Geographical Field Course: Urban Geography of the Netherlands – Rotterdam & Amsterdam

Cross-listed with Humanities, with a special interest for students pursuing Arabic L&C. Course counts towards either SSC or HUM major.

Also recommended for students in Earth&Environment and Sustainability Science, but does not count towards Science major.

Destination Summer 2027: Netherlands

This field trip provides students with the opportunity to explore socio-spatial patterns and urban processes in two of the Netherlands’ most dynamic cities: Rotterdam and Amsterdam. By applying core concepts from urban, social, development and critical geography, students will examine how global processes and local strategies shape urban life in the Dutch context. We will do so through a diverse range of theoretical and interdisciplinary lenses, for example, Feminist, Queer, Marxist, and Postcolonial theory.

Key themes include migration, ethnicity and diversity; housing and gentrification; sustainable transport and food transitions; gender, sexuality and the city; and the interplay of inclusion and exclusion in public space. Students will engage with neighbourhood-level transformations as well as broader strategies of urban planning, city branding, and governance. Through fieldwork, discussions, and project-based learning, they will develop the skills to interpret urban change within economic, political, and socio-cultural frameworks.
The course will be open to Humanities and Sustainability Sciences students. Therefore, the course will examine urban processes through interdisciplinary approaches. Arabic studies will offer critical insight into ethnicity and migration, and sustainable sciences will offer
critical insights into urban sustainability.

Format 
Phase 1: Preparatory Module (on campus):
- Lectures and student-led seminars on urban theory, the urban Dutch context and contemporary challenges.
- Desk research on themes such as migration and diversity; housing and gentrification; sustainability transport and food; gender and sexuality; and public space.
- Preparation of group presentations on selected topics relevant to the fieldwork.

Phase 2: Field Trips (Rotterdam & Amsterdam)
- Guided field walks through selected neighbourhoods focusing on themes such as food, gentrification, housing policy, and multiculturalism.
- Conducting field observations to analyse urban processes
- Visits to local institutions, NGOs, and/or municipal organisations to gain insight into how public, private, and not-for-profit sectors address urban challenges.
- In-class presentations to reflect on field notes and refine ideas.
- Students develop Urban Walks in specific neighbourhoods, combining field observations with academic debates.

Course admission, costs & deadlines
For initial selection, upload a motivational letter through the course admittance procedure in Osiris Case. 

Pre-enrolment is through the regular summer procedure, and starts after the midterm break.

Initial selection closes early for adequate activity reservations; with a down-payment for the field trip costs. The cost of the course is 75 euros per person. This includes activities, tours, museum access, and some refreshments/snacks. This does not include transport and other food. 

• Field course information meeting: tba
• Expression of interest to coordinator (via course admission procedure on Osiris Case): March 2027. Upload a 200-word motivation letter and confirmation that you meet the prerequisites. 
• Deadline for down-payment: April 2027. Use this payment link.

Selection will be based on the timely registration of participants, and the way the requirements are met.

After 30 March, all selected students must use the regular summer pre-enrolment procedure. Their placement is guaranteed. 
For any remaining free places, all additional students must also request course admission and a lottery is used if the course is oversubscribed.

Use this payment link. once your place is granted and your course admission has been approved. Payment must be completed by the start of the course.