University College Maastricht

Last updated
UCM
University College Maastricht
Overzicht gevels binnenplaats - Maastricht - 20364778 - RCE(copy).jpg
Type Public, Liberal arts and sciences college, Problem-based learning
Established2002
Dean Dr. Wolfgang Giernalczyk
Students800
Location, ,
Netherlands 50°50′39″N5°41′19″E / 50.8443°N 5.6886°E / 50.8443; 5.6886 Coordinates: 50°50′39″N5°41′19″E / 50.8443°N 5.6886°E / 50.8443; 5.6886
Affiliations Maastricht University
Website http://www.ucm.nl
University College Maastricht logo.jpg

University College Maastricht (UCM) is an English language, internationally oriented, liberal arts and sciences college housed in the 15th century Nieuwenhof monastery in Maastricht, Netherlands. Founded in 2002, it is the second of its kind in the Netherlands. The college is part of Maastricht University (Dutch : Universiteit Maastricht) and offers a selective honours programme with a high workload. The Dutch Higher Education Guide (Keuzegids Hoger Onderwijs) ranked UCM the best bachelors programme in the Netherlands in 2015 and 2016; in 2012, 2014 and 2015 they ranked UCM the best university college in the Netherlands. [1] In 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018 Elsevier Magazine ranked UCM the best university college in the Netherlands in terms of student satisfaction. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

History

Maastricht University, of which UCM is part, was founded in 1976, making it one of the youngest universities in the Netherlands, and as of 2014 has over 16,000 students and roughly 3,600 employees. [5] University College Maastricht itself opened in September 2002, before moving to a new location in 2006, and currently has over 800 students.

Academics

Education at University College Maastricht, providing Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees, is fully taught in English. The College is a liberal arts college. Classes put an emphasis on independent learning via a group process structured through the Problem-based learning (PBL) method. The courses of the UCM programme are contained within three concentrations namely the humanities, sciences and social sciences. Of these students are required to choose one, although a combination of two is possible, in addition to a mandatory core curriculum and self-assembled general education, the latter picked from courses in a different concentration than the individual student's chosen concentration.

Concentrations

The Humanities concentration includes the academic disciplines of arts and media studies, cultural studies, European studies, history, literature, philosophy and science and technology studies. The Sciences concentration, previously known as Life Sciences, includes biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics and sustainable development. Finally, the Social Sciences concentration includes business administration, economics, international law, international relations, political science, psychology, public administration and sociology.

Courses are additionally structured in a 1000 to 3000-level grid, indicating an increasing level of complexity and necessary previous knowledge. In addition to courses, students are required to choose skills trainings including, but not limited to, argumentation, ethnography, languages and research methods. Thirdly, students are required to take one project, e.g. academic debating, per semester.

Curriculum structure

An individual student's curriculum consists of the previously mentioned courses, skills trainings and projects. With UCM using the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) a BA or BSc at UCM will comprise a total of 180 ECTS. Students subsequently enrol in a maximum of 30 ECTS per semester, or 60 ECTS for a full year, with students receiving 5 ECTS for courses and projects and 2.5 ECTS for skills trainings. Students create their own curriculum, with help of academic advisors, by choosing courses located within their respective concentration in addition to a requirement to complete a core curriculum, consisting of four courses, and a general education requirement, consisting of two courses per concentration the student did not choose. The aim of this curriculum is to provide students with the opportunity to develop their own academic preferences and talents and acquire the expertise and skills to enter a Master programmes (see Admissions and Student Population).

International partnerships

Since its inception the college has established a number of international partnerships, allowing its students to participate in exchange programmes with subsequent study points counting towards their UCM degrees. Partner universities include University of Freiburg (including a flagship Double Degree Programme), University of California, Berkeley, Seoul National University, University College London and Sciences Po Lille. [6]

Location and building

After major renovations, UCM moved into the former Nieuwenhof convent in 2006. Located in the Jekerkwartier neighbourhood in central Maastricht, the building dates back to 1485 immediately adjacent to Maastricht's city fortifications. The 2000s (decade) renovation of the former convent included the creation of a common room, IT facilities and a reading room providing specific literature related to courses taught at the college.

UCM's Jekerkwartier location makes it part of the larger city centre campus of Maastricht University including its inner city library, School of Business, Law faculty and Graduate School of Governance.

Admissions and student population

New students at UCM enrol twice per academic year, in September and February. Both entry moments follow the same admission procedures. Compared to other undergraduate programs in the Netherlands, the admissions process is rigorous and extensive. New students are selected based on a letter of motivation, a CV, and an interview. [7] The UCM student population includes about 50 different nationalities with approximately 70% of students originating outside the Netherlands. [8] In recent years, 13.5% of applicants have gone on to study at UCM which is indicative of the highly competitive admissions process. [9]

Extracurricular activities

Universalis is a multicultural and multidisciplinary study association directly affiliated with UCM. It is run by UCM students for UCM students. Universalis contributes to both academic and social life at UCM. The association is involved in the organization of debates, poetry readings, parties, charity fundraisers, excursions and many other events. [10]

Notes

  1. University Colleges: alle negen ‘top’, on website keuzegids.org.
  2. Rankings & accreditations, on website maastrichtuniversity.nl.
  3. UCM has topped the Keuzegids ranking again this year! on website maastrichtuniversity.nl, 23 November 2016.
  4. Elsevier-onderzoek: dit zijn de beste studies van 2016, on website elsevier.nl.
  5. "Facts & figures - Maastricht University". Archived from the original on 2015-01-19. Retrieved 2015-04-16.
  6. "University College Maastricht (UCM) - Exchange". www.maastrichtuniversity.nl. Retrieved 2020-05-28.
  7. "Admission requirements | University College Maastricht | Maastricht University".
  8. "Why this programme? | University College Maastricht | Maastricht University".
  9. "Liberal Arts and Sciences (University College Maastricht) - Maastricht University - Studiekeuze123 - Studiekeuze123".
  10. "Maastricht University: The Academic Community". Archived from the original on 2010-02-05. Retrieved 2010-03-16.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bachelor of Arts</span> Bachelors degree awarded for undergraduate study in liberal arts, the sciences or both

Bachelor of Arts is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years, depending on the country and institution.

An academic degree is a qualification awarded to a student upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions often offer degrees at various levels, usually divided into undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. The most common undergraduate degree is the bachelor's degree, although some educational systems offer lower level undergraduate degrees such as associate and foundation degrees. Common postgraduate degrees include master's degrees and doctorates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Education in the Netherlands</span>

Education in the Netherlands is characterized by division: education is oriented toward the needs and background of the pupil. Education is divided over schools for different age groups, some of which are divided in streams for different educational levels. Schools are furthermore divided in public, special (religious), and general-special (neutral) schools, although there are also a few private schools. The Dutch grading scale runs from 1 to 10 (outstanding).

An academic major is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits. A student who successfully completes all courses required for the major qualifies for an undergraduate degree. The word major is also sometimes used administratively to refer to the academic discipline pursued by a graduate student or postgraduate student in a master's or doctoral program.

Maastricht University is a public research university in Maastricht, Netherlands. Founded in 1976, it is the second youngest of the thirteen Dutch universities.

The Open University of the Netherlands is a Dutch institution for distance learning at university level. It is an independent government-funded university and uses a variety of methods, including written materials, the Internet, and occasional evening seminars or day sessions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University College Utrecht</span>

University College Utrecht (UCU) provides English-language Liberal Arts and Sciences undergraduate education. Founded in 1998, as the first university college in the Netherlands, it is part of Utrecht University. Around 750 students of 70 different nationalities live and study on campus. Students can design their individual curriculum with courses in one of the three departments: Science, Social Sciences and Humanities.

Honours degree has various meanings in the context of different degrees and education systems. Most commonly it refers to a variant of the undergraduate bachelor's degree containing a larger volume of material or a higher standard of study, or both, rather than an "ordinary", "general" or "pass" bachelor's degree. Honours degrees are sometimes indicated by "Hons" after the degree abbreviation, with various punctuation according to local custom, e.g. "BA (Hons)", "B.A., Hons", etc. In Canada, honours degrees may be indicated with an "H" preceding the degree abbreviation, e.g. "HBA" for Honours Bachelor of Arts or Honours Business Administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windesheim University of Applied Sciences</span>

Windesheim University of Applied Sciences is a Dutch vocational university institute for higher education and research. With over 27,000 students and over 3,000 members of staff at sites in Zwolle and Almere, Windesheim is one of the larger universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands. Elsevier and Keuzegids HBO have ranked Windesheim second among the universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands for several years in a row.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louisiana Scholars' College</span> Public honors college in Louisiana, USA

The Louisiana Scholars' College at Northwestern State University, or "Scholars' College" as it is known by its students and faculty, is Louisiana's only designated four-year, selective-admissions honors college in the liberal arts and sciences.

The European Inter-University Association on Society, Science and Technology (ESST) is an association of universities that teach and research together in the field of social, scientific and technological developments. Universities from all over Europe are members of the association, which was founded in 1991 and is registered as a non-profit organisation in Belgium. The association was founded to strengthen education and research in Science and Technology Studies (STS).

Hotelschool The Hague is a single sector university of applied sciences in the Netherlands. It was founded and funded in 1929 by the hospitality industry. In 2010, Hotelschool The Hague founded its university wide Research Centre, focusing on interdisciplinary research with a strong practice-oriented focus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UCMSA Universalis</span>

UCMSA Universalis is a multicultural and multidisciplinary student association directly affiliated with the University College Maastricht. It is run by UCM students for UCM students and contributes to both academic and social life at UCM. The association is involved in the organisation of debates, poetry readings, open-mic nights, parties, charity fundraisers, student representation, and other events. Following a structure typical of Maastricht University study associations, it is run by a student board. The Universalis student board consists of an Executive Board, a Social Board, an Academic Board, and an Independent Body. Board positions are traditionally a semester to two semesters long. Active members of the association are organised as committees which provide services for all students at the college. All new students automatically become a member upon enrollment at the college.

The Ecoles Centrales Group is an alliance, consisting of following grandes écoles of engineering:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amsterdam University College</span> Educational institution in the Netherlands

Amsterdam University College (AUC) is a public liberal arts college in the Netherlands with an enrollment of about 900 students from more than 60 countries. All teaching is in English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leiden University College The Hague</span> Liberal arts and sciences honours college in the Netherlands

Leiden University College The Hague (LUC) is a small interdisciplinary Liberal Arts and Sciences honours college part of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs of Leiden University. The institution's curriculums focus on tackling global challenges, such as peace and justice, sustainability, prosperity and diversity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maastricht Science Programme</span>

Maastricht Science Programme is an English language liberal arts and sciences programme, founded in 2010. The programme is part of Maastricht University and offers an honours programme. It is located in Maastricht in the Netherlands.

University College Roosevelt (UCR), formerly known as Roosevelt Academy (RA), is a small, honors undergraduate liberal arts and science college located in Middelburg in the Netherlands and the sole university in Zeeland. It offers a residential setting, and is an international honors college of Utrecht University. It is named in honour of the Roosevelt family, which traces its ancestry to the province of Zeeland.

University College Venlo, often referred to as UCV, is a bachelor programme offered at the satellite location of Maastricht University, Campus Venlo. It welcomed its first students in September 2015. UCV was ranked second at the national Elsevier ranking 2016 of all university colleges in the Netherlands. Furthermore UCV has been ranked as the #2 Liberal Arts and Sciences programme in the Dutch University Guide: Keuzegids 2020 with a score of 84 points, making it a top rated programme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University College Groningen</span>

University College Groningen (UCG) is a public liberal arts college based in Groningen, the Netherlands. The college offers a bachelor's degree in liberal arts and sciences. Established in 2014, the college currently has approximately 360 students. The university has a diversity of subjects and majors, from which students can choose. UCG is a Faculty of the University of Groningen, one of the world’s top 100 universities.