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Study Abroad Study Plan - Social and Behavioral Sciences

Would you like to lend color to your Bachelor’s degree? Why not opt for studying a semester abroad! The Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences thinks it is important that all students are given this unique opportunity during their studies. Below you will find more information on how you can incorporate a Study Abroad experience in your program.

Most students opt for a Study Abroad experience in the bachelor phase. However, there are also each year a few master students who apply for an exchange. To enable you to be away for one semester without incurring study delay, the academic directors of all bachelor’s programs have prepared one or two external semester scheduling arrangements. These arrangements enable you to complete your bachelor’s program, including a Study Abroad experience, on time!

First-year courses

Please note that these arrangements are meant for students who have completed, or have almost completed, their first-year courses. In your timetable, you cannot indicate that you are making use of this arrangement, so please make sure you know when to take a particular course. In some cases, you will have to take third-year courses in your second year!

BSc Personeelwetenschappen

Students in the BSc Personeelwetenschappen have the possibility to go on exchange in either the fall or the spring semester of their third year by making use of the ‘vrijroosterregeling’. This arrangement shows students how to re-allocate courses from one semester to another to create a semester in which they can follow their minor course(s), and/or elective course and/or substitute course(s) (depending on starting year) abroad. Students who want to make use of this arrangement need to decide well in advance to make use of this arrangement. Please find all arrangements below ordered by starting year in the program.

Arrangements per starting year

BSc Human Resource Studies: People Management

BSc Human Resource Studies: People Management

Students in the BSc Human Resource Studies: People Management have the possibility to go on exchange in the fall semester of their third year by making use of their mobility window. During the mobility window you can take 30 ECTS abroad. In case you can only take 24 ECTS on exchange, one is required to add a free elective course for the remaining 6 ECTS in any of the other semesters.

Mobility window per starting year

BSc Sociologie

Students in the BSc Sociologie have the possibility to go on exchange in either the fall or the spring semester of their third year by making use of the ‘vrijroosterregeling’. This arrangement shows students how to re-allocate courses from one semester to another to create a semester in which they can follow their minor course(s), and/or elective course(s) and/or internship and/or substitute course(s) (depending on starting year) abroad. Students who want to make use of this arrangement need to decide well in advance to make use of this arrangement. Please find all arrangements below ordered by starting year in the program.

Arrangements per starting year

BSc International Sociology

Students in the BSc International Sociology have the possibility to go on exchange in either the fall or the spring semester of their third year by making use of the ‘vrijroosterregeling’. This arrangement shows students how to re-allocate courses from one semester to another to create a semester in which they can follow their minor course(s), and/or elective course(s) abroad. Students who want to make use of this arrangement need to decide well in advance to make use of this arrangement. Please find all arrangements below ordered by starting year in the program.

Arrangements per starting year

BSc Psychologie (Dutch)

Students in the BSc Psychology (Dutch) have the possibility to go on exchange in the spring semester of their third year by making use of the ‘vrijroosterregeling’. This arrangement shows students how to re-allocate courses from one semester to another to create a semester in which they can follow their minor course(s), and/or elective course(s) abroad. Students who want to make use of this arrangement need to decide well in advance to make use of this arrangement. Please find all arrangements below ordered by starting year in the program.

Arrangements per starting year

BSc Psychology (English)

Students in the BSc Psychology (English) have the possibility to go on exchange in the spring semester of their third year by making use of the ‘vrijroosterregeling’. This arrangement shows students how to re-allocate courses from one semester to another to create a semester in which they can follow their minor course(s), and/or elective course(s) abroad. Students who want to make use of this arrangement need to decide well in advance to make use of this arrangement. Please find all arrangements below ordered by starting year in the program.

Arrangements per starting year

BSc Global Management of Social Issues

Students in the BSc Global Management of Social Issues have the possibility to go on exchange in the fall semester of their third year by making use of their mobility window. During the mobility window you can take 30 ECTS abroad. In case you can only take 24 ECTS on exchange, one is required to add a minor course for the remaining 6 ECTS in any of the other semesters.

Mobility window per starting year

BSc Organisatie- en Managementwetenschappen

Students in the BSc Organisatiewetenschappen have the possibility to go on exchange in either the fall or the spring semester of their third year by making use of the ‘vrijroosterregeling’. This arrangement shows students how to re-allocate courses from one semester to another to create a semester in which they can follow their minor course(s), and/or elective course and/or substitute course(s) (depending on starting year) abroad. Students who want to make use of this arrangement need to decide well in advance to make use of this arrangement. Please find all arrangements below ordered by starting year in the program.

Arrangements per starting year

Excellence Program

If you participate in the TSB Excellence Program, you can combine this with going on an exchange. Please find more information about the requirements for this on the Excellence Program website.

Master Programs

Most master programs have no, or limited, free electives, thus in general all the courses you will do abroad will be ‘on top of’ courses. As a master student you are strongly recommended to speak to your Education Coordinator well in advance to discuss how your exchange can be fitted into your academic program.

The Study Abroad & Exchange Coordinators are unable to help you with questions regarding your study plan and study program.

Study delay and exchange

Do you know that you will experience delay during your bachelor because you are active in the board or, for example, a student association? Or because you have a busy job, are taking two programs at the same time, or need to take things easy? Even then, you can still spend a semester studying abroad. In that case, make an individual planning, with or without the help of the Education Coordinator.

Depending on your situation, there may be a possibility to take your minor courses, your compulsory optional course, and/or a number of compulsory courses abroad.

In order to plan your studies effectively, we suggest you create a study plan in which you move around the courses you still need to do until you have completed your bachelor’s program, keeping one semester free for your trip abroad. If you need any help, please do not hesitate to contact the Education Coordinator!

Selecting courses at the Partner University

When looking for courses at the partner university, there are a couple of rules to keep in mind:

  1. Each student is expected to take 24 – 30 ECTS worth of courses abroad. It does not matter whether you need the credits for your study program at Tilburg University or not. You go on exchange as a fulltime student, so you are expected to do a full course load at your host university.
  2. You are expected to take courses that complement your study program. Courses that overlap in content with courses you already took or will take at Tilburg University will not be approved.
    • In case you are taking courses abroad which will substitute a mandatory course and/or compulsory elective, you will need to check your specific arrangement (vrijroosterregeling). In this arrangement it is specified which conditions the course(s) abroad need to meet in order for you to use these courses as substituting courses.
  3. Courses need to be at the appropriate level. This means bachelor students can only take courses at bachelor level, and master students can only take courses at master level. Bachelor courses can be from any year, including first year. 
  4. Language courses are not allowed.

All courses you will take abroad will need to be approved by the TSB Examination Board. This happens during the pre-departure phase, after you find out which host university you have been selected for. You can find the instructions for your course approval on our Courses at the partner university page, and in the pre-departure instructions in your Mobility Online workflow.

Presentation September 2022 – Study Abroad rules and regulations for TSB