Honours

Entrance requirements

• An average mark of 7 for the courses in period 1;
• Demonstrably enthusiastic about the programme (as evident, among other things, from a clear motivation letter);
• Demonstrable interest in extra-curricular activities (based on CV, among other things);
• Prepared for and accustomed to working hard: evident from academic results and progress in prior education;
• Broad intellectual interests, as evident from the letter and selection interview;
• Good communication skills, as evident from the selection interview;
• Recommendation letter from your tutor.

Requirements to stay within the programme

After being admitted to the honours programme we expect you to actively participate in the courses and the extracurricular activities and to become a full member of the honours community. You will be asked to leave the programme if you:

• Have not achieved the minimum required study effort;
• Have failed, at max, one course per academic year;
• Have not attained an average mark of 7;
• Have not initiated and/or actively participated in extra-curricular activities.

Structure and additional coursework

The honours programme is a two and a half year programme that you follow in addition to following the regular Bachelor programme of Economics and Business. In the first two semesters of the Honours program you will attend and complete honours specific components (Honours Tutorial and additional Honours Assignments) of the following compulsory Honours Plus courses:

Year 1

• Macroeconomics, A European Perspective
• Strategy and Organisation

Year 2

• Intermediate Microeconomics, Games and Behaviour
• Econometrics

Extracurricular activities and honours thesis

Students are expected to initiate and participate in various extracurricular Honours activities. Extracurricular activities are developed together with your fellow Honours students via different committees and should be to the benefit of the Honours community, U.S.E., UU, or society. Think of activities such as organizing a congress, a debate, a field trip, or helping people with a distance to the labor market. You are also excepted to actively participate and contribute to events organized by the honours committee and events organized by fellow honours students. Each year, you submit an honours portfolio in which you describe what you have done and what you have learned. You will finish the programme by writing an Honours Thesis. While writing the thesis, you have more freedom than non-honours students to incorporate your ideas and we expect more in terms of academic rigor and research methods.

Honours courses

Honours students are required to complete two additional Honours Courses. Of course, you are allowed (and even encouraged) to take more than two Honours Courses. The courses are listed below. Please note that some courses have limited places available and/or have special arrangements for registration. Some courses are offered in Dutch only.

Period 1

• Descartes cursus: Een waaier aan wetenschap
• Descartes cursus: Humaniteit: van robotica tot genetica

Period 2

• The Real-world Perspective
• Descartes cursus: Een waaier aan wetenschap
• Descartes cursus: Humaniteit: van robotica tot genetica
• Da Vinci Project: From November to January, the Da Vinci Project is organizing a series of College Tours where students of the Da Vinci Project interview sustainability experts from different fields of research and expertise. These interactive College Tours are open to all UU students. Would you like hear what the experts have to say and learn more about sustainability? Then sign up here!
   

Period 3

• Creating Societal Impact: Interdisciplinary Cooperation and Contributing to Public Value
• Current Economic Challenges 
• Descartes cursus: Wetenschap in maatschappelijke context
• Descartes cursus: De eenentwintigste eeuw

Period 4

• One Health
• Descartes cursus: Wetenschap in maatschappelijke context
• Descartes cursus: De eenentwintigste eeuw

During period 1 and period 2

• Honours Research Internship

Navigating Insecure Futures

This Honours programme consists of four courses, with two offered per semester - students can participate in just one course, or all four. We recommend one course per semester: 

• HCNIF01, Building Hope: Designing Pathways for Insecure Futures
• HCNIF02, New Narratives
• HCNIF03, Reimagining the Resilient City
• HCNIF04, Art, Injustice and Resistance

Embark on a transformative learning journey at the Navigating Insecure Futures Programme. In a world where uncertainty, inequality, and climatic crisis are ever-present, this program offers a unique space to find agency, both within our everyday lives and our surrounding communities, for the challenges ahead of us.Through a student-centric approach, participants develop interdisciplinary perspectives, bridging the gap between academia and the real world. This program goes beyond traditional learning, focusing on practical leadership in the face of global challenges. Based on principles of 'world-centered education' and 'responsibility as the ability to respond’, it will strengthen your ability to confront the uncertainties, fears, or injustices that we are facing. Join us to become a self-propelled, reflexive learner ready to lead in navigating the complexities of insecure futures.

More information about the courses and subscription for the courses: Navigating Insecure Futures

The Real World Perspective (ECHRWP)

This course consists of discussions of recent (working) papers that are either published or aimed at publication in top-level journals such as The Quarterly Journal of Economics and the American Economic Review. During the meetings, students will apply what they have learned about economics to real-world problems that they have a personal interest in.

Subscription for the course: email honours programme economics on honours.use@uu.nl. 

Current Economics Challenges (ECHCECH)

This course focuses on some of the grand societal challenges that we are currently facing. Students are encouraged to register for the course Current Economic Challenges in year 1 of their Bachelor's programme. In this way, you will get to know your fellow honours students and you will pick up valuable honours and research-related skills.

Subscription for the course: email the Honours Programme Economics at honours.use@uu.nl.

Creating Societal Impact (USG4541)

This course is a selective honors course for students from the Law Colleges, the honours programme of the Utrecht University School of Economics, the Utrecht University School of Governance and University College Utrecht. The purpose of this course is to let you design, develop and implement interdisciplinary projects that have a concrete and direct bearing on society, and to let you experience boundary-crossing learning.
Our society is in need of interdisciplinary problem-solving. Many issues have become so complex that they can no longer be solved in a direct or simple way. These so-called ‘wicked problems’, such as socioeconomic inequality, integration of minorities, or the rising costs of the health care system, call for an interdisciplinary approach towards problem-solving, in which economic, legal, governmental, and other fields come together. By letting students from the departments of Law, Economics, Governance and University College Utrecht work together on such wicked problems, the Dean’s Honors Course will contribute to public value in our society.

Next to introductory sessions on topical wicked problems, interdisciplinary cooperation and public value, four task groups of four students will be formed. The task groups will be fully interdisciplinary, with one representative of each of the participating departments. In the task group, you select a recent and contested public issue that you both research from different disciplinary perspectives and for which you formulate a strategy to create public value related to the public issue at stake.

The result or the product of your work will be presented during a plenary (and public) meeting in the presence of the supervisors and the deans of the Faculty Law, Economics and Governance and the Utrecht University College. The so-called ‘products’ may have very different shapes: from presenting a report, a plan, an experiment to an exhibition or a short seminar with stakeholders. 

Subscription for the course: Email Student Information Desk Governance on  studiepunt.usbo@uu.nl.

One Health (BMW33214)

The course “OneHealth” has been developed to appeal to multidisciplinary Honours students from veterinary, (bio-) medical, and pharmaceutical sciences. In addition, students from management sciences, law or economics are encouraged to participate if they have a particular interest in this topic.

Students are actively involved in creating an interesting and challenging course. Subgroups of six students from different backgrounds choose their own theme for the whole course. Exemplary themes include One Health issues like Q-fever, MRSA, brucellosis, toxoplasmosis, avian influenza or MERS. Students are encouraged to contact experts on subjects not yet or incompletely covered in the course but required for their chosen topic or for all students in the course. Students will be stimulated to organize excursions to topic-linked destinations.

In the first weeks of the course, supportive and informative plenary lectures will be scheduled, presented by experts in every relevant discipline (clinical-, veterinary-, biomedical-, pharmacological-aspects, burden of disease, zoonotic outbreak management, considerations from the past). In addition, they will attend workshops to train their interdisciplinary research skills. Throughout the course, student groups will work on their own project, guided by a mentor, who will discuss problems and make plans on a weekly basis.

Subscription: via course coordinator Frank Coenjaerts (f.e.j.coenjaerts@umcutrecht.nl).

Honours Research Internship (ECHRI)

U.S.E. offers honours students the opportunity to conduct research under the supervision of faculty members of the Utrecht University School of Economics (U.S.E.) in the Honours Research Internship. During the internship, students will conduct a specific set of tasks related to the topic of the internship. By completing a research internship, Honours students are expected to be better prepared for the honours thesis. In addition, students gain a better understanding of how professional research is conducted and what the requirements are.

The number of internships that are available might differ from year to year. We seek to provide internships from all major research areas within U.S.E. (Economics, Applied Economics, Finance, Entrepreneurship). Some internships may be multidisciplinary (i.e., combining economics with other disciplines such as mathematics, data science, geoscience, social science).

Available internships will be published on the Honours page of the Blackboard environment in June. Students need to apply for the internship positions. The exact application procedure and requirements are provided on the Blackboard environment and may vary per internship. Students do not receive any study credits for the research internship positions.

Upload your application via Osiris Student -> Cases. Your application consists of a motivation letter and C.V. In your motivation letter you state your motivation why you would like to join the programme.

After the deadline, the Honours Committee will make their first selection. If you have passed the first selection, you will be invited for an interview. Interviews will be scheduled in January and will be conducted by the Honours Committee. After all interviews are completed, they will decide which students are admitted. There are 50 places available in the Honours Programme. 

Please note that only first-year Bachelor's students can apply for the Honours Programme.

Want to know more before applying?  

You can find out more about the programme and ask any questions you might have during the information session hosted annually in November. 

Course code: SA.001

In this module you will improve your understanding of the implications of digitisation for society, by getting some elementary experience in how digitisation works in the context of readily available big data. By using large datasets you will learn about methods of data visualisation, algorithms and machine learning. Meetings take place on Thursdays between 5 and 7 pm.

Course code: SA.002

In this module you will explore the opportunities and risks associated with the use of digital technology by governments. You will explore the question of how to cope with these risks. Meetings take place on Tuesdays between 5 and 7 pm.

Course code: SA.003

How can you prepare and lead effective meetings? In this module, you will learn what good preparation looks like, and what you can do during meetings to keep them as efficient as possible. Meetings take place between 5 and 7 pm on varying days.

Course code: SA.004

Modern society is flooded with information. This offers opportunities, but also brings risks. In this module, you will learn to make the distinction between false information and factual information. Meetings take place on Mondays between 5 and 7 pm.

Course code: SA.005

This course will only be offered in Dutch

In deze module zal je leren hoe je een serious game kunt gebruiken als tool voor interventies bij organisaties. Daarnaast zal je, onder leiding van een expert, leren hoe je een serious game ontwikkelt en je zal een game gaan ontwikkelen voor een echte opdrachtgever. De bijeenkomsten vinden plaats tussen 17.00 en 19.00 uur op verschillende dagen.

Course code: SA.006

You will learn to summarise complex information in pictures and to communicate things to a broad audience through insightful ‘visuals’. You don’t need to be able to draw beforehand, but will learn the basics about how to use pictures to engage others in your work. Meetings take place on Wednesdays between 5 and 7 pm.

Course code: SA.007

This course will only be offered in Dutch

De academische taal en de manier van denken en doen die daarbij hoort zijn niet voor iedereen toegankelijk. In deze module leer je niet alleen algemene adviesvaardigheden, maar ook hoe je je academische kennis kunt gebruiken voor advies in een bredere setting. Je past deze vaardigheid toe op een concrete vraag van de maatschappelijke afdeling van een club in de eredivisie voetbal.

De bijeenkomsten zijn op dinsdagen van 17.00 tot 19.00 uur.

Course code: SA.008

In this module, you will strengthen your ethical awareness and capacity to judge and act on that awareness. The focus is on your personal, social, and professional role in an open and inclusive society. Meetings take place on Tuesdays between 5 and 7 pm.

Course code: SA.009

With the rise of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news, Open-Source investigation methods are crucial. You will learn open-source investigations skills and how they are being used to address global challenges ranging from environmental harm to human rights violations and conflict-related research. Meetings take place on Thursdays between 5 and 7 pm.

Course code: SA.010

The focus of this module is to equip you with the ability to apply basic financial and accounting principles in various professional situations to stay in control of your budget. Excel is used for this as a powerful tool. Meetings take place on Wednesdays between 5 and 7 pm.

Course code: SA.011

In this module, you learn to analyse large amounts of text by using automatic analysis, using software such as R. This opens a new world of analyses, where you can also use newspaper articles, rulings by judges, policy statements, or business plans. You will get up to speed with the complete workflow of data-driven research using digitised text collections and learn to reflect on the pros and cons of using certain methods. Meetings take place between 5 and 7 pm with days to be confirmed.

Course code: SA.012

In this module you will learn both how generative AI works and what the potential and limitations of generative AI in research is. You will learn how to effectively use some current generative AI tools, such as effective and advanced use of ChatGPT prompting. The responsible use of generative AI is a focal point of the module. Accordingly, you will get an understanding of the guidelines and policies for responsible use of generative AI throughout the module.

Course code: SA.013

This module will familiarize you with the skill of “futuring,” the process of active future-making, a skill already in use in different disciplines like geoscience and business. During the module you will learn several futuring techniques like scenario planning, modelling, science fiction, back casting and experiential futuring. You will be able to apply futuring yourself by experimenting in work studio sessions, making the module highly interactive and practical.

Course code: SA.014

The module “conflict management and negotiation” will give you a basic insight into conflict management and negotiation styles. You will be trained to recognize: 1.) your own preferences in conflict and negotiation situations, 2.) the different dimensions of behavior of the negotiator as well as the dynamics that they result in and 3.) the distinct phases of the negotiation process. You will apply the knowledge by participating in an integrated simulation involving a negotiation between multiple parties.

Course code: SA.015

This module gives you a thorough understanding of the skills needed for public speaking. It considers the standard tips received by students like “speak clearly and slowly” and “stand up straight” more in depth, by using the “oracy model” which distinguishes several domains relevant for public speaking: 1.) Physical; 2.) Linguistic; 3.) Cognitive; 4.) Social and Emotional. The module consists of four meetings where these dimensions will be discussed both from a theoretical and a practical perspective. At the end of the module, you will speak on a topic of your choosing.

Course code: SA.016

This course is only taught in Dutch.

In deze module leer je de vaardigheden om wetenschappelijke informatie duidelijk en aantrekkelijk te maken voor een breder publiek. Je zult oefenen met verschillende soorten schrijftechnieken en na de module heb je inzicht in het effect van elk van deze schrijftechnieken op de lezers. De module geeft ruime mogelijkheid om je eigen schrijfvaardigheid te verbeteren, doordat we oefenen met het schrijven van nieuwsartikelen, delen van een column en een opinieartikel. 

Course code: SA.017

Design thinking is a way of working that ensures creativity in finding new and innovative solutions across a broad range of fields. This module will learn you to understand the design thinking methodology principles and mindset and how to apply design thinking to a particular case or challenge. After finishing the module, you will be able to make a Design Research plan as well as using different Design Thinking tools and techniques.

The Da Vinci Project is a short-term honours programme for second and third year bachelor students. In this interdisciplinary programme you focus on sustainability, together with students from other faculties. In small teams you work on real-life challenges regarding sustainability, that are provided by an external partner. This can range from the private to the public sector. Such challenges vary from clean air and sustainable living to using waste as a resource. The Da Vinci Project offers an interdisciplinary and hands-on learning environment, during which you make a prototype together with your team.

You also follow workshops about Design Thinking and take part in College Tours with speakers from different disciplines about sustainability. You learn that sustainability transcends one discipline and all disciplines need to work together. During the Design Thinking workshops you learn about methods to train your creativity. You also learn to fail and discover that failing is an essential step in making progress.

For more information about the Da Vinci Project, information sessions and the application procedure, click here.

Descartes College is a long-term Dutch spoken honours programme, starting in the second year of your bachelor programme. You follow this interdisciplinary programme on top of your bachelor study and follow one course per semester. Together with students from other faculties and scientists you work on current challenges that each discipline faces. This way you will not only learn about the differences and similarities between different sciences, but you also learn about the dynamic between science and society.

During Descartes College your personal development and interpersonal relationships with your fellow students are also a point of focus. You go on a study trip, eat pizza with other students after every seminar and have personal development meetings with your programme leader. Additionally, you also get to develop your academic skills such as academic writing and debating.

For more information about Descartes College, information sessions and the application procedure, click here.