European Studies: Geographies of Europe

Launched in winter semester 2020/2021, the bachelor’s program ‘European Studies: Geographies of Europe’ completed – alongside ‘Politics – Law – Socitiey’, ‘European Studies: Modern and Contemporary History’ and ‘European Studies: Comparative Literature’ – Saarland University’s quad of BA programs with a special European focus.

Below you will find detailed information on the structure and content of the BA geography program. Come and join us – build bridges with us in Europe!

Bachelor’s program ‘European Studies: Geographies of Europe’: structure and content

Saarland – a small state with big ambitions! Saarland University’s BA program ‘European Studies: Geographies of Europe’ offers an interdisciplinary approach to current European trends, development processes, and perspectives. Historical as well as contemporary ways of looking at the fields of geography, history, politics, language, law, literature, and media allow students to independently study and critically reflect upon complex issues. The program’s disciplinary focus, however, remains that of geography.

In this respect, Europe and the European Union are characterized by spatial inequalities and different speeds of development, with political, social, economic, ecological and other consequences. The program ‘Geographies of Europe’ approaches today’s Europe from a regional/spatial point of view. In this context, concepts of human and cultural geography play a decisive role, for example in explaining economic and urban development processes. Another important aspect of the program is the acquisition of methodological skills. Quantitative and qualitative social-science research on the one hand, and geographical information systems and digitization on the other, are key concepts leading either to a master’s degree program or to direct entry into your chosen profession.

The bachelor’s (BA) program ‘European Studies: Geographies of Europe,’ with a total of 180 credit points (CPs), has three central areas:

The core area provides interdisciplinary insights into historical and current development processes with a view to understanding the distinctive aspects and qualities of modern Europe (58 CPs).
The program’s disciplinary focus on the ‘Geographies of Europe’ covers central topics of cultural and human geography (modules together earning 60 CPs)
A wide variety of options offers the opportunity to complete your own Europe-related profile (18 CPs)

The BA program includes a mandatory semester studying abroad or an internship abroad, alternatively a European research project is possible (20 CPs), plus an 8-week internship (12 CPs). A bachelor’s thesis completes the program (12 CPs).

Semester 1-4: Core area and focus area: Geographies of Europe
Semester 5: Study semester abroad / European research project plus internship
Semester 6: Bachelor's thesis

The core area is the common strand of the four European Studies programs: ‘Geographies of Europe’, ‘Politics – Law – Socitiey’, ‘Modern and Contemporary History,’ and ‘Comparative Literature’ (see also CEUS information). Here you will share courses with students from all four programs. Introductory as well as in-depth courses from the fields of geography, history, intercultural communication, media and cultural studies, politics, and law create an ideal foundation for an understanding of Europe. These include:

Introduction to European history, lines of development, and spatial constructs
Introduction to population and migration studies
Introduction to European media cultures and cultural media
Introduction to Europe’s multi-level governance system
European integration
Foundation module: Intercultural communication; or Foundation module: French culture and media studies
European law
Introduction to scientific methodology.

A further core element is learning the foreign language you will need for your study-semester or internship abroad – usually your fifth semester – as well as for your future life. An alternative in your fifth semester is a European research project. An 8-week internship will give you insights into the professional world. The bachelor’s thesis completes your degree program.

Central topics of cultural and/or human geography are studied in modules together earning 60 CPs. These are selected from:

Introduction to society and its spatial parameters; introduction to human geography; social and spatial development processes (lecture course with practical exercises)
Introduction to European settlement history: changing urban and rural worlds (lecture course with practical exercises and a one-day excursion)
Contemporary spatial developments and conflicts in Europe (seminar/advanced seminar)
Empirical research methods: introduction to qualitative and quantitative research methodology, with practical applications (two practical exercises plus fieldwork)
Methodology of cartography, digital information systems (GIS), and digitization (practical exercise); analytic methodology of spatial and societal change (project seminar)
Extended European excursion (preparatory seminar and week-long excursion)
European research project as alternative to semester studying abroad.

Students may choose from many course options to create their personal study profile, e.g.:

English Language and Literature Studies
Business Administration
Comparative European Media
German Language and Literature Studies
Classical Archaeology
History of Art
Modern and Contemporary History
Philosophy
Politics – Law – Society
Psychology
Romance Studies
Protestant Theology
Catholic Theology
Comparative Literature
Prehistoric and Early Historic Archeology
Saarland University ‘Certificate Courses’ – e.g. Applied Pop-Studies, Gender Studies, Teaching German as a Second Language, Knowledge Communication

Examination regulations, degree program regulations, departmental provisions, module handbook can be accessed here.

The program includes a compulsory time abroad. It is scheduled for the fifth semester. In addition to a study-semester abroad, an internship abroad or a European research project are also possible.

Please find our partner universities on our studying abroad website. For more information about an internship abroad and the European research project please contact your course advisor.

Study adviser

Dr. Ines Funk

European Studies: Geographies of Europe
Border Studies

Campus
Building C5 3, room 2.12
Tel.: +49 681 302-64201
ines.funk(at)uni-saarland.de

As a graduate of the BA program ‘European Studies: Geographies of Europe’ you may go on directly to

A master’s degree program – the socio-spatial focus of the BA is a good foundation for postgraduate study in fields such as human geography, aspects of sociology, spatial planning and other spatially oriented disciplines, political and cultural sciences etc. The European focus prepares you for many programs offered in advanced European studies. Master’s programs available at Saarland University include Cultural Studies in Historical Perspective, Applied Cultural Studies, and Border Studies.
Job market entry in fields such as European institutions, cross-border cooperations, NGOs, associations and councils etc., political parties, regional development and management organizations, private industry such as real estate development, business consulting and promotion etc., regional administration, and many others.