BA in European Studies

European Studies is a major offered by the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies to students enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Boston University’s European Studies Program combines a unifying regional focus with a multidisciplinary approach, enabling students to bring together courses that develop their language skills; social, historical, and cultural knowledge; and political, economic, and international relations expertise. The ten-course interdisciplinary major draws on the resources of the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) departments and on Boston University Study Abroad programs in Europe. Students study Europe’s cultural heritage; its political, economic, military, and religious histories; its literature, music, film, and philosophy; and its emergence and development as a new kind of international form through the European Union.

Requirements

The major in European Studies requires ten 4-credit Principal Courses.

Students majoring in European Studies pursue studies in both the Humanities and the Social Sciences.

Ten Principal Courses

Nine courses chosen from the lists of courses by track (see also lists of courses by department). At least four courses must be Humanities courses and at least four must be Social Science courses.
A multidisciplinary capstone course, usually taken in the senior year

Ten separate and distinct courses with a grade of C or higher are required for a major in European studies. Three of these ten principal courses must be at an advanced level (400 or above, or as certified by instructor). It is recommended that students take courses covering at least two European countries, and no more than five of the courses may be in a single discipline. Although the focus of the European studies major is on the modern and contemporary period (18th–21st centuries), students, with their advisor’s permission, may choose to substitute up to two courses from the Middle Ages through the 17th century.

Required Related Language Courses

Knowledge (written and spoken) of a European language other than English through at least the sixth-semester level is required of all European Studies majors. In French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish, this requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of two 300-level language courses (or their equivalents abroad) or by demonstration of equivalent proficiency. For other languages, please consult with an advisor.

Study Abroad

The major is designed to accommodate and encourage study in Europe through Boston University’s Study Abroad programs