Communication Science

Communication is more than having a conversation. If you are reading a newspaper, watching a documentary or texting your friend, you are involved in communication. Communication is becoming increasingly important.

The role of communication and media in society is the central theme of the Bachelor's in Communication Science. In this programme, you will study the content, use and effects of communication and of various forms of media, from radio and television to newspapers and the internet.

Some of the questions addressed in this programme are: How does entertainment influence the lives of young people? What is the role of media and communication in political participation and citizenship? What are the effects of health communication and advertisements?

5 reasons to study Communication Science at the UvA

1. The number 1 Communication Science programme
   Communication Science at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) ranks first worldwide in the 2018 QS World University Rankings by Subject.
2. Top researchers as lecturers
   The College of Communication is linked to renowned research institute ASCoR. Their researchers cover all subfields of Communication Science. You will be guided by ASCoR’s top researchers, and immerse yourself in numerous research topics.
3. Broad range of subjects
   Four main topics of communication science are addressed: Persuasive Communication, Entertainment Communication, Corporate Communication and Political Communication.
4. Special focus on public and business communication
   The programme covers forms of media such as newspapers, radio and television as well as the information flows in companies and governmental bodies. Attention is also paid to information and communication technology (ICT) as well as the relations between the internet, email, additional forms of technology and the ways in which people communicate.
5. Amsterdam is a great city to live in
   Amsterdam was ranked 11 th globally in Mercer's 2016 ‘Quality of Living Survey’. The city is a hub of media and culture, and serves as an international junction for companies with a media presence (including Philips, ING and Heineken).

Rankings and reputation

The University of Amsterdam offers a world-class education:

• ASCoR, the research institute of the Communication Science programme at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, is one of the top Communication Science institutions in the world. This was measured by an independent international committee charged with evaluating communications research at the University of Amsterdam for the years 2008 to 2013.
• In the 2018 QS World University Rankings by Subject, Communication Science at UvA ranks first.
• The University of Amsterdam is ranked 57th in the world and first in the Netherlands according to the 2016 QS World University Rankings.
• The University of Amsterdam is a member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU). LERU is an association of 21 leading research-intensive universities that value the need to offer high-quality teaching within an internationally competitive research environment.
• The University of Amsterdam is a member of Universitas 21, a network of leading research-intensive universities in 13 countries. The universities work together to foster global citizenship and institutional innovation through research-inspired teaching and learning, student mobility, connecting students and staff, and wider advocacy for internationalisation.

Is Communication Science right for you?

Communication Science is the ideal degree programme if you are interested in society, media and communication. Our students are challenged to approach the communication process from various angles. They may be interested in working as a public opinion researcher, social media strategist, news editor, campaign leader or a spokesperson, for example. Prospective students, should have a background in economics, history or social studies and need to demonstrate a good command of the English language. 

Programme structure

The Bachelor's in Communication Science is a three-year programme of 180 ECTS credits.

The first year

Year 1 starts with two introductory courses. One focusses on theories and concepts in Communication Science, the other focusses on research methods. Hereafter you will start deepening your knowledge. You will attend courses such as:

• Introduction to Communication Science
• Methods of Communication Research and Statistics
• Corporate Communication
• Entertainment Communication
• The Media Landscape

These courses also use concepts from other disciplines such as political science, psychology, social psychology, economics and sociology.

All courses are 6 or 12 ECTS adding up to a total of 60 ECTS in one year. A minimum of 48 credits is required to continue the programme after the first year. 

The second and third year

During the second and third year you will deepen and broaden your knowledge of communication science. The programme contains the following courses and topics:

• Political communication and journalism
• Persuasive communication
• Communication ethics
• Communication consultancy
• In-depth courses on the methods and statistics of social research, such as statistical modelling and qualitative research.
• Electives, Topics (electives within the field of communication science) and an (research) internship. These courses give you the possibility to tailor your study programme. You can, for example, study abroad or choose to do a minor within another programme.
• A graduation project (Bachelor's thesis)

Teaching methods

• Lectures: a lecturer clarifies the main concepts and ideas from the course material that you have studied priorly (with about 50-250 students).
• Tutorials: you will discuss and apply the course material and train certain skills (with 15-25 students).

All courses will be concluded with one or more tests, such as a written exam, a presentation or a paper (or a combination of these).

Study time per week

Mandatory class attendance: 12 – 14 hours per week
Independent study: 26 – 28 hours per week

Prior education

• Studying with a foreign diploma at the University of Amsterdam means that a student's preparatory education must be equivalent to the Dutch VWO diploma, with English included in the final examination.
• The starting level of a regular study programme at Dutch universities is comparable to that of other European countries, which is usually one or two years higher than in most countries outside of Europe.
• A student's diploma or certificate from prior education will be compared with the list of country qualifications that has been drawn up by the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (Nuffic).

Required documents

In this application you will need to indicate your previous education and upload all of the required documents:

• Final secondary school/higher education diplomas and grade lists obtained;
• Proof of recent results (if you are still attending a programme);
• Official translations in English or Dutch if the diploma and/or transcripts are not already in English, Dutch or German;
• A sufficient English test result, if required and already available. If your results are insufficient, do not upload this test, but send another one at a later date;
• A curriculum vitae;
• UvA Matching form.

What is it?

UvA Matching for international students is an introduction to the Bachelor’s programme for which you have applied. It is designed to help you assess whether you have chosen the right programme, through a combination of online activities such as assignments, reading course literature and/or making a test. The activities may differ per programme.

Once you have completed these activities, you will receive personal advice based on your test results. This will help you determine whether the Bachelor’s programme matches your interests and capabilities and whether you have the motivation and study skills to start the programme in September.

After submitting your enrolment application in Studielink you will receive more information on UvA Matching for international students.

English language requirements

All our international programmes are conducted in English, therefore, applicants must show their ability to write and speak in English on an academic level. Students with a Bachelor’s degree from a Dutch university and students who successfully finished a full academic programme at an esteemed institute in one of the following countries are exempt: UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Please note we only accept the TOEFL Test, the test of the International English Language Testing Service (Academic IELTS) or a Cambridge Examination Score. For Non-EU/EEA students the required English test result should be received on or before 1 February in the year of application by the International Team at the Faculty of Science. If this in any case is not possible, contact the International Team first, before applying. For EU/EEA students the deadline of submitting the test results is 1 July.

TOEFL Test

The minimum scores required on the TOEFL Test are:

• Internet-based test (iBT): 92 with a minimum of 20 on each subject
  
  Exceptions:
• Artificial Intelligence, Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Information Studies: 98, with a minimum of 22 for reading and listining and 24 for writing and speaking
• Software Engineering: 98 with a minimum of 22 on each subject

Please note the TOEFL-code for the Faculty of Science of the University of Amsterdam is: 8628. 

 IELTS Test (only Academic IELTS is accepted)

• Minimum score 6.5, at least 6.0 on sub-scores (listening/reading/writing/speaking). 

Exceptions

• Artificial Intelligence,  Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Information Studies> minimum score 7.0, sub-scores on writing and speaking at least 7.0, sub-scores on listening and reading at least 6.5 
• Software Engineering > minimum score 7.0, at least 6.5 on each sub-score (listening/reading/writing/speaking)
• The UvA offers the IELTS test for free to current UvA students to assess their English language proficiency.    

Cambridge Examination Score

A Cambridge Examination Score with a minimum test result of C1 Advanced (CAE) A or B will also be accepted. For the C2 Proficiency test (CPE) a minimal score of C is required.

Nuffic Certificate for Chinese students

Chinese applicants are required to take an IELTS test or the TOEFL (Internet-based test only). These are the only two tests accepted by the Nuffic, which provides certificates to all Chinese students who wish to study in the Netherlands.

Please note there are some differences between the TOEFL and IELTS test. Available practice material, test dates, prices and locations differ per country.

Would you like to study abroad for a semester?

The University of Amsterdam actively takes part in international exchange programmes. These contacts provide many opportunities for studying abroad. Because the field of communication is very international, it is useful to go abroad during your studies. The study programme offers the possibility to spend one semester at a foreign university without a study delay. The Bachelor's programme has an international coordinator who can inform you about the possibilities.

Where can you go?

Students in Communication Science have previously taken courses at universities in the following countries (amongst others): 

Europe 

• Denmark, Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen)
• France, Paris (SciencesPo) 
• Italy, Florence (Università degli Studi di Firenze)
• Spain, Valencia (Universitat de València)
• Sweden, Lund (Lund University)

Other countries 

• Australia, Sydney (University of New South Wales)
• Australia, Melbourne (University of Melbourne)
• Canada, Vancouver (Simon Fraser University)
• China, Hong Kong (University of Hong Kong)
• Costa Rica, San Jose (Universidad de Costa Rica) 
• United States, San Francisco (San Francisco State University)
• United States, Boston (Boston College)
• South Africa, Stellenbosch (Stellenbosch University)
• South Korea, Seoul (Korea University) 

An alternative to spending a semester at one of the foreign universities mentioned above, is to do an internship abroad or attend one of the summer schools.