We, the FPN Academic Advisers, hope that you are well and have been able to finish as much courses and exams as you hoped for. This page is relevant to you if you applied for a Master’s programme that starts in September 2022, either at Maastricht University or elsewhere.
We decided to share our tips because we received many questions about the transition from the Bachelor (Ba) or MMH PreMaster programme to the Master (Ma) programmes.
Two decisions FPN took concerning Covid-19 are relevant here:
- permission to start a Ma with deficiencies in terms of the Ba and MMH PreMaster ( 'zachte knip' in Dutch)
- changes made in the Rules and Regulations Bachelor in Psychology 2020-2021 regarding compensation rules.
In short: Students can start a FPN Master's programme in September 2022 if they have obtained at least 80% of the credits from the final year of their Bachelor's or PreMaster programme. For our 3-year Bachelor’s programme, a maximum of 12 credits from Ba year 3 may be missing. All credits from Ba year 1 and Ba year 2 must have been obtained.
For the one year MMH PreMaster a maximum of 12 credits may be missing.
More general information on the UM website:
For Bachelor to Master: "Zachte Knipregeling" (Dutch) or "Enrolment before completing prior education" (English)
For Pre-master to Master: see the paragraph on the pre-master page, in Dutch or in English.
Are you applying or have you applied for a Master at another faculty or at another university but are you unsure whether you graduate for the Ba this summer? Dutch universities offer the ‘zachte knip’ application, but the requirements can differ per programme. Check the admission requirements of the Master at the other faculty/university extensively and based on this info, see the above scenarios A-E and see which option is applicable to you.
We decided to share our tips because we received many questions about the transition from the Bachelor (Ba) or MMH PreMaster programme to the Master (Ma) programmes.
Two decisions FPN took concerning Covid-19 are relevant here:
- permission to start a Ma with deficiencies in terms of the Ba and MMH PreMaster ( 'zachte knip' in Dutch)
- changes made in the Rules and Regulations Bachelor in Psychology 2020-2021 regarding compensation rules.
Starting a Master without the Bachelor or PreMaster diploma
FPN follows the UM policy regarding the requirements for starting an UM Master's programme in September 2022, without specific changes or additional requirements.In short: Students can start a FPN Master's programme in September 2022 if they have obtained at least 80% of the credits from the final year of their Bachelor's or PreMaster programme. For our 3-year Bachelor’s programme, a maximum of 12 credits from Ba year 3 may be missing. All credits from Ba year 1 and Ba year 2 must have been obtained.
For the one year MMH PreMaster a maximum of 12 credits may be missing.
More general information on the UM website:
For Bachelor to Master: "Zachte Knipregeling" (Dutch) or "Enrolment before completing prior education" (English)
For Pre-master to Master: see the paragraph on the pre-master page, in Dutch or in English.
COMPENSATING RESULTS
The Rules and Regulations Bachelor Psychology allows for compensating one course, but some courses cannot be compensated. The course PSY3109 / IPN3109 Psychodiagnostics can also be compensated. More information >>TRANSITION SITUATION 1: from the FPN Bachelor or MMH PreMaster to an FPN Master programme
Are you applying or have you applied for a Master’s programme at FPN, but are you unsure whether you will graduate from your Ba or MMH PreMaster on or before 31 August 2022? See what scenario applies to you and what it means for your Studielink registration:A. You passed all Ba or MMH PreMaster requirements before 1 September 2022
Well done! The Board of Examiners will inform you soon about your graduation. You are allowed to start the Ma unconditionally, provided you meet the standard entrance requirements.
• Registration Studielink: in case you have already re-registered for your Ba or PreMaster, please withdraw your re-registration before 1 September 2022.
B. You have a maximum of 12 credits from your Ba year 3 or maximum 12 credits from the MMH PreMaster open => enrolment with deficiencies (‘zachte knip’)
You are allowed to start the Ma under the conditions you graduate from your Ba or MMH PreMaster within 2022-2023 (August 2023 at the latest and before you finish your Ma). You will need to discuss an individual study plan with the academic advisers.
• You will need to request the application of the ‘zachte knip’ on or before 15 August 2022 . The description of the procedure will be available on the UM website early July 2022.
• Registration Studielink: You need to have a re-registration for your Ba or MMH PreMaster as well as a registration for the Ma. You however only need to pay tuition fees once. You will receive a form from the UM Admissions department to fill in.
• You are not able to graduate Cum Laude for the Ba anymore, because you do not fulfill the requirement that all courses/modules must have been passed within three years after you started the Bachelor’s programme.
• Registration Studielink: You need to have a re-registration for your Ba or MMH PreMaster as well as a registration for the Ma. You however only need to pay tuition fees once. You will receive a form from the UM Admissions department to fill in.
• You are not able to graduate Cum Laude for the Ba anymore, because you do not fulfill the requirement that all courses/modules must have been passed within three years after you started the Bachelor’s programme.
C. You have only one (1) Period 4-6 course open from Ba Psychology year 1 or Ba Psychology year 2 and cannot compensate this course
Depending on your specific situation, there are a few options.
• Contact the academic advisers to talk about your options.
• Contact the academic advisers to talk about your options.
D. You have a maximum of three courses open of your Ba Psychology or MMH PreMaster, which are all planned from period 3 onwards, and you do not meet the ‘zachte knip’ requirements
- You can opt for a delayed enrolment as of the month in which the (first) course is planned. You cannot start your Ma before September 2023.
- • Please send us a message before 15 August 2022 so we can inform you about this option and the consequences.
- • Registration Studielink: in case you have already re-registered for your Ba or MMH PreMaster, please withdraw your application before 1 September 2022.
- • You are not able to graduate Cum Laude for the Ba anymore, because you do not fulfill the requirement that all courses/modules must have been passed within three years after you started the Bachelor’s programme.
E. All other situations
You need to finalize your Ba Psychology or MMH PreMaster and cannot start the UM Ma before September 2023.
• Registration Studielink: you need to have a re-registration for your Ba Psychology from September onwards, even if your first exam would take place later in the year.
TRANSITION SITUATION 2: from an FPN Bachelor to a Master programme at another faculty or university
Are you applying or have you applied for a Master at another faculty or at another university but are you unsure whether you graduate for the Ba this summer? Dutch universities offer the ‘zachte knip’ application, but the requirements can differ per programme. Check the admission requirements of the Master at the other faculty/university extensively and based on this info, see the above scenarios A-E and see which option is applicable to you.
Questions? Remarks? Contact us.
In case of any further questions, please contact the academic advisers so they can help you. They can also set an individual appointment to discuss the various options.
Good luck finishing your Bachelor!
Kind regards,
Gerda Galenkamp, Olga Penninger, Femke Buiter and Angelique Weitmann,
the FPN Academic Advisers