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More information on a master's degree in Personalized Medicine

• Courses

  Introduction

  The programme consists of 36 EC compulsory courses and 12 EC optional courses. The programme includes lectures, workshops, demonstrations and literature sessions. You can make an individual choice regarding the optional courses, and it is encouraged to follow courses at other faculties or even other universities.

  Registration

  Each semester, you are required to register for the compulsory courses during the official registration period.

  You can register for courses via the registration module.

  • If you want to register for a course or exam, the standard VU Amsterdam rules for registration apply.
  • If you have not registered for a course (part) during the registration period, you can no longer register for the exam or re-exam outside the registration period.
  • You can withdraw from a course up until the first week of classes. 
  • You will be automatically registered for the re-sit if you did not pass the exam for a course at the VU. If you missed the exam (No Show, NS), you need to register for the resit yourself.
  • You will receive updates on your VU email about signing in and signing out to avoid a No Show (NS) result.

  More information on registration and deregistration: Register/deregister for courses and exams - Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ (vu.nl)

  During the course

  Attendance of at least 80% is obligatory for both the compulsory courses and the optional courses. If you are for some reason unable to attend, you need to inform the course coordinator beforehand. You have to inform the course coordinator and program coordinator in case of unforeseen absence during the course or on the day of the exam (e.g. illness).

  Exams and retakes

  All compulsory and optional courses will be finished with an exam and/or assignment. This exam and/or the finalization of the assignment usually takes place in the last week of the course. The learning objectives for every exam and/or assignment are indicated in the description of the course. Retakes of the compulsory courses will take place after the Christmas holidays. All rules and regulations concerning examinations and resits for compulsory and optional courses are described in the TER of your study programme and can be found in the .
  

  Compulsory courses

  The compulsory courses in your Master's programme are depending on the year in which you started your Master's programme. Currently, the following courses are compulsory:

  Course	ECTS	Period
  Personalized Medicine	6	September
  Basics of Clinical Research & Regulations	6	October
  Data Science & Biostatistics	6	November
  Imaging Principles	6	December
  Specialization Medical Imaging* Medical Imaging I Medical Imaging II	12	January - February
  Specialization Technological Developent* Technical Developement I Technical Developement II	12	January - February
  Specialization Biomarkers & Medicines* Biomarkers & Medicines I Biomarkers & Medicines II	12	January - February
  Scientific Writing in English		March-April
  Academic Core		Throughout the programme

  * Students follow one specialization of their own choice (12 EC). A maximum of 20 students can be placed in each specialization. 

  For more information, please consult the .

  
  Optional courses

  The master Personalized Medicine has reserved 12 EC for optional courses. You can make a choice of the optional courses listed for the Master programme or follow a course at another faculty or university. A limited number of optional courses can be found in the study guide, but we encourage you to find optional courses outside the Faculty of Medicine VU. You always need to ask permission from the Examination Board using the digital  and check the information about the course in the study guide.

  Optional courses in 2025-2026:

  Name course	Date	Organizer
  Cardiac Development	2-25 September	Prof. dr. Roelof-Jan Oostra
  Next-Generation Cardiovascular Disease Models	November-December	Dr. Elza van Deel
  Proteomics in Biomedical Research	TBA	Prof. dr. Connie Jimenez

  For more information, please consult the

  you find a list of all optional courses followed by students in previous years.

  Fill in the  after you have completed an optional course outside VU Amsterdam and email it to masterpersonalizedmedicine-VU@amsterdamumc.nl 

• Internships

  In total, a student has to obtain 60 EC with two internships: a minor internship (24 EC) and a major internship (36 EC). Both internships have to be performed at a research laboratory or orther research department acknowledged by the Examination board Science Masters. The research topic of the Minor and Major internship should be related to the content of the master program and at least one of the topics of these internships should be related to the subject of the chosen specialization. The minor internship has to be performed in The Netherlands. The major internship  can be performed outside the VU or abroad. Each internship needs to be approved in advance by the examiner internships. At least one of the internships should be performed at a university medical center.
  
  Make sure you carefully read the!

  Orientation

  Students are encouraged to look for an internship at least 3 months before the start of their internship. For clinical internships or internships abroad a period of 6 months in advance is advised. Finding an appropriate internship is part of your networking skills and competencies.

  You can also use the Faculty of Medicine VU Amsterdam Internship Platform.

  Duration and content

  One week full-time (40 hr. / week) is an equivalent of 1.5 EC. Therefore, the minor internship will be 16 weeks and the major internship will be 24 weeks. Interruptions need to be taken into account when calculating the total number of EC.
  
  All internships have to include the following elements:

  • Theoretical deepening related to the programme
  • Elaboration, execution and analysis of the research question
  • Formulation of conclusions and recommendations
  • Written report in English
  • Oral presentation in English

  Amsterdam UMC Assessor

  The written report needs to be independently assessed by a second assessor from Amsterdam UMC (VU, VUMC, or AMC) as well. The Amsterdam UMC assessor needs to work at least at the level of assistant professor (UD) and is not involved in the research project. This Amsterdam UMC assessor needs to be invited by the student but has to be approved by the Examiner ILS. The Amsterdam UMC assessor will critically review the report and give a mark for the report without considering the writing process or practical skills. For external internships, the Amsterdam UMC assessor is also asked to serve as backup for questions of the student and/or the assessor. 

  Approval and paperwork in advance

  Before starting an internship, a student always has to request approval of the Examination Board of the Master program. Only students who passed 4 out of the 6 compulsory courses of the program can request to start their minor internship. For approval you need to fill out the digital  completely to allow the Examination Board to make a sound decision based on the provided information. When your internship has been approved, you and your supervisor will receive an email stating the decision of the Examination Board. For internships abroad, request approval for your internship at least 3 months in advance.

  Internship portfolio

  During your internship, you should provide us with several documents. The  contains all required forms mentioned below and information needed during your internship. Only a complete portfolio handed in via Canvas will result in registration of your grades and credits!

  During your internship

  A List of Agreements (A) needs to be filled out, signed and sent via email within 2 weeks after starting your internship. This list describes the agreements made by the student and the supervisor about the start and ending of the internship, interruptions like optional courses, vacations/holidays or other obligations. Within 6 weeks after starting your Internship, a Research Proposal (B) should be written and send to the internship assessor and masterpersonalizedmedicine-VU@amsterdamumc.nl . In addition, it is compulsory to have an Interim Assessment (C) with your supervisor, using this . This assessment is used to evaluate your work at the department and assess whether the internship can be finished successfully. Halfway, you should give an oral presentation to the department to present the findings you obtained so far. 

  Finishing the internship

  At the end of the internship, an  has to be filled out. The rubric in the internship Regulations should be used during the assessment to ensure uniform grading. The total mark is based on the quality of the practical work (40%), the written report (40%) and the oral presentation (20%).

  You have to hand in a PDF of your report and Internship Portfolio via Canvas and and via email to the Amsterdam UMC assessor, who will review and grade the written report. Please also send your report and the link of the  to your second assessor.

  The final mark of the written report will be the average of the individual marks for the report given by the supervisor and assessor, and the Amsterdam UMC assessor.
  
  Finally, you should fill in the online .

  Master thesis

  The Master thesis includes the results of the major internship, integrated with and from the perspective of the knowledge acquired in the compulsory education. The Master thesis will get a uniform cover front and cover provided and designed by the Master programme.
  
  All forms for approval and assessment, front and cover for the master thesis and other information can be found here.

  Internship abroad

  Are you planning an internship outside the Netherlands?
  
  The International Office can assist you in finding a suitable scholarship and make sure you leave fully prepared for your internship. When you tick the box 'This internship will be conducted outside of the Netherlands' in the approval form, the International Office will automatically be notified that you will perform your internship abroad. After you have received approval from the Examination Board, you can make an appoint with the International Office, send them an e-mail.
  
  The portfolio Science Masters Internship Abroad contains information on scholarships, visa etc. The portfolio can be downloaded from Canvas.

  Approval of the major internship is no longer valid when the travel code announced by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the relevant country is orange or red. In that case, conducting the scientific internship in the country previously approved is not permitted. Students who nevertheless want to go abroad for their research internship under code yellow, are obliged to take this up with their study coordinator and/or internship examiner.
  Any costs in the event of cancellation or early return as a result of a change to code orange or red will not be reimbursed by any fund or funds.

• Literature study

  Introduction

  Your Literature Study will be carried out under supervision, but in this stage of your education it is expected that you act highly independent. The aim of the Literature Study is that you will be able to select, evaluate and critically discuss relevant literature. Based on the literature analysis, you have to clearly explain not only the state-of-the-art, but also the limitations and problems in the literature. Depending on the context of the study, the student has to formulate recommendations and strategies for further research to solve remaining problems. The Literature Study is written in the format of a review paper.
  
  Make sure you carefully read the 

   

  Orientation

  For your Literature Study you need to find an Personalized Medicine-related subject that interests you. You can propose your own subject and present your own question. The study may be focused on a scientific (bio)medical question, but a more applied or social question is also allowed. The Literature Study topic may be related to your internship. You can either find a suitable supervisor with knowledge on the particular subject you are interested in or find a supervisor from the lecturers that have been presenting during the courses. If you are not able to find a suitable subject or supervisor, your program coordinator can assist you.

  Amsterdam UMC Assessor

  The report needs to be independently assessed by a second assessor from Amsterdam UMC (VU, VUMC, or AMC) as well. The Amsterdam UMC assessor needs to work at least at the level of assistant professor (UD) and is not involved in the research project. This Amsterdam UMC assessor needs to be invited by the student but has to be approved by the Examiner ILS. The Amsterdam UMC assessor will critically review the report and give a mark for the report without considering the writing process. For external literature studies, the Amsterdam UMC assessor is also asked to serve as backup for questions of the student and/or the assessor. 

  Approval and paperwork in advance

  Your Literature Study needs to be approved by the Examination Board. For approval you need to fill out the  for a Literature Study completely to allow the Examination Board to make a proper assessment of your request. The student needs to have passed the minor internship before a literature study can be approved or started. An exception can be requested by sending a motivated request to masterpersonalizedmedicine-VU@amsterdamumc.nl. The Examination Board decides whether an exception can be made in this specific case.

  Literature Study portfolio

  The Literature Study also has a portfolio. The  contains a summary of the assignment and the Survey Outline. Only a complete portfolio handed in via Canvas will result in registration of your grade and credits!  

  During the Literature Study

  Within 2 weeks after the start of the Literature Study, the Survey Outline needs to be written and sent to masterpersonalizedmedicine-VU@amsterdamumc.nl.
  
  After writing your Literature Study, you need to give an oral presentation at the department of your supervisor/assessor to present your findings.
  When your Literature Study is finished, your assessor fills out the . As guidance, your assessor can use the rubric in the Literature Study Regulations which contains an overview of the assessment criteria. The final grade consists of 10% Survey Outline, 70% report and 20% oral presentation.
  
  You have to send your report and the  to the Amsterdam UMC assessor who will review and grade the written report. The final grade of the written report will be the average of the individual marks for the report given by the supervisor and the Amsterdam UMC assessor.
  
  Furthermore, you have to hand in a PDF of your report and Internship Portfolio via Canvas.
  
  Finally, you should fill in the online .
  

  All forms for approval and assessment and other information can be found here.

• Academic Core

  The Academic Core is a component of the Master program which is designed to prepare students for the transition from student to scientist. During the Academic Core, the student learns several academic and transferable skills like career development (including a resume assignment), legal and ethical judgment, presenting skills, conference participation and networking. The academic skills are all related to a future career in scientific research. Most of the academic and transferable skills are integrated in the program components and tested in the assessments. Others are explicitly separated in special meetings. A mentor is assigned to each student. The student has to contact the mentor at least twice to discuss aspects of a career in science. The students complete an Academic Core portfolio to demonstrate their development, which is evaluated by the examiner of the Academic Core.

  The course lasts throughout the entire programme. During the course, students should complete the Academic Core Portfolio, which can be downloaded from Canvas. Upon completion of the whole portfolio, the student must send this portfolio to masterpersonalizedmedicine-vu@amsterdamumc.nl and it will be assessed by the Academic Core examiner and discussed during a meeting with the program coordinator, program director or Academic Core examiner. The Academic Core is completed afterwards.

• Graduation

  Are you in the process of completing your Master's programme? VU Amsterdam will automatically start your graduation.
  Once you have completed the final part of your studies, you will receive an email from VU Amsterdam, containing an overview of your results and the date of your graduation. Would you rather not graduate on the date given?

  In certain circumstances, you can submit a request to your Examination Board to postpone your graduation. However, you must submit a postponement request within two weeks of receiving the email, otherwise you will graduate automatically. 
  
  Find all the details about the new graduation process and how to submit a request for postponement.

  More information

  All information about graduation, awarding degree certificates and related topics can be found on VUweb. 
  Student must:

  • Have all of their marks registered on the VU-dashboard, but at least 4 weeks before the exam date;
  • Have fulfilled the requirements for the Master programme as stated in the Teaching and Examination Regulations (TER);
  • Still be enrolled enrolled in the degree programme for which you are requesting your diploma on the requested graduation date;
  • Have met all your payment obligations (tuition fees).

  What is the graduation date?

  • Your graduation date will be in the month in which you officially completed your degree programme. This is always the last working day of the month. This date will also be stated on your degree certificate. Please note: it is not the date on which the degree awards ceremony is held.
  • The graduation ceremonies take place only in the months January, June and September.
  • The official graduation date is important for your deregistration from Studielink, your tuition fees, and your public transport pass.
  • Please consult the Graduation Schedule below to see which deadlines apply to you.
    

  Deadline*	Graduation date	Graduation ceremony
  10 September 2025 10 October 2025 10 November 2025 5 December 2025 12 January 2026 10 February 2026 10 March 2026 10 April 2026 11 May 2026 10 June 2026 10 July 2026	30 September 2025 31 October 2025 30 November 2025 31 December 2025 31 January 2026 28 February 2026 31 March 2026 30 April 2026 31 May 2026 30 June 2026** 31 July 2026**	31 January 2026 27 June 2026 September/October 2026 (TBA)

  *deadline for submitting all final products (Minor, Major, Literature study, Academic Core Portfolio) including the assessments
  **If you graduate in the summer (June, July, August), you can let your registration expire on 31 August.
    

  Graduation ceremony

  • Will you attend your graduation ceremony? 
    Keep in mind the following:
    • You will receive your invitation to the ceremony no later than two weeks beforehand
    • Each graduate is permitted to bring max 4 guests, unless stated otherwise in the invitation 
    • Bring with you a valid form of identification (passport, ID card or driver's license)
    • If there are less than 6 graduates, the ceremony might be cancelled. If you are already registered for the graduation ceremony, you will automatically be moved to the next graduation ceremony. 

  The graduation ceremony is an official part of the Master Oncology and not a formality. Therefore, your presence is mandatory. If, by any chance, you are unable to come to the ceremony, you need to send an official statement to the program management with a valid reason for not attending. If the management approves your request, you could get transferred to the next graduation ceremony, or get the option to make an appointment to obtain your diploma at the faculty.  

  Note: being abroad for vacation or work is not a valid reason. In addition, it is not possible for your diploma to be sent via post due to strict academic regulations of the Faculty of Medicine VU Amsterdam.
  

  What to do after graduation?

  Stay in touch and connect with us on our ! 
  We will post interesting updates and information relating to the programme, upcoming events etc.!

• FAQ

  Courses
  

  • How do I request approval for an optional course? 
    You must fill in the digital  for optional courses. 
  • How do I register credits for an optional course? 
    You must fill in the  for optional courses.
  • I want to do a course at a different university, is that possible? 
    Yes, you can follow courses at universities other than VU Amsterdam. However, you always need to request this at the Examination Board by using the  for an optional course.

  Internships
  

  • How do I request approval for an internship? 
    For every internship you must request approval for an internship by filling out the internship . 
  • Who do I fill in as daily supervisor/assessor? 
    Your supervisor is usually your day-to-day supervisor (PhD student or post-doc), your assessor is a principal investigator (assistant-professor or professor).
  • Do I have to hand in hard copies at the Student Desk? 
    No, you only need to submit the PDF version of your report and portfolio via Canvas.

  Literature study

  • How do I request approval for a Literature Study? 
    For the Literature Study, you must request approval by filling in the Literature Study . 
  • How many ECTS/week does the Literature Study take? 
    The Literature Study grants 9 EC and officially lasts 6 weeks (full time).

• Contact

  Programme management master Personalized Medicine

  e-mail: masterpersonalizedmedicine-VU@amsterdamumc.nl
  

  Postal address
  Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc
  Faculty of Medicine VU Amsterdam, Master Personalized Medicine
  Room G-010
  PO BOX 7075
  1007 MB Amsterdam - The Netherlands