European Studies: Politics – Law – Society

The Bachelor's degree program “European Studies: Politics - Law - Society” with a total of 180 credit points (CP) consists of three central areas:

• The core area introduces you to the history, geography, politics, society and media of Europe. Here you will also learn techniques of academic work and the basics of European law and acquire language skills and intercultural communication skills. You will complete 49 of the 180 credit points (CP) here.
• The “Politics - Law - Society” specialization sets a disciplinary focus: here you will become experts in understanding Europe's politics and society. You will learn how to analyze statistical data using various analytical methods.Two in-depth modules give you further insights into European political science research.In a law module, you can also set your own priorities in constitutional, European and international law. A teaching research project provides you with the skills you need to write your final thesis. You will earn 60 of the 180 CP in this area.
• In the options area, you choose your own specializations. You can either specialize in one subject area, for example because you are particularly interested in this topic or because you are aiming for a special Master's degree. Or you can choose your courses freely from the possible subjects. You can choose from English studies, business studies, media studies, geography, German studies, archaeology, history, art history, philosophy and psychology, Romance studies, theology and literature.
   

In the language courses with a total of 9 CP, you will learn the language basics for a stay abroad in the fifth semester, in which you can earn 20 CP.An eight-week Europe-specific work placement (12 CP) gives you an insight into professional practice.At the end of your BA studies, you can prove that you have become a European expert with your Bachelor's thesis (12 CP) under the supervision of an experienced professor.

The core area represents the overarching strand (102 credit points (CP) in total) of the four European Studies degree programs with the specializations “Geographies of Europe”, “Politics - Law - Society”, “Modern History” and “Comparative Literature” (see also CEUS information). Here you will study together with students from all four degree programs! Basic and in-depth courses from the subject contexts of Geography, History, Intercultural Communication, Media and Cultural Studies, Political Science and Law provide an ideal basis for understanding Europe:

• Introduction to the history, lines of development and spatial constructs of Europe
• Introduction to population and migration studies
• Introduction to Europe: media cultures/cultural media
  Introduction to governance in Europe's multi-level system
• European integration
• Basic module Intercultural Communication or basic module French Cultural and Media Studies
• European Law
• Introduction to academic work.

The core area also includes language courses that prepare you for a stay abroad and, of course, your future in Europe in general. The fifth semester is usually used for studies or an internship in another European country or for a European research project. An eight-week work placement offers the opportunity to gain an insight into professional life. The Bachelor's thesis rounds off the course.

The social science specialization consists of modules worth 60 credit points (CP):

In the “Politics - Law - Society” specialization, you will learn the essential social science and legal foundations and specializations of European research and receive an introduction to empirical social research at the beginning of your studies, which you can further deepen in later seminars.The following modules are part of the program:

• Politics and Society in Europe (9 CP)
• Empirical social research (9 CP)
• In-depth European political science research (18 CP)Comparative European Politics
• International Relations and European Integration
• Political Sociology in Europe
• Law and Governance (9 CP)
• European Politics: Empirical Analysis (15 CP)
   

In the options area, students can choose and take courses from many different areas in order to strengthen their own profile:

• English studies
• Business Administration
• European Comparative Media Studies
• Geography
• German Studies
• Classical Archaeology
• Art History
• Modern History
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Romanic Studies
• Protestant Theology
• Catholic Theology
• Comparative Literature
• Pre- and Early Historical Archaeology
• the option area:  Optional area including certificates (e.g. Applied Pop Studies, Gender Studies, Language Support and German as a Second Language, Knowledge and Communication). The optional area also regularly offers al lot of additional social science exercises and seminars on general and current topics, which will help you to strengthen your social science profile beyond the modules on offer.

Examination regulations, study regulations, subject-specific provisions, the module handbook and the cover sheet can be found here.

A semester abroad is compulsory and usually takes place in the fifth semester. In addition to a semester abroad, an internship abroad or a European research project is also possible.

You can find our partner universities on our study abroad page. For further information on internships abroad and European research projects, please contact the Erasmus coordinators Dr. Rosa Navarrete and Dr. Moritz Rehm.