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The Department of History and Art Studies at Utrecht University offers a one-year master’s course in Cultural History, starting in September 2012. This course is the only master in Cultural History in the Netherlands.Inescapably, we give meaning to the world we live in. But how have the strategies we use in interpreting our surroundings come about?  Which historical institutions, traditions, cultural values and interpretations continue to shape our lives? How have they been debated and contested in the past and how do they mark the present? How can we use or revise them to shape our future? To address these issues, our Master programme offers historical insight into, and a deep understanding of, today’s complex and globalised world, based on a unique blend of historical theory and practice. The programme explores how cultural historians translate their theoretical insights into practical research on cultural modernity, combining academic excellence with social relevance. Using our special expertise in the fields of the history of media, religion, visual culture, cultural heritage and collective memory, gender studies and more, we offer a broad spectrum of cultural perspectives and approaches with regard to modern Western and global history. Our modules explore themes like the role of museums and heritage in the integration of minorities, the cultural cold war in Europe, the representation of self and alterity in literature, the interrelationship of religion, culture and power and the history of utopian thought.The course is designed to help students acquire the skills necessary to navigate a professional environment; students may integrate an internship into the programme. Above all, students will acquire fundamental knowledge of the world, of the origin of values and strategies, of traditions and counter-traditions, of cultural clashes and exchanges. Such a broad cultural orientation helps us to better understand the manifold choices we are facing in shaping our world. Thus, by studying the past, the Master programme aims to be topical, relevant, and future-oriented.Students who successfully complete a Master’s degree in Cultural History find work as policy makers, journalists, publishers, cultural advisors, teachers, curators, preservationists and researchers.Utrecht University offers a unique gateway to Europe and the world. One of Europe’s leading research universities, Utrecht University is ranked best in the Netherlands, 12th in Europe, and 48th in the world by the prestigious Shanghai Academic Rankings of World Universities 2011. In the &#60;http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/&#62;Times Higher Education Ranking Utrecht University is 1st in The Netherlands, 18th in Europe and 68th in the world. The internationally oriented Faculty of the Humanities is located in the beautiful old city centre.For more information on the Master in Cultural History, see: http://www.uu.nl/university/international-students/EN/culturalhistory or contact Dr. Willemijn Ruberg.For more information on Utrecht University: http://www.uu.nl/ (Dutch) or http://www.uu.nl/EN (English).Information on application can be found here.The application deadline is 1 April 2012.