Programs/Master/Humanities, social sciences, communication and arts
Master

Arts, Literature and Media (research)

Leiden UniversityLeiden, NLEnglish
★ StudyPath verdict
7.5/10
Best for students passionate about interdisciplinary research at the crossroads of arts, literature, and media, with flexibility to pursue medieval to digital topics. Tradeoff is its research focus may suit those aiming for academia or PhD
Tuition · Intl
€22,300
EU: €2,694/year · click ↗
Duration
2 years
120 ECTS
Start
Sep 26
apply by May 26
Language
English
IELTS 7.0+
Accred.
NVAO
NVAO 2022
Admission
Open
no intake cap
Enrolled/yr
35
DUO ↑46% ↗
Intl. %
35%
of students ↗
S:F ratio
25:1
institution-wide ↗
Min. English
7.0
IELTS required
Entry route
Bachelor
40 bachelor routes ↗
Satisfaction
3.9/5
NSE 2026 ↗
Employment
84%
field est. ↗
Median salary
€2,800
/mo gross · field ↗
Alumni
?
no data yet
↗ Real values are sourced; tiles marked “?” aren’t collected yet · Enrolled/yr is live from DUO · Satisfaction/outcomes are live from StudiekeuzedatabaseLast sync: 25 Jun 2026
About this program
This interdisciplinary research master offers the best of three worlds (arts, literature and media). You take two collective courses which will train you to position yourself and your research in a multi-disciplinary field. Then you choose between two historically defined lines: * In the medieval and early modern line, art and literature work through media. Here, medium is the means by which art and literature are made (such as the medium of language, print, theatre, paint, etching, andsoforth). * In the contemporary line, from the 19th century until the present, art and literature get accompanied by media such as cinema, games, or social media. You are free to design the rest of the programme based on your own interests. As part of the programme, you are asked to select courses provided by the national research schools, which offer an educational programme around specific fields of research: medieval studies, art history, literary studies, media studies, and cultural analysis. You also take courses worth 30 EC that are specific to your research and can be chosen from Leiden master programmes or other universities. Finally, in the ‘case-based research’ component you get a good grasp of a researcher’s ‘laboratory’ by collaborating with a staff member – individually or in small groups – on their ongoing research project and actively contributing to it.
Institution’s own description (HOVI via Studiekeuzedatabase)
English120 ECTSMaster of ArtsField area: Language & CultureSector: Kunst en CultuurCode of Conduct (intl.)Full-timeMaster
Teaching formats
Literature studyOral presentationResearchResearch projectResearch proposalSelf-studySeminarTheory
About Leiden University
Leiden University, founded in 1575, is the oldest university in the Netherlands and one of Europe's most prestigious. Known for excellence in law, humanities, and international studies. 16 Nobel Prize winners are affiliated, including Einstein who was a professor there. Has a second campus in The Hague.
Living in Leiden
Student cost of living
Rent · room
€520/mo
Monthly total
€900–€1,600
Cost of living
Medium
Population
126k

Intellectual, historic, and cultured. Leiden exudes academic tradition with its beautiful old buildings and prestigious university. The city is quieter than Amsterdam but offers rich cultural experiences, including world-class museums like the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden.

View city guide →
Specializations
Year 3 tracks
?No data yet
Curriculum
Course structure by year
?No curriculum data yet
Career outcomes
Graduate surveys · field-group level
Good job-market outlookfield: kunst algemeen
Median starting salary (field)€2,800/mo gross
Employed ~1.5y after graduating84%
Months to a substantial job14
Working in their own field46%
Permanent contract35%
Satisfied with their job3.6/5
Top graduate occupations (field)
Professoren en andere onderwijsgevenden in het hoger onderwijs9%
Archivarissen en conservatoren9%
Bedrijfs- en organisatieanalisten6%
Specialisten op het gebied van beleidsadministratie6%
Field-group estimates from national graduate surveys via Studiekeuzedatabase — not measured per programme
Progression & cohort
Official register statistics
Women among first-years78%
International students35%
Say workload is “just right”56%
Official register statistics (1cijferHO) via Studiekeuzedatabase
Student voices
National Student Survey (NSE) — first-party reviews coming
3.9/5overall satisfaction · NSE 2026 · 18 respondents
Content & set-up3.9
Teachers4
Atmosphere4.2
Involvement & contact4.1
Study guidance4.1
Testing & assessment3.6
Facilities3.9
Career preparation3
Teachers' English4.6
Would choose again3.7
Source: Nationale Studenten Enquête via Studiekeuzedatabase (Studiekeuze123/LCSK)
Application timeline
Application deadline
2026-05-15
Non-EU deadline
2026-04-01
Upcoming open days
Open dayonline
15 Oct 2026
Admissions
Minimum language scores · from StudyInNL
  • IELTS overall band: 7.0
  • TOEFL internet based: 100
  • Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English: 180
Internships
?No data yet
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