We're moving! This site will be relocating to goingto.university in 2026. Please update your bookmarks to the new address.

StudyLink logoHome
Students on a university campus

Arts and Culture - Contemporary Art History, Master Degree, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

the Netherlands

Visit course webpage

Study options for this course

The award How you will study Study duration Course start Domestic course fees International course fees
Master DegreeFull-time1 yearSeptemberEUR 2694 per yearEUR 24830 per year

About Arts and Culture - Contemporary Art History, Master Degree - at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

In selecting the specialisation Contemporary Art History, you devote your attention to what is at stake now – to artworks that take on the challenges of the globalised information society, and of living in the Anthropocene.

You do so from a firm basis in an established discipline that has much to offer but also continuously adapts in keeping up with the art of the present.

Contemporary Art History is one of the tracks of the master's programme in Arts & Culture.

Five reasons to choose Contemporary Art History at VU Amsterdam

  • Focus on visual, process-based, and digital art from the 1960s until today.
  • You will follow a class on art criticism to further develop your skills in writing and in critically assessing contemporary art.
  • You will delve into the depth of digital and process-based art while following a class specifically dedicated to new media art.
  • You will go on a field trip, to prove and further develop your analytical skills onsite.
  • The Netherlands, and Amsterdam especially, is pioneering in contemporary art.

Summer School

Apply to VU Amsterdam Summer School and develop your academic skills in a focused and inspiring study abroad experience.

Learn more about Arts and Culture - Contemporary Art History, Master Degree - at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Visit course webpage

Entry requirements

1. Academic 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). 

2. Programme specific requirements

Direct admission to the Master's programme in Arts and Culture, with a specialisation in Contemporary Art History, is possible with an academic Bachelor's degree (WO) in art history, MKDA, or an equivalent degree. If you have an academic Bachelor’s degree in the Humanities (history, media studies, philosophy, cultural studies), you must have completed a minimum of 60 ECTS in art history/theory. You must also submit a complete application for review by the Admissions Board.

Due to a lack of distinction between applied and academic universities abroad, the level of academic theory that you have studied will be determined based on your course descriptions, literature lists and a sample of academic writing.

How to demonstrate that you meet the above requirements

You are required to indicate in the course description section of the Application Form how you meet the programme specific admission requirements.

Whether you meet the admission requirements, is determined by the Admission Board based on your complete application.

3. English-language proficiency requirements

You will have to demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency. You can find an overview of relevant information to demonstrate your English language proficiency on the language requirement page

Fees, Funding and Scholarships at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Need financial assistance? Read about scholarships: Scholarships for Master's programmes

Student reviews of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Find out what students say about Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Masters Webinar

Each year, we organise an online session for aspiring Master's students that covers everything you need to know about the application process and beyond. This year, the International Master's webinar took place on Tuesday, October 15, at 16:00 (CET). You can watch the recordings all year.

During the webinar, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Discover what it is like to study at VU Amsterdam;
  • Learn everything you need to know about the admission and application process;
  • Get the latest insights on scholarship opportunities;
  • Hear first-hand experiences from one of our current international students about being a student in the Netherlands' dynamic capital city.

Register here

Bachelors Webinar

Each year we organise an online session for aspiring Bachelor's students that covers all you need to know about the application process and beyond. This year, the International Bachelor's webinar took place on Thursday 24 October at 16:00 (CET). You can watch the recorder version all year.

During the webinar, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Discover what it is like to study at VU Amsterdam;
  • Learn everything you need to know about the admission and application process;
  • Ask all your questions about the housing market in Amsterdam;
  • Hear first-hand experiences from one of our current international students about being a student in the Netherlands' dynamic capital city.

Register here

Other courses at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

There are 183 other courses listed from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. A selection of these are displayed below:

Accounting and Control Master Degree

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Find out more

Archaeology Master Degree

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Find out more

Archaeology: European Archaeology MA

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Find out more

Artificial Intelligence - Cognitive Science Track Master Degree

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Find out more

Arts and Culture - Contemporary Art History Master Degree

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Find out more

Arts and Culture - Design Cultures Master Degree

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Find out more

Arts and Culture: Media, Culture and Environment Master Degree

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Find out more

Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Master Degree

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Find out more
View all 183 courses at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Photos from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Videos from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Location of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam main campus location is shown on the map below:

Map showing location of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Related Information

See other universities in Amsterdam

Find out more about studying in the Netherlands