Master's programs

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

Admission & Application

You hold a Tilburg University Bachelor's degree in Sociology

You are granted unconditional admission to the Master's program in Sociology.

You hold a Tilburg University Bachelor's degree in another social sciences subject

You are admitted as long as you have taken the minor in Sociology.You must apply in writing to the Examining Board of the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

You hold a Bachelor's degree from another university

You must apply in writing to the Examining Board of the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioural Sciences. It then assesses whether your degree qualifies you for admission to this master program. In general terms, it requires that the following criteria be met:

  • Sufficiently conversant in the social sciences: Sociology for Social Sciences (MAW); Key questions concerning sociology; Contemporary sociological theories; Classical and modern sociology in action.
  • Adequate knowledge of methods and techniques.
  • Knowledge of the Bachelor's subjects which feature in the relevant minor.

Students from equivalent degree programs will need to submit an application but will generally be admitted onto the program without any further requirements

You hold an HBO vocational degree

You may qualify for the one-year premaster's program in Sociology. If you have completed the premaster’s program succesfully, you are automatically admitted to the master's program. Please look at the application procedure for the premaster's program if you want to apply for this program.

Application procedure

Applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. Should you fail to meet all the prerequisites for admission to the Master's program, you may be able to make up this so-called deficit by taking a personalised pre-Master's program at Tilburg University. It is also possible given your prior knowledge that you might be asked to take a preparatory course in methods and statistics here at Tilburg University during the summer, which is free of charge for those students, who have been admitted to the Master's Sociology.

You must apply in writing to the Examining Board of the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. It then assesses whether your degree qualifies you for admission to this Master's program on a case by case basis. For more information about written applications and the documentation you need to supply, read the apllication procedure for Dutch student or read the application procedure for International students.

To both Dutch and international applicants applies that, if you have not yet obtained your Bachelor's degree, you can ask the Admission Committee whether admission to the program would be possible once you have obtained your degree. Your admission will be finalised once the Admission Committee has received certified photocopies of both your Bachelor's diploma and your list of grades. These documents should be handed in no later than the beginning of the academic year for which you are applying.

Methodology and Statistics

All our Master's programs maintain a strong emphasis on research methods and statistics. For that reason, it is of great importance that candidates starting a Master's program at the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences have a solid background in these topics. International candidates who meet all the requirements in order to be accepted to the Master's program but lack a sufficient background in methodology and statistics will be invited by Tilburg University to attend the Summer School course in Methodology and Statistics. The course is offered free of charge to our MSc applicants. Upon completion of the course, one will be admitted to the Master's program. The Summer School course takes place in July and August preceding the start of the academic year.