Human Sexuality Studies

Sexology – which aims the scientific study of human sexuality – is a very young science whose development has suffered from the social taboo that has been and in a certain way still is associated with human sexuality. Luckily, this taboo has gradually reduced since the turbulent years in the 1960s. Since then there have been several important scientific (r)evolutions in the field of sexuality such as e.g.  the development of safe and efficient contraception, the emergence and spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STD's), the introduction of the internet and the fast digital spread of sexually explicit material, the discovery of pharmacological treatments for sexual problems, ...

The master of science in human sexuality studies (only in Dutch) is directly open for certain academic bachelors (i.e. a bachelor (of science) in psychology, educational sciences, medicine, …). Other academic bachelors need to complete a bridging programme and certain professional bachelors need to complete a preparatory programme before being able tor register in the master's programme . The master's programme focuses on the scientific study of the broad field of human sexuality in which the impact of societal influences have a central position. The multidimensional character of sexuality is reflected in the contributions from experts in the fields of psychology, educational sciences, medicine, biology, sociology, law and ethics. The aim of the programme is to stimulate scientific thinking, to help students search and find new information concerning these fields and to develop a critical stance towards this information.

The course offers a kind of first introduction into clinical sexual health care needed to address sexual disfunctions, problems and worries and offers some insight in the aims, processes and context of sex education. This course however has to limit itself to a first introduction on these subjects. This master's programme does not intend to train full skilled therapists. For those interested, there is a more practical clinical oriented postgraduate in clinical sexual health care.