International Bachelor Arts and Culture Studies

The management of culture

When I chose the International Bachelor Arts and Culture Studies (IBACS) programme at Erasmus University, I was looking for a way to connect my creative background with a deeper understanding of how culture is organized and managed. Having studied at the Royal Academy of Arts and Cibap Vakschool voor Vormgeving, my focus was initially on the artistic side of the creative industry. Over the past four years, my interest shifted toward cultural management and the strategies that drive the creative industries. IBACS provided the perfect environment to explore these intersections, equipping me with valuable skills for navigating the international cultural sector.

Societal challenges

What I love most about this programme is how we explore cultural institutions from economic, sociological, communication, and policy perspectives. We discuss how these institutions shape creative expression globally and connect these ideas to broader societal challenges. This has helped me view the cultural sector as a dynamic space where strategy and creativity work together to create meaningful change.

A new cultural mindset

Transitioning from a hands-on design education to a more analytical, management-focused programme wasn’t always easy. I had to adapt and develop a new mindset, learning to critically analyze the structures that support or limit artistic production. These challenges helped me grow, teaching me to approach problems in the cultural sector from a strategic and analytical perspective.

IBACS has shown me that cultural management is not just about running institutions—it’s about creating opportunities and ensuring that art and culture remain relevant and accessible. The programme has given me the tools to combine creativity with strategic insight, preparing me for a role in the world of arts and culture. 

Changing directions 

Studying Arts and Culture was not my original plan, however, now, two years into IBACS, I couldn’t be more fulfilled. After a year studying to become an artist, I felt confused and lost. I wanted to be close to the art world, but no longer as a creator. When I discovered IBACS, it became immediately clear that this programme would be a perfect fit. 

Navigating the creative industry

I have not found any other academic programme that offers such a multi-faceted perspective on the cultural sector, integrating sociology, economics, politics and media into one cohesive experience. Studying the arts can feel daunting – there’s no easy way around that. But the IBACS programme equips students with a broad skill set, applicable to a variety of contexts, which is essential to navigate the creative industry’s inherent instability. 

Gaining new international ‘art’ perspectives

The international environment was another important selling point. If you’re studying culture, it is certainly a privilege to collaborate with and learn from people from all over the world. Beyond the engaging curriculum, it’s been extremely valuable to observe how people from different backgrounds even define ‘art’ and ‘culture.’ Studying at Erasmus University Rotterdam has broadened my perspective and expanded my worldview. It is with great confidence and pride that I state that my university years have shaped who I am today and who I will grow into in the future

Is studying Arts and Culture for everyone? No, I wouldn't say so. But if your heart races at the thought of helping bring exhibitions, films, concerts, festivals or any other creative practice to life, IBACS is the perfect programme for you.

The perfect combination 

When looking for universities to apply to, I only knew two things: I want to study art but I do not want to be an artist myself. So when I found IBACS, it felt like a perfect programme to me. Broad theoretical background, insight into the art market from the other side of things, and, perhaps my favourite, multiple sociology-focused courses indulging into how art is produced and consumed. Adding to that studying based on academic literature poses a great academic potential of given education, which opens many possibilities for a person like me, who wants to work in academics.

Adjusting to a new lifestyle 

Nonetheless, switching to an English-based lifestyle, when it is not my first language, created some difficulties and frustrations, especially in the beginning, when course literature still seemed like some foreign magical spells. With time, however, reading them started feeling like any other daily task, all it needed was practice, repetition, and not being afraid to use a dictionary for every tenth word within the first few weeks. 

International character 

The thing I found most exciting about studying IBACS is the international character of the course. Taking aside any statistics the university websites can tell you, you can really see the diversity of students by simply going to class. And studying a course that is all about culture could not be better than when you are able to compare traditions and ways of life. It is a great opportunity to open your mind for new mindsets and perspectives and gain not only a broad background to work in the artistic world, but also learn how to communicate and work with people of different cultures.

A career in arts & culture 

Choosing a degree can be a tough decision, but what is even tougher is having your parents’ approval on that decision. Especially, when it comes to degrees related to arts and the cultural industry, there is the misconception that the only possible career after your studies is becoming an artist. This, however, is far from the truth. The reason why I choose this programme is the variety of topics and fields it covers in relation to arts and culture. When I saw the programme overview before applying, I was fascinated by the amount of opportunities it creates and by the amount of directions you can go into during and after your studies. 

Interactive environment 

What I enjoy the most in my courses is the interactive environment. Since, the programme is very closely related to sociology and philosophy, discussion is very important because they introduce many different perspectives to the course material. The best part is that there is no right or wrong, everyone is allowed to express themselves freely. 

A broadened horizon

At first, when I saw that I am going to have a Economics course, I got a bit scared, I had never had any experience with this subject and it sounded so complicated. However, the material was very manageable and there was always room for questions or additional explanation for anyone having a hard time with the assignments or material of the course. Overall, this programme has immensely broadened my horizons and the international environment of the university has made me feel more than comfortable and accepted. It has helped me have a more clear idea about what career path I want to take in the future all thanks to the variety of subjects I had the chance to tackle. 

Exploring society and the arts 

I have always been passionate about art, especially when it came to the behind-the-scenes of the art world. I wanted to find a university programme that combined my passion for art, as well as my curiosity for how society works and for how it is intertwined with all forms of art – music, film, literature, fine arts, and so on. I was certain that I wanted to study abroad, The Netherlands being one of my first choices country-wise. Therefore, in my very thorough search for a bachelor programme that would fulfil my desires, I came across the IBACS programme from Erasmus University Rotterdam. When I read the description of the programme, I completely fell in love with it and I decided that this is what I wanted to study. 

Broad approach towards the arts

Fast-forward to my second year of university, I can happily say that IBACS has met all my expectations so far. One of the things that I like the most about this programme is that it is very broad, thus giving me the opportunity to discover which area I like the most within the cultural and creative industries. This is how I discovered that I’m very interested in media, advertisement and audience studies. 

International, kind & open-hearted environment

Moreover, the environment at Erasmus University has made my experience even better. It is a very international, kind and open-hearted environment when it comes to the students, as well as the teachers, counsellors and the staff. I am very much looking forward to my next years of university! 

I found the International Bachelor Arts and Culture Studies by coincidence. I was about to start a different bachelor here at Erasmus University Rotterdam, but when I read through the IBACS study schedule I was hooked.

I always wanted to study something connected to the arts, but I never felt talented enough to go to arts academy. This bachelor offered me the opportunity to find my way into the arts world through the theoretical and academic route. Finally, I was about to start studying what I’m really interested in and what I believe to be one of the most meaningful and fascinating fields.

Career perspectives

I put aside the purely practical considerations which had earlier led me to study Business Administration. Sometimes it is questioned whether an Arts and Culture bachelor will land you a good job. However, there are many talented, intelligent, and enthusiastic students in my year, who will certainly be valued on the job market.

As a society we are moving away from seeing success solely measured by economic parameters. If you go into the creative fields because that is where your intrinsic motivation and interest lie and you’re in it with your heart, you’ll inevitably be successful. That is not to say that it is not possible to also just earn good salaries in these areas.

Great fundament

Studying IBACS also inspires you to get into practicing art. You can go with the Dual Degree in Arts and Sciences (RASL), but in the era of the internet you can also just teach yourself.
Lastly, I believe this bachelor to be a great fundament. You can go many different routes after obtaining your bachelor. You can become entrepreneurial, jump right into the job market, do a specialising master, or even try your luck as a practicing artist with broad background knowledge of the world of arts and culture.

The International Bachelor Arts and Culture Studies is a very broad course that gives you a general view of all aspects of arts and culture from sociology to economics, art history and even philosophy.

Fun, engaging and open-minded

As a Romanian student, coming from a very rigid, maths and science-based education, I was very positively surprised by the fun, engaging and open-minded manner of teaching at Erasmus University Rotterdam. I particularly enjoy the courses on sociology, which have changed the way I look at the world and the interesting discussions that such courses bring up during tutorials. While the courses are definitely relevant and thought-provoking, they are explained in an easy-going, exciting way, often with examples from popular culture which bring a fresh feeling to any lecture.

Dual Degree in Arts and Sciences

I first applied to do a bachelor in Product Design at Willem de Kooning Academy and later discovered the possibility of doing a dual degree with IBACS. This option seemed a great addition to my art bachelor as way to expand my knowledge in the field and not completely loose the theoretical aspect of my education, while still studying something I cared about. However, after 2 years I have come to consider IBACS as my main bachelor and to strive for a career in the “backstage” of art creation, and not at the core of it, making me realise how important such roles are within the cultural and creative industries.

Safe environment

The students and teachers are very open-minded and friendly and manage to create a safe environment for learning and developing a critical perspective on the world. I love everything about this course and highly recommend it.

I chose the International Bachelor Arts and Culture Studies not only because of my great interest in the creative industries but also because of the broad nature of the bachelor and, its career opportunities.

The cultural and creative industries are important in our everyday life. That’s way this bachelor allows you to study in almost any industry at almost any position. Whether it is in government positions, modern art galleries, creative agencies or the fashion industry, the opportunities are endless. IBACS made me feel secure knowing I’d find the right career path regardless.

I’ve always wanted to be involved in some sort of creative process and the International Bachelor Arts and Culture Studies has opened my eyes to the endless opportunities they are. From the 'Sociology of Arts and Culture' to 'Economy of the Art Market' and my personal favourite 'Arts, Culture and Media'.

This bachelor is by far one of the most interesting bachelors to study. It makes use of everyday practical examples and unpacks them thoroughly for us to see the versatile nature, not only of the creative industries but of society as a whole.