This is an archived copy of the 2023-24 guide. To access the most recent version of the guide, please visit http://guide.berkeley.edu.
About the Program
The Designated Emphasis (DE) in Dutch Studies provides curricular and research resources for students who want to concentrate on Dutch Studies within their respective disciplines and have their work formally recognized in their degree designation. Designed to bring together faculty and students from different departments, the DE will be administered by the Graduate Group in Dutch Studies and will provide a unique context for rigorous cross-disciplinary research. Sponsoring departments include German, History, History of Art, Southeast Asian Studies, African-American Studies, Comparative Literature, French, and Sociology. However, the DE is open to interested students regardless of whether their home department is officially affiliated with the DE. The program will help advance Berkeley’s position as America’s leading Dutch studies program and facilitate research in and cooperation with other universities in the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, Indonesia, and the Caribbean, for example, who also have strong Dutch studies programs. Students applying to the DE must be prepared to integrate high-level research in Dutch studies into their coursework, qualifying exam and dissertation.
Admissions
To be admitted to the Designated Emphasis in Development Engineering, an applicant must already be accepted into a PhD program at the University of California, Berkeley. For further information regarding admission to graduate programs at UC Berkeley, please see the Graduate Division's Admissions website.
Students are required to fill out a form requesting admission, listing their prior preparation in the field, and their projected pathway through the program. In addition, they have to submit a brief essay stating interests and reasons for applying, a CV, a writing sample, and a letter of recommendation from a faculty member in the student’s home department indicating why and how the student would benefit from the DE.
Students must be admitted to the DE prior to taking their qualifying exams. Admission will be determined on the basis of how coherently and logically the student can articulate the value of the DE for her/his larger course of study and career goals, as well as on the quality of the written work.
Designated Emphasis Requirements
Curriculum/Coursework
Students admitted to the designated emphasis program must complete the following requirements before applying for their qualifying examination:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Language Requirement | ||
| DUTCH 100 | Dutch for Reading Knowledge 1 | 3 |
| or DUTCH 1 | Elementary Dutch | |
| Integrative Course | ||
| DUTCH 299 | Individual Studies in Dutch for Graduate Students 2 | 1-8 |
| Electives | ||
| Select two additional courses related to Dutch Studies, from the following approved list; at least one must be a graduate seminar: 3 | ||
| The Slave Trade and Culture in the Modern Atlantic World [3] | ||
| Caribbean Societies and Cultures [3] | ||
| The Structure of Modern Dutch [3] | ||
| Advanced Dutch [4] | ||
| Conversation and Composition [4] | ||
| Topics in Dutch Literature [3] | ||
| DUTCH C164 The Indonesian Connection: Dutch (Post)colonial History and Culture in Southeast Asia [4] | ||
| Anne Frank and After: World War II and the Holocaust in the Netherlands [4] | ||
| Multiculturalism in the Netherlands [3] | ||
| Dutch Culture and Society: Amsterdam and Berkeley in the Sixties [4] | ||
| From New Amsterdam to New York: Race, Culture, and Identity in New Netherland [4] | ||
| Brussels: A Global Study of a European Capital City [4] | ||
| Dutch Post-Colonial Studies [4] | ||
| The Caribbean Connection: Dutch (Post)colonial History and Culture in the Caribbean [4] | ||
| Cultural Studies [3,4] | ||
| Individual Studies in Dutch for Graduate Students [1-8] 4 | ||
| North Sea Germanic [4] | ||
| Cities and the Arts [4] | ||
| Van Eyck to Brueghel [4] | ||
| The Dutch Golden Age [4] | ||
| The Age of Rubens [4] | ||
| Seminar in Italian Renaissance Art [2,4] | ||
| Seminar in European Art [2,4] | ||
| Africa: Modern South Africa, 1652-Present [4] | ||
| The Netherlands [4] | ||
- 1
Students who already possess a basic knowledge of Dutch can apply for dispensation of this requirement. In order to do so, their knowledge of Dutch has to be examined and officially acknowledged in a letter written by a member of the Dutch Studies Program in the Department of German.
- 2
This course will serve as the integrative course for the program regarding methodology and research skills. The student needs to write a 7000-word article to complete the course, using a bibliography that includes Dutch studies materials. The ultimate goal is to elaborate an article in close cooperation with the supervising faculty member(s) that can be published in an academic journal in the field of Dutch studies (such as Dutch Crossing, Journal of Dutch Literature, or The Low Countries), or any other academic journal.
- 3
Students may petition for a course not on this established list if approved by the advising committee.
- 4
One of the two-course electives can be fulfilled by repeating DUTCH 299, under the condition that the topic of this course changes.
Qualifying Examination
A member of the Graduate Group in Dutch Studies must be a formal member of the PhD qualifying examination committee of the DE student. Under most circumstances, the Graduate Group member in the student’s home department will serve in this function. A member of the graduate group may also serve as the outside member of the qualifying exam committee if not a faculty member of the student’s major. At least one Dutch Studies topic must be included as a subject on the qualifying examination. Satisfactory performance on the qualifying examination for the PhD will be judged according to the established rules in the student’s major program.
Dissertation
A member of the Graduate Group in Dutch Studies must be a formal member of the dissertation committee of the DE student. The dissertation must (partially) relate to Dutch studies (such as Dutch culture, history, politics, art, literature, linguistics, or sociology).
Degree conferral
Upon completion of all requirements of the student’s major program and the DE in Dutch Studies, students will receive a designation on their transcript and diploma stating that they have completed a “PhD in ( . . . ) with a Designated Emphasis in Dutch Studies.”
Courses
Dutch Studies
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023
This introduction to the Dutch language focuses on the development of basic communicative competencies (spoken and written). Students will be able to understand and use high frequency vocabulary and basic grammatical structures. This course is not open for native speakers of Dutch.
Elementary Dutch: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 5 hours of lecture per week
Summer: 6 weeks - 15 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022
Embedded in the context of Dutch-speaking regions, their history and culture, this course focuses on the development of communicative competencies (spoken and written), the expansion of vocabulary, and the review and practice of grammatical structures. This course is not open for native speakers of Dutch.
Intermediate Dutch: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 1 or equivalent
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 5 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2022, Fall 2021
"Studying Abroad". This 1-unit freshman seminar explores all study abroad opportunities that UC Berkeley offers to its students. It answers questions about what can be gained by studying abroad and how to make it part of one’s undergraduate education at Cal. It focuses on how to develop a study abroad plan that suits academic and personal interests. Students also learn about different program options, how to select a program, application procedures, financial aid, and making the most of the study abroad experience after returning to the Berkeley campus. This is the ideal course to prepare yourself for a study abroad experience and to learn, explore, and grow in a globalizing world.
Freshman Seminar: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1 hour of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final Exam To be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Terms offered: Fall 2008
This course offers a general survey on the cultural history of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Through written texts, audiovisual materials, and discussions, we will study important historical, social, political, and cultural aspects of these three countries that represent European history in a nutshell. All readings and discussions in English.
Cultural History of the Low Countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg): Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Cultural History of the Low Countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg): Read Less [-]
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2022, Fall 2020
This course is focused on developing reading skills in Dutch. The course is taught in English, and open to all students who want to start learning Dutch or wish to solidify their knowledge of Dutch grammar from a reader’s perspective. There is a strong emphasis on grammar, syntax, and basic Dutch vocabulary.
Dutch for Reading Knowledge: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Alternative to final exam.
Terms offered: Fall 2015, Spring 2013, Fall 2009
A basic course on the structural properties of modern Dutch, including phonetics and phonology, morphology, and syntax. Comparison with English and German.
The Structure of Modern Dutch: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
This course is designed to develop and enhance oral communication skills at an advanced level, by means of conversational practice, discussion of readings, and student presentations.
Advanced Dutch: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 2 or equivalent
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit up to a total of 8 units.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Alternative to final exam.
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2022, Spring 2019
This advanced Dutch language course is designed to develop and enhance students’ written skills. Students will be introduced to different types of texts and will learn different styles and practices in writing.
Conversation and Composition: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 110 or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit up to a total of 8 units.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Alternative to final exam.
Terms offered: Spring 2012, Spring 2011, Spring 1998
While the focus will be on some of the major novels in the Dutch language, relevant works of poetry will be included too, and to give this class the widest exposure possible, the class will consist of an English track and a Dutch track (the latter will accommodate our Dutch majors and minors who will read and reflect on these works in Dutch).
Topics in Dutch Literature: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 2 or equivalent
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2024
In this course, we study three multiracial communities with a Dutch-American connection, one that identifies as African American, one as Native American and one as Asian American, and take these cases as a point of departure for a broader discussion on the history and future of racially-mixed people in American society. This focus is important considering that people of mixed race have experienced a long history of discrimination in the United States. Racial mixture was long associated with degeneration, and racial theorists claimed that it weakened physical, intellectual and moral qualities such as strength, endurance, honesty, and even fertility.
Multiracial Americans: The History and future of racially-mixed communities in the United States: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Alternative to final exam.
Instructor: Dewulf
Terms offered: Fall 2022, Spring 2018, Spring 2014
This course deals with the Dutch colonial history of Indonesia, the former Dutch East Indies. After studying the importance of the East India Company in Southeast Asia and the history of Indonesia under colonial rule, we analyze a number of works in Dutch literature and film with a focus on post-colonialism and interculturality. This course intends to give an opportunity to those who do not have a command of Dutch language, but wish to complete their knowledge of Southeast-Asian history and culture. All materials will be in English, no knowledge of Dutch is required.
DUTCH C164 The Indonesian Connection: Dutch (Post)colonial History and Culture in Southeast Asia: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Also listed as: SEASIAN C164
Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2021, Spring 2019
This course deals with the occupation of the Netherlands by Nazi Germany in World War II and the Holocaust, with a special focus on the Anne Frank's diary. We will discuss literature, film and historiography with a focus on anti-Semitism, collaboration and resistance as well as the postwar discussion on guilt and responsibility. All materials will be in English, no knowledge of Dutch is required.
Anne Frank and After: World War II and the Holocaust in the Netherlands: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Anne Frank and After: World War II and the Holocaust in the Netherlands: Read Less [-]
Terms offered: Spring 2015, Spring 2012, Spring 2010
The course will focus on contemporary Dutch politics, culture and literature: the post-war period and the early twenty-first century. Particular attention will be paid to immigration and the debate on multiculturalism and Islam in the Netherlands. All readings and discussions in English.
Multiculturalism in the Netherlands: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2008
This course will focus on the cultural aspects of protest and youth cultures in two cities that were influential in the sixties: Amsterdam and Berkeley. Particular attention will be paid to how American popular culture was perceived in a European context. All readings and discussions in English.
Dutch Culture and Society: Amsterdam and Berkeley in the Sixties: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Also listed as: HISTORY C194/SOCIOL C189
Dutch Culture and Society: Amsterdam and Berkeley in the Sixties: Read Less [-]
Terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2021
What would it mean to begin modern American history on the island of Manhattan instead of New England? We intend to question the Anglo-American perspective on the representation of cultural identity, national identity, ethnicity, and race by constrasting the traditional foundation story of the United States with that of the 17th-century Dutch colony on Manhattan. Readings will include historical and ethnographic writings, self-representations of the different ethnic groups, and fictional accounts.
From New Amsterdam to New York: Race, Culture, and Identity in New Netherland: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Summer: 6 weeks - 10-12 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Instructor: Dewulf
From New Amsterdam to New York: Race, Culture, and Identity in New Netherland: Read Less [-]
Terms offered: Fall 2011
Selected topics in Dutch or Flemish/Belgian colonial literature and/or history. See departmental description for current topic. All readings and discussions in English.
Dutch Post-Colonial Studies: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Instructor: Dewulf
Terms offered: Fall 2009
This course aims at a comprehensive study of Brussels, capital of the European Union: its historical richness, institutional complexity of Belgium, cultural diversity, linguistic contradictions, globalizing economy, and its rapidly transforming social divisions. Taught in English; no knowledge of French or Dutch is required.
Brussels: A Global Study of a European Capital City: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Brussels: A Global Study of a European Capital City: Read Less [-]
Terms offered: Summer 2020 First 6 Week Session, Summer 2019 Second 6 Week Session, Summer 2018 Second 6 Week Session
With the 17th-century "Golden Age" as its starting point, the course traces the important cultural developments in Holland and Belgium (Flanders) up to the present. The interdisciplinary curriculum provides a clear picture of these two constrasting monarchies. The historical, cultural, and linguistic relationship is a constant focus of the course. The literature (documentary and fiction) concentrates on the Holcaust in the Low Countries. Students will engage with their subject matter not only in daily lectures, but also as eyewitnesses through regular field trips to museums and historical sites in Amsterdam, The Hague, Haarlem, Delft, Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Brussels, and other cities. Visits to the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, the House of Representatives, an interactive criminal trial, attendance at the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague, and the European Parliament in Brussels are included in the course.
The Amsterdam-Brussels Connection: The Art, History, and Literature of the Netherlands and Flanders: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Summer: 6 weeks - 10 hours of lecture and 10 hours of fieldwork per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Instructor: Snapper
Terms offered: Prior to 2007
This course deals with the colonial history and intercultural identity of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles, the former Dutch West Indies. After studying the importance of the West India Company in the Americas and the history of the Dutch Caribbean, we analyze a number of works in Dutch, Surinamese and Antillean literature with a focus on post-colonialism, interculturality, and miscegenation. This course intends to give an opportunity to those who do not have a command of Dutch language, but wish to complete their knowledge of Caribbean history and culture. All materials will be in English, no knowledge of Dutch is required.
The Caribbean Connection: Dutch (Post)colonial History and Culture in the Caribbean: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Formerly known as: Dutch C178/African American Studies C178/Spanish C178
The Caribbean Connection: Dutch (Post)colonial History and Culture in the Caribbean: Read Less [-]
Terms offered: Fall 2011, Spring 2011, Fall 2010
Selected topics in cultural studies. Offerings vary. See departmental descriptions for current topic. All readings and discussions in English.
Cultural Studies: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Fall 2016, Fall 2015
A major research paper in the areas of Dutch literature, culture, or the area of linguistics.
Senior Thesis: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023
This capstone project is designed to allow students to “finish off” their Dutch minors and majors in such a way as to return to, develop, and synthesize what they have learned in the minor or major. Students will begin by reviewing their previous seminar paper with faculty and highlighting passages that could use re-crafting, argument elements that are not strong, and points where research could be added. They will then proceed to revise and expand their paper, providing occasional progress reports and other short assignments to keep them moving forward. They will submit various components of the in-progress revisions to their adviser for comment and feedback.
Capstone Project: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Open to both majors and minors in the Dutch Studies Program
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1 hour of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Alternative to final exam.
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023
Supervised independent study and research course for honors students.
Honors Studies in Dutch: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Advanced standing
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit up to a total of 4 units.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-4 hours of independent study per week
Summer:
6 weeks - 2.5-10 hours of independent study per week
8 weeks - 1.5-7.5 hours of independent study per week
10 weeks - 1.5-6 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023
Directed Group Study: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-4 hours of directed group study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Offered for pass/not pass grade only. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023
Consent of Instructor is required to enroll in this course.
Special Studies in Dutch: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Overall G.P.A. of 3.0
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2-6 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 6 weeks - 2.5-10 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Offered for pass/not pass grade only. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023
For graduate students engaged in exploration of a restricted field, involving the writing of a research paper.
Individual Studies in Dutch for Graduate Students: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-8 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 1.5-15 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Dutch/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
Individual Studies in Dutch for Graduate Students: Read Less [-]
Contact Information
Graduate Group in Dutch Studies
5319 Dwinelle Hall
Phone: 510-643-2004
Fax: 510-642-3243
Graduate Student Affairs Officer
Andrea Rapport
5307 Dwinelle Hall
Phone: 510-642-3786