Choosing a bachelor’s degree can feel like choosing a career before you have even had the chance to discover what you are good at, what interests you, and what kind of future you want to build. For many students, the pressure to make the “right” choice comes at a time when they are still exploring who they are and what they want to do.
At Erasmus University College (EUC), we believe education should leave room for that exploration. Liberal Arts & Sciences gives students the opportunity to discover their interests, understand their strengths, and make conscious choices about their future — while still working towards clear academic and career ambitions.
Through our Liberal Arts & Sciences program, students explore different academic fields, develop a broad perspective, and create a personalized academic journey. An interdisciplinary approach allows them to connect different fields of knowledge rather than being limited to a single discipline from the start. Students can combine areas of interest and build a profile that reflects their individual goals.
For one student, that may mean combining science and healthcare-related subjects in preparation for a future in medicine. For another, it may mean exploring the relationship between psychology and data science, sustainability and economics, or politics and law. The point is not to avoid making choices, but to make them with greater knowledge, perspective and confidence.
Personalized pathway: medicine
Medicine is a good example of how this approach works in practice. At EUC, Pre-Med is one of our 12 majors and is designed for students who want to prepare for further medical studies. At the same time, students are not limited to studying medicine alone.
Students complete 90 EC within the Pre-Med track and another 90 EC through electives. These electives can be chosen from Life Sciences as well as Humanities, Economics & Business, or Social & Behavioural Sciences. This gives students the opportunity to build a strong scientific foundation while continuing to explore other academic interests.
Within Pre-Med, students develop knowledge in areas such as biology, anatomy and physiology, health and disease, epidemiology, medical statistics and clinical skills. Alongside this academic foundation, they can explore subjects and perspectives beyond the traditional medical curriculum.
This breadth matters because a career in medicine requires more than scientific and medical knowledge alone. Doctors work with people from different cultural and social backgrounds, communicate complex information, collaborate with other professionals, and make decisions in situations involving social and ethical questions. Through its interdisciplinary approach, EUC helps students develop these broader perspectives alongside their academic foundation.
By exploring different disciplines, perspectives and ways of thinking — and by developing a better understanding of themselves — students can build the qualities that will help them become thoughtful, culturally aware and well-rounded doctors.
Different routes into medicine
After completing the Pre-Med major, students have several options for continuing their medical education.
Students who want to pursue medicine in the Netherlands can apply to the one-year Premaster programme at Erasmus MC, followed by the three-year Medical Master. This pathway is taught in Dutch and has 36 places available each year for EUC graduates. Admission is competitive and takes into account factors including Dutch language proficiency, academic performance, extracurricular activities and the results of the Erasmus MC Premaster entry tests.
For students looking to pursue their medical education in English, EUC also offers an international route through partnerships with three medical schools in the Global University Systems (GUS) network: Saba University School of Medicine, Medical University of the Americas and St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine. These programmes follow the US medical education model and offer a four-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) after the three-year EUC bachelor’s degree.
This international pathway can be particularly relevant for students who are considering an international medical career. Depending on the medical school and the requirements of the country where they eventually wish to practise, graduates can pursue further medical education and work towards medical careers in countries including the United States, Canada, the UK and elsewhere, subject to the relevant licensing requirements.
And what if medicine is no longer the right path?
Choosing Pre-Med does not mean that a student has only one possible destination.
Students may discover during their bachelor’s degree that becoming a doctor is not ultimately the right path for them. The academic foundation they develop can still open doors to biomedical and related Master’s programs. EUC graduates have gone on to study fields including cardiovascular research, biomedical sciences, neuroscience, bioinformatics, digital health, health economics and health policy.
This is one of the strengths of a Liberal Arts & Sciences education: students can pursue a clear ambition without having to close themselves off from other possibilities. They can prepare for a specific field while continuing to develop the breadth of knowledge, perspective and skills that come from an interdisciplinary education.
Different routes towards the same goal
The Pre-Med pathway illustrates a broader philosophy behind Liberal Arts & Sciences at EUC. Students can work towards a specific goal while still having the freedom to explore, question and refine their direction along the way.
Whether students ultimately move into medicine, research, public policy, business, sustainability or another field, the aim is the same: to help them understand how their interests, strengths and different areas of knowledge can come together to shape their future.
Liberal Arts & Sciences does not mean postponing decisions. It means giving students the opportunity to make those decisions with more knowledge, more perspective and a better understanding of themselves.
Supporting students throughout their journey
Making conscious choices takes more than academic freedom. Students also need the support and space to reflect on their experiences and decisions.
At EUC, students are supported throughout their studies by academic counselors, mentors and a close-knit community. They are encouraged to reflect on their progress, explore their interests and make choices that align with their personal and academic goals.
This process of self-discovery is an important part of preparing students for life after graduation. The goal is not simply to help students reach their next academic step, but to help them understand why that step is right for them and give them the confidence to adjust their direction if their ambitions change.
Preparing students for our future
A Liberal Arts & Sciences education is about preparing students for a changing world. Our future will require people who can connect knowledge from different fields, think critically, work with different perspectives and approach complex problems with curiosity and flexibility.
At EUC, we do not believe students should have to choose between breadth and ambition. Instead, we give them the opportunity to combine their interests, discover their strengths and develop the knowledge and perspective to make thoughtful choices about their future.
For some students, that future may be in medicine. For others, it may lead somewhere entirely different. What matters is that they leave EUC with the knowledge, skills and perspective to take their next step with confidence.
About the author
Shelley de Vos is part of the Student Recruitment & Outreach team at Erasmus University College. She works with prospective students and international audiences, sharing insights into the opportunities available through EUC’s Liberal Arts & Sciences education.
