Bachelor in European Studies

Why this programme?

The bachelor's programme in European Studies originated from one core idea: It is impossible to understand modern-day Europe and European integration from the perspective of only one discipline. Take the ongoing COVID pandemic or the economic crisis of 2008-2009 as examples. These crises can never be fully understood from an economic, political, or financial perspective alone. In order to understand what is happening and to grasp how the European Union responds to this crisis, we also need to analyze the historical developments and different political and cultural backgrounds of European countries that are cooperating to manage the crisis.

Societal and political challenges can only be understood in the broader socio-cultural contexts. Politics, law or economics alone are not enough to solve the European 'puzzle'. Therefore, European Studies adopts an interdisciplinary approach, combining insights and methods from political science, history, international relations, law, economics, philosophy, and sociology.

The big questions of Europe and the EU

In the European Studies program, you will explore the answers to questions such as:

• What is Europe and how do we define it?
• How has Europe’s history shaped the continent?
• What impact does the integration process have on Europe’s cultural diversity?
• How has the disappearance of internal European borders changed border regions?
• What is the relationship between European institutions and national governments?
• How does European legislation affect our daily lives?
• Does the elected European Parliament have enough power to exercise democratic control over Europe’s governance?
• What role can a united Europe play in international politics?

Bachelor Theses Conference

In June 2018, the annual "Bachelor European Studies Theses Conference" was held. The conference is organized to offer students an extra opportunity to receive feedback on their final papers. Over 40 students took part in several workshops, chaired by academic staff.

Small-groups = big advantages

As with many Maastricht University programmes, European Studies is taught using Problem-Based Learning. You will do a lot of your work in small tutorial groups of no more than 15 students. Together you will work on abstract and concrete ‘problems’ taken from real-world situations. Learning takes place in an active, constructive, and collaborative manner. Though intensive and much more interactive than traditional lessons, the benefits of this kind of interaction with fellow students are evident, as it has one of the highest knowledge retention rates of any educational method.

Professional skills

Next to your courses, you will take skills training that will help you develop research, language and professional skills such as:

• Academic research & writing;
• Presentation skills;
• Legislation interpretation;
• International negotiations.

PBL and the tutorial group

The questions that you'll be discussing in your tutorial group are often complex and the answers to them may be too. However, by exploring these types of questions in close consultation with the academic staff and other students, you'll develop an understanding of Europe that goes far beyond what you would learn by attending a series of traditional lectures.

Where the international classroom really comes alive

Maastricht University has focused in recent years on further developing its International Classroom, where our differences become our strengths. From day 1, you will be challenged with competing viewpoints and experiences as you interact with staff and students from all over Europe and the world. Every day your preconceptions and worldview will be enhanced by this interaction, bringing you closer to the program’s goal of teaching students not only facts and concepts but also international accessibility and understanding. From the program's subject matter and the international composition of the classroom to the program’s promotion of multilingualism and its emphasis on studying abroad, European Studies will immerse you in an international, multicultural environment.

In year three you can spend a semester abroad, but you could also stay in Maastricht or elsewhere in the Netherlands to do an internship or take courses. Studying at another university (or in another program) or undertaking an internship offers you the change of scenery and a chance to get a better insight into future master's programs and career options. It also allows you to apply the acquired knowledge and skills, as well as to gain new insights.

Studying abroad offers the opportunity to study certain issues in more depth, in a setting that may differ from FASoS (a different country, different teaching philosophy, etc.). FASoS has agreements with more than 100 European and non-European partner universities, where you can take courses in several fields, including European Studies, political science, international relations, and journalism.

Foreign languages

In the second year, you will have the possibility to choose a modern language other than English to study for 16 weeks as part of the skills trajectory. In the third year, you can choose to study another foreign language for 16 weeks as part of the electives.

MaRBLe excellence program

Through the Maastricht Research-Based Learning program, MaRBLe for short, we offer talented third-year bachelor’s students the opportunity to conduct their own research project. You will be guided by experienced academic staff who will help you further develop your critical thinking and research skills. This will help prepare you for a career in scientific research or research positions in the business.

Honors+ programme

University-wide Honors+ component

The Honors+ Programme consists of three types of activities. Students attend workshops to develop professional skills; help organize a series of DIY lectures; and co-author contributions to the digital magazine Excellium.

If you complete the Honours Programme successfully you will receive a special Honours Programme Certificate, in addition to your diploma, when you graduate. ECTS credits are not awarded.

FASoS Honors component

The faculty of Arts and Social Sciences offers its most ambitious bachelor’s students the opportunity to take part in the Honours Programme.

You do not need to contact the Faculty if you belong to the top 4 to 5 percent of students of the first year (based on average grade) who passed all their first-year courses and skills training at the first attempt: you will be invited to apply.

Honors program students are given the freedom to study academic topics in depth. The program consists of various components, from which you choose two. For example, you could undertake a small-scale, comprehensive six-week project under the guidance of a faculty professor. This could be a small research project or consist of reading and discussing several books. You could also participate in faculty research, choose an individual assignment such as writing a paper or take a second minor at the Faculty.

Courses & curriculum

Throughout the bachelor's in European Studies, you will be taught how to apply the knowledge you learn in the various courses. You will learn to critically analyze a variety of relevant European developments by using the toolboxes of various disciplines. The courses are designed to build upon each other and there are implicit and explicit links between them. Each year has a core focal point, respectively:

1. European diversity
2. European unity
3. Europe’s place in the wider world

The courses of the skills trajectory supplement the regular courses to provide you with important language, professional, and research skills.

Maastricht University implements UM-wide minors that are open for (almost) all Maastricht University bachelor's students. These minors offer you the opportunity to get acquainted with a different field of study.

Binding Study Advice

This program has a Binding Study Advice. This means that in your first year of the programme, you must obtain a minimum of 42 out of 60 ECTS credits. Students who fail to earn enough credits will receive a negative Binding Study Advice that leads to exclusion from the program for a period of six years. All students who are at risk of receiving a negative Binding Study Advice will receive a warning after the first semester.

First year courses

• Imagining Europe: The Development of European Identities
• Research and Study Skills: Research and Writing in European Studies
• Research and Study Skills: Working with Research Problems
• Ruling Europe: the Making and Unmaking of Political Orders after the French Revolution
• Research and Study Skills: The Academic Workshop I
• Constructing Europe: Institutions, theories, and challenges in EU Politics
• Research Skills: Back to the Sources
• Globalizing World: Contemporary Issues and Actors in International Relations
• Language and Professional Skills: Negotiation Skills
• Language & Professional Skills: Student Support Program

Second year courses

• EU law I
• Mentor Programme Year 2
• Economics I
• Diversity in Contemporary Democracies
• EU Law II
• Research methods: Introduction to Qualitative Methods
• European and International Economics
• Policy Domains
• Research Methods: Introduction to Quantitative Methods
• Urban Europe

Third year courses

• Mentor Program Year 3
• Bachelor thesis
• Culture and Identity in a Globalizing Europe
• EU law II. Substantive Law of the EU
• Lifting the Iron Curtain. Central and Eastern Europe in the New Europe
• Othering Europe
• Research Methods: Advanced Document Analysis
• Research Methods: Interviewing
• Research Methods: Survey Research
• After Babel. Language Policies in Europe
• Authority, Expertise, and Environmental Change
• External Relations of the European Union
• Power and Democracy

Elective courses

In the first semester of year 3 (semester 5), each student will compile an individual program, consisting of e.g. study abroad, internship, minors.

• Arts and Culture: Policy and Politics
• Kunst- en cultuurbeleid
• Cultuuroverdracht in een museale context
• Museum Meanings
• Extern
• Internship

Minors

• Minor Arts and Heritage
• Minor Differences/Inequalities: Introduction to Gender and Diversity Studies
• Minor Globalisation and Development
• Interfaculty Minor Art, Law, and Policy Making
• Minor Great Thinkers: Leading Paradigms of Western Culture

European Studies is the #1 European Studies bachelor’s programme in the Netherlands: Keuzegids 2022

The bachelor's programme European Studies is ranked on the 1st place in the European Studies category of the Dutch University Guide: Keuzegids 2022.

Our students have rated the programme with an overall score of 63.

Learn more on the Keuzegids website

Best European Studies programme in the Netherlands: Elsevier 2022

This programme is the #1 European Studies programme in the Netherlands in overall student satisfaction, according to the Elsevier ‘Best Studies’ guide.

Here are some of the highlights:

• 84% of the students recommend this programme
• 79% of the students are satisfied or very satisfied with the set-up of the programme
• 69% of the students are satisfied or very satisfied with the instructors

For more information, visit the Elsevier website

This programme trains you to become a critical thinker who can understand, analyse and explain complex current problems at the European level from various disciplinary perspectives. You can use this expertise to work in European institutions, public administration, management and consultancy.

As a graduate of the bachelor’ s programme in European Studies, you will be in high demand in a wide variety of places, from government and NGO’s to international institutes and corporations. Our European Studies programme has one of the best reputations in Brussels. That is because you learn not only facts and concepts but also the professional skills you will need in your career. Along with a research-oriented attitude and critical reflection, you will learn skills such as: problem-solving, professional communication, result- and quality-orientated behaviour, the ability to prioritise and organise your own working/learning process, working with others in multicultural teams, and, perhaps most importantly: you will learn how to learn. These skills are highly valued by employers, which is why over 95% of our graduates are either employed or go on to do a graduate study or internship.

European Studies graduates often find work in:

• European government / institutions
• Consultancy
• Public administration
• Business and finance
• Education
• Research
• Management
• Policy