This one-year academic programme encompasses an intensive and advanced study of Dutch as a foreign language. It is specifically designed for foreign students with a background in Humanities or Social Sciences and possessing some prior knowledge of Dutch (CEFR level A1). The program aims to deepen their understanding of the Dutch language and enhance their communication and/or translation skills. On successful completion of the programme, students will be awarded the International Postgraduate Certificate in ‘Dutch as a Foreign Language and Applied Communication’.

The study programme amounts to 60 credits in total. An important component of the programme are the Dutch language acquisition courses. Candidates have to choose between two specialisations, tailored to the candidates’ prior knowledge of Dutch:

1. Specialization ‘Dutch Proficiency Level: CEFR B2’ is designed for candidates who have already achieved a CEFR level A1 in Dutch. In this track, candidates can elevate their proficiency to CEFR level B2 (18 credits).
2. Specialization ‘Dutch Proficiency Level: CEFR C1’ is intended for candidates who have already attained a CEFR level B1 in Dutch. In this track, candidates can advance their skills to reach CEFR level C1 (12 credits).

The language courses are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). In these courses, and especially those courses at CEFR levels B2 and C1, we focus specifically on applied communication. This includes business communication (such as email etiquette, active participation in meetings, and digital communication in a professional setting), communication on societal topics (including engaging in debates) and academic communication skills.

Alongside the language courses, the programme also encompasses a number of theoretical courses on applied linguistics, on Flemish society and culture and on computer-assisted language mediation (18 credits). In the elective space (24 or 30 credits, depending on the selected specialisation), students passionate about translation can cultivate a solid foundation in translation skills. For those students with diverse interests, alternative courses from Ghent University’s offerings are readily available: courses focusing on law, the institutions and the languages of the European Union (i.e. ‘EU Law, Institutions and Languages’), foreign languages (e.g. linguistics or literature courses), didactics (e.g. ‘Introduction to Foreign Language Training for Adults’) or more general subjects (e.g. Human Rights: Multidisciplinary Perspectives) are for example also possible.

As mentioned above, the International Postgraduate Programme ‘Dutch as a Foreign Language and Applied Communication’ is specifically designed for students who aspire to study the Dutch language and further develop robust communication and/or translation competencies.

The programme is designed to provide students with the expected knowledge, background, and skills for embarking on a professional career in Dutch-speaking countries like Belgium or the Netherlands. It particularly focuses on preparing individuals for roles in communication-related functions within these regions.

In the (elective) translation courses, students can acquire the expected knowledge, background, and skills to work as translators, either on a freelance basis for an agency or as employees within a company.