Most Bachelor courses Maths in English

This coming study year most of the Bachelor’s course units at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences will be given in English. The Faculty is still busy translating the Teaching and Examination Regulations (OER), study guides and other regulations.

‘We already have international Master’s programmes, but now we’re offering 10 international Bachelor’s programmes. These are for students who have just finished secondary school. They won’t have even started university. Therefore, it’s even more important that all information is translated and available for them’, says Marion van Rijssel, educational coordinator for the Education Support Centre. ‘We’ve been working very hard to get it all done in time.’

Board

The Faculty Board is required to issue OERs annually if there are any changes. Before the Faculty Board issues an OER, Programme Directors, Degree Programme Advisory Committees, policymaking staff and the Faculty Council are involved in the procedure. Students may depart from the curricula, but changes must be approved by the degree programme’s Board of Examiners.

Legal issues

Apart from the OER, the Board of Examiners issues what are known as the ‘Rules and Guidelines’ for a degree programme or group of programmes. These are a formal guide for lecturers. They also lay down the rules for any possible appeal against decisions made by the Board of Examiners.

Disclaimer

‘That’s important in case legal issues arise’, says Van Rijssel. ‘The Dutch text is the source for the Board of Appeal for Examination. We also make a disclaimer in English. You can only have one source, otherwise it could be argued that the phrasing in the English text should be interpreted differently from the Dutch text.’

Ten of the 13 Bachelor’s programmes will be international this coming study year. Only Biology, Life Science and Technology, and Pharmacy will still be in Dutch.

 

 

17-06-2013