Academic Skills (Academic Core Component)

The skills courses of the Academic Core Component (20 EC) are designed to provide you with the academic skills any graduate should have, and which are further developed in the other courses. The courses involve Academic English, Mathematical Thinking, Designing Academic |nquiry and Quantitative Research Skills.

Academic English (5 EC)

Although a certain level of fluency in English is one of the admission requirements, students still need to learn to use the language in an academic way, both in oral and written communication. Students not only learn to write in an academic style, they also learn to read academic texts precisely.

Mathematical Thinking (5 EC)

Mathematical Thinking introduces all students to the context of mathematics and its application in real-world situations. They learn about the underlying logical and philosophical issues, the role of mathematical methods and their origins, the substance of contemporary mathematical advances, the meaning of rigour and proof in mathematics and the role of computational mathematics. The course helps to illustrate and develop the mathematical skills needed in the sciences, but also in the social sciences and arts.

Research Methods (2 x 5 EC)

Methodological skills are taught in the compulsory Research Methods courses: Designing Academic Inquiry in year 1 and various major-specific methodology courses in years 2 and 3. These courses lay the foundations for the development of research skills, and are further expanded in specific courses related to the major. Students develop basic knowledge of research processes and cycles, the questions researched in the various fields of study, and statistics.