Honours

School-Wide (1 EC)

• Introducing Natural Sciences (GSNS-Intro) 0.5 EC
• Dilemmas of the scientist 1 en Dilemmas of the scientist 2 (FI-MHPSDL1 + FI-MHPSDL2) 0.5 EC

Nanomaterials (14 EC)

• Academic Context Course (SK-MACCO) 6.5 EC
• Advanced Spectroscopy (SK-MSPEC) 7.5 EC

Experimental Phyiscs (22.5 EC)

• Experiment Design (NS-EX423M) 7.5 EC
• Soft Condensed Matter Experiment (NS-EX424M) 7.5 EC
• One other course from the mandatory course choice list 7.5 EC

Nanomaterials (22.5 EC)

• Three courses from the list of primary electives of the Nanomaterials programme

Experimental Phyiscs (22.5 EC)

• Three courses from the list or primary electives of the Experimental Physics programme.

With permission from the Exam Committee, at most one (EXPH) course may be exchanged for a mandatory or primary elective course of the Climate or Theoretical Physics programme.

• An internship of 15 EC (NS-NM515M1) or 30 EC (NS-NM515M3), or
• A profile (30 EC) for the remaining EC
• Any courses from the programme of the GSNS or GSLS, or other courses with permission of the Exam Committee
• At most one deficiency as declared at admission to the programmes.

Requirement for thesis: the topic has to be suitable for both programmes; one examiner each from (Debye) Chemistry and Physics.

• Part 1: SK-MRES1 (15 EC)
• Part 2: NS-EX554M (45 EC)

The application will be reviewed by a selection committee, consisting of representatives of the Debye Institute of Nanomaterials Science. The selection committee will base its final decision on previous study results (top 10-20% of the BSc population), master results (grade average of the obtained results is minimal 8) of the first term, motivation and the CV of the applicant. If the student meets all the selection criteria, the conditional admission to this programme will lead to a definite admission in February at the latest, following the September start, and July for students entering the programme in February. Please contact the Programme Coordinator, Dr. Egbert Mulder, to apply for this programme.

Are you interested in more than just one of our Master’s programme? Do you want to look across the boundary of your programme and combine it with another? Are you an excellent student and looking for an extra challenge? In this Honours programme you effectively take two Master’s programmes at the same time. 

Two degrees

Students who finish the Honours programme obtain two separate degrees, i.e. one diploma for each Master’s programme. By combining research projects the total study load is 180 EC. Usually, the double Master’s programme can be finished in three years or less. The Board of Examiners of both Master's programmes have to approve the proposed Honours programme.

This programme is highly selective and only the very best students, with proven excellent academic records, are admitted. Typically, you need to be in the top 10% of your class and have completed your bachelor's degree without delay.

Information and application

To be admitted to this Honours programme, please contact the programme coordinator of one of the two Master’s programmes involved. Your application will then be considered by the programme leaders of both Master’s programmes. You also need to be enrolled in both the participating Master’s programmes. For Dutch or EU/EER-students there is no additional tuition fee.

Together with the programme coordinators, you have to fill out and sign this Double Degree Master's Programme form and complete this with a motivation letter. You can upload this form together with your application in Osiris Case.

For more information, please consult the Education and Examinations Regulations or contact one the Master’s programme coordinators.

The Honours programme Quantitative Biology offers students extra challenge in the field of Quantitative Biology and Computational Life Sciences.

Especially for ambitious master students who want to employ their creative abilities in complex national and international social issues, Utrecht University offers a 15 EC honours programme: the Young Innovators. You can take part in this programme alongside every Utrecht University master’s programme, but there is a selection procedure.

Along with students from other disciplines,  you will consider innovative and sustainable solutions for issues from the following themes:

• Sustainable innovations for the theme of health
• Sustainable innovations for the theme of economics
• Sustainable innovations for the theme of urbanisation

Information and signing up

Do you want to know more about the programme and entrance requirements? Find full information on the Young Innovators page.

Master students looking for an intellectual challenge can participate in a new, extracurricular honours programme called Graduate Honours Interdisciplinary Seminars (GHIS). These seminars can be attended next to any master programme of Utrecht University.

In the UU Honours Leadership Programme you learn all about leadership models and what makes effective leaders. You work on current relevant leadership dilemmas and you practice and are coached on your own personal leadership skills.

Workshops and lectures are taught by experienced UU teachers, external lecturers, and leaders from different domains in society and take place every 2 weeks. A special part of the programme is Leader to shadow in which you will work with a leader in his or her organisation and experience how leadership works in daily business.

For more information on this programme and how to apply go to the Honours Leadership Programme page.

In the Dutch and English spoken Leadership programme you learn about leadership models and what makes effective leaders. It is designed for students that are eager to learn about interdisciplinary theories, leadership in daily practice and want to develop their own personal leadership skills and style. You start with theory sessions given by researches from diverse disciplines, each with an expertise in leadership. During the interactive and intimate College Tours you can engage with leaders from different domains in society, such as business, culture, higher education, as well as politics. In the last study period you will shadow a leader as part of the Leader to Shadow component: you work together with this leader in his or her organisation and experience first-hand how leadership works in daily business.

The Leadership Programme offers you the chance to develop personally and professionally. Throughout the year you follow workshops to develop your own skills; these range from personal leadership, influencing and motivating others and public speaking. These are held by experts from and outside of the UU. You also have regular meetings with your programme leader to reflect on skills you would like to develop.

For more information about the Leadership Programme, information sessions and the application procedure, click here.  

GHIS is designed for open-minded and broadly societally interested students that are eager to develop interdisciplinary research skills that help combat today's global and local complicated challenges. This honours programme consists of a series of small-scale seminars that allow you to explore socially relevant research themes outside of your own field, under the supervision of leading UU professors. These themes range from global health issues and complex systems to trends in youth culture, philosophy of science, and the contested notion of citizenship. You will find that such topics are multifaceted and require an interdisciplinary approach.

During the seminars you discuss these themes with students from other disciplines. This teaches you to not only work together with researchers from other fields, but also to reflect on your own expertise. Throughout the programme you learn what it means to do interdisciplinary research. 

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

Young Innovators is an honours programme for socially involved students. The programme stands for sustainability, social innovation and regenerativity. A regenerative society contributes to and cares for the earth and its diverse communities. This programme is a community of changemakers that focuses on creating positive impact through social innovation and personal leadership. Throughout the year you work on issues related to the wellbeing of our society. In interdisciplinary teams of students you work towards social innovation.

You embark on a practical learning journey during which you find your own place as a changemaker in our current society and what drives you to enact change. As personal development is key in Young Innovators, you also attend workshops on topics such as leadership, teamwork, group dynamics and innovation processes. The programme allows room for reflexive growth to develop these skills and practices. Lastly, Young Innovators works with outside communities on real issues to achieve change. 

For more information about Young Innovators, information sessions and the application procedure, click here.