Bachelor LAS

Program and courses University College Tilburg: Liberal Arts and Sciences

University College Tilburg offers a Liberal Arts and Sciences program that combines different scientific disciplines: law, economics, philosophy, sociology, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience. The intensive program enables you to develop into a critical thinker, a committed citizen and an academically trained professional. You will acquire in-depth insights into complex global issues and learn to develop creative solutions based on an interdisciplinary perspective.

Video: short overview of this Bachelor's program (03:10)

Program structure and content

In the first year you follow a core curriculum that introduces you to the various scientific disciplines. That way, you can discover which discipline appeals to you the most.

In the second year, you specialize by choosing one of the following majors:

  • Social Sciences: Human Behavior
  • Law in an International Context
  • Arts and Humanities: Past-Present-Future
  • Business and Economics
  • Cognitive Neuroscience: Brain and Cognition

The first two years provide a solid foundation.

In the third year you will have the opportunity to follow different electives during a minor program, take online courses, or study abroad. The diverse program allows you to set up your unique and personal profile. You will conclude your study program by writing a Bachelor thesis. Depending on your major, you will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science. 

Support program

During your studies you can take part in the Program for Academic Study Success (PASS). The program is designed to support you during your studies and keep up with your progress. Students are divided into small groups and receive guidance from a mentor. Towards the end of your studies the mentorship shifts from monitoring your study progress to job market orientation.

Year 1 Content

In the first year, all students follow a core curriculum that largely consists of introductory courses. It will help to familiarize yourself with the different scientific disciplines of the program and discover where your personal interests lie.

You will take the following core curriculum courses:

  • European History: Politics & Culture
  • Thinking about Science
  • Sustainable Consumption
  • Individuals and Collectives: Introduction to Business and Economics and Social Sciences
  • Mind and Brain: Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Imagining Justice: Introduction to Law & Humanities

You will additionally take one of five elective courses:

  • Law and Economic (Dis)Harmony
  • Resilience, Happiness and Well-Being
  • Legal Fictions
  • Religion and Economics
  • Trust in Your Brain
  • Discovering Diversity

The program contains various skills courses, such as The Art of Speaking and Writing: Rhetoric in Theory and Practice I and II, and an Introduction to Research Methods (LAS). To help keep you on track during your study, you will take part in a mentorship program (PASS UCTilburg).

Year 2 Content

Based on your experiences in the first year, you choose a major in the second year to specialize in one of the five disciplines:

  • Social Sciences: Human Behavior
  • Law in an International Context
  • Arts and Humanities: Past-Present-Future
  • Business and Economics
  • Cognitive Neuroscience: Brain and Cognition

You follow relevant in-depth subjects as part of your major. You can diversify your program by following a minor course, or participating in the Transatlantic Perspectives program.

Minor course

You can choose to follow an additional course within your major. Or you can pick a course of a different subject to expand your specialization.

Transatlantic Perspectives (in collaboration with Roosevelt University Chicago, USA)

The Transatlantic Perspectives course is taught in collaboration with Roosevelt University in Chicago. Students from Tilburg and Chicago join together in this online program to discuss divergent perspectives on a specific subject. The subjects of this college year are: 

  • Inclusion and Exclusion in Criminal Justice
  • Representing History, Representing Trauma 

Scroll down this page to read more about the courses relevant to each major. 

Year 3 Content

During the third year, you follow your last in-depth courses as part of your major. Additionally you will have the opportunity to extend your program with a minor and a Professional Practice course.  

The minor: choose your own elective courses 

Liberal Arts and Sciences students can choose from a range of minors, including an interdisciplinary minor in sustainability. Your minor might go in-depth into your chosen specialization or it might broaden your expertise in a different professional field.

Professional Practice

An essential component of the third year curriculum is gaining practical experience. The experiences within the Professional Practice intend to help you prepare for the job market. Your options are: Current European Issues, Journalism, the Social Innovation Project, or an internship.

Thesis

You will conclude your Bachelor’s program by writing a thesis. This means independently conducting scientific research in the field of your major and applying the knowledge, insight and skills you acquired during the program.

Study abroad: going on exchange

We encourage all students to gain international experience. A popular and very exciting option is to go abroad on exchange. As an exchange student, you study at one of the many international partner universities of Tilburg University, typically for one semester.

The Study Abroad & Exchange Office of Tilburg University will be available to help you research the opportunities within your study program and a dedicated Study Abroad & Exchange Coordinator will be advising you before, during and after your exchange.

Most students will be eligible for a grant or scholarship to financially support them during their exchange experience. Additional grants for students with special needs or a difficult financial situation are also available.

More on studying abroad

Watch a trial lecture

You will find a detailed description of the courses and required literature in our course catalog.

Go to the course descriptions


Please note: programs are subject to change. We advise you to look up the current program in OSIRIS Student at the start of the year.


Majors within Liberal Arts and Sciences

At the end of the first year you must choose a major. The relevant second and third year courses deepen your knowledge of your chosen specialization. The curriculum however, is not fixed: you also have the opportunity to take electives on top or outside of your specialization. The majors you can choose from are: 

Social Sciences: Human Behavior

In the Social Sciences: Human Behavior major, you focus on human behavior in both small and large groups in a globalized society.

  • This program challenges you to thoroughly review your ideas about identity and human behavior.
  • You will follow courses in the scientific fields of Sociology, Social Psychology, Culture, Communication, Human Resource Management, and Organization Studies.

The mentorship programs PASS II and III  continue during year 2 and 3.

Go to the course descriptions

Law in an International Context

In the Law in International Context major, you focus on law as a social and cultural phenomenon in a global context.

  • You learn about the integration of cognitive, cultural, historical and contextual elements within the law and about how various legal systems respond to specific social or global problems. You will look at law as a means to shape and direct society. 
  • The program offers an introduction to different areas of law viewed from a comparative perspective. You will familiarize yourself with both European and International law.
  • The study program offers interactive lectures and seminars where debate is encouraged. Additionally you are taught to use legal research methods.

The mentorship programs PASS II and III  continue during year 2 and 3.

Go to the course descriptions

Arts and Humanities: Past-Present-Future

In the Arts and Humanities: Past – Present – Future  major, you study the various strategies people use to interpret and give meaning to the world around and within them. The program introduces you to disciplines such as culture studies, digital humanities, history, hermeneutics, philosophy, ethics, literature studies, art history, and ritual studies.

In small and interactive seminars, questions are discussed like:

  • Is politics all about economics?
  • What can ancient Greek and Roman literature teach us about 'incels', the American political 'alt-right' group, combat trauma and gender roles?
  • What do modern art and modern travel have in common with religion? And why is Islamic fundamentalism so romantic?

The program aims to provide a solid multi-disciplinary foundation as well as skills in critical analysis, innovative research and effective written and oral communication

The mentorship programs PASS II and III continue during year 2 and 3.

Go to the course descriptions

Business and Economics

In the Business and Economics major you acquire an extensive insight into the world of business and its broader role in society.

  • You develop specialist knowledge in the field of business and economics by diving into topics like marketing, accounting, finance, and management, as well as the economy of markets and countries.
  • The program discovers how economic, business and social perspectives are connected. Governments create opportunities for business(es) and in turn, organizations contribute to tackling social issues. Connections are made based on historic perspectives and insights in the fields of law, psychology, and sociology.
  • The basics are covered. You will study organizations, the government, finance and sales (business studies) and also, for example, the behavior of individuals and how certain stimuli can promote behavioral change (economics psychology).

The mentorship programs PASS II and III continue during year 2 and 3.

Go to the course descriptions

Cognitive Neuroscience: Brain and Cognition

In the Cognitive Neuroscience: Brain and Cognition major, you will discover the fascinating world of the human brain. Cognitive Neurosciences is a relatively new field of science research. It has developed from professional areas such as Psychology, Neuroscience, Computer Science, Biology and Philosophy.

  • The major covers a broad range of topics such as the basics of the human brain, experimental psychology, clinical neuropsychology, cognitive science, computer modeling and programming. 
  • You will research how the human brain supports processes such as perception, action, attention, affection, decision-making, language, reasoning, and social behavior.
  • You will also study how these processes develop throughout a person’s lifespan, and what happens when the brain dysfunctions.

The mentorship programs PASS II and III continue during year 2 and 3.

Go to the course descriptions


Please note: programs are subject to change. We advise you to look up the current program in OSIRIS Student at the start of the year.


Do you want to know more about this Bachelor’s program?

Learn more on this Bachelor's program at one of our events

Check out our events calendar

Why UCT: Liberal Arts and Sciences in Tilburg?

  • You follow courses in an international environment with students from all over the world. You can learn from each other’s experiences and points of view and become skilled in collaborating in teams that are characterized by diversity.
  • You learn to fathom complex societal issues by approaching them from multiple perspectives.
  • The program is officially recognized as small-scale and intensive education. There is room for studying the material in depth, leading to a lot of interaction with your fellow students and your lecturers.
  • Several courses are team-taught, meaning two lecturers from different fields of expertise jointly teach the course to demonstrate how you can approach a question or issue from different angles, right in front of the classroom.
  • Focus on the development of relevant skills. For example, entrepreneurial skills, debating skills or skills in handling success and setbacks.

Interested in the Bachelor's program in Liberal Arts and Sciences?

Check your eligibility and the deadlines for application