Honours Programme Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences
ESSB Honours Programme (ESSB-HP) is an extracurricular educational programme that offers students from across the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences the invaluable opportunity to deepen their engagement with highly complex and 'wicked' contemporary social challenges, such as climate change, health and illness, and various forms of social and environmental injustices. The programme is intended for students in Sociology, Public Administration, Psychology, International Bachelor in Psychology, Management of International Social Challenges, and Pedagogical Sciences who wish to:
Deepen their scientific and professional engagement with 'wicked', 21st-century challenges;
Broaden their disciplinary horizons and learn in an interdisciplinary fashion;
Expand their professional and research skills;
Develop interpersonal skills in presenting, conversation, and deep listening.
As the programme takes up a significant portion of time (see below for the structure of the programme), the programme invites students who, through having a grade point average of 7,5 over their first year, have proven to be able to carry the additional study load the programme requires. Invitations to apply are sent out at the start of the academic year to 2nd year BA students. Based on a motivation letter and a CV, the programme coordinators select 25 students. In addition to the CV and motivation letters, this selection is based on a proportional representation of study programmes. It will reflect a high diversity in nationality, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity to maximise the opportunity to learn from and with each other.
Throughout the year, starting in October, the Honours Programme convenes monthly (usually on the first Wednesday from 17:00 to 22:00) to explore contemporary social challenges and work on students' professional and personal development. It does so through various forms, including guest lectures, workshops, and off-campus activities, all coupled with a catered dinner. All students in the programme will be expected to contribute to organising a workshop or lecture themselves in group work and will be expected to participate actively in the group discussions and learning activities. Participation in ESSB-HP, therefore, contributes to your academic training in multiples ways and is a great addition to your regular bachelor's programme.
At the end of the year-long programme, students will qualify for the festive Honours Programme graduation at the end of their third year. Students will also receive a certificate testifying to their participation in the Honours Programme, signed by the programme coordinators and the Dean of ESSB.
Young Erasmus Research Grant – ESSB Honours Programme
The ESSB honour’s programme has started a research grant for its honour students. This small research grant (€500) will support one ESSB honour student each year. The aim of this grant is to support the student in presenting their work in an academic setting. Since all of the ESSB honour students perform a research internship as part of the programme, often ESSB honour students have the chance co-present their work with their academic supervisor at a conference. This grant can be used to cover travel and conference costs.
In 2019, Lola Lautenschlaeger (Ba-Int-Psy) presented with prof.dr. Geske Dijkstra (DPAS) their research on “Gender equality and economic growth: results from a new Comprehensive Index of Gender Equality” at The International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE) conference “Solidarities and Challenges at the Intersection of Inequalities” in Glasgow Scotland.
FAQ
We ask you to write a motivation letter in which you set out your goals for participating in the Honours Programme and reflect on what you can learn from and bring to the group. We prize a collaborative and curious spirit and will be on the lookout for indications that you are eager to develop yourself personally, professionally, and academically. We seek to bring together a maximally diverse group of people, including students from various backgrounds, study programme, and life experiences, to foster collective learning and development.
First and foremost, the Honours programme requires time and effort. Convening every month for an entire Wednesday evening from 5 to 10, the programme comes on top of your regular study programme, and you will need to make time and space to prepare sessions (through reading). You will also be asked to fully organise one session with a smaller group, which will require practical and organisational work. Attendance and participation in the full meeting are required, and exceptions are only granted for serious emergencies. Additionally, the programme involves a 100-hour research internship, which you will have to plan for. The programme does not involve graded work, but successful participation depends on your involvement in mandated individual and collective activities.
To complete and receive the Honours Certificate, students need to attend all monthly meetings, complete the required number of research hours, and actively participate in group assignments. A certificate ceremony is usually arranged in the third year of your bachelor's because many students are away at their exchange university. The certificate testifies to your successful completion of the Honours Programme and will be a prized component of any applications for MA degree programmes.
To be eligible for the programme, a grade point average over the first year of studies has to be at least 7.5 (resits do not preclude you from being invited to apply). Students need to write an application (motivation) letter describing their life experiences, why they want to participate, and why they think they can contribute to the programme. Because the programme is multidisciplinary in nature, we will look into your past experience with and/or shown interest in other disciplines, committees and/or voluntary (community) work. Since the Honours Programme caters to the full ESSB faculty, a good mix of each discipline in the programme is aimed for.
At the beginning of the academic year, the coordinators compile a list of students with a GPA of 7,5 or more at the end of their first year of studies (resits are allowed) across all ESSB educational programmes. These students will be invited to apply for the programme at the start of the academic year. Students are requested to write an application (motivation) letter and an updated curriculum vitae (CV). Both coordinators of the programme review each application independently, and a list of selected students is created that will be accepted into the programme. The first session generally starts at the end of September or the beginning of October.
That is not only possible, it is also highly encouraged. We have planned the whole programme in the second year of the bachelors, so that it is finished at the start of the third year, which is the period most frequently used for exchange.
No, you do not have to pay for participation. The programme including guest speakers, possible excursions, and joint meals are funded by the faculty.
The main difference is that ESSB Honours Programme is only available for students of the previously mentioned ESSB bachelors, while eligible students from all EUR bachelors can apply for the Erasmus Honours Programme. The latter is also a multidisciplinary programme and takes place from January to the summer. It has weekly meetings. The Erasmus Honours Programme does not include a research internship. Due to the limited amount of places in the honours programmes, some students choose to apply for both programmes. Some are also selected for both programmes and there have been students who have successfully completed them simultaneously.
The whole programme is in English, and it is open for both Dutch and international students.
Contact Information
Yaniv Morgenstern
- Email address
- morgenstern@essb.eur.nl