Bachelor's programs

Top-level bachelor's programs within an international environment prepare you for a responsible position in society.

Your First Year


Your first year introduces you to the various academic disciplines within the Social Sciences and Humanities. The Social Sciences at Tilburg University comprise law, business & management, psychology and sociology; the Humanities culture, history, literature, philosophy and religion.

Your first year requires you to take eleven courses in total: six in the first semester, and five in the second semester.

SEMESTER 1 (SEPTEMBER - JANUARY)

Course ECTS
Total 30
Mind and Brain 6
Thinking about Science 6
Society, Culture and Economy 6
Rhetoric, Culture and Democracy 6
Elective (select one) 6
          Law and Film
          Religion and Democracy
          Consumerism
          Perception, Art and Culture

SEMESTER 2 (JANUARY - JULY)

Course ECTS
Total 30
Research Project: Qualitative Methods 6
European History: Politics and Culture 6
Researchers and their Fields 6
1 Introduction to Social Sciences and Business & Management 6
2 Introduction to Law and Humanities: European History & Culture 6

1 Preparatory course for the Major Social Sciences and the Major Business & Management.
2 Preparatory course for the Major Law and the Major Humanities: European History & Culture.


Binding Study Advice (BSA)

Tilburg University adheres to the Binding Study Advice (BSA), a legally-binding system that determines the minimum level of performance you must achieve during your first-year of studies.

You are required to obtain at least 42 ECTS out of a total of 60 ECTS by the end of your first year in order to receive a positive BSA, and therefore continue your studies within the BA Liberal Arts and Sciences.

A negative BSA is received if you obtain less than 42 ECTS at the end of your first year. You are not able to continue your studies within the BA Liberal Arts and Sciences with a negative BSA. You do, however, have the following options:

  • Commence another Bachelor's programme at Tilburg University.
  • Commence the same Bachelor's programme at another university.
  • Commence the same Bachelor's programme at Tilburg University but only after a three year period.

On average 70% of all Tilburg University students receive a positive BSA. Since the start of the BA Liberal Arts and Sciences in September 2008, for three consecutive years, students attained a percentage well above average: from the class started in 2010 92 % received a positive BSA. We are very proud of this achievement by our Liberal Arts and Sciences students.