All Courses
On this page you can find all the courses and tracks offered by the Utrecht Summer School. Detailed information is published on all individual course pages.
43 course(s) found
The Rise of Modern Europe

Seize the opportunity to stay in two of the most exciting cities of Europe: Utrecht and Berlin, and travel back in time! The two parts of this programme will provide you with an exciting Dutch and German outlook on the history of Europe and help you understand the different factors that came to shape modern Europe. You will immerse yourself in Europe’s history and culture from the Middle Ages to the end of the 20th century and visit many of its…
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European Studies

This special track offers you the opportunity to explore the history and culture of Europe. Studying in the beautiful medieval city of Utrecht, you will not only look into the various European cultures and identities, but also study the key issues related to ‘the rise of modern Europe’ from the Middle Ages to the end of the 19th century. You will examine the three major wars that shaped the 20th century in Europe: WW I and II, and the Cold War.
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Dutch Art from Mesdag to Van Gogh and Mondrian (1700-1920s)

This course takes you through Dutch art from the 18th and 19th century, up to the early decades of modernism. After the grand 'Golden Age', innovations in the art world stagnated, until artists in the 19th century started to strive for the elusive ideal of truthfulness again, in a totally different way. Sign up for this course and discover the different styles, techniques and approaches of these modern Dutch artists, during both classroom…
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Psycholinguistics - UiL OTS

This elementary to intermediate level course will provide the student with a basic knowledge of psycholinguistics, a research domain on the intersection of linguistics, psychology and neuroscience. Three major research topics in psycholinguistics will be presented: language comprehension, language production and (first) language acquisition. In addition, we will discuss language disorders, both acquired (aphasia) and innate (developmental…
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Discovering the Dutch: Dutch Culture and Society

This special track explores the question of Dutch identity by placing the history of the Netherlands and Dutch art in a wider European and transatlantic perspective. You will be introduced to the rich cultural traditions that the Netherlands has developed from the Dutch Golden Age to the present day in artistic fields such as painting, literature, poetry and filmmaking. You will also analyse internationally debated issues in Dutch society, past…
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Battlefields Uncovered: Introduction to Archaeological and Historical Investigations of Conflict
Online course

What do battlefields have to tell us about the past and about ourselves? Battlefields Uncovered studies some of the most dramatic turning points in World History through the lens of Military History and Archaeology. See how groundbreaking archaeological techniques can shine a light through the fog of war. Discover the complex issues to be considered when preserving and presenting places of past armed conflict. Consider what stories should be…
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The Art of the Renaissance in Florence and Rome

This course is currently fully booked. If you would still like to apply, please feel free to do so but be informed that you will be placed on a waiting list. The application will therefore be placed 'on hold'. If you wish to apply for a different track with courses abroad, please take a look at our Art and Humanities course offer.
Florence, originally founded by the Romans, was governed by the Medici family for centuries. Most of them had a…
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Chinese Language and Culture for Beginners 0 -> HSK1
Online course

The Chinese language is the most widely spoken language in the world. Learning Chinese can open a new door for you to explore the culture and society of this rapidly developing country. Starting from zero, you will be able to conduct simple conversations and learn 150 new words (including the characters) at the end of this four-week intensive course. In addition, you will earn 7.5 ETCS after successful completion of this course and be qualified…
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Founding Europe: From Antiquity to the 19th Century

Come and study in two of the most exciting cities of Europe: Rome and Utrecht! You will dive into the exhilarating history of Europe, from the rise of civilization in Antiquity to the modern era of the 19th century. Together, these courses will provide you with a thorough knowledge of the history of these cities and nations, as well as an exciting overview of the history and workings of Europe.
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The 20th Century: Europe in Three Wars

When asked about 20th century Europe, most people's first associations are either Adolf Hitler or the Second World War. In the 20th century, however, Europe experienced not just one, but three horrific wars: the First World War, the Second World War and the Cold War that followed in their wake. The first half of the 20th century is therefore often labelled as “The Era of Violence”, and perhaps rightly so. Still, this century can just as easily…
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A Journey through Dutch Art

Experience the highlights of Dutch art from the last 400 years at first hand! This track covers many of the country's most renowned artists, museums and cities. Discover the famous masters of the Golden Age. Examine Dutch art from the 18th and 19th century, up to the early decades of modernism, including artists such as Van Gogh and Mondrian. This track will tell you all about the masterpieces and its painters by taking you out of the classroom…
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Bilingualism - UiL OTS

Ask someone their opinion on bilingualism and you are likely to hear statements such as: 'learning two languages from birth confuses children and impairs their cognitive development', 'Bilingual children can't speak either of their two languages properly' or 'You can only become bilingual if you start acquiring your second language as a young child.' Though common currency among the general public, each of these statements is in fact a myth. In…
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Dutch Culture: Society and Current Issues

In this course you will explore Dutch culture and identity by focusing on present-day Dutch society and its recent history. You will learn about typically Dutch phenomena such as the ‘poldermodel’, mobile flood barriers and windmills as well as their contributions to the economic success and the international orientation of the Netherlands. You will also have lectures on subjects such as religious diversity, (im)migration and secularization.
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Old Catholic Theology: The Early Church as Charism and Challenge

This track consists of two connected courses that offer in the first week an introduction to Old Catholic theology in its ecumenical context and in the second week the possibility to deepen your understanding of Old Catholic Theology by thematic and in-depth case-driven classes. Old Catholic theology is understood as the main theological currents as they exist in the Union of Utrecht of Old Catholic Churches. The first week will offer a broad…
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Exploring Culture through Data: Digital methods & Data practices
Online course

Please note that the dates for this summer school have not been finalized and may thus still be subject to change.
Are you curious, eager to learn and would you like to have an enriching experience during your summer holidays? This course would make a great opportunity! The accelerating datafication of society constitutes challenges and opportunities for humanities research. We welcome you, students and non-students, to join us in this online…
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History of Art: Highlights in Germany and the Netherlands

This four-week course is offered in collaboration with the Freie Universität in Berlin. By combining studies from Utrecht and Berlin, you will be able to get a glimpse of different centuries of art history in Northern Europe, compare differences and similarities between the two locations, and join museum visits. You will have the chance to explore the art scenes of these two vibrant cities, both from a past and present perspective.
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The Making of Europe: Rise of Civilization

This two-week course will bring you to the heart of Rome, where you will learn about the political, social and religious history behind the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages and the birth of the Renaissance and Baroque. You will study the astonishing Italian accomplishments of the Ancient to the early modern era. You will also visit a variety of beautiful ancient sites in the city such as the Pantheon, Colosseum and many more!
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Battlefields Uncovered 2: Developing and Demonstrating Understanding of Places of Past Conflict
Online course

If you have previously completed Battlefields Uncovered: Introduction to Archaeological and Historical Investigations of Conflict, you can build on your learning in this course. You can choose to either join a heritage organisation near you to gain more practical skills or to write a guided research paper.
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Dutch Art of the Golden Age

Are you curious to learn more about Rembrandt's 'Nightwatch', Vermeer's 'Girl with the pearl earring', Hals's 'Laughing figures' or other Dutch masterpieces from the 17th century? Sign up for this course and discover the 'Golden Age' and its marvellous paintings, applied arts and architecture. Upon completion of this highly interactive course, you will have gained a profound insight into the many layers of Dutch Art from the famous Golden Age.…
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Introduction to Semantics in L1 and L2 Acquisition - UiL OTS

This course introduces the basics of (formal) semantics and first and second language (L1/L2) acquisition as well as the interface between them. Days 1 and 2 are devoted to the introduction of a broad panorama of acquisition theories, Day 3 provides an introduction to semantics and on Days 4 and 5 we look into a number of semantic case studies in acquisition.
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European Politics and Economy

The European Union (EU) is a political partnership between 27 democratic European countries. With a population of about 450 million, it has become a major player in global politics. In this course, the European Union is the main object of study. You will be introduced to the Union's history, institutional structures, current aims and future challenges. Lecturers will elaborate on the historical background and the various stages of integration.
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Chinese Language and Culture HSK3 -> HSK4
Online course

The Chinese language is the most widely spoken language in the world. Learning Chinese can open a new door for you to explore the culture and society of this rapidly developing country. Starting with basic knowledge of Chinese (HSK 3 or more than 400 study hours), you will be able to further your language skills, converse in Chinese on a wide range of topics and learn 300 new words (including the characters) at the end of this four-week…
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The Early Church as Ideal: Old Catholic Theology beyond the Basics

This course offers the possibility to deepen your knowledge of Old Catholic theology by thematic and in-depth case-driven classes, linked to a key starting point of Old Catholic theology: the faith and order of the Early Church. How can a modern church be so ‘traditional’ at the same time? This apparent tension and paradox will be the core theme of this weeklong, intensive course. The course will be taught by experts in Old Catholic theology…
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Creative Fiction and Non-Fiction: Utrecht Writing Workshop

Writing creatively, in any genre, is the ultimate way to explore the possibilities for expression and innovation in language. In this course (with instruction in Dutch or English) you will focus on structure, style, and genre to improve your writing skills, and write critical exegeses of your work to situate it within longstanding traditions and current trends in literature.
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History of Art: Relations between Italy and the Netherlands

This course is currently fully booked. If you would still like to apply, please feel free to do so but be informed that you will be placed on a waiting list. The application will therefore be placed 'on hold'. If you wish to apply for a different track with courses abroad, please take a look at our Art and Humanities course offer.
The Utrecht Summer School offers the opportunity to travel back in time and experience the art of both traditions…
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