Language
The language part of the course helps you to develop the basic skills and strategies necessary to successfully handle uncomplicated oral and written communication skills. These may occur in a variety of social situations you could encounter in daily life in the Netherlands.

Culture
The main purpose of the culture & society classes is to provide a basic understanding of present-day Dutch society & culture. Attention will be given to various issues pertaining to Dutch culture & society today. Through the reading of articles covering the culture of the Netherlands and the Dutch they learn to understand mainly the inside perspective, in other words the Dutch way of approaching and discussing cultural and society issues. The dimension of the outside perspective of Dutch culture and society is brought forward in papers written by the students, which gives the course a strong intercultural value
 

Format
In the language classes, the classroom language is Dutch, though some explanations are given in English when necessary. The main activity is the use of Dutch in a variety of oral and written communication tasks performed in small groups, in pairs or with the whole class. The instructor provides input, instruction and explanations. Students in this course are expected to come to class with their own questions and analyze their own learning problems and learning needs.
In the culture lectures, topics on Dutch society and culture will be introduced and discussed. Reading materials on Dutch culture, society, history and art will be studied in English translations. On occasion, students are to discuss specific aspects of particular themes, and review it from various angles. In doing so, argumentations and considerations behind the Dutch approach to various matters in Dutch culture can be explored. Creativity and originality (e.g. in terms of an intercultural approach) are highly valued in this section of the course.

Grades
The tests for the language component of the course together (60%) must average at least a C-. If this average is under a C-, then the student cannot move on to the next level. If a student nonetheless wants to continue to Language & Culture I, course admission needs to be approved by the instructor, who may ask for extra work to be completed.