A Master s programme at UCL

Transcription

1 A Master s programme at UCL UCL - a top university right at the heart of Europe

2 UNIVERSITÉ CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN UCL AND BELGIUM 2 The university Multicultural, open and forward-looking UCL is one of Belgium s and Europe s leading universities. For almost 600 years it has welcomed students from across the world, without regard to their political or religious beliefs. The University strives to be highly multicultural, multilingual, open and tolerant. 30,000 students, of whom 5,500 come from abroad 1,900 teachers, 3,000 researchers 185 Master s programmes in all fields of study 22 doctoral schools 21 research institutes, 25 technology platforms 3 science parks, 61 spin-offs 150 million euros in research grants per year 150,000 alumni worldwide.

3 Belgium Welcoming with a rich and diverse heritage Belgium, a small country nestled between France, Germany and the Netherlands, has so much to offer. For one thing, Belgians are welcoming and open to diversity. Visitors soon feel at home here. There are many things to discover: its cities of art, its villages, its natural beauty, its museums, its cuisine,... and there is the incredible wealth of culture embodied in a new generation of highly gifted artists, among them filmmakers, choreographers, fashion and other designers, cartoonists, and more. 11 million inhabitants Three national languages (French, Dutch and German) and widespread use of English 70 km of beaches, 700,000 hectares of forest 11 historic sites on UNESCO s World Heritage List Leading-edge industries in such fields as aeronautics, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, green chemicals and sustainable materials One of the most advanced healthcare systems in the world Birthplace of Pierre-Paul Rubens, René Magritte, Hergé, Jacques Brel, the Dardenne brothers, Stromae, and many more famous names UCL has a presence in five Belgian cities. Its main campus is in Louvain-la-Neuve, to the south of Brussels. 3 UNITED KINGDOM AMSTERDAM THE NETHERLANDS Louvain-la-Neuve Mons Brussels (campus of Woluwe and Saint-Gilles) Tournai Charleroi LONDON Ostend Antwerp Ghent Tournai BRUSSELS Leuven GERMANY Mons Charleroi Namur Liège Francfurt FRANCE Arlon LUXEMBOURG LUXEMBOURG PARIS The beating heart of Europe Europe s home base is in Belgium. Known as the de facto capital of the European Union, Brussels now plays host to most of the European institutions. Situated at the crossroads of the continent s major capitals, the city offers an efficient public transport network to ensure easy access. Paris is 1½ hours away by train, London 2 hours and Frankfurt 3 hours. Belgium is in tune with the EU and its citizens.

4 Choose UCL for Its reputation and international outlook UNIVERSITÉ CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN CHOOSE UCL FOR 4 TRADITION Founded in 1425, UCL is one of the oldest universities in Europe. Erasmus, Mercator and Vesalius are just some of the famous names who have studied here. UCL has also encouraged many great minds on their way to making breakthrough discoveries: it was here that Georges Lemaître formulated his Big Bang theory and Christian de Duve obtained the Nobel Prize for Medicine in With a rich history spanning almost 600 years, UCL now plays a leading role in the world of learning in Europe. RECOGNITION UCL is placed high in international rankings. It is the top French-speaking Belgian university in terms of numbers of graduates each year and is ranked: 146th in the world-class universities group * 5th comprehensive French-speaking university in the world ** Included amongst the world s elite institutions in 25 of the 36 subjects ranked in QS Rankings 2015 *** Three subjects ranked in World s Top 50 (Statistics & operational Research, Philosophy, Economics & Econometrics) *** Twelve subjects ranked in World s Top 100 *** Louvain School of Management has been awarded the prestigious EQUIS accreditation. * Shanghai ranking 2014 ** QS and THE rankings 2014 *** QS ranking by subject 2015 PARTNERSHIPS UCL has always embraced a policy of being open to the outside world. This openness is reflected in a large number of student exchange partnerships with universities around the globe, active participation in international networks (Erasmus Mundus, CLUSTER, TIME, CEMS, etc.) and a long tradition of cooperation with developing countries. In recent years UCL has focused more on joint degree programmes and had signed 73 agreements as of the end of 2014.

5 The quality of its teaching and tutoring INNOVATION Innovation is second nature to UCL. The University applies it to research, of course, but also to teaching, constantly re-examining its purpose and methods. UCL has a major asset in this area: the Institute for Higher Education and Technology (Institut de pédagogie universitaire et des multimédias (IPM), in French), the sole aim of which is to help teachers incorporate new teaching aids into their classroom practices. These include project-based learning, the flipped classroom, interactive teaching platforms, e-learning and more. UCL is a pioneer in the MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) in Belgium. SUPPORT UCL attaches particular importance to giving its students the best possible welcome and support. Whether this involves lending assistance in finding accommodation or completing all the enrolment formalities, offering a personalized welcome to the faculty and easy access to language courses or providing welfare, psychological and educational support where needed, every effort is made to ensure that newcomers quickly feel part of the student community. RESOURCES UCL seeks to create a stimulating environment for study and research. To achieve this objective, each year it adds to the resources available to its students: interactive teaching and learning platforms ten libraries equipped with meeting rooms a digital library language labs, computer rooms and study facilities teaching and multimedia tools Its stimulating living environment NEW EXPERIENCES On each of its six campuses, the University offers a vibrant environment that presents challenges and new experiences. Being a student at UCL means meeting new people, discovering new horizons and growing as an individual. The unique theme-based flat share concept created by UCL (called kot-à-projet in French) is a good example of this mindset. This original idea involves students sharing a flat and working together on a social, cultural or sport-related project in which they have a special interest. Each year nearly a thousand students opt for this type of accommodation. CULTURE Theatre, cinema, concerts, shows, exhibitions, conferences cultural activities abound at UCL. This is hardly surprising, as the University invests heavily in culture, each year inviting an artist in residence and organizing a cultural season. The study programme also includes a minor in culture and creation. And because UCL wants to get students actively involved in culture, it subsidizes their projects and offers a culture card with a whole range of student benefits. SPORT Anyone who loves sports will not be disappointed with what UCL has to offer. On each campus, students enjoy modern sport facilities. At Louvain-la-Neuve, they have access to the largest sports centre in French-speaking Belgium, featuring 25 sports halls, 2 swimming pools, 3 hectares of outdoor facilities, etc. And with the sports card, all students have free access to nearly 80 sporting activities organized each week. Particularly gifted athletes can join the university teams and compete at inter-university level. 5

6 Master s programmes at UCL Language of instruction Teaching campuses Mobility Joint degree Internships The language shown in this column is the language in which the programme is mainly taught. If two languages are mentioned, this means that the programme may be taken in the language of the student s choice. LLN : Louvain-la-Neuve W : Brussels Woluwe M : Mons T : Tournai SG : Brussels Saint-Gilles C : Charleroi «ü» indicates that an exchange visit to another university is possible as part of this programme. «ü» indicates that this programme is eligible for a Belgian or international joint degree. This column indicates whether an internship forms part of this programme. Optional means that the student may choose whether or not to do an internship. The durations mentioned between square brackets ((1 year), (2 years),...) indicate the minimum time required to finish the programme. UNIVERSITÉ CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN MASTER S PROGRAMMES AT UCL 6 HUMANITIES LAW ET CRIMINOLOGY Law [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Law (shift schedule *) [2 years] FR. LLN ü Criminology [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü ADVANCED Environmental Law and Public Real Estate Law (shift schedule*) [1 year] FR. see website ü European Law [1 year] FR. LLN Tax Law [1 year] FR. LLN ü International Law [1 year] FR. LLN Human Rights (shift schedule*) [1 year] FR. see website ü Public Notary Law [1 year] FR. LLN optional ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT Business Engineering [2 years] FR./ENG. LLN/M ü ü ü Management (shift Schedule*) [2 years] FR. M/C ü Management (shift Schedule*) [1 year] FR. C/LLN/M Management [2 years] FR./ENG. LLN/M ü ü optional /ü Management [1 year] FR. LLN/M Economics: Econometrics [2 years] ENG. LLN ü ü Economics: General [2 years] FR./ENG. LLN ü ü optional Economics: General [1 year] FR./ENG. LLN ADVANCED International and Development Economics [1 year] ENG. LLN ü Transportation Management [1 year] FR. M ü HISTORY, HISTORY OF ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY History [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional History [1 an] FR. LLN History of Art and Archaeology : General [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü History of Art and Archaeology : General [1 year] FR. LLN ü History of Art and Archaeology: Musicology [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü optional History of Art and Archaeology: Musicology [1 year] FR. LLN optional ADVANCED Heritage Conservation and Restoration [2 years] FR. LLN ü INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION Communication [2 years] FR. M/LLN ü ü Communication (shift Schedule*) [2 years] FR. M ü Multilingual Communication [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü Information and Communication [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü Information and Communication [1 year] FR. M/LLN / optional Journalism [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü Information and Communication Science and Technology [2 years] FR. LLN ü

7 LANGUAGES, LITERATURES AND ART Performing Arts [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü ü Linguistics [2 years] FR./ENG. LLN ü ü ü Ancient and Modern Languages and Literatures [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Ancient and Modern Languages and Literatures [1 year] FR. LLN Ancient Languages and Literatures: Classics [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Ancient Languages and Literatures: Classics [1 year] FR. LLN Ancient Languages and Literatures: Oriental Studies [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü optional Ancient Languages and Literatures: Oriental Studies [1 year] FR. LLN French and Romance Languages and Literatures : French as a Second Language [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü optional French and Romance Languages and Literatures : General [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü optional French and Romance Languages and Literatures : General [1 year] FR. LLN Modern Languages and Literatures : General [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü optional Modern Languages and Literatures : General [1 year] FR. LLN Modern Languages and Literatures : German, Dutch and English [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Modern Languages and Literatures : German, Dutch and English [1 year] FR. LLN Interpretation [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü Traduction [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS Ethics [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Philosophy [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü optional Philosophy [1 year] FR. LLN PSYCHOLOGY, SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY AND EDUCATION Speech and Language Therapy [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü ü Family and Sexuality Studies [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü Education (shift schedule*) [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü Psychology [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü ADVANCED Multidisciplinary Psychotherapy (shift schedule*) [1 year] FR. LLN ü ü Risks Management and Well-Being in the Workplace [1 year] FR. LLN ü Pedagogy in Higher Education (shift schedule*) [1 year] FR. LLN 7 POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Public Administration [2 years] FR. LLN/M ü ü Public Administration (shift schedule*) [2 years] FR. M ü Anthropology [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü European Studies [2 years] FR./ENG. LLN ü ü Human Resources Management [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü Economic and Social Policy (shift schedule*) [2 years] FR. LLN ü Population and Development Studies [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Labour sciences (shift schedule*) [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Labour sciences (shift schedule*) [1 year] FR. LLN optional Political Sciences: General [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Political Sciences: General [1 year] FR. M/LLN Political Sciences: General (shift schedule*) [2 years] FR. M ü Political Sciences: General (shift schedule*) [1 year] FR. M Political Sciences: International Relations [2 years] FR. M/LLN ü ü ü/optional Sociology [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü Sociology and Anthropology [1 year] FR. LLN ADVANCED Interdisciplinary Analysis of European Construction (shift schedule*) [1 year] FR. see website ü Development, Environment and Communities [1 year] FR. LLN ü THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES Biblical Studies [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Sciences of Religions [2 years] FR. LLN ü Theology [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Theology [1 year] FR. LLN

8 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOENGINEERING Chemistry and Bio-industries [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Forests and natural Areas Engineering [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Agricultural Bioengineering [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü optional Environmental Bioengineering [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Agriculture and Bio-industries [2 years] FR. LLN ü Environmental Science and Management [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü Environmental Science and Management [1 year] FR. LLN ADVANCED Rural Economics and Sociology [1 year] FR. LLN Bio-engineering : Brewery [1 year] FR. LLN optional Tropical and Subtropical Culture Protection International Master [1 year] FR. LLN ü ü Water Resources (joint) [1 year] FR. LLN ü Food Science and Technology [1 year] FR. LLN ü UNIVERSITÉ CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN MASTER S PROGRAMMES AT UCL 8 ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING Architecture [2 years] FR. SG/T ü ü Architecture and Engineering [2 years] FR. LLN ü ADVANCED Urban and Regional Planning [1 year] FR. LLN ü MATHEMATICS, STATISTICS AND ACTUARIAL SCIENCE Mathematics [2 years] FR. LLN ü Mathematics [1 year] FR. LLN Actuarial Science [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü Statistics: Biostatistics [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Statistics: General [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional SCIENCES Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü Biology of Organisms and Ecology [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü ü Biology [1 year] FR. LLN Chemistry [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü Chemistry [1 year] FR. LLN Geography : Climatology [2 years] FR. LLN ü Geography : General [2 years] FR. LLN ü optional Geography : General [1 year] FR. LLN Physics [2 years] FR. LLN ü Physics [1 year] FR. LLN ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND COMPUTING Biomedical Engineering [2 years] ENG. LLN ü ü optional Civil Engineering [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü ü Chemical and Materials Engineering [2 years] ENG. LLN ü ü optional Computer Science and Engineering [2 years] ENG. LLN ü ü optional Mathematical Engineering [2 years] ENG. LLN ü ü optional Electrical Engineering [2 years] ENG. LLN ü ü optional Electro-mechanical Engineering [2 years] ENG. LLN ü ü optional Mechanical Engineering [2 years] ENG. LLN ü ü optional Physical Engineering [2 years] ENG. LLN ü ü optional Computer Science [2 years] ENG. LLN ü ü optional Computer Science [1 year] ENG. LLN ADVANCED Nuclear Engineering [1 year] ENG. see website ü Nanotechnology [1 year] FR./ENG. LLN ü

9 MEDICAL SCIENCES PHYSIOTHERAY AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation [1 year] FR. LLN ü Motor Skills: Physical Education [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü optional Motor Skills: General [2 years] FR. LLN ü ü MEDICINE ET DENTISTRY Medicine [3 years] FR. W ü ü Dentistry [2 years] FR. W ü ü ADVANCED For the full range, please see the university website : tab advanced masters PHARMACY AND BIOMEDICINE Biomedicine [2 years] FR. W ü ü Biomedicine[1 year] FR. W optional Pharmacy [2 years] FR. W ü optional ADVANCED Clinical Biology [5 years] FR. W ü Industrial Pharmacy [1 year] FR. W ü ü Hospital Pharmacy [3 years] FR. W ü PUBLIC HEALTH Public Health [2 years] FR. W ü ü optional ADVANCED Occupational Medicine [2 years] FR. W ü Public Health: Health and Development [1 year] FR. W ü 9 * Shift Schedule Part-time and evening courses are intended primarily for people in employment and are only open to those who have a legal right to reside in Belgium. They do not entitle anyone to be granted a study visa. Master programmes taught in English A number of UCL Master s programmes are taught entirely in English. An illustrative list is shown below. Check for the latest list. Master in Linguistics [2 years] Master in European Studies [2 years] Master in Economics: General (research focus) [2 years] Master in Economics: Econometrics [2 years] Master in Economics: General [1 year] Master in Management [2 years] Master in Business Engineering [2 years] Master in Computer engineering [2 years] Master in Chemical and Materials Engineering [2 years] Master in Computer engineering [2 years] Master in Mathematical Engineering [2 years] Master in Electrical Engineering [2 years] Master in Electro-mechanical Engineering [2 years] Master in Mechanical Engineering [2 years] Master in Physical Engineering [2 years] Master in Computer Sciences [2 years] Master in Computer Sciences [1 year] ADVANCED Advanced Masters in International and Development Economics [1 year] Advanced Master in Nanotechnology [1 year] Advanced Master in Nuclear Engineering [1 year] Learn more Has one of the Master s programmes in the list caught your eye? Then check out the relevant presentation page at Each Master s page describes the content of the programme and the admission requirements.

10 Three cycles: from a Bachelor s degree to a PhD UNIVERSITÉ CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN IMPORTANT TO KNOW 10 In Belgium, university studies are organized in three cycles, in accordance with what is known as the Bologna Process : 1. A Bachelor s degree is a first-cycle (undergraduate) programme: it requires 180 credits and takes three years. 2. A Master s degree is a second-cycle (graduate) programme: it usually requires 120 credits and takes two years. There are also 60-credit Master s degrees, which can be done in one year. A specialized Master s is also a 60-credit* programme, but only students with a 120-credit Master s degree may be admitted. 3. The PhD programme is open to students with a 120-credit Master s degree and a suitable academic background. 1 st CYCLE 2 nd CYCLE 3 rd CYCLE BACHELOR MASTER PhD 180 credits - 3 years 120 or 60 credits 2 years ou 1 year* ADVANCED MASTER 60 credits - 1 year* * With a few exceptions (see table on page 6 to 9) 180 credits Applying to do a Master s degree To be admitted to a Master s programme, students must have completed initial courses worth at least 180 credits (300 credits for an advanced Master s). If the Master s is taught in French, they must also be able to demonstrate sufficient proficiency in this language (see p.11). Each Master s programme also has its own specific admission requirements. This is why students must submit an application, which will be examined by a Faculty board. The specific admission requirements can be found on the presentation page for each Master s programme on the University s website. English, the other teaching language For the past few years UCL has been developing its range of courses taught in English and can now offer some twenty Master s programmes that can be taken entirely or mostly in this language (see the table on page 9). Almost all UCL PhD programmes are available in English. It is worth noting that the vast majority of programmes in French also offer some courses in English. Joint degree programmes Under joint degree programme partnerships, Master s students are increasingly being offered the opportunity to earn two separate degrees: one from UCL and the other from the partner university. Furthermore, the international dimension of these programmes enhances the learning experience by providing a different perspective on the subject studied. These qualities ensure that joint degree programmes are particularly highly valued in the employment market.

11 Master s or advanced Master s? A Master s degree at UCL is designed to help students acquire the expertise they seek in their chosen discipline and is taught by research and teaching staff of international calibre. Three different kinds of specialization (focus areas) are available, depending on whether students intend to pursue a specific career path (professional focus), become a teacher (teaching focus) or undertake research (research focus). UCL s advanced Master s degree, for which a 120-credit Master s degree is an entry requirement, provides students with a high degree of specialization in a field related to their initial discipline. For example, a jurist might specialize in European law. Advanced Master s programmes are offered in the fields in which the University has great expertise. What level of French is required? Except for the programmes taught in English (see page 9), the language of instruction at UCL is French. Students are therefore required to have a good command of this language, usually Level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Some Master s programmes do, however, demand a higher level of proficiency in French or English, as specified on their presentation webpage. Students do not need to pass a French language test to be admitted to a Master s programme, except if they are applying to do a Master s with a teaching focus. 11 Great internship opportunities A growing number of UCL Master s programmes are now offering internships, which are an excellent way to make a degree course more rewarding and prepare students for the world of work. They also enable the University to play a full part in the local community. UCL is fortunate to be able to rely on a wide network of contacts with companies operating in Belgium and with national and international political institutions. Students are therefore ideally placed to find the internship that best suits them. Tempted to do a PhD? UCL has more than 2,000 PhD students, 45% of whom are international. To undertake a PhD, you first have to meet the required academic standards, which means you need good grades. The other basic requirement is that you must have found a thesis supervisor who is a UCL member of staff. Everything you need to know about doing a PhD at UCL can be found at One important point is that almost all UCL PhD programmes can be done in English.

12 The professors are all experts in their field and know what they re talking about. You can really sense their burning desire to impart their knowledge. Mar (Mexico), Master in Environmental Science and Management What they say about UCL Thanks to all the extra-curricular activities I was able to take up, being at UCL really boosted my self-confidence. I feel capable of achieving great things. Javier (Spain), Master in Economics I found UCL the perfect environment to study in. Meeting people is so easy, so natural. You quickly become part of university life. Mei (China), Master in Multilingual Communication The professors and administrative staff are incredibly willing to help. I ve never experienced anything like it. Everyone wants me to succeed! Maria (Spain), Master in Linguistics I m leaving UCL with a solid education under my belt and I also know a lot more about Europe, having visited no fewer than nine countries! Xavier (Canada), Master in Mechanical Engineering Need more information? Check our website : The information contained in this brochure is subject to modification. Check online for the latest version. Photo credits: Jacky Delorme - François Bouko - Denis Vasilov - Benoît Sneessens - Fabrice Debatty - Reporters - Winnie Fouassin - Fotolia - istock. Published by: Daniel Rahier, PR and Communications Department Place de l Université, 1 bte L Louvain-la-Neuve UCL-May th edition.