Degrees

12 Mar 2010

Students who enrol on higher education programmes will obtain a bachelor’s degree upon completion of the undergraduate phase, and a master’s degree upon completion of the graduate phase.

Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences award both types of degrees. Institutes for International Education offer master’s programmes, but no bachelor’s programmes.
 

Bachelor

A research university bachelor’s programme requires 3 years of study (180 credits). Graduates obtain a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science (BA/BSc) degree, depending on the discipline. A bachelor’s degree programme offered by universities of applied sciences requires 4 years of study (240 credits). The degree indicates the field of study (for example, Bachelor of Engineering, B Eng).
 

Master

A research-oriented master’s programme requires 1, 2 or sometimes even 3 years (60-180 credits) of study. Graduates obtain a Master of Arts or Master of Science (MA/MSc) degree. A master’s degree awarded in the applied arts and sciences requires the completion of 60-120 credits. Graduates obtain a degree indicating the field of study (for example, Master of Architecture, M Arch).
 

PhD

In Holland, PhD degrees are only offered by research universities. One of the IE institutes (ISS) has the right to confer the doctorate, the other institutes may prepare students for admission to the doctorate at universities. All research universities award PhD degrees based on vacancies. You can find more information about PhD in Holland on the website Euraxess.nl.

Institution Duration
Universities  PhD: 4 years 
  Master of Arts (MA): 1-2 years 
  Master of Science (MSc): 1-2 years 
  Bachelor of Arts (BA): 3 years 
  Bachelor of Science (BSc): 3 years 
Universities of
applied sciences
 
Master (M): 1-2 years 
  Bachelor (B): 4 years 
Institutes for
international
education
 
PhD (only possible at 1 institute): duration is flexible 
  Master of Arts (MA): 1-2 years 
  Master of Science (MSc): 1-2 years