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Profiles Master Education and Child Studies (Research) (year 1 & 2)

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2025-2026

Below, you will find six substantive profiles you can choose from in your Research Master programme. At the beginning of your programme, make sure to discuss your profile with your study-advisor, so she can help you make choices that fit your own personal goals. To help you choose, please search for the courses in the e-prospectus and read the course descriptions.

Clinical profiles (proficiency in Dutch required)

Profiles A, B, and C are clinically orientated, and can contribute to the Dutch NVO professional registration as Basis-Orthopedagoog. (Note that to obtain this registration, you also need a set of specific bachelor’s courses and/or NVO-exams. Your study-advisor can help assess whether you meet all requirements). To follow these profiles, you need to be able to speak Dutch, because part of the courses involve practising clinical diagnostics and treatment on Dutch patients/clients. In addition, the NVO professional registration is only valid in the Dutch professional field.

Profile A: Forensische Gezinspedagogiek

  • Forensische gezinspedagogiek: ontwikkelingspsychopathologie en diagnostiek

  • Preventie, family mediation en behandeling in de forensische context

  • Child abuse and neglect: neurobiological aspects and intervention

  • 2 Additional courses (see list below)

Profile B: Orthopedagogiek

  • Diagnostiek en behandeling: theorie in praktijk

  • Klinische vaardigheden (Diagnostiek en behandeling)

  • One of the following four specialisation courses in Orthopedagogiek:

  1. Autisme (Diagnostiek en behandeling
  2. Jeugdhulpverlening (Diagnostiek en behandeling)
  3. Mensen met een verstandelijke beperking (Diagnostiek en behandeling)
  4. Neuroscience (Clinical assessment and treatment)
  • 2 Additional courses (see list below)

Profile C: Leerproblemen

  • Diagnostiek en behandeling: theorie in praktijk

  • Klinische vaardigheden (Diagnostiek en behandeling)

  • Learning disabilities: a neuro-behavioural approach

  • 2 Additional courses (see list below)

Non-clinical profiles (international)

Profiles D, E, and F are profiles that are not clinically orientated, and are accessible to international students who do not speak Dutch. Profiles D and E can contribute to the NVO professional registration as Basis-Pedagoog (only valid in the Netherlands). (Note that to obtain this registration, you also need a set of specific bachelor’s courses and/or NVO-exams. Your study-advisor can help with assessing whether you meet all requirements).

Profile D: Educational Science

  • Learning, cognition and the brain

  • Learning and instruction

  • Educational Innovations

  • 2 Additional courses (see list below)

Profile E: Parenting and Child Development

  • Prevention and intervention programs in families: development and implementation

  • Child care, experts, and parents: historical trends

  • Attachment, parenting and development: research and clinical implications

  • 2 Additional courses (see list below)

Profile F: Applied Neuroscience in Human Development

  • Neuroscience (Clinical assessment and treatment)

  • Developmental clinical neuroscience

  • Child abuse and neglect: neurobiological aspects and intervention

  • 2 Additional courses (see list below)

Additional courses

To complete your profile, you can choose from the list below. All of these courses are taught in English. Note that you can only take a course as an additional course, if it is not an obligatory course in your profile. To help you choose, please search for the courses in the e-prospectus and read the course descriptions. Of course, your study-advisor can also support you with choosing courses.

Block 1

  • Learning, cognition and the brain

  • Prevention and intervention programs in families: development and implementation

  • Digital media in the family: opportunities and challenges

  • The learning child in a digital world

Block 2

  • Neuroscience (Clinical assessment and treatment)

  • Learning and ongoing evaluation of learning

  • Learning disabilities: a neuro-behavioural approach

  • Child care, experts, and parents: historical trends

  • Attachment, parenting and development: research and clinical implications

  • Digital thinking skills in education

  • Digital applications in mental healthcare

Block 3

  • Developmental clinical neuroscience

  • Child abuse and neglect: neurobiological aspects and intervention

  • Learning and instruction

Block 4

  • Educational Innovations

Other additional courses

It is also possible to follow an additional course at another (Research) Master's degree programme offered by Leiden University or another university.
This is only allowed after (1) approval from the institute that offers the course and (2) approval of the course by your mentor. If your mentor agrees, he must send an email to Jacquy Bouwer via studieadviseurspedagogiek@fsw.leidenuniv.n with your name, student number, the name of the additional course and his approval.
You must then submit a request for an elective via uSis, before the additional course starts.

Submitting a request in uSis
You can request elective courses taught by the Institute of Education and Child Studies or another institute of Leiden University in the following way.

In uSis, go to 'academic requirements' > click on an elective (= profile) course that has not yet been filled in > select 'submit application' and then 'replacement' > fill in the details of the elective course you wish to follow > click on 'submit'.
After taking an elective course at Leiden University, the exam grade will automatically be incorporated into your study requirements.
NB After taking the elective course at another university, you must submit written proof of the exam grade - signed and/or stamped by the university where you took the course - to the Student Service Centre.