Preservation & Presentation of the Moving Image
Roosmarijn Hompe from the Netherlands
Dutch Art
Educational background
Before applying to the Master's programme in Dutch Art , I graduated from University College Utrecht where I obtained my Bachelor's degree, majoring in the Humanities department. Most of my courses were in the field of history, art history and literature, but I've also completed courses in museology and political sciences. After three years of studying within the field of liberal arts and sciences, I found out that I wanted to pursue my love for art history specifically in an Art History Master.
Why Dutch Art ?
When I started to apply for Master's programmes, I quickly found out that most Art History masters were not too flexible with regards to their prerequisites. In short, my curriculum did not meet the demands of most masters, because I had not obtained enough ECTS within the field of art history. So there I was, thinking a liberal arts education would be an advantage for my future career!
Then I noticed the Master's programme in Dutch Art did not have these restrictive prerequisites and in principle allowed entry with any BA within the Humanities. Apart from this, the interdisciplinary approach and the scope of the programme seemed to fit in exactly with my interests and further career plans.
Why the University of Amsterdam?
Part of the appeal of studying art history in Amsterdam is that, apart from it being the political capital of the Netherlands, it is also - according to me - the cultural capital of the country, with its rich history, many beautiful and innovative museums and cultural organisations. The University of Amsterdam offers its students a variety of opportunities in the field of research and internships. Moreover, I believe that although the UvA is one of the largest universities of the country, it is still flexible enough to meet individual students' demands.
About the programme
In some respects, the content of the Master's programme was different than I had expected when I applied. In most respects, the content of the programme was better than I could have expected beforehand. I have experienced most of my classes as instructive and very stimulating and the professors have very much contributed to my career orientation and aspirations. Before starting the Master, I expected that I would have trouble catching up with the students who had finished a BA in art history, but most of the other students were also from other disciplines, which resulted in a multi-disciplined and refreshing approach to the subject matter. When I think, for instance, about the subjects my fellow students and I chose for our Master's thesis, I'm struck by the variety of different and interesting approaches each of us have. I feel all of us have benefited from the flexibility of the programme.
About the University of Amsterdam
I had anticipated beforehand that the UvA would not be as strictly organised as UCU and I have experienced this is the case. I can imagine this could be problematic for some students who want to know what to expect at all times. For me, it allowed me the freedom and offered the opportunity to take my own responsibilities and set my own goals; of course always supported by the coordinators of the Master.
About the structure of the classes
Comparing it to what I was used to before, most of the classes were roughly the same size (i.e. small) and very interactive. Professors involve the students as much as possible and personal contributions are valued, if not demanded, which is of course natural for any Master's programme. With my background, I was already used to these smaller and more interactive classrooms. I can only imagine what those huge lecture halls should be like!
Career goals
Compared to most of the other students in the Master, I'm still quite young, so I have decided to continue studying for a while. For next year, I've applied for the master ‘Redacteur/Editor', to which I very much hope to be accepted. In the far future, I see myself working at my own publishing house, writing, editing, designing, and publishing art books. How I get there still remains mostly an uncertain path with hopefully many wonderful opportunities and challenges.
Would you recommend this programme to other students?
Yes, but not to all other students. I believe the Master's programme is most suitable for students with an interdisciplinary background, who want to develop their knowledge on the different subjects that are dealt with within the Master. Students looking for a particular focus in their studies would do better to look for a more specifically oriented Master.