Preparing for the start of MPA?
Preparing for the start of MPA?
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English proficiency test
English proficiency test
Students with a HBO degree (in Dutch) must take an English Language Test. Check the requirements and exemptions on the webpage.
You are allowed to take the test more than once if you fail. However, students typically pass the test quite easily, especially those who worked with English study material during their Bachelor's degree.
You can submit the result of the English language test after you have been conditionally accepted, the deadline for submitting the test result is August 31st. Please send a scan of your test result to toelating.beta@vu.nl.
General information
You are able to prepare for the English Language Test in various ways, such as practicing your English skills online. There are many different websites, videos and apps, specifically tailored to help you practice for these tests. A few ways to help you prepare are provided below, but a quick google search can lead you to many alternatives as well.
Useful links
Registrate for courses
Registrate for courses
During the master MPA you will follow various courses. Instead of automatically following a preset programme, you now have to manually enroll for your courses yourself. This might be different from what you have experienced before.
You are also able to plan your courses in advance, but do not forget to registrate for the course when the registration period opens, as this does not happen automatically. More information on this topic: Intekenen/afmelden voor onderwijs en tentamens
General information
The exact timeframes during which you can enroll for courses is available on the VU website. You will also be notified when the registration period opens, and when deadline to enroll for courses is nearing. These notifications are sent to your personal student outlook mailbox.
Useful links
Course registration module (if this link does not work, you can also access the module by clicking on the link above)
Get familiar with Canvas
Get familiar with Canvas
During your study, you will work with Canvas to find all practical information regarding your courses.
In canvas you will also enroll for groups, deliver assignments, and receive feedback and grades. Here you can also receive important announcements, so be sure to take your time to familiarise yourself with the platform once you are able to use it. More information on this topic: Canvas
General information
The course information will typically be uploaded a few days before the start of each course. When this happens, you will often receive an announcement through canvas which sometimes also includes a few actions you have to take to start off your course the right way. The most common actions asked from you consist of reading the course guide or specific literature, or signing up for working groups and choosing a topic for your project. To help you navigate, we listed the pages you will use most below.
Common ways we use canvas
Courses > [course name] > Assignments to submit assignments and review feedback
Courses > [course name] > Modules to find the study guide, schedule, and practical information regarding your course.
Courses > [course name] > People to sign up for workgroups.
Courses > [course name] > Syllabus to find general information on your course, such as learning objectives, course content, the workload, and grading.
There are other pages you can check out on canvas, such as announcements, grades, and files, but their names are self-explanatory. You can check them out yourselves! If you need additional help navigating canvas, click on help to follow a tutorial, or ask your workgroup coach or peers.
A tip from us: with some courses you will have to sign up for a workgroup yourself (manually). Try to do this early since this helps you with planning out your schedule, since some groups are at different times.
Useful links
Adding courses to your timetable
Adding courses to your timetable
After registrating for your courses, you might want to see your timetable to know when and where your courses will take place. You will have to add courses to your timetable yourself in order to see the information. Additionally, you often have to add your working groups as well to make them visible in your timetable. This is very important, as most working groups are mandatory. A quick explanation on how to add courses to your timetable is provided below.
General information
To add your courses to your timetable, you have to sign in to the timetable website first. Click on 'add timetable' or 'rooster toevoegen' in Dutch, then look for the current study year and click on 'course' or 'vak'. Here you can type in the name of your course and add groups to your timetable, such as hearing lectures (HC), exams (TE), and workgroups (WC). If you are not enrolled in a specific workgroup yet, you can add multiple workgroups to your timetable, and delete the ones that are not relevant later. Make sure to always check the course schedule in canvas as well, as the rooms for working groups can sometimes differ. If you are struggling to navigate the timetable website or if you would like a more visual explanation, you can also follow a tutorial by clicking on the link below.
Useful links
Get to know the campus with PLEQ
Get to know the campus with PLEQ
Students who are new to the VU might be overwhelmed by the size of our campus. Luckily, there are several ways to guide you, as you can find the campus map on the VU website which you can download to use offline as well. You can also use an online platform, PLEQ, to find a 3D version of the campus map. With PLEQ, you can also search for fun things to do on campus, find places to study, and reserve rooms where you can work in together groups.
VU dashboard and Outlook Email
VU dashboard and Outlook Email
All general student information and direct links can be found on the VU dashboard. Here you can also find additional support, for example when you have a disability that requires you to receive additional support. You can also find specific information about your study, such as the study guide, which includes information on all MPA courses and the full year schedule. The VU dashboard can direct you to your own Outlook student mailbox, which you will use for contacting your peers and teachers, and for receiving important information.
General information
The VU dashboard includes many different functions and can be overwhelming at first. Remember to use the search bar to make it a little easier on yourself, and try to explore the page beforehand, so you will know where to look and what facilities you can use when you need them.
Useful links
Upgrade your academic skills
Upgrade your academic skills
Some students who transition from a different academic background might question if they are equipped with the right skills to keep up with this new pace. Although we can say from experience that many students tend to adjust well, we have several opportunities for students who are struggling to find their footing in the programme
Your first courses
All MPA student follow the same courses during the first period. These courses provide you with the correct basis for performing adequate research and show you exactly what will be expected of you during the MPA programme. They also include workshops, and coaching during workgroups, helping you navigate the first period of the MPA programme. Compared to Universities of Applied Sciences, you might experience more interim deadlines, which require you to plan well. This is not meant to create more work; its main goal is to help you stay on track with your projects, and to create more feedback moments before the final deadline. At the same time, this enables students who are not familiar with our grading system to better understand what is expected of them, and how they will be graded for the final deadline.
Your first internship
The first half of year one will help you prepare for your first internship. Not all students have completed internships before, especially not in qualitative research. We are aware of this, and have a team prepared to help you find and complete your internship. All information regarding what documents you need will be made available on canvas. During your first year, there will be several options designed to help you find an internship, such as a list of partners you can reach out to, and the annual internship event where you can meet internship providers. After starting your internship, you will work together with a mentor, and other students to make sure you keep up to speed. Another way to provide students with the necessary skills during their first internship, is the scientific writing course all first-year students have to take.
Tutorials and workshops
Another way to work on your academic skills is by following tutorials or workshops provided by VU. Be sure to check these out by clicking on the link below to find an overview of available tutorials and workshops, such as a step-by-step tutorial for finding scientific literature.
Useful links
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