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M.A. On Campus

Arts and Culture - Design Cultures Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Highlights
Tuition fee
17960 EUR / year
2601 EUR / year
Unknown
Tuition fee
17960 EUR / year
2601 EUR / year
Unknown
Duration
12 months
Duration
12 months
Apply date
Unknown
Apply date
Unknown
Start date
Unknown
Start date
Unknown
Campus location
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Campus location
Amsterdam, Netherlands

About

The Arts and Culture - Design Cultures MA programme offered at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam will train you on how to interpret, reflect and write about design.

Overview

Interiors, fashion, artefacts, graphics and digital design define affect nearly every area of our lives. Design Cultures takes a Humanities perspective and explores the history and theory of design in connection with contemporary issues such as identity, ecology and inclusion. Other programmes train students on how to design objects. 

This Arts and Culture - Design Cultures MA programme offered at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam raises the following questions: What makes a design iconic? How is design used to construct national identity? How can we approach design from a post-colonial, ecological and feminist perspective? How do designers think? Why does the very same object mean different things to different users?

Entering the job market

After finishing your Master's programme, you can work in various job fields. Our graduates have careers as:

  • project managers (Modemuze, Dutch Design Foundation)
  • editors at design and fashion magazines (Vogue NL)
  • book authors (nai 010 Publishers)
  • lecturers in design history and theory (Hogeschool Willem de Kooning, Rotterdam; Hogeschool van Amsterdam; University of Technology, Sidney; The Royal Academy of Art, The Hague)
  • museum curators (Vitra Design Museum, Art and Design Atomium Museum in Brussels (ADAM), Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich)
  • PhD candidates

Programme Structure

Courses include:
  • Design, History and Culture
  • Methods of Design Analysis: The Meanings of Design
  • Trending Topics Arts and Culture
  • Design in Words: Criticism, Writing and Theory
  • The Arts and Crafts of Dutch Design

Key information

Duration

  • Full-time
    • 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Credits

60 ECTS

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

  • Amsterdam, Netherlands

What students do after studying

Join for free or log in to access our complete career info list.

Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

Other requirements

General requirements

  • Your previous education needs to be deemed equivalent to at least a Dutch academic Bachelor’s degree (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO) obtained at a research university (nominal duration 3 years). 
  • The Master’s programme in Arts and Culture with a specialisation in Design Cultures is designed for students with an academic Bachelor’s degree in design, fashion, art or (visual) cultural studies. You may also be accepted if you have an academic Bachelor’s degree in other disciplines of the Humanities (history, media and communication studies, cultural studies) or in anthropology or sociology, with a major or specialisation in design, fashion, art or visual culture (equal to a minimum of 30 ECTS). Students with a historical and theoretical interest in the broad field of design are particularly welcome.
  • English-language proficiency requirements

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

  • Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
  • Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
  • Liability
  • Home contents and baggage
  • Accidents
  • Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and/or in Netherlands, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees
  • International

    17960 EUR/year
    Tuition Fee
    Based on the tuition of 17960 EUR per year during 12 months.
  • EU/EEA

    2601 EUR/year
    Tuition Fee
    Based on the tuition of 2601 EUR per year during 12 months.

Living costs for Amsterdam

1000 - 1500 EUR /month
Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Arts and Culture - Design Cultures.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

Independent provider
Grant
4000 USD
Deadline
20 Dec 2025
OAS ISS Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
30 Nov 2025
ServiceScape Scholarship
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

ServiceScape
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
5000 EUR
Deadline
Not specified
NL Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Association of Universities in the Netherlands
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
31 Dec 2025
Grants of the Leopold Figl Foundation for students with residence in Lower Austria
Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Leopold Figl Foundation
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
33600 EUR
Deadline
01 Jul 2025
Mundus MAPP EMJM Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Mundus MAPP
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
3000 USD
Deadline
30 Jun 2025
Moving Mates Scholarship
Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Moving Mates
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1500 USD
Deadline
15 Sep 2025
Headway’s Book Lovers Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Headway
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
Not specified
Erasmus+ - Grants for study mobility
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
25000 USD
Deadline
Not specified
Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Ayn Rand Institute
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
5000 CAD
Deadline
31 Dec 2025
Pinsky Law New Venture Development Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Pinsky Law
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
5000 USD
Deadline
25 Aug 2025
Women Scholarship for International Students
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

educations.com
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
3000 USD
Deadline
30 Jun 2025
Essay Writing Contest from EduLegit
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Edulegit
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
31 Oct 2025
$1,500 Annual Video Contest Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IvyPanda
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
09 Jul 2025
Dream Chaser Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Salvado Law
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
02 Jul 2025
Jewish Heritage Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Diamant Gerstein
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
90000 AUD
Deadline
Not specified
World Universities Ramsay Postgraduate Scholarship
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

The Ramsay Centre
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
3000 USD
Deadline
31 Dec 2025
Scholarship for students with disabilities
Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Anonymous Hope Fund
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
2000 USD
Deadline
01 Sep 2025
The Rick Blight Leadership in Action Scholarship for Athletes
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Canadian Men’s Health Foundation
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
12000 USD
Deadline
30 Nov 2025
Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

The Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
3000 USD
Deadline
Not specified
AAPG Foundation Grants-in-Aid
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
2000 USD
Deadline
31 Jul 2025
The MyUS Community Scholarship
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

MyUS
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1500 USD
Deadline
Not specified
The Annual IELTS from 6 to 9 Scholarship
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

IELTS from 6 to 9
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
01 Mar 2026
Voice Talent Online Scholarship
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Voice Talent Online
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
31 Aug 2025
Florida Rentals Annual Dream Vacation Scholarship
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Florida Rentals
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
30 Jun 2025
$1,500 Annual Essay Writing Contest Scholarship
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

IvyPanda
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
965 USD
Deadline
Anytime
Dr. Martin Blank – SYB Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Shield Your Body
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
500 USD
Deadline
31 Oct 2025
CryptoRunner Scholarship
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

CryptoRunner
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
55 GBP
Deadline
19 Jun 2025
IELTS Morgan Terry Memorial IATEFL Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IELTS from 6 to 9
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
Not specified
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters scholarships
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

European Commission
Location not available

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Arts and Culture - Design Cultures
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