Political Science: International Relations and Transnational Governance

Student testimonial: Tim

Why have you chosen Political Science?     
With the master Political Science I hope to achieve a broad theoretical background. With this background I will be able to analyze, dissect and predict the actions taken by states and transnational cooperations.

Why have you chosen this stream?
Personally I have chosen the International Relation stream as I am interested in the relations between states and how differing interpretations cause miscommunication and conflicts. Through this Master’s I hope to predict and solve upcoming conflicts in order to create a more global cooperative environment.

Why have you chosen VU University Amsterdam?
One of the premier reason for the VU was that the master program was completely in English. This gives you a good combination of Dutch and Foreign students. Furthermore within the Netherlands the Political Science department is widely appreciated.

What do you like most about this study?
The best thing of the program is the depth of the theories. The study is not focused on the practical side of politics but on the theoretical side. This helps students to more critically assess their ideas and increase their intellectual capacity.

What do you like about the study programme?
Students can choose between different courses. This flexibility gives them the opportunity to become an expert in their desired field of interest.

What do you think about the teachers?
The majority of the teachers are easy to reach and are open for discussion. Furthermore most young teachers put a lot of effort in their lectures, which increases the motivation of the students.

How do past experiences relay to this study?  
My bachelor European Studies has some overlaps with the Master’s programme, however it was mainly focused on policy making and institutional theory. Even though Historical Materialism and Global Governance are felt as the predominant theories in the department, students do have the possibility to explore their own preference.

What would you like to do after graduation?
The master does not directly relate to my preferred career path as I want to work on the business side in a transnational cooperation. Nevertheless this master gives me my preferred academic knowledge, which is the most important motivation to do this master.

What would you say to prospective students about this master’s?
With the Master’s programme in Political Science, you will learn multiple theories. This gives you the ability to differ between political strategies and learn about their origins. As the students knows the theory, practicalities in policy making becomes more easy as the student is able to see the broader general framework.

Tim Kreukniet, Master’s student Political Science, specializationInternational Relations, 2009-2010