Arts and Culture

Specialisaties

• Architecture
• Art of the Contemporary World and World Art Studies
• Design and Decorative Art Studies
• Early Modern and Medieval Art
• Museums and Collections

De MA Arts and Culture in Leiden is uniek in Nederland in haar interdisciplinaire aanbod en een diversiteit aan keuzetrajecten. Je kijkt naar moderne kunst en design als schakels tussen media, culturen en gemeenschappen. Maar je ontdekt ook hoe beeldhouwkunst, architectuur en beeldende kunst samen werden ingezet in de Renaissance en Barok om de toeschouwer te overtuigen.

De opleiding stelt niet alleen het kunstwerk centraal, maar ook de rol van de opdrachtgever en de reacties van het publiek. Een verbindend thema is dan ook de uitwerking van kunstwerken op de beschouwers en de manieren waarop het medium van kunstwerken daaraan bijdraagt. Door deze brede benadering leer je verschillende methoden kennen, en kun je aansluiting zoeken bij andere disciplines zoals antropologie, natuurwetenschap, theologie, gender- en internationalisatiestudies.

You can choose from five different specialisations. It is also possible to study Arts and Culture as a two-year Research Master’s.

Reasons to choose Arts and Culture in Leiden

1. Leiden has a unique teaching programme. Leiden is the only university in the Netherlands where you can study art in a global perspective, in the Art of the Contemporary World and World Art Studies specialisation. Leiden is also the only place where you can study design and decorative art, or art and architecture pre-1800 in their relation to one another. Art and culture are considered from their historical and their present-day perspectives: the key focus is on the impact of works of art on those who view them.
2. You have a broad range of options. The programme is very broad. It covers art from throughout the world and almost all art forms, media and disciplines from the past and the present. You will choose a specialisation that guarantees in-depth study. Both in the general and in the research master’s you will have the opportunity to structure your programme in line with your personal interests.
3. The programme is personally-tailored and small-scale. You will be assigned a personal mentor during the programme. The teaching generally takes the form of small-scale seminars, giving you a high degree of contact with lecturers and fellow students.
4. You benefit from contacts with eminent national and international institutions. The department collaborates on teaching and research with many different academic and cultural institutions both nationally and internationally. Museums and collections are an important focal area within the programme. The department has excellent contacts with prominent Leiden museums and with Dutch art-historical institutions in Florence and Rome. Lecturers and students also have access to exchange programmes with leading institutions such as the Sorbonne, the École du Louvre and St. Andrews.
5. Leiden students become sought-after employees. You will learn about the influence of art on present-day society. You will learn to analyse the effects, intended or unintended, of works of art on their environment. With these skills you will become an attractive employee for a diverse range of employers. The department works together with the LUMC (Leiden University Medical Center), for example, because art can give an insight into social issues arising from developments in biomedical sciences. Go to Career [link] to view some of the excellent opportunities enjoyed by recent Leiden graduates on the employment market.