programme of study this year. Some modules may not be available or may need to be moved to a later term or year of study.
These updates are relevant for 2020-21 academic year only. The full list of modules will be available in the module catalogue from late August. From the first week of September, you will be invited to complete module selection from Portico, our student record system.
There may need to be additional updates or changes to modules during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available
Your learning
We teach Dutch using modern communicative methods to develop fluency, accuracy and an understanding of stylistic issues. Literature, history, linguistics and cultural studies are taught through a mixture of seminars, group work, web-based courses and tutorials. You will be able to become involved with VirtualDutch, a collaborative teaching network of Dutch departments across the country.
Covid-19 contact hours on campus
In Term One, while campus will be open, all the learning activity for the core content of your modules will take place online – including lectures, tutorials, seminars and assessments. By “core content” we mean everything you need to learn to complete the module successfully.
In addition to these online contact hours, we will be offering some face-to-face educational activities for students on campus, and we will provide alternative online activities for those students unable to join us on campus. These activities, which will include contact with academic staff, will be relevant to your programme of study may include seminars, academic and employability skills workshops, small-group or individual tutorials, lab and practice-based teaching.
UK Government safety guidelines will limit the amount of ‘in person’ activity we can offer and while it will vary from programme to programme, is likely to be no more than 1-2 hours per week. This will vary across departments, particularly if your programme includes laboratory/practical/studio/workshop sessions. You will be updated with more specific details as they are available and your timetable will indicate which sessions will be on campus and which will be available online.
Communicating further Covid-19 mitigation plans
We are continuing to follow UK Government guidance, as well as the expertise of our researchers, including specialists in health, education, human behaviour and infection prevention, to make sure UCL is as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. If it becomes necessary to make further changes to your programme as a result of new guidance/regulations, UCL and your department will communicate these as soon as this becomes clear. We will keep you up-to-date with our plans throughout term one, so you have the information you need to be able to take decisions that are right for your circumstances. Please ensure that you keep in touch with your department by regularly checking your UCL emails, Moodle courses, the Coronavirus FAQs for Students page and any UCL online groups or social media you follow.
Assessment
Modules are assessed by various methods: written and oral/aural examinations, essays, presentations and project work.
Covid-19 assessment updates
There may be changes to the format of assessments for modules in this programme due to COVID-19. These will be summarised for each module on the module catalogue from 17 August 2020.
If any changes to assessments need to be made during the academic year due to updates in government guidance, these will be communicated to you as soon as possible from your department.
Detailed course descriptions are available on the department website: Dutch BA.
Careers
A substantial number of our graduates use their language skills in a variety of contexts, such as public relations (often for multinational companies, many of which have Dutch origins), insurance, banking, political and cultural institutions, or teaching and translating. Some graduates go on to Master's or PhD programmes.
There is significant and growing demand for Dutch-speaking graduates, as evidenced by the regular requests the department receives from employers. In the English-speaking context, a university graduate with a good command of Dutch is rare, giving the graduate a major and distinguishing asset.
Belgium and the Netherlands belong to the world's most advanced manufacturing and trading areas and are among Britain's largest trading partners. They house the headquarters of numerous multinational companies, the political heart of the European Union and NATO. Dutch has 23 million speakers worldwide and Afrikaans, closely related to Dutch, has 17 million.
UCL is commited to helping you get the best start after graduation. Read more about how UCL Careers and UCL Innovation and Enterprise can help you find employment or learn about entrepreneurship.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2020/21 academic year. The UK/EU fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2020/21 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.
- UK/EU students
- £9,250 (2020/21)
- Overseas students
- £21,260 (2020/21)
Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.
Additional costs
If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc. on this programme, please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).
Funding
Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.
Modern European Languages Scholarship
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/scholarships/undergraduate/MELS
Departmental scholarships
Funding opportunities relevant to the department may appear in this section when they are available. Please check carefully or confirm with the programme contact to ensure they apply to this degree programme.
Modern European Languages Scholarship
- Value
- £2,500 per year
- Eligibility
- UK, EU
- Criteria
- Based on academic merit
The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.
Application and next steps
Your application
You are able to take this programme without any previous knowledge of Dutch. However, the degree does require an interest in languages and a proven ability in language learning (see our entry requirements). We will take into account your academic performance and educational background, but also place great importance on your personal statement, your motivation to study Dutch, and your references.
How to apply
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
Application deadline: 15 January 2020
Selection
If your application demonstrates that your academic ability and motivation make you well-suited to our degree and you receive an offer, we will invite you to a Post Offer Open Day. There, you can experience the sort of teaching we offer and life in SELCS.
Our admissions process aims to assess your linguistic abilities and attainments as well as cultural awareness and intellectual potential. We may interview candidates by telephone.
For further information on UCL's selection process see: Selection of students.
Page last modified on 24 February 2020