Contact information
- SELCS Admissions Team
- selcs.admissions@ucl.ac.uk
- +44 (0)20 7679 3096
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.
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.
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
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.
In addition to A level and International Baccalaureate, UCL considers a wide range of international qualifications for entry to its undergraduate degree programmes.
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.
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.
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.
An indicative guide to the structure of this programme, year by year.
Dutch language I
You will select modules from a wide range of options. Options may include:
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.
Dutch Language II
You will select modules from a wide range of options. Options may include:
You will also take SELCS Interdepartmental Intermediate modules from a wide choice including literature, history, linguistics and visual culture options.
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.
Dutch Language III
You will select modules from a wide range of options. Options may include:
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.
Modules are assessed by various methods: written and oral/aural examinations, essays, presentations and project work.
Detailed course descriptions are available on the department website: Dutch BA.
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.
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.
Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.
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).
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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