In this minor, you will step beyond your comfort zone and visit local communities to put your audiovisual and copywriting skills into practice. You will gain hands-on experience while deepening your understanding of human-centred theories.

Why choose this minor?
Real-world impact through interdisciplinary projects:
Students engage in hands-on international fieldwork, connecting history, culture and community with current societal challenges. This gives them the chance to create meaningful, tangible change in collaboration with local communities.

Development of critical and creative competencies:
The minor fosters essential skills such as critical sense-making, reflexivity, ethical storytelling and transformational problem-solving, preparing students to navigate complexity with creativity and insight.

A unique blend of theory and practice:
Students gain a well-rounded experience by combining practical media communication skills (e.g. audiovisual production and copywriting) with theoretical perspectives (e.g. philosophy, cultural studies, and epistemology).

Personal growth and purposeful learning:
Students are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones, engage with local communities and reflect on their own values and assumptions, leading to personal development.

Collaborative learning community:
The programme emphasises co-creation between students, lecturers and host communities. This participatory approach fosters a sense of ownership, empathy, and deeper connection to the learning process.

What is it all about?
This minor combines practical media communication skills with creative challenges, supported by critical theoretical perspectives. Through fieldwork in real-world settings, students have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects that foster personal growth and provide a sense of purpose. By stepping outside their comfort zones and travelling to local communities to apply their audiovisual and copywriting skills, they gain hands-on experience while deepening their understanding of human-centred theories (e.g. philosophy, cultural studies and epistemology).

After this minor
You developed and refined your media production skills by applying them in real-world contexts. You practised design-thinking methodology, acquired applied research skills and learnt how to initiate and manage a project in an international setting. You met new people, expanded your network and broadened your perspective on global issues and cultural diversity. This experience has boosted your confidence and empowered you to create meaningful work in the future.

Interdisciplinary critical thinking: Students will learn how to analyse complex societal issues by integrating philosophical, cultural, anthropological and epistemological perspectives.

Inclusive and ethical storytelling: Students will learn to craft media narratives that amplify marginalised voices and reflect diverse cultural contexts, using storytelling as a tool for empathy, representation and social change.

Applied media skills in real-world contexts: Through hands-on training and fieldwork, students will develop practical competencies in media production (e.g. photography, sound editing and copywriting) and apply these skills to co-create impactful products with local communities.

Collaborative and reflexive project work: Students will engage in co-creative processes with peers, lecturers and host communities, learning to set project goals collaboratively and reflect critically on their own assumptions and learning journey.

• This minor is designed for students interested in social issues, creativity and critical theory. Admission is selective, based on applicants’ motivation, readiness to engage in interdisciplinary learning and openness to personal and intellectual growth.
• To apply, students must submit a motivation letter of no more than 800 words letter to r@buas.nl. The letter should address the following:
  - Why are you interested in this minor?
  - How do you relate to the themes of critical thinking, social analysis and ethical storytelling?

The deadline is 18 March (Fall) and 30 September (Spring).

• Selection criteria:
• Demonstrated curiosity and critical thinking.
• Willingness to engage in reflective and collaborative learning.
• Motivation to apply knowledge in real-world contexts through creative and research-based projects.

• Propaedeutic certificate obtained

A laptop capable of running Adobe Cloud software and a subscription to Adobe Cloud software (or other compatible software tools).

Full-time course. Teaching activities take place two or three days a week. These include lectures, workshops, feedback sessions, presentations and group work. There are two full weeks (14 days) allocated for fieldwork.
Assessment is based on a group project presentation and an individual learning journal supported by formative feedback.

Language of instruction
The minor is taught in English. Applicants should feel confident about reading academic texts and taking part in discussions in English. Course deliverables may be in Dutch.

Topics and Structure of the minor
During this minor, students will travel to a destination within or outside Europe. For the upcoming semester, we will be working on a project in Sicily, Italy, focusing on issues surrounding rural villages with rapidly declining populations. Students will collaborate with the local community to co-create a media product. The nature of this product will depend on the community’s needs, the project’s goals, and the students’ initial skill sets. The aim is to develop something meaningful that supports and empowers the community.

However, students’ primary focus is not on the final product, but on the learning process itself. During the initial weeks, students will conduct research and study the project topic from a holistic perspective, drawing on anthropological, epistemological and decolonial viewpoints. This phase will be conducted in collaboration with a partner university in the destination country. At the same time, students will receive hands-on training in selected media techniques, such as photography, film production, sound editing or copywriting.

Additional costs
We expect the additional cost of the field trips to Italy (2 weeks) to be between €500 and €900.*

*This is subject to change depending on the conditions at the start of the minor and the arrangements made with local partners.