International Programmes - KU Leuven

THE UNIVERSITY OF LEUVEN
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMES 2012
www.kuleuven.be/english
Tradition in excellence in the heart of Europe
The University of Leuven
As a leading European research university, K.U.Leuven offers a wide variety
of academic programmes in Dutch and English, supported by high-quality
interdisciplinary research both at the university and at its internationally
acclaimed hospitals. More than 6,000 researchers from over 120 countries
participate in curiosity-driven and strategic frontier research, as well as targeted
and demand-driven research. The university also interacts and cooperates
intensely with a broad array of external partners.
K.U.Leuven is a multidisciplinary university, with three-year Bachelor's and oneor
two-year Master's programmes in almost every field. The Leuven 'doctoral
schools' organise the international PhD programmes of over 4,000 students.
K.U.Leuven is Belgium's largest and highest-ranked university and one of
the oldest universities in Europe. Boasting an outstanding central location,
it offers a truly international experience, high-quality education, top-level
research facilities and cutting-edge innovation at a reasonable cost.
K.U.Leuven is co-founder of the League
of European Research Universities(LERU),
a select group of renowned research-intensive
universities. It has been very successful
in securing funds from and participating in
the highly competitive European Framework
Programme for research and technological
development. K.U.Leuven positions itself
in the top bracket of the European lists in
terms of obtaining prestigious European
Research Grants (ERC), and in terms of
publication output. It finds itself consistently
among the best scoring European universities
in all major global university rankings and
hence has its mind clearly set on a quality
driven, internationally relevant future.
www.youtube.com/user/kuleuven www.facebook.com/LeuvenUniversity www.twitter.com/KU_Leuven

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
PhD
Initial Master
Bachelor
Flanders is one of the original signatories of the Bologna Declaration
in 1999. The Bologna process that followed gradually introduced
the Bachelor’s-Master’s (abbreviated as “BaMa”) structure that we
Advanced-
Master
know today. In this structure, a Bachelor’s degree can be
obtained after 180 credits (normally three years). A Master’s
degree requires an additional sixty credits (mostly the case
in Humanities and Social Sciences) or 120 credits (SE&T and
Biomedical Sciences). Advanced Master’s programmes
generally require a previous (initial) Master’s degree for
entry. A Master’s degree is also a prerequisite for PhD or
doctoral studies at K.U.Leuven.
Undergraduates
All programmes described in this brochure are subject to change
without notice. All Bachelor’s programmes are taught in Dutch,
with the exception of the following, which are also taught in English:
BA in Philosophy
(180 ECTS)
What might you have in common with Herman Van Rompuy,
first and current President of the European Council?
A Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Leuven, in the heart
of Europe! An ideal basis for further studies in philosophy
at Leuven or further afield, or a launching pad for an exciting
professional career in fields such as law, economics and
medicine, a BA in Philosophy will do much more than
introduce you to the highly sought-after skills of logic,
critical thinking and close reading. Structuring your own
quest for meaning, a BA in philosophy will help you to make
sense of the world and your own place in it. Come to Leuven
and get to know yourself!
www.kuleuven.be/ba/BAPhil
BA in Theology and
Religious Studies
(180 ECTS)
The K.U.Leuven Association
Together with institutions of higher education located across Flanders, K.U.Leuven formed the K.U.Leuven
Association, an open and dynamic network with a strong and influential position in Flanders. With more
than 85,000 students, the K.U.Leuven Association accounts for over 43% of the entire student population
in Flemish higher education. K.U.Leuven’s partner institutions award professional or vocational Bachelor’s
degrees that tie in closely with the labour market, as well as academic, research-based Bachelor’s and
Master’s degrees. The K.U.Leuven Association aims to increase the research orientation and capacity of
the academic programmes of its member institutions and to provide a varied range of study programmes,
including transition possibilities. The members of the K.U.Leuven Association also strive to integrate their
policies, to pool their resources, and to share their various areas of expertise. Through intensive co-operation,
they improve the quality of their education and research.
LIST OF K.U.LEUVEN ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
LEUVEN - DIEST: Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven www.khleuven.be
LEUVEN: Groep T – Internationale Hogeschool Leuven www.groept.be
BRUSSELS - GHENT - LEUVEN: Hogeschool voor Wetenschap & Kunst www.wenk.be
BRUSSELS: Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel www.hubrussel.be
GEEL - LIER - TURNHOUT - VORSELAAR: Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen www.khk.be
DIEPENBEEK - HASSELT - GENK: Katholieke Hogeschool Limburg www.khlim.be
GHENT - SINT-NIKLAAS - AALST: Katholieke Hogeschool Sint-Lieven www.kahosl.be
BRUGES - OSTEND: Katholieke Hogeschool Brugge-Oostende www.khbo.be
KORTRIJK - TORHOUT - TIELT - ROESELARE: Katholieke Hogeschool Zuid-West-Vlaanderen www.katho.be
ANTWERP - MECHELEN: Lessius www.lessius.eu
Are you aware of the importance of religion in your culture’s
history and do you have an interest in religious attitudes,
customs and traditions? Do religious buildings mean anything
to you? Do the rituals they house awaken you to greater
mysteries? And what about religious traditions besides your
own – do they too inspire your wonder? if so, consider the
BA in Theology and Religious Studies. This programme will
take your initial familiarity with the Christian tradition and
the history of the Church and help to deepen your understanding
of the diverse facts of Christianity. The programme’s
requirements in modern and Biblical languages, not to
mention philosophy and other human sciences, will also
help you to question what you take for granted. Discover how
this programme and its international renown will challenge
your faith and help it to develop into something even greater.
www.kuleuven.be/ba/THEOLOGY
Study Abroad
Programme in
European Culture
and Society (P.E.C.S.)
Are you currently a Bachelor’s student anywhere in the world
and longing for something out of the ordinary? If so, consider
completing the third or fourth year of your Bachelor’s
programme in Leuven, which is only a short train journey
from Brussels, the capital of the European Union and home
of NATO headquarters. The Study Abroad Programme in
European Culture and Society at the Faculty of Arts is a
non-degree programme. This means that after its completion,
you’ll return to your home university for graduation,
but you’ll do so stimulated by invaluable experiences with
Belgian and other international students. P.E.C.S. features
courses from a wide range of fields within the humanities
including theology, philosophy, literature and linguistics,
political and social sciences, business and economics,
law, psychology and anthropology. And don’t forget the
programme’s broad package of extra-curricular activities,
which extend your experience of European Culture and
society far beyond the classroom. In Leuven, Europe
becomes a part of your daily life, an experience that is
yours for taking. The international friendships you’ll
cultivate are yours forever. Please contact the study
abroad office at your home university to secure institutional
support for your application.
www.kuleuven.be/ba/PECS
2
Bachelor of Arts = BA
Master of Arts = MA
Master of Science = MSc

Science, Engineering
and Technology
MSc in Chemistry (120 ECTS)
MSc in Geology (120 ECTS)
If you are looking for a two-year advanced study programme offering both general
and specialised training in geology, then consider the interuniversity MSc in Geology
offerd by K.U.Leuven and the University of Ghent, imparting the social attitudes and
interdisciplinary skills necessary for the best possible solutions for specific geological
problems, the programme will prepare you for the wealth of careers in geology.
Perhaps your future involves developmental tasks, research or management.
Then there’s consultancy in environmental geology, hydrogeology or geotechnology.
Industry offers exploration and treatment of natural resources, while governmental
agencies are interested in the inventory and management of the subsurface and
various environmental issues.
Are you looking for a career as an academic or industrial chemist? If so, your search
stops here. Aiming to train the next generation of researchers, K.U.Leuven’s MSc
in Chemistry puts the globally recognised expertise and authority of its twenty-nine
professors and their four research divisions at your disposal. Beyond course and
lab work, your Master’s thesis will develop your skills in formulating a research question,
placing it in its correct chemical and social perspective, and answering it. Depending
on your choice of academic or industrial career, K.U.Leuven will teach you to be
productive through competition-driven valorisation or peer-driven specialisation.
Collaborating worldwide with other universities, research institutes and companies,
the department provides an excellent platform for you to launch your own career.
Whatever you choose, be sure to join the ranks of our alumni and help them to
define the academic and industrial worlds of chemistry.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMACHEM
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMAGEOL
MSc in Biology (120 ECTS)
The MSc in Biology is a specialised yet flexible programme that ranges from molecular
and cellular biology to functional and evolutionary biology and on to population and
community ecology. It emphasises problem-solving, independent thinking and communication.
You’ll be trained in the theory and techniques of fundamental and
applied research in one of two areas of specialisation: ecological and evolutionary
biology or molecular and physiological biology. The programme offers the fruits of
the department’s internationally renowned research, which is embedded in established
collaboration with other universities, research institutes and biotech companies
worldwide. Our alumni pursue careers as researchers in academic, commercial or
non-profit organisations, as scientific advisers and policy officers in government or
private administrations, as science communication officers and journalists, or as science
teachers. Where do your interests lie?
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMABIOL
MSc in Molecular
Biology (120 ECTS)
Young scientists from developing countries: this programme is for you! Jointly organised
by K.U.Leuven, the University from Antwerp and the Free University of Brussels,
the MSc in Molecular Biology aims at strengthening and updating your theoretical
and practical skills. In this two-year programme, you’ll choose from among three
specialisations: plant production, animal production and human health. Your first
year is dedicated to common core courses, while the second is devoted to preparing
your MA thesis in the lab – completed at its public defense. Looking beyond the
mere transfer of technology, the MSc in Molecular Biology paves the way to a future
in which you can be a leader in your home country, making valuable contributions
as a researcher, lecturer, or consultant to local universities, hospitals, private research
laboratories, and governments.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/IPMB
INTERNATIONAL
COURSE
PROGRAMME (ICP)
PAGE 20
MSc in Physics
(120 ECTS)
“I cherish the years
I spent studying at
K.U.Leuven. They helped
open the doors to my
political career.”
Herman Van Rompuy,
President of the European
Council of Ministers
With the employment rate of our young graduates, a MSc in Physics from K.U.Leuven
is practically money in the bank! Training future scientist to be productive in research
institutes or corporate environments, this elite Master’s programme offers not only
thorough and specialised knowledge of physics, but also a wealth of transferable
skills. By honing your skills in judgement, critical insight, problem analysis and solving,
experimental or theoretical methodology, report writing, team work and understanding
the social role of science, our programme will form you into a responsible physicist
who is able to contribute equally to science and society. A research-based institute
that generates substantial funding, the Department of Physics and Astronomy at
K.U.Leuven is able to offer many research positions and more than half the students
who obtain a Master’s degree in physics eventually start a PhD programme in one
of the department’s laboratories. See if there’s something here for you!
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMAPHYS
3

Science, Engineering and Technology
MSc in Astronomy
and Astrophysics (120 ECTS)
MSc in Mathematics (120 ECTS)
As a mathematician, you are in absolute command of accuracy. Your analytical skills
are second to none and your facility with modelling and abstraction knows no peer.
Your professional versatility: outstanding. And why? K.U.Leuven’s MSc in Mathematics
programme. You’ll be taught to explore mathematical and quantitative problems
based on scientific analysis, to devise solution, and to supervise their implementation.
You’ll learn to communicate not only with fellow mathematicians, but also with nonspecialists.
And your presentation skills will be sharpened to the finest point, not to
mention your fluency with the modern possibilities offered by ICT. K.U.Leuven and
its expert staff offer a research environment able to foster and nurture your talents
and to polish you as a fully qualified mathematician, whether in pure or applied
mathematics. And then you can explore IT, banking, or insurance sectors. Or perhaps
pursue a PhD in mathematics, mathematical physics, astrophysics, engineering,
or other related fields.
Want to participate in a globally thriving discipline constantly enjoying new technological
developments? Taking advantage of a new generation of terrestrial and space-based
instruments, the MSc in Astronomy and Astrophysics digests new discoveries
concerning the origin, structure, and evolution of planets, stars, star systems, and the
universe, and uses them as your textbooks. This programme pays special attention
to both the analysis and astrophysical interpretation of data and to the technological
side of astronomical research, and thus prepares you to be a competitive candidate
in the international PhD circuit. Since astronomy and astrophysics are certain to
occupy a prominent place in international fundamental research in the coming decades,
why not investigate K.U.Leuven’s broad range of courses on astronomical subdisciplines
and makes this future yours as well? With astronomy, the sky is not the limit.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMAASTR
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMAMATH
MSc in Geography (120 ECTS)
Seeking to train you as a geographer eager to play an active role in today’s society
the two-year advanced MSc in Geography provides comprehensive training in
social-geographical and/or geographical phenomena. Jointly organised and
awarded by K.U.Leuven and the Free University of Brussels, the degree offers
specialisation in either Environmental Change, or Space and Society. You’ll conduct
your own research in close relation with on-going, innovative and internationally
recognised research projects – you can’t be better placed to learn and develop
scientific skills! What’s more, our students often spend time abroad for fieldwork
and data collection. Your skills will be rewarded by the growing demand for
competent geoscience professionals. Surveying companies, mapping agencies,
service and utility providers, public entities and international and national land-use,
disaster management and conservation administrations are always looking for
highly-trained graduates.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMAGEOGR
Erasmus Mundus
Master in Sustainable
Territorial Development (120 ECTS)
ERASMUS
MUNDUS
PAGE 20
Do you seek expertise in spatial management and sustainable development at the
regional and local level (cities, rural areas, industrial districts, etc.)? Do you want to
support policies that integrate economic, environmental, international, intercultural,
territorial and context-driven dimensions? Are you fascinated by systems of governance
and the importance of stakeholder participation? In this interuniversity programme,
both European and non-European students study together for one semester each
at first the Università degli Studi di Padova (30ECTS), then at K.U.Leuven (30ECTS)
and finally at the Université Paris 1 Panthéon – Sorbonne (30ECTS). The fourth semester
is dedicated to an internship and Master’s thesis (30ECTS) written at the student’s
choice from among the three aforementioned universities plus the Universidade
Catolica Don Bosco in Brazil. The extensive experience, international collaboration
and multidisciplinarity you’ll gain from the Erasmus Mundus Master in Sustainable
Territorial Development will open up new perspectives on the sustainability of territorial
use and organisation while introducing you to various policy tools and management
strategies in divergent territorial contexts. A Bachelor’s degree in the humanities,
environmental sciences or engineering is required, as is knowledge of French and
English; basic knowledge of economics is also helpful.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMMSTEDE
MSc in Molecular
and Cellular Biophysics (120 ECTS)
With its three research options – theoretical, molecular, and cellular biophysics –
the versatility of the MSc in Molecular and Cellular Biophysics at K.U.Leuven is both
obvious and unique. The programme features expert multidisciplinary training in
biophysics, particularly those sub-areas in which K.U.Leuven is internationally
recognised: determination of molecular structures, molecular and supramolecular
modelling, spectroscopy of biomolecules, physical modelling of complex systems,
transport through ion channels in membranes, and the study of molecular interactions
and their physical principles. With the increasing social importance of this field,
demand for biophysicists is on track to outstrip supply: not only the pharmaceutical
and bioindustries, but also medical research and universities are in great need of
qualified people. What’s more: most of our graduates go on to earn a PhD.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMABIOPH
4

MSc in Statistics (120 ECTS)
Looking for high-quality training in statistics for research or for professional life?
If so, consider K.U.Leuven’s MSc in Statistics, an interdisciplinary programme
whose teaching is grounded in internationally-recognised research. Choose from
among a number of approaches: biometrics, social behavioural and educational
statistics, business statistics, industrial statistics, general statistical methodology,
or an all-round statistics profile. As statistician, you’ll be recruited by industry, banks
or government institutions. You may find yourself designing clinical trials and
supporting the biomedical sector, coaching research for new medicines, setting up
and analysing psychological tests and surveys, performing financial risk analyses,
statistically managing R&D projects and quality controls, or developing statistical
software, And don’t forget the academic world. The applications of statistics are
very diverse, just like your professional options! This programme is offered in
collaboration with the MSc in Statistics at Hasselt University.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMASTAT
MSc in Artificial Intelligence (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Can we build an intelligent robot, one that perceives and communicates through
natural language, vision, sensors and movement – in short, one that performs typically
human tasks? Fuelled by this challenge, the advanced MSc in Artificial Intelligence
programme trains a broad range of students – including engineers, exact scientists,
economists, managers, psychologists, and linguists – in the full range of knowledgebased
technology and cognitive science. The joint effort of many internationallyleading
research units from seven different faculties, this one-year programme allows
you to focus on engineering and computer science, cognitive science, or speech and
language technology. It will prepare you for a career in information technology,
data mining, speech and language technology, intelligent systems, diagnosis and
quality control, fraud detection, biometrics, banking, etc. Or start a PhD programme.
Your options are practically endless.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MAI
MSc in Nanoscience
and Nanotechnology (120 ECTS)
ERASMUS
MUNDUS
PAGE 20
“I have the feeling that
I’m learning a lot more than
I did in Germany. Leuven is
a really nice city and the
facilities are just beautiful.”
Dennis, student from
Germany, anonymous
survey
Do you seek the greatest challenge on the smallest scale, crave cutting-edge
physics, biology, electronics, and chemistry or desire the multidisciplinarity and
technological convergence at the heart of tomorrow’s science – today? If so, kickstart
your career with the MSc in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at K.U.Leuven,
Belgium’s proven world-leader in this young and vital field. Guided by our renowned
faculty and associated spin-off corporations, you’ll develop your analytical, synthetic
and interpretive skills within state-of-the-art facilities, providing the hands-on technology
necessary for the theory, design and manufacture of machines and materials at the
atomic and molecular level. Build on your undergraduate training in mathematics,
physics, chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry, molecular and atomic architecture,
material science, electronics, and electromechanics – let K.U.Leuven help you
to ensure your future in industry, research, enterprise, or policy. Dreaming big
and building small: nanotechnology at Leuven.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MNANO
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMMNANO
MSc in Safety Engineering (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
MSc in Space Studies (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Join a sector driving important scientific, technological and societal innovation while
enjoying serious government support and recognition. We’re looking for candidates
already in possession of a successful master’s degree relevant to space studies.
Our students are, not only able to broaden their education into other relevant
disciplines but are also able to present a convincing case for the importance of the
programme to their professional expectations. Is this you? If so, the MSc in Space
Studies offers you an unlimited frontier – don’t be afraid to explore its future,
and yours!
You demand safety, but what lies behind it? Quality, reliability, efficiency, and technical
and regulatory constraints: the many demands on industrial process operations are
making its management increasingly more complex. At the same time, safety concerns
stemming from traffic and transport, logistics, the environment, consumer products,
etc., are intensifying, as are the growing number of European health and safety rules
and regulations. The MSc in Safety Engineering will prepare you to improve and
realise safety in many different areas. The programme trains you in prevention policy
and safety management systems, the safety of products, processes, and installations,
qualitative risk analysis techniques, and fire and explosion safety. You’ll obtain
detailed knowledge of technical and managerial process safety concepts with regard
to the whole life cycle of a production plant, and risk evaluations based on qualitative
and quantitative methods. And then with your ability in research, analysis, inspection,
monitoring and certification, you’re on your way to a career in industry, or private
and/or governmental organisations.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MSAFETYENG
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMASPACE
* Master’s degree required 5

Science, Engineering and Technology
MSc in Materials Engineering (120 ECTS)
Want to play an active role in designing the materials of the future? Interested in
addressing concerns of sustainable development and the intelligent use of resources?
If so, consider, K.U.Leuven’s two-year MSc in Materials Engineering. The Department
of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering is involved in several strategic fields of
materials research and development, and is also the driving force of the Leuven
Materials Research Centre. Based on its research experience, the department offers
three options – Metals and Ceramics, Polymers and Composites, and Materials for
Nanotechnology – which are integrated within a pool of general and core courses.
Case studies, mini-projects and a master’s thesis will develop your broad analytical
skills and problem-solving abilities. As a Master in Materials Engineering you’ll have
access to the materials production, metallurgical, automotive, aerospace, energy,
recycling, microelectronics and chemical industries, as well as the emerging sectors
of nanotechnology and biomaterials. Master’s graduates with an interest in research
can apply for a R&D position or start a PhD. A number of our alumni have started
their own companies.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MME
MSc in Biomedical Engineering
(120 ECTS)
As a MSc in Biomedical Engineering graduate, you’ll play a role in the design and
production of state-of-the-art biomedical devices and/or medical information
technology processes and procedures. You’ll complete the programme with knowledge
of anatomy, physiology and human biotechnology and mastery of biomedical technology
in areas such as biomechanics, biomaterials, tissue engineering, bio-instrumentation
and medical information systems. The programme will help strengthen your creativity,
prepare you for life-long learning, and train you how to formalise your knowledge
for efficient re-use. Careers await you in the medical device industry R&D engineering,
or as a production or certification specialist. Perhaps you’ll end up with a hospital
career (technical department), or one in government. Or you can continue your
education by pursuing a PhD in biomedical engineering; each year, several places
are available thanks to the rapid innovation taking place in biomedical engineering
and the increasing portfolio of approved research projects in universities worldwide.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MBIOMENG
MSc in Nuclear Engineering
(60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Power plants, nuclear fuel production, radioelement production,
engineering companies, accelerator design and fabrication, waste
management, safety management, nuclear medicine, research,
and higher education: Belgium’s experience with nuclear engineering
is definitive. Combining the expertise of the Belgian nuclear research
centre SCK-CEN and six major Belgian universities, including
K.U.Leuven, the Belgian Nuclear Higher Education Network organises
the MSc in Nuclear Engineering. Based on your solid background in
engineering, mathematics and physics you’ll master nuclear physical processes,
the procedures and techniques necessary to control nuclear processes, nuclear
safety, reliability procedures, and nuclear waste treatment. Along with competence
in the design and maintenance of structures controlling nuclear processes, you’ll
also learn nuclear research and communicative skills. The programme stresses
internships and mobility. The lectures are held at SCK-CEN.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MNUCLEAR
“The K.U.Leuven
honorary doctorate is
the first such degree I have
ever accepted, because of my
sympathy for K.U.Leuven and
its architecture department
in particular.”
Rem Koolhaas, Pritzker
Prize-winning architect
MSc in Chemical
Engineering (Engineering
Rheology) (120 ECTS)
ERASMUS
MUNDUS
PAGE 20
Interested in the flow of things, literally? If so, the interdisciplinary science of rheology,
which investigates processing problems encountered with complex industrial fluids
such as plastics, food products, coatings, and industrial slurries, is for you. Offering
advanced training in rheology and its applications in different areas of engineering,
the European MSc in Engineering Rheology (EURHEO) links together fields such as
mathematics, physics, chemistry, molecular biology, chemical and mechanical
engineering, textiles, and food technology. Its syllabus delivers the necessary skills
to understand the relevance of rheology in materials science and engineering and
to solve practical engineering problems both autonomously and as members of
multidisciplinary research teams. With a study programme tailored to the individual
needs of each student, EURHEO combines the rheological expertise of seven leading
European universities, and is closely linked to the MSc in Chemical Engineering at
the K.U.Leuven. Each EURHEO student has to study in at least two universities in
two countries. As a graduate, you’ll receive multiple degrees from the universities
at which you have been trained. Heavy demand for experts, and their limited supply,
certainly guarantees an exciting career in this increasingly important field. Don’t go
with the flow – control it!
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMMEURHEO
MSc in Electrical Engineering (120 ECTS)
K.U.Leuven is already preparing the next generation of integrated systems –
will you be involved? The Electrical Engineering Department (ESAT) is the largest
department within the university and was the starting point of IMEC and many
spin-off companies. With such an excellent reputation within an innovative industry,
the programme exemplifies the link between education, research and valorisation.
The MSc in Electrical Engineering programme gives you in-depth training in the
software and hardware design of electronic systems, with an emphasis either on
circuit design or the design of applications. In the option `Electronics and Integrated
Circuits’, you will learn how to design and create electronic and integrated circuits
for a wide range of electronic systems in telecommunications, audio- and sensor
applications, biomedical systems and power electronics. In the option `Embedded
Systems and Multimedia’, the focus lies on the design of novel applications.
This encompasses the processing, transmission and security aspects of digital signals
(with emphasis on multimedia) and their implementation in embedded systems.
Your Master’s thesis, carried out in close co-operation with the department’s on-going
research, will expose you to cutting-edge research. With the demand for qualified
electrical engineers as high as it is, as a graduate of the programme, your prospects
of employment throughout the world are enviable.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MEE
6

MSc in Human
Settlements (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
INTERNATIONAL
COURSE
PROGRAMME (ICP)
PAGE 20
Addressing rapid developing-world urbanisation and contemporary urban trans -
formations and aiming at sustainable development, the MSc in Human Settlements
consists of a common platform (key courses on human settlements and sustainable
development, design studio, and study trips) complemented by a core of courses
from the disciplines of ‘Architecture and Urban Studies’, ‘Rational Design and
Constructions’ and ‘Urbanism (including urban design) and Strategic Planning’.
With numerous guest lecturers and seminars, the programme benefits from its
organisers’ worldwide contacts. Study trips to France, the Netherlands, Switzerland,
Germany and other places of interest in Belgium confront students with current
trends in urban transformation. Moreover, non-Western study and field trips have
included India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. Join our many alumni in leadership
and policy positions in regional, national, and international human settlement
institutions. Or begin a career as an independent professional in urban design.
Or go for the PhD! The choice is yours.
MSc in Chemical Engineering (120 ECTS)
Looking for a chemical techology programme that is more than just a classical chemical
engineering programme? Our MSc in Chemical Engineering is definitely something for
you. With a focus on process, product and planet engineering, the programme does not
only guarantee a solid chemical engineering background, it also focuses on process and
product intensification, energy efficient processing routes, biochemical processes and
product-based thinking rather than on the classical process approach. The programme
itself consists of an important core curriculum that covers the foundations of chemical
engineering. In this part of the programme, you will concentrate on both the classical
and the emerging trends in chemical engineering. In addition, you have the opportunity
to choose between three options: product, process and planet engineering, providing
you with the opportunity to specialise to a certain extent. Since the emerging areas
covered in the programme are considered to be the major challenges within the
chemical and related industries, graduating in Leuven as a chemical engineer will
give you a serious advantage over your European colleagues since you will be able
to integrate new technologies within existing production processes.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MCHEMT
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MAHS
MSc in Engineering:
Energy (120 ECTS)
EIT-KIC
ERASMUS
MUNDUS
PAGE 20
“Leuven is a very
inter nationally oriented
city with an open spirit.
The city is always alive,
a real student town.”
Dennis, doctoral student
electrical engineering
from Taiwan
If you are fascinated by technology but can’t ignore environmental and socio-economic
factors, then consider the international MSc in Engineering: Energy. In collaboration
within the framework of Erasmus Mundus and EIT-KIC InnoEnergy, the master consists
of three options:
• MSc in Engineering: Energy: a two-year programme at K.U.Leuven, in Dutch
or in English. The first year includes electrical and mechanical engineering
courses, as well as more general socio-economic energy-related subjects and
an integrated project. In the second year, you’ll continue your specialisation with
a Master’s thesis on a subject related to electrical energy, thermo-mechanical
energy, or more general technical-economic aspects. An international exchange
or internship is also possible.
• Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Economics and Management of Network
Industries: the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Economics and Management
of Network Industries, newly offered by K.U.Leuven and co-ordinated by U.P.
Comillas in 2011 – 2012, is a second-year technical specialisation track that
will help you develop a comprehensive view on energy networks informed both
by economics and technology.
• EIT-KIC MSc in Energy: newly organised for 2011 – 2012 within the EIT-KIC
InnoEnergy partner network, which includes the technical universities of Eindhoven,
Stockholm, Barcelona, Lisbon and Grenoble, this programme encourages
industrial collaboration and entrepreneurship in the energy domain. Training you
in the true multidisciplinarity, the programme will prepare you for a career in
research, industry or policy related to energy.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MENERGY
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMMEMIN
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EITKICMENERGY
MSc in Conservation
of Monuments and Sites (120 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Want a programme with true pedigree? Try the MSc in Conservation of Monuments
and Sites, run by the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation.
Prof. Lemaire (an author of the Charter of Venice) originally founded the centre at
the behest of the International Council of Monuments and the elite College of Europe.
Now run by Minja Yang, a renowned cultural heritage management consultant and
former director of the UNESCO Office in New Delhi, the Centre continues its highprofile
collaborations with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, World Monument
Fund, and the Getty Conservation Institute. This two-year programme is organised
jointly by the Department of Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning, and the
Department of Civil Engineering, and is divided into two parts: the first year in
classes and seminars, and the second in personal research anywhere in the world,
culminating in your thesis. With the programme’s background and rigorous training,
it’s no wonder our alumni are spread throughout the world as professionals in
conservation and restoration of architectural heritage.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MCMS
MSc in Urbanism
and Strategic Planning (120 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Aiming to cultivate innovative urban design, the Department of Architecture, Urbanism,
and Planning offers the MSc in Urbanism and Strategic Planning. European and designoriented,
it prepares students for leadership roles in urban design, urban development
and management, and strategic planning. As part of the European Postgraduate Master’s
in Urbanism, its students can apply to attend one or two semesters at one of the partner
universities – UPC Barcelona, TU Delft, or IUAV Venezia – to obtain the additional
European Postgraduate Certificate of Urbanism. Guest lectures, design studios,
and a written or design-project thesis give shape to the programme. Study trips within
Belgium and throughout Europe, as well as annual design workshops offered by
K.U.Leuven and its partner universities, also feature prominently. Our graduates have
long provided professional architectural and urban-design experience to design offices,
consultancy firms, or governments. Contribute to this legacy!
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MAUSP
7
* Master’s degree required

Science, Engineering and Technology
MSc in Water Resources
Engineering (120 ECTS)
Are you involved in the design, operation, or day-to-day management of water
resources? Would you like to be an expert in this field? The MSc in Water Resources
Engineering trains engineers and scientists from developing and industrialised countries
in specific disciplines of water resources, but also integrates technical multidisciplinary
teams under the efficient co-ordination of management generalists. Based on the
research and expertise of the Faculties of Science, Engineering, and Bioscience
Engineering, you’ll become well versed in the necessary mathematics, civil engineering,
hydrology, agriculture, biology and domain-specific information communications
technology. You’ll gain expertise in GIS and remote sensing, surface and groundwater
hydrology, river and urban hydraulics, irrigation design and management,
water monitoring and treatment, system approaches to water management, and the
social, political, environmental, and institutional aspects of water resources. As an
expert, you’ll contribute a critical attitude and understanding of the research processes
vital to the field.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/IUPWARE
INTERNATIONAL
COURSE
PROGRAMME (ICP)
PAGE 20
MSc in Bioinformatics (120 ECTS)
Interested in the recent major scientific and technological breakthroughs that have
drastically changed the way we think about bioscience research and biotechnology?
If so, join us as we explore this new era of bioinformatics and systems biology!
The MSc in Bioinformatics aims to train specialists able to combine biological insight
with mathematical engineering, IT, and statistical analysis to design, manage,
analyse, and interpret high-throughput molecular biology experiments. First, your
background in biology, biotechnology, data mining, statistics, and current programming
languages such as JAVA and Perl will be individually reoriented to ensure
you meet the programme’s prerequisites. Then core courses will ensure general
competence and finally, a research project at the university or a company will
culminate in the presentation of your expertise in a research thesis. You can then
explore your exciting career in fundamental and applied biomedical research!
www.kuleuven.be/ma/BIOINF
MSc in Food
Technology (120 ECTS)
Want to make a difference in an age anxious about food security and quality? Jointly
organised by K.U.Leuven and the University of Ghent, the interuniversity programme
MSc in Food Technology aims to provide multidisciplinary and specialised training
in food technology. After an initial year establishing a common knowledge base
among students with different backgrounds, you’ll spend the second year specialising
either in: ‘Post-harvest and Food Preservation Engineering’ or ‘Food Science and
Technology’. Combined with your research thesis you’ll build your own tailor-made
curriculum based on the internationally-recognised applied-bioscience research in
food science, agriculture, and biotechnology at K.U.Leuven and the University of
Ghent. Graduates consistently find rewarding international work within university
education and research, research institutes, the food industry, non-governmental
and governmental institutes, and food authorities.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/IUPFOOD
INTERNATIONAL
COURSE
PROGRAMME (ICP)
PAGE 20
MSc in Earth Observation (120 ECTS)
Are you concerned with the sustainable use and management of the Earth’s
resources? Do you have a solid background in calculus, earth science and GIS,
environmental science, and ecology? If so, consider the MSc in Earth Observation.
Collecting, processing, combining, and applying remotely sensed Earth observation
data, this growing field addresses soil, water, vegetated, and urban systems, as well
as their development and options for management. The programme allows students
either to specialise further within the thematic geospatial domain, including hydrologic
and atmospheric aspects, or to strengthen engineering aspects of geospatial technologies.
The programme features international collaboration within the framework
of the European Erasmus scheme. Graduates from the MSc in Earth Observation
are recruited by governments, service providers, utility companies, space agencies,
research and/or educational institutes, and national and international organisations
concerned with sustainable development in rural and urban regions; food security,
disaster relief, energy supply, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and nature
conservation.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EO
“I think Leuven is
heaven on earth for
students. Everybody is
friendly, the town is full of all
kinds of students and I can
safely walk the streets alone at
two o’clock in the morning.”
Chun Gong, PhD student
from China at IMEC
8

Erasmus Mundus Master
of Theoretical Chemistry and
Computational Modelling (120 ECTS)
ERASMUS
MUNDUS
PAGE 20
Get in at the bleeding edge of contemporary chemistry! Theoretical and computational
chemistry are marking the new era that lies ahead in the molecular sciences.
The Erasmus Mundus Master of Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modelling
is a joint initiative of seven European Universities, including K.U.Leuven. A two-year
Erasmus Mundus Master’s Programme co-ordinated by the Universidad Autónoma
de Madrid. It will train you to master a wide range of theoretical and computational
tools. The first year brings all participants to a common level of excellence. The second
year starts with a four-week intensive course taking place in the summer between
the two years. It welcomes several international experts as lecturers and is organised
by one of the participating universities (Valencia in September 2011). The remainder
of the second year is devoted to tutorials on the material of the intensive course
and to a thesis project, carried out in part at one of the other universities in the consortium.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/TCCM
MSc in Tropical Natural
Resources Management (120 ECTS)
Do you agree that alleviating poverty and food insecurity in the tropics while preserving
the natural-resource base is one of the major challenges to humankind? Do you
want to become an expert in maintaining biodiversity and solid productivity in the
tropics and in the economics and policymaking of natural resources? Building on
your broad interest in the natural, agricultural, or economic sciences, the Msc in
Tropical Natural Resources Management provides in-depth coverage of three key
intervention areas: the conservation and management of tropical agro-biodiversity,
the economic and policy aspects of natural resource use, and soil and water
conservation. You’ll learn how to manage biodiversity, and how to use it to improve
biological production systems. You’ll learn to optimise decisions at the micro
(management) and macro (policy) level. You’ll also acquire a better understanding
of the potential and management of tropical soils and of soil degradation and
rehabilitation. In short: a challenging career awaits you in translating your knowledge
into public or private sector projects, innovations, and policies for the sustainable
management of natural resources.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/TROPNRM
Postgraduate Programme
in Biomedical Engineering (39 ECTS)
Biomechanics, biomaterials, and medical information technology all form an exciting
wave in the future of medicine. Are you ready to catch it? Expanding upon your
previously obtained MSc in Engineering, MSc in Bioengineering or four-year Bachelor
of Engineering, K.U.Leuven’s Postgraduate Programme in Biomedical Engineering
offers an advanced research-based curriculum. Beyond foundational courses in
human biotechnology and physiology, the programme also provides cutting-edge
offerings in musculoskeletal biomechanics, biofluid biomechanics, biomedical
measurements and stimulation, biomedical data processing, and medical imaging
and analysis. Capping these is a design project providing hands-on practice in medical
device design or medical software design. You can participate in this programme
as part of a predoctoral examination or as the next step towards a successful career
in the medical device industry, health care or government. The choice is yours –
and so is the future.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/PGBIOMENG
ARENBERG DOCTORAL
SCHOOL OF SCIENCE,
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
The Arenberg Doctoral School of Science, Engineering & Technology
is located in the old Celestine Convent in the heart of the Arenberg
Campus in Heverlee. It functions as a hub for doctoral researchers in
the Sciences, Engineering Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences and
is an ideal setting to conduct research in the different disciplines of the
Science, Engineering & Technology Group. The Arenberg Doctoral School
stimulates and supports researchers in their endeavour to acquire
knowledge and use it to enhance our world.
Research in the Science, Engineering, and Technology Group is organised
into thematic centres cutting across the traditional disciplinary boundaries.
These research centres are structured around four themes: Information,
Matter, Life and Habitat. From infinity to atoms and from cells to people
and man-made systems, the main research topics can be found in life
sciences, computing and information science, environmental sustainability,
human settlements, agriculture, food research, genomics and biomaterials,
nanoscience and nanofabrication, advanced materials, energy and
optimisation in engineering.
In addition to the research-based scientific training, organised by the
research centres, the Arenberg Doctoral School offers transferable
skills and competencies which go beyond the specific research topic
of the doctorate and which prepare doctoral researchers for a professional
career inside or outside the university.
Our doctoral researchers have the confidence and pride of professionals
who advance the frontier of knowledge and combine their scientific
endeavours with unique professional experience. The Arenberg Doctoral
School offers great opportunities to fulfil your aspirations and pursue
your goals. We challenge you to join us with your ambitions.
set.kuleuven.be/phd/
Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate Programmes provide an international
environment for PhD research and training with scholarships of the
European Commission in multi-site partnerships and mobility between
European universities and research institutes. K.U.Leuven is partner in
the ERASMUS MUNDUS DOCTORATE IN MEMBRAME ENGINEERING.
http://eudime.unical/it/
9

Humanities and Social Scien
MA in Theology
and Religious Studies (60 ECTS)
Looking to build upon your Bachelor’s degree in Theology or Religious Studies?
Or perhaps you are engaged in pastoral work and seeking to deepen your theoretical
insights? Where better than at K.U.Leuven, where theology has been taught and
practised for over 700 years? K.U.Leuven’s Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies
has always acted as a think tank within the Catholic community. We offer a history
of critical dialogue conversant with tradition, but situated in the present and yet ever
conscious of the future – why not make this openness your own? Leuven’s famed
theology professors will put you in a great position to determine your own future,
whether it is in pastoral work, at NGOs throughout the world, in the media, or in
politics. The choices are endless. But with Leuven’s MA in Theology and Religious
Studies, they become meaningful.
MA in Philosophy (60 ECTS)
What is the meaning of existence? Explore your own perplexity at Leuven’s renowned
Institute of Philosophy. Its MA in Philosophy programme crosses the boundaries of
all philosophical disciplines, traditions, and approaches to help you form your own
well-rounded view. Long a leading centre of philosophical thought, embodied by
such centres as the famed Husserl-Archives and the De Wulf-Mansion Centre for
Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance Philosophy, the Institute offers you unparalleled
opportunities to further your own research. And with its impressive library, expert
faculty, and central location in Belgium, the Institute offers the most attractive opportunity
for studying philosophy in Europe. Let this one-year programme open doors for
your further research at other universities, or introduce you to our predoctoral programme,
the advanced MPhil programme.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MAPhil
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MTHEOLOGY
MA in Advanced Studies
in Theology and Religion (60 ECTS)
(predoctoral programme)
(advanced Master’s*)
As a researcher, you value independence above all. You need a predoctoral programme
that respects this freedom, and yet keeps it focused. Let Leuven’s MA in Advanced
Studies in Theology and Religion take your previously earned Master’s degree to a
higher level. Guided by our world- renowned professors, whose individual areas of
expertise span the breadth and depth of theology, you’ll learn to give shape to your
own independence, and transform it into a project with the potential to lead into
doctoral studies. And rest assured: research at Leuven is second to none. Just ask
Jansenius, Erasmus, or Louis Janssens – names from Leuven’s rich and on-going
history that spring to life in the faculty’s peerless library, containing countless priceless
volumes and ancient manuscripts. At Leuven, your research is sharpened by the
newest digital tools, and bolstered by subscriptions to a rich variety of international
journals, ranging from the mainstream to the cutting edge of today’s theology.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MASTHEOLOGY
“The true
inheritance that
I received from Leuven is
a profoundly spiritual
outlook on life.”
alumna Martha Sañudo
Velásquez (philosophy
and theology) from
Mexico
Master of Philosophy (MPhil) (60 ECTS)
(predoctoral programme)
(advanced Master’s*)
Looking for a predoctoral programme with a tradition? Philosophy has played a
leading role in Leuven since 1425. And students still come from all around the world
to study at the Institute of Philosophy. Why? Because the Institute offers world-leading
programmes in ancient and medieval philosophy; phenomenology and contemporary
continental philosophy; metaphysics and philosophy of culture; ethics, social and
political philosophy; and analytical philosophy. Functioning as a qualification for formal
acceptance to doctoral studies, the MPhil allows each student to concentrate on a
particular field of study, supplemented by courses, seminars, and the oral defence
of a research-based Master’s thesis. Established to promote the cosmopolitan character
of philosophical studies at the Institute, the International Programme in Philosophy
has in turn underscored the institute’s success by sending out its new doctors to teach
at leading schools throughout the world. Do you want to be counted among them?
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MPhil
MA in Canon Law (120 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
For nearly 600 years, the Faculty of Canon Law at K.U.Leuven has been recognised
for its excellence of scholarship and teaching. This tradition continues today with
teaching staff made up of internationally recognised scholars. Your Bachelor’s degree
in law, theology, or religious studies opens the door for you to study for a MA in Canon
Law over two years. The canonical degree of Iuris Canonici Licentiatus is obtained
on completion of the master programme. Success in the Master’s programme can
provide entry into the doctoral programme where successfully completed specialised
study will see you awarded the degree of Doctor of Canon Law and the canonical
degree of Iuris Canonici Doctor. With these degrees comes the opportunity to serve
the People of God in a unique way as a canon lawyer.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MCL
10

ces
Master of Laws (120 ECTS)
The spirit of Bologna thrives at K.U.Leuven’s Faculty of Law! After studying your
own national law at the LL.B. level at your home university, obtain your Master’s
degree at one of the most established and yet innovative law faculties in Europe.
You’ll graduate as a truly global lawyer in a genuinely European environment, as did
the first permanent President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy,
a graduate of the Leuven Law Faculty. The two-year programme will set you on an
ideal course to work for an internationally-oriented law firm, a multinational company,
or international organisations. Our faculty takes particular pride in putting its students
in touch with these future employers. Focussing on European and International Law,
the programme offers a wide range of specialisations. Students may obtain credit
waivers on the basis of previously obtained credits (e.g., in the framework of an
Erasmus programme). Leuven can become your stepping stone to an interesting legal
career - an opportunity not to be missed.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MLAW
“Leuven is the first
non-Anglo-Saxon university
to recognise my contribution
to human rights. It is a
great privilege.”
Radhika Coomaraswamy,
UN Under-Secretary-
General and K.U.Leuven
Honorary Doctor
Master of Laws (LL.M.) (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
The graduate Master of Laws programme at K.U.Leuven may be taken either full-time
residential, or part-time spread over two years (which allows you to study while continuing
your career). The degree gives you a thorough legal education in close proximity to
Europe’s legal institutions. The programme mixes foundation courses in slightly
larger groups with exclusive courses in small groups in your two chosen areas of
specialisation (economic law, banking and finance, human rights, social law,
intellectual property, external relations, and diplomacy). The specialised knowledge
you’ll acquire in these areas will be crowned with clinics in small groups, led by
senior lawyers and officials from the Brussels European scene. Designed to foster
independent study and research, the programme also takes you on a tour of the
most important European institutions, including the European Parliament, the Court
of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights. Our students are from every
region of the globe, and our alumni routinely hold prominent positions in the European
and international community, in national and local governments, and in the specialised
legal community.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/LLM
MA in Society, Law and Religion
(60 ECTS)
MSc in Criminology 60 ECTS)
Looking for somewhere to explore your interest in law, society, and crime? Offering a
research-based, specialised, European, and internationally-oriented study of crime,
the programme emphasises different approaches to crime and the processes of
(de)criminalisation. With its strong link between education and research, the programme’s
explicitly international orientation and comparative approach permits you to specialise
in one of three research areas: criminality and security, person-oriented and communityoriented
criminology, or law enforcement. Your research-based thesis optimises your
critical reflective methodological skills and attitudes, enabling autonomous, constructive,
and high-quality contributions to the field. Boasting close co-operation between
the students and teaching staff, whose expertise spans a wide range of topics,
the programme focuses on the increasing cross-border character of criminality.
Based on vocational developments within the field, it opens up many prospects for
you as a criminologist in the European Union, and in many international or trans -
national institutions.
Rapid development is facing the global community in all areas of life. Civil and religious
authorities are constantly confronted with new and more complex questions that
touch the very core of the fundamental liberties of the human person and the good
of society. Both State and Church have, or claim, competence and responsibilities
for many of these questions. The MA in Society, Law and Religion at K.U.Leuven
invites you to explore the interface between Church and State in the atmosphere of
a truly international student body, guided by world-renowned professors and internationally-recognised
guest speakers. With its emphasis on Church (Canon) Law,
this interdisciplinary Master’s programme builds on your degree in Law and/or Theology
and provides the perfect basis for further study in the two-year advanced degree
of Master of Canon Law.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MSLR
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MCRIMY
* Master’s degree required
11

Humanities and Social Sciences
Master of Laws in European
and International Taxation (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
MSc in European Politics
and Policies (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
The European Tax College offers the advanced Master of Laws in European and
International Taxation, providing you with an intensive education in European, international,
and comparative taxation, plus with a general introduction to the five major
tax systems in Europe and the US. Requiring no previous professional experience
in taxation, the programme’s courses stress discussion and writing in small groups
of not more than ten students under the direction of a course leader, alongside a
moot court exercise and a research-based Master’s thesis. Truly international,
the European Tax College is a joint venture between K.U.Leuven and Tilburg
University. Tilburg hosts the first semester of the programme, Leuven the second.
Both cities are situated in the heart of Europe, enabling students to enjoy the proximity
of both Amsterdam (a one-hour drive from Tilburg) and Brussels (a twenty-minute
drive from Leuven).
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MEIT
Looking for a career in the ever-growing field of European public administration and
European organisations? The MSc in European Politics and Policies (MEPP) programme
is your entrance ticket. You have taken the first step with your four-year degree in
the humanities or the social sciences, or your professional experience in the public
or European sector. The MEPP programme is designed to complement and expand
your background in the institutional developments and political processes of your
home country and the European Union. It will harness the diversity of the European
experience and solidify your professional and research prospects. Elective courses
address your areas of specialisation and interest, be they specific policy issues,
politics, economics, or law. And as part of the European Master of Public Administration
Network (EMPA), the MEPP programme offers a semester of study abroad, with
destinations including Geneva, Budapest, Paris, and Milan. But your journey, and
future, starts in Leuven – only twenty minutes from the European institutions in Brussels.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MEPP
Postgraduate Studies
in ICT & Media Law (45 ECTS)
“In Leuven,
the world
opened up to me.”
Annemie Turtelboom,
first female Interior Minister
of Belgium and
K.U.Leuven alumna
Are you interested in the legal interplay of today’s communication technology,
intellectual property, and social and cultural developments? The Postgraduate Studies
in ICT & Media Law programme, organised by the Interdisciplinary Centre for Law
& ICT (ICRI), provides a one-year comprehensive and in-depth study of European
ICT and media law for graduate students and professionals who have obtained a
law degree that gives access to legal practice in the participant’s jurisdiction (or with
equivalent relevant expertise). It is distinguished from other programmes through
its interdisciplinary perspective (ranging from technological and economic studies
to socio-political, cultural, and media studies) and its focus on problem-oriented
learning and practical skills training (offering an internship as well as a specific skills
course module). Its highly individualised approach makes this postgraduate
programme unique in Europe and beyond: students are appointed a personal tutor
for preparing tasks and papers. Participants may choose a professional stream,
including a field internship, with the emphasis on acquiring up-to-date knowledge
and professional legal skills. Or, those wishing to acquire fundamental insights in
the field of ICT & media law research may prefer a research stream with a researchoriented
internship.
www.kuleuven.be/pg/PGICTMEDIALAW
Master of Laws
in European Social Security (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Building upon your academic or professional knowledge of your own national social
security system, the Master of Laws in European Social Security offers a specialised,
research-based programme that combines teaching with distance learning at home.
With its in-depth legal, socio-economic, administrative, and philosophical study of
social protection, the programme initiates you into an international network of social
security experts. The programme’s internationally recognised professors work
closely with the strongly international student population. Distinctly comparative and
multinational, this multidisciplinary programme focuses on the provision of social
protection for people moving across Europe. Participants will learn many different
European approaches to social security, thus acquiring a better understanding of
their own local system. The programme also carefully studies the role of international
bodies such as the European Union.
Master of Laws in Energy
and Environmental Law (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
The Master of Laws in Energy and Environmental Law offers students a thorough and
topical programme divided into three sections – international, European, and comparative
energy and environmental law. Ranging from sector-specific environmental and energy
law to the impact of EC and international economic business law, the programme
hosts a truly global constituency of students, carefully selected to study in this highly
research-oriented programme. Attracting a successful mix of recent graduates and
professionals, the programme’s four pillars consist of courses, an internship, special
seminars, and a research-based Master’s thesis. Graduates of the programme work
in European institutions, law firms, consultancies, academic institutions, and companies,
and also for various national governments.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MEEL
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MESS
12

“I am happy
that I got my
Business and
Economics degree
in Leuven.”
Paul Bulcke,
CEO Nestlé
MSc in Advanced
Business Studies (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Offering students an advanced curriculum in business research methodology,
the MSc in Advanced Business Studies will familiarise you with current research
practices in business and management studies. The programme is not only the ideal
preparation for the PhD in Applied Economics, it is also perfect for students seeking
research-oriented positions outside the university. The faculty’s vast national and
international network maintains strong links with the business and financial community
by organising regular workshops with captains of industry and the European Commission,
situated only twenty minutes from our campus. And don’t forget our broad network
of international student exchange programmes, ranging from the Wharton School
in the US to Singapore Management University, not to mention sixty-five universities
throughout Europe. Join the ranks of our alumni, who typically work at European
institutions or advise various European bodies and international companies.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MABS
MSc in Economics (60 ECTS)
Interested in conducting in-depth economic research, addressing economic challenges,
and interpreting existing research results – all from a global perspective? Why not
hone your skills as a critical and creative thinker in K.U.Leuven’s MSc in Economics?
Through two programme units and a Master’s thesis, you’ll come to grips with the
economic forces at work within our shrinking globe, and their wider social and legal
framework. Your choice of major (General Economics, Research in Economics,
or Financial Economics) will prepare you for further studies in one of our advanced
Master’s programmes, or help to launch your successful career in policy development,
management, education, research, journalism or public relations. As one of only
two Flemish universities with an economics programme, K.U.Leuven is well placed
on the international scene. Not only do we participate extensively in the Erasmus
programme, we also have numerous agreements with leading universities outside
the EU, and with sixty-five universities throughout Europe. See what our degree can
do for you – on the world stage.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/ME
MSc in Advanced Studies
in Economics (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
MSc in Business Economics (60 ECTS)
K.U.Leuven’s MSc in Business Economics offers you the world – the business
world. This Master’s programme in the applied economic sciences will develop your
successful undergraduate education into real-world corporate skills. Ideal for those
of an entrepreneurial bent seeking a management career, the programme prepares
tomorrow’s business leaders to tackle such burning issues as managerial economics,
business strategy, and corporate innovation. With its roots in the heart of Europe
and boasting broad-based international partnerships, your degree in Leuven will
open the right doors, globally. What’s more, the wide-spread local chapters of our
active alumni association can help you find the inside track, wherever you begin
your career.
Join an intimate group of around thirty-five other international students in the MSc
in Advanced Studies in Economics, an elite programme that is as much an ideal
preparation for the PhD in economics as a springboard for research-oriented positions
outside the university. The faculty’s vast national and international network maintains
strong links with the business and financial community by organising regular workshops
with captains of industry and the European Commission, situated only twenty minutes
from our campus. And don’t forget our broad network of international student
exchange programmes, ranging from the Wharton School in the US to Singapore
Management University, not to mention sixty-five universities throughout Europe.
Our alumni are found in leading positions in staff or research positions in business,
national and international institutions and universities – why not join them?
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MASE
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MBE
* Master’s degree required
13

Humanities and Social Sciences
MSc in Financial Economics (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Do you have a Master’s degree with a background in economics, finance and statistics
and are you looking for deeper financial-economic knowledge and the relevant
analytical tools? Then look no further than K.U.Leuven’s MSc in Financial Economics.
Incorporating macroeconomics and specific financial business situations, the programme
offers scientific insights into international monetary and macroeconomic problems,
and stresses the analysis of business case studies. Small interactive groups, class
presentations, teamwork exercises, case studies, class discussions, paper-writing
assignments, and a Master’s thesis characterise this hands-on programme. Covering
the entire field of financial economics, the programme features academic and guest
lectures by business leaders and policy makers. Take advantage of our extensive
academic network: our alumni are found in leading positions in large financial institutions
and in consulting firms like McKinsey & Company, corporations like Electrabel, and inter -
national organisations like the European Commission.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MFE
MSc in Financial and Actuarial
Engineering (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
As a university graduate with a sound mathematical background – including probability
theory, statistics, and scientific computing – you’re sure to benefit from our sixty years
of interdisciplinary experience. Let the intensive one-year MSc in Financial and Actuarial
Engineering kick-start your career. Quantitatively, our research ranks in the top ten
internationally. You can also take advantage of the contacts offered through our broad
network of international exchange programmes, ranging from the Wharton School in
the US to Singapore Management University, not to mention sixty-five universities
throughout Europe. Addressing the rapidly changing needs of the accelerating globalisation
of the banking-insurance sector, this programme provides an excellent basis for
a career in various areas of financial management and insurance. No wonder our alumni
are found in leading positions at European institutions and our colleagues advise various
European bodies and international companies.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MFAE
“I have known and
admired K.U.Leuven
for over forty years.
Even during my doctorate,
my thinking was greatly
influenced by publications
from Leuven professors.”
John Sexton, President of
New York University
MSc in Information Management
(60 ECTS)
Looking for a non-technical programme in information management emphasising
the application and management of business information technology? Then explore
K.U.Leuven’s MSc in Information Management. Between your Master’s thesis –
which solves a concrete case within a company – and free selection of electives,
the choice is yours: either deepen aspects of your education or opt for multidisciplinary
breadth. The programme, which emphasises multidisciplinary solidarity between
fundamental and applied research, also boasts an attractive scholarship for qualified
students. Let K.U.Leuven’s strong connections with the corporate world and extensive
network of professional contacts help to ensure your future career as an information
analyst, project leader, or information technology strategist.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MINFM
MA in European Studies:
Transnational and Global
Perspectives (60 ECTS)
For more than 20 years, this international master programme has attracted students
from all over the world. The MA in European Studies: Transnational and Global
Perspectives offers a specialised and interdisciplinary analysis of Europe’s internal
dynamics and the EU’s external policies in the world. The programme consists of
two interdisciplinary modules offered by various specialists on European studies,
including courses on law, history, political science, economics, linguistics, anthropology,
religious studies and philosophy. The first module has a strong focus on the
transnational dynamics and history of Europe, assessing Europe as a continent
made of historical, cultural and social diversities and connectivities. The second
module emphasises the political, economic and legal dimensions of the external
policies of the European Union in a context of globalisation and global governance.
Through these two specific modules, the programme addresses the fundamental
internal and external challenges Europe faces today.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EURSTUDIES
14

Master Erasmus Mundus
Intercultural Mediation: Identities,
Mobilities, Conflicts (MITRA)
Do you have an interest in intercultural mediation and wish to travel to far-flung places?
MITRA is the place to do it! With this Master’s course you can study, for 24 months
in (at least) two European and Non-European Countries- such as: Belgium, France,
Ireland, Romania, Senegal, Mexico, Poland and/or Brazil. You will learn everything
you need to know about intercultural mediation, at an outstanding academic level,
and have the opportunity to do some fieldwork. MITRA trains the new generation
of experts in migration, integration, management of cultural and linguistic diversity,
with a particular emphasis on ethics. Depending on the course, students will be
granted a double or triple Master’s degree. So, are you a student with a degree of
180 ECTS in Arts, Languages, Law, Social Sciences or possess another degree with
professional experience? Does MITRA sound good? Don’t hesitate to contact us!
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MITRA
MA in Advanced Studies
in Linguistics (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Do you already have a Master's degree in linguistics, or linguistics and literature,
with a successful research-based MA thesis on a linguistic topic? If so, consider
the MA in Advanced Studies in Linguistics. Emphasising sound methodological
foundations for identifying and analysing linguistic patterns, a sense of precise and
systematic language description, and the ability to develop and criticise theory,
the programme aims to provide those who have acquired graduate knowledge of
linguistics with the professional and creative skills required for research. K.U.Leuven,
the University of Ghent, the University of Antwerp, and the Free University of Brussels
co-operate in this interuniversity programme.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/LIN
“Leuven is
part of our
intellectual history.”
Seamus Heaney,
Nobel Prize
Literature
MA in Linguistics
and Literature: English (60 ECTS)
MA en langue
et littérature françaises (60 ECTS)
Do you already have a Bachelor’s degree in language and literature, and a mastery
of French or English? Stressing the theoretical and methodological framework specific
to its field, the MA in French or English Language and Literature will develop you
into a scholar with attractive autonomous critical and research skills. The programme
emphasises the academic study of French or English in all its aspects, ranging from
the theoretical and historical study of the language and literature to your creative
mastery of the living language, both spoken and written. Theoretical courses alternate
with seminars – and both will open up your academic skills and communicative ability.
Our team of internationally-renowned experts will prepare you for a career in
communications, intercultural relations, education, translation, linguistics, and research,
not to mention the avenues offered in the vast media sector.
MA in Western Literature (60 ECTS)
The MA in Western Literature is a unique initial Master’s programme aimed at the
comparative study of literature in different Western traditions and epochs. Exploring
tacit assumptions like ‘Western’ and ‘literature,’ you’ll come to terms with complex
cultural phenomena. Your newly refined plurilinguistic and intercultural skills can only
help with a successful career in media or education, or perhaps help you blaze a
path in the foreign service, European institutions, translating services, or international
companies – depending on the programme you choose.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MWLE
www.kuleuven.be/ma/LLE
www.kuleuven.be/ma/LLF
* Master’s degree required
15

Humanities and Social Sciences
MA en Estudios Ibéricos
e Iberoamericanos (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Are you proficient in written and spoken Spanish or Portuguese and are you looking
for a new academic challenge? If so, consider the MA en Estudios Ibéricos e
Iberoamericanos. In combining linguistics, literary studies, history and art history,
this programme will extend your knowledge of Spain, Portugal, and Latin America,
and open up new academic and career perspectives for you. Taught in Spanish
(and Portuguese) and designed to provide a genuine international experience,
the programme features student exchange opportunities with Spain, Portugal,
and various Latin American countries. Personalise your study path by pursuing
alternative disciplines such as anthropology or sociology and through your researchbased
Master’s thesis, written in Spanish or Portuguese. The programme is excellent
preparation for a further career in research and also positions you well for posts in
journalism, education, government services, NGOs, and international companies.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/IBER
MA in Cultural Studies (60 ECTS)
With your interdisciplinary leanings and interest in cultural science, you’re well placed
to study the relationship between society and media. Both hands-on and theoreticallyoriented,
the MA in Cultural Studies offers career opportunities in a wide range of
fields: you’ll be prepared for a career at any level of public service, or public bodies,
involved in making and managing cultural policy. Perhaps you may be happier in
the broad field of the creative industries. But one thing’s certain: you know that culture
is never a nine-to-five job and that qualities such as passion, enthusiasm, creativity,
flexibility, team work, and good verbal and communicative
skills are essential. These traits will suit you well in
your MA in Cultural Studies.
“To live in Leuven,
the heart of Europe,
is a unique and wonderful
experience. The libraries just
amazed me to no end.”
A student from Chile,
anonymous study
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MCS
MSc in Educational Studies (60 ECTS)
Is a management career within education your thing? Why not investigate the possibilities
with our MSc in Educational Studies. This programme primarily aims to provide
in-depth knowledge in one or more sub-domains of educational studies (basic
educational topics, instructional science, educational policy, and adult education),
but also offers advanced knowledge of educational processes, policy, innovation,
and research. Through individualised assignments as well as research seminars,
several experienced scholars provide you with an overview of basic theories and
recent developments. Beyond fine-tuning your theoretical insights, you’ll come to
grips with macro, meso and micro processes, and methodological skills. What’s
more, your research-based Master’s thesis won’t just help you to develop expertise
in educational scholarship – you’ll contribute to it as well. You can then explore an
exciting career as an educational advisor or manager – or perhaps even embark
on a PhD project.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MES
MA in Medieval
and Renaissance Studies (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Want to learn more about the cultural history of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance?
Then make the MA in Medieval and Renaissance Studies your springboard for an
academic career or an advanced position in the cultural sector. With specialised
seminars and the close study of texts, which bring the cultural and intellectual history
of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to life, the programme will stimulate your
independent study within a wide range of issues from philosophy to the history of
science. Take advantage of K.U.Leuven’s strong international reputation earned
through the efforts of such dedicated research centres as the De Wulf-Mansion
Centre (philosophy), Aristoteles Latinus, Illuminare (illuminated manuscripts), the Seminarium
Philologiae Humanisticae, the Research Unit History of the Middle Ages,
and the Institute for Medieval Studies, which monitors the contacts between these
centres. Strengthened by K.U.Leuven’s in-house expertise in ancient and modern
languages, your own historical-philological research could not find a better home.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MRS
MA in Archaeology (60 ECTS)
Armed with your prior training in archaeology, field experience and passion for discovery,
you’re ready to specialise. K.U.Leuven, the only Flemish university whose teaching
is supported by its own excavations,offers you the MA in Archaeology programme,
and the chance to become an expert in prehistory, Egypt and the Near East, and
classical antiquity. The programme also features training in managerial or co-ordinating
roles in excavations. As a young researcher, you’ll be prepared for a career in the
academic world. Furthermore, you’ll have developed sufficient practical and general
skills to take up managerial responsibilities in scientific and scholarly institutions,
cultural centres, government institutions or business. Your critical spirit and ability
to solve problems, fine-tuned through the programme, will also be assets for a career
in the media, journalism, the arts, cultural tourism, and education.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MARE
16

MSc in Cultures
and Development Studies (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Open-ended career possibilities in development await you, the graduate of the MSc
in Cultures and Development Studies (CADES) programme. Rooted in contemporary
social and cultural anthropology, the programme nevertheless draws on various disciplines
and entertains a wealth of relevant perspectives. In addition to coursework and
a research-based thesis, a minimum six-week intercultural internship will complete
your international experience. Able to relate their domain-specific knowledge within
the evolving North-South debate, our graduates go on to a large variety of jobs in
NGOs, international organisations, development co-operation, education, social
and medical services, advisory organisations, international relations, enterprises,
and research. Join them, and let this programme hone your critical scientific attitude
in your own on-going effort to promote culture-sensitive development.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/CADES
MSc in Social Policy Analysis (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Interested in social policy and in command of statistics and research methodology?
Looking for an advanced academic degree in international comparative social policy
research? What about professors of international renown with years of expertise in
implementing and evaluating social policies? If so, consider the International MSc
in Social Policy Analysis by Luxembourg, Leuven, and Associate Institutes. Unique in
its international and comparative focus on social policy analysis, the high calibre of
its staff and the international character of its student body also exemplify the
programme – its diverse student population resides in Esch (G.D. Luxembourg) for
the first seven months and then in Leuven (Belgium) for the last three. After an
intensive levelling-up period in September, you should be ready for the main
courses. Afterwards, the future’s yours – private and public sector jobs are constantly
emerging in social policy work.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/IMPALLA
LEUVEN INTERNATIONAL
DOCTORAL SCHOOL FOR
THE HUMANITIES AND
SOCIAL SCIENCES
“In my country,
Portugal, the name
Lovaina (Leuven) is one of
the best and most prestigious
names when you speak
about universities.”
José Manuel Barroso, President
of the European Commission,
during the Global Governance
Conference
at K.U.Leuven
MSc in Social and Cultural
Anthropology (120 ECTS)
You’ve experienced other cultures – now try to understand them. The two-year MSc
in Social and Cultural Anthropology first acquaints you with the basic concepts and
theoretical approaches in classical and contemporary anthropology and the main
methodological principles of fieldwork. Then choose a specialisation in either African
anthropology, or in interculturalism, migration, and minorities. In the former, you’ll
confront the impact of (de)colonisation, city-life, diamond smuggling, children and
youth, and the environment in Africa. In the latter, you’ll study the social problems
of multi-ethnic societies in a context of globalisation, paying special attention to
Asian, Latin American, and Islamic immigration. You can then explore a career in
policy, development, management, education, government, NGOs, private corporations,
or research. One thing is certain: the new perspectives and ideas gained in this
programme will stay with you throughout your professional life.
Have you obtained a Master’s degree in the humanities or social
sciences and would you like to start a PhD? If so, consider studying at
the International Doctoral School for the Humanities and Social Sciences,
located in the beautiful medieval centre of Leuven. This school offers
doctoral training programmes in the seven faculties of the Humanities
and Social Sciences Group. Embedded in the faculties, the research
disciplines offered are varied:
• Communication/media, political science/international
relations/public policy, sociology
• Philosophy
• Economics, business economics
• Theology
• Educational sciences, psychology
• Law, criminology
• History, regional studies, literary studies and linguistics,
arts, archaeology, and musicology
In each of these disciplines, top researchers and advanced PhD fellows
will guide and assist you in obtaining your PhD. They will help you to
acquire the necessary academic and scientific skills, resulting in a doctoral
dissertation that will express your own findings, based on original
research. Moreover, the doctoral school will provide training opportunities
in inter personal communication and other relevant skills development.
Our goal is to help prepare graduates to become highly qualified
researchers and versatile specialists. A Leuven PhD does not only lead
to an academic career, but also to employment in industry, international
organisations, government, research centres, etc.
We welcome ambitious candidates with an interest in any of the abovementioned
fields and look forward to meeting you in Leuven, where you’ll
find a great number of fellow doctoral students from all around the
world. You’ll not only achieve your dreams in Leuven, but will also find
life-long friendships.
ghum.kuleuven.be/phd
www.kuleuven.be/ma/ANTR
* Master’s degree required
17

Biomedical Sciences
MSc in Forensic Odontology (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Master of Biomedical Sciences
(120 ECTS)
Seeking to train as a researcher in the exciting field of the biomedical sciences?
Then don’t pass up the Master of Biomedical Sciences. Focusing on rigorous
scientific education through the use of modern research techniques, the programme
will stimulate you to think critically concerning concrete research problems in
connection with the (dys)functioning of the human body and its interaction with the
environment. Since the field is so wide-ranging, the programme offers many
specialisation options organised into research tracks. Located at the Gasthuisberg
Campus and surrounded by the many internationally-renowned research groups
in close proximity to the University Hospitals Leuven, this research-oriented
programme has a unique environment. As a graduate of this programme, you’ll be
in high demand. University labs will seek you out. So too will those of the pharmaceutical
and biomedical industries. Hospitals need biomedical researchers, as do
governments. Then there’s the interest of health care and ecological bodies, not to
mention food quality control and epidemiology.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MABMS
It’s not just true on television: the dental identification of real-life victims and suspects
plays an increasingly important role in today’s criminal jurisprudence. The MSc in
Forensic Odontology stresses multidisciplinary interaction with forensic medicine,
judicial bodies, and insurance companies, and aims to train dentists and oral physicians
in this fascinating discipline and its legal aspects. Dental law is an underdeveloped
but growing field in Belgium and the services of dentists in court cases are on the
rise. With its theoretical courses, self-study, preclinics, clinical demonstrations,
laboratory work, and a research-based thesis, the one-year MSc in Forensic Odontology
is the ideal stepping stone to this exciting new profession.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MAMFORENSIC
Postgraduate Studies in
Pharmaceutical Research (60 ECTS)
Are you a student from an emerging or developing country? Are you seeking greater
exposure to scientific literature and research techniques than you had during your
Bachelor’s or Master’s studies at home? Then look no further. K.U.Leuven’s postgraduate
programme Studies in Pharmaceutical Research will put you in direct contact
with practical laboratory work, enabling you to conduct experimental scientific
research within the framework of a research programme of a laboratory at the
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Our theoretical courses will expand your
theoretical qualifications, allowing you to conduct experimental work with improved
comprehension. You’ll learn how to conduct and plan experiments independently,
how to search for and analyse scientific literature, how to write a critical report in
sound scientific language, and how to present results to an audience and respond
to questions on the subject. Successful completion of the programme (“cum laude
/ with distinction”) or higher grants you entry into our doctoral programme!
www.kuleuven.be/pg/PGPHARMRES
Erasmus Mundus
Master in Adapted
Physical Activity (120 ECTS)
ERASMUS
MUNDUS
PAGE 20
“What Brussels is
to European politics is
Leuven professor Frans
Van de Werf and his team
to European Cardiology.”
US Cardiology Magazine
“Circulation” in
a 2008 article
Entering a new five-year cycle as a two-year Master’s programme (which started in
September 2010), the Erasmus Mundus Master in Adapted Physical Activity –
EMMAPA - is organised by the institutions of the EMMAPA Consortium: the universities
of Leuven, Limerick, Olomouc, Oslo, Virginia, Queensland and Stellenbosch.
The official language of instruction is English. The competencies you acquire through
EMMAPA offer you a unique opportunity to combine advanced courses in movement,
exercise science, and applied behaviour analysis with designing adapted physical
activity programmes for individuals with disabilities. The first academic year takes
place at K.U.Leuven, while in the second year you participate in a mandatory mobility
period in one of the European consortium universities, choosing from four different
mobility models. Each year, an average of twenty-two non-European and eighteen
European students enrol in the programme. EMMAPA is taught by approximately
50 full-time professors.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMMAPA
18

“The town is
wonderful, the cost
of living manageable,
the education top-level,
the location for travelling
exceptional and the
country beautiful.”
A student from Canada,
anonymous survey
Postgraduate Studies in
Advanced Medical Imaging (56 ECTS)
One of the most challenging techniques in biomedical research and in clinical care,
medical imaging offers exciting careers for those who have obtained a Master’s
degree in a field such as (bio)medical sciences, dentistry, mathematics, physics or
engineering. The programme provides a thorough overview of existing imaging
modalities and approaches towards imaging pathology, and reviews the strengths
and weaknesses of individual techniques. Interdisciplinarity is the keyword, with a
focus on clinical and research questions rather than on a specific imaging modality.
You can participate in this programme with an eye to a successful career in industry
or health care. Or the programme can serve as an ideal foundation for PhD research
in medical imaging. The programme is associated with K.U.Leuven’s medical
imaging research centre. Experience the advantages of our training in the fundamentals
of medical imaging!
www.kuleuven.be/pg/PGADVMEDIM
MSc in Rehabilitation Sciences
and Physiotherapy (120 ECTS)
The MSc in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy aims to train graduates to
conduct evidence-based practice in physiotherapy and to develop expertise in a
specific domain of rehabilitation and physiotherapy. Organised in collaboration with
other Flemish universities, this programme is highly specialised, with K.U.Leuven’s
Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences offering the graduate sections
in musculoskeletal, neurological, and paediatric rehabilitation sciences and physiotherapy,
as well as rehabilitation sciences and physiotherapy in mental health care
and rehabilitation sciences and physiotherapy for internal disorders. Enjoy the mobility
offered by our many international partnerships and fulfil part of the programme’s
internship at an institution abroad. Finally, let your strong theoretical and scientific
insight be your ticket to success in a rewarding career.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/MAREHSCPH
Erasmus Mundus Master
of Bioethics (60 ECTS)
(advanced Master’s*)
Are you professionally engaged in health care? Are you concerned with the moral
questions and dilemmas you confront daily in your profession? Are you interested
in a joint international degree obtained in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy? If so,
consider the Erasmus Mundus Master of Bioethics programme with the financial
aid of Erasmus Mundus scholarships. Spend the autumn in Leuven, the winter in
Nijmegen and the spring in Padua. Lectures, small-group discussions, case studies,
and research activities characterise this programme, which is capped with the
presentation of a publishable research paper to your colleagues. Then, return to
your workplace with a better understanding of today’s ethical issues. Or perhaps
your future is on an institutional review board, a clinical ethics committee, or within
a government agency, regulatory body, or medical association. Then again, perhaps
you’ll take up a teaching or research career. Or you may pursue a career as a clinical
ethicist at a hospital or health care facility.
www.kuleuven.be/ma/EMMBIOETHICS
ERASMUS
MUNDUS
PAGE 20
LEUVEN INTERNATIONAL
DOCTORAL SCHOOL
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
For young researchers aspiring to a career in biomedical sciences the
University of Leuven has a lot to offer. Its Doctoral School of Biomedical
Sciences has created an advanced training environment that encourages
doctoral researchers to explore the boundaries of our knowledge on
human health and disease. Doctoral researchers also experience how
successful biomedical research can improve human health by translating
newly gained insights into novel tools for health care. Along this way they
are guided by inter nationally recognised scientists who are dedicated
to sharing their expertise. State-of-the-art research facilities and a close
interaction between research laboratories and the university hospital
complement the picture of a front line training centre. In short, by nurturing
today’s young talented researchers the Doctoral School of Biomedical
Sciences wants to contribute to a healthier world tomorrow.
To achieve this ambition doctoral training is structured around thematic
interdisciplinary programmes. Doctoral researchers have the opportunity
to participate in an integrated set of training activities that broaden
their scientific horizon and stimulate thinking beyond classical lines.
Workshops and training sessions allow doctoral researchers to improve
personal skills such as communication, collaboration, project and time
management or good scientific conduct. Furthermore, the doctoral
school assists doctoral researchers in career development by organizing
site visits to pharmaceutical and biotech companies and career information
fairs.
Do you share our passion to solve the puzzle of human health and
disease and do you want to join a lively community of nearly thousand
doctoral researchers coming from more than 50 countries around the
world? If so, we invite you to have a closer look at our website
(http://gbiomed.kuleuven.be/phd) and we look forward to hearing from
you in the near future.
Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate programmes provide an international
environment for PhD research and training with scholarships of the
European Commission in multi-site partnerships and mobility between
European universities and research institutes. K.U.Leuven is a partner
in the ERASMUS MUNDUS DOCTORATE ON PREVENTION OF MOBILITY
LOSS WITH AGEING (www.move-age.eu/gbiomed.kuleuven.be/phd/).
* Master’s degree required
19

An exceptional town and location
To many people, Leuven, in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part
of Belgium, is a surprise discovery in itself. It is a very safe,
family-friendly, and student-oriented town with a long and
rich history, brimming with culture and leisure opportunities.
Its unique location at the heart of Europe means that
major European capitals such as Brussels, Paris,
London or Amsterdam are only a (very) short train
journey away.
There are daily (direct) flights to Brussels International
Airport (twelve minutes from Leuven by train) from
most of the world’s major airports.
www.visitflanders.be
Quality Education
K.U.Leuven offers high-quality education. The university’s
vision of teaching and learning emphasises the close link
between research and education: study programmes
are research-based, thus enabling students to acquire
academic competences, including a critical and researchoriented
attitude. Quality assurance and accreditation
of higher education programmes in Flanders and the
Netherlands is the responsibility of the independent
joint Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organisation (NVAO).
Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees can only be awarded
if and when the programme is accredited by NVAO.
Internal evaluations and external visitations are crucial
elements in the quality assessment and development
processes at K.U.Leuven. Leuven’s degrees offer a
competitive advantage as they are highly valued
througout the world. Its study programmes are flexible
and use state-of-the-art ICT tools. The ECTS quality
label guarantees that all credits obtained are transparent
and fully transferable.
www.kuleuven.be/education
© Toerisme Leuven
First-class Research
K.U.Leuven boasts a rich tradition of education and
research that dates back six centuries. The university’s
basic research orientation has always been and will
remain fundamental research. At the same time,
the university remains vigilantly open to contemporary
cultural, economic and industrial realities, as well as to
the community’s needs and expectations.
K.U.Leuven is currently by far the largest university in
Belgium in terms of research funding and expenditure,
and is a charter member of LERU. Leuven participates
in over 350 highly competitive European research projects
(FP7, 2007-2013, up to mid 2011), including 31 of
the highly prestigious European Research Council
grants (ERC) which place the university fifth in the EU
HES ranking. K.U.Leuven conducts fundamental and
applied research in all academic disciplines with a
clear international orientation. Research expenditure
exceeded EUR 348 million in 2010.
K.U.Leuven employs 6,620 researchers on its academic
staff (2010). 38% of its graduate students and 36% of
its postdoctoral researchers are international scholars.
To strengthen international collaboration, K.U.Leuven
has its own international research fellowship programme
and supports international scholars in international
funding applications.
www.kuleuven.be/research
Innovation and R&D
K.U.Leuven Research & Development (LRD) is the
technology transfer office of K.U.Leuven. Created in 1972
as one of the first technology transfer offices in Europe,
LRD has a long tradition of promoting and supporting
the transfer of knowledge and technology between the
university and industry. LRD was awarded the prestigious
worldwide IPTEC Award for its achievements in technology
transfer in 2008. LRD assists Leuven researchers in
concluding over 1,000 new agreements annually for
research collaboration projects. It also supports the
commercialisation of intellectual property, which requires
adequate protection and an appropiate transfer strategy
to ensure that research innovation at K.U.Leuven finds
its way into society.
LRD stimulates the creation of new spin-off companies
by giving entrepreneurs the appropiate guidance and
access to its own Gemma Frisius Seed Capital Fund.
Ninety high-tech companies have been created thus far.
LRD plays an important role in the knowledge-driven
regional economic development and the construction
of science parks and incubators in the Leuven region.
lrd.kuleuven.be
© Toerisme Leuven
ERASMUS MUNDUS
ERASMUS
MUNDUS
Housing
Erasmus Mundus is an EU funded co-operation and
mobility programme that promotes European higher
education, helps to improve the career prospects of
students and promotes intercultural understanding.
• Action 1: One can apply for a scholarship for one of
the seven Erasmus Mundus Master’s programmes
at K.U.Leuven. The programmes involve mobility
between different universities and lead to a joint degree
• Action 2: Looking for a scholarship for another
programme? Nationals of more than 100 countries
can apply for a scholarship through one of the nine
Action 2 projects K.U.Leuven takes part in.
www.kuleuven.be/international/ema1.html
www.kuleuven.be/international/ema2.html
INTERNATIONAL
COURSE PROGRAMME
Every year the Flemish Interuniversity Council For Development
Co-operation (VLIR-UOS) awards scholarships
to students from developing countries to study at one of
the 3 International Course Programmes (ICPs) that are
offerd at K.U.Leuven
www.scholarships.vliruos.be
EIT-KIC
INTERNATIONAL
COURSE
PROGRAMME (ICP)
EIT-KIC
The European institute of Innovation and Technology is a
knowledge community in which top quality programmes
at European level are recognised.
© Toerisme Leuven
INTERCULTURAL UNIVERSITY
• Welcome Desk at the railway station
• Orientation Days
• Personal buddy system
• Trips, social activities
• Intercultural Meeting Centre (Pangaea)
• Podcast
Leuven offers a wide range of housing options at reasonable
prices. Most students at K.U.Leuven stay in individual
rooms with shared facilities in houses on the local private
real estate market. Assistance with all housing issues
is provided by the university housing office. Housing in
larger university halls or dorms is limited. Only international
students holding specific scholarships are eligible for
rooms in these subsidised facilities.
www.kuleuven.be/accomodation
Tuition Fees
Thanks to the current government co-financing system
for higher education in Flanders, tuition fees for Bachelor’s
and initial Master’s programmes only amount to
EUR 578.70 per academic year (subject to change
without notice), like that of Belgian students. Fees for
advanced or specialised Master’s programmes range
from EUR 1000 to 8000 (subject to change without notice).
www.kuleuven.be/internationalprogrammes
Applications
The application intake for the 2012-2013 academic
year at K.U.Leuven starts on 1 November 2011.
Please check the application instructions on
www.kuleuven.be/application
www.kuleuven.be/admissions
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Eit.europa.eu
Copywriting: John Hymers. © Images: Rob Stevens. Lay out: altera.
www.kuleuven.be/english/living.html
R.e. Bart Hendrickx, International Office, Naamsestraat 63 box 5001, 3000 LEUVEN, Belgium.
K.U.Leuven International Office
Naamsestraat 63 box 5001
BE-3000 LEUVEN, Belgium
international@kuleuven.be
admissions@kuleuven.be
www.kuleuven.be/english