In this programme, you will acquire a thorough understanding of how changes and continuities in the past influence our daily lives and you learn to explain the crucial connection between past and present.
You primarily look at modern history (from 1500 and onwards) through a social, cultural, political and economic lens. This means that you study history more thematically (e.g. the history of migration and citizenship) and less based on historical periods – as is usual in other history departments.
You will learn to answer questions such as: How do games like Call of Duty perpetuate myths about the war, but also how they influence our thinking about the past? Why did so many European countries become rich while African countries have remained poor? What is the influence of movies such as Schindler’s List and Inglorious Bastards on our historical thinking? And how is diversity within football teams partly due to the colonial past of the country?

The best history bachelor in the Netherlands
Students appreciate the competence of lecturers
The Dutch and English bachelor History have been at the top of the Studiekeuze rankings for years. What is valued most about the bachelors is the expertise of the lecturers, the way assessments and exams are structured, and the vibe within the programme. With a score of 69, Erasmus University Rotterdam is three points ahead of the University of Amsterdam and Utrecht University.
5 reasons to study the International Bachelor History
- thanks to the engaged groups and the mentor system, you receive personal help with your studies;
- you will share the classroom with students from all over the world;
- the programme is oriented towards the labour market and has close ties with the corporate world;
- the programme receives a high score in the annual National Student Survey;
- the EUR offers a number of high-quality master’s programmes that complement the bachelor, including the Erasmus Mundus Programme GLOCAL.
Connecting today with yesterday
Focusing on themes lets you keep an eye on the big picture, which teaches you to establish links between historical and contemporary developments and learn not just to understand the past but also the issues facing society today. This is the ideal programme for you if your interest goes beyond history alone, if you are curious and want to learn how to connect yesterday with today.
Why choose IB History? Cindy will tell you!

A word from our students
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