The purpose of the curriculum in European Studies is to prepare students to pursue careers requiring an understanding of all the forces, both material and cultural, contemporary and historical, that are shaping Europe today, in the transitions involved in the post-Soviet era and the movement toward greater political, economic, and cultural integration among the various nations of Europe, West, East, North, and South. One of the main goals of the program is to equip its graduates to work with primary sources in a European language, beginning with substantive study of such sources in regular coursework and in the capstone seminar. Depending on the particular nature of their interests, students should be able to pursue European Studies either as an area concentration for its own sake or as a supplement to the development of particular expertise in a related discipline. Students also may focus, within the major, on Hellenic Studies, the European Union, or Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies. European Studies courses are offered by faculty in the following departments and programs: Architecture, Art, Classics, Communication, Comparative Literature, Comparative Religion, Drama, Economics, English, Geography, Germanics, History, International Studies, Political Science, Public Affairs, Romance Languages and Literature, Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies, Scandinavian Studies, Slavic Languages and Literature, Sociology and Women Studies.
-Carol Thomas, Chair
Any undergraduate admitted for study as a matriculated student in the College of Arts and Sciences may declare European Studies as a major and work toward the B.A. degree.
Degree Requirements
(for students declaring the major Winter Quarter 2006 and after)
Language
The foreign language requirement has two phases:
Core Sequence(1) Two years of basic language study, and the passing of a competency exam, as a prerequisite for (2) 10 credits of approved coursework at the 300 or 400 level either taught in the foreign language or involving extensive foreign language use. Third-year language sequence courses also can be used to satisfy this requirement, in which case a competency exam is not required.
Foreign Study/Experience
One quarter (10-15 credits, minimum 9-10
weeks) of foreign study,
normally in the junior year.
Electives
15 credits of electives from an approved list of courses in European society and culture (literature, history, political science, geography, economics, art history, sociology, etc.). One course must focus on the pre-modern period.
Options in European Studies
Majors may organize the major around a region, theme, or disciplinary focus, but they are not required to do so. Two regional options have formal course patterns: Hellenic Studies and Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies. These options require specific course work for the language and foreign study requirements, one or more of the electives, the Senior Seminar, and certain courses in the core sequence. Details are available in the Office of Student Services.
Senior Research Seminar
EURO 494-495 (10 credits)
A two-quarter seminar in which students will demonstrate and use the
knowledge gained in all previous coursework and experience and make
intensive use of foreign language skills in research. The first quarter
is a seminar course of varying content in which students research and
write a paper of substantial length. Students learn how to formulate an
interesting problem and make extensive use of the universityıs resources
for research. In EURO 495 students write their senior thesis in which they
demonstrate and use the knowledge gained in core courses, electives, study
abroad and the EURO 494 seminar.
Overlapping credits: A maximum of 15 credits that are used to fulfill minimum requirements of any other UW major can be counted in this major.
Minor Requirements
(for students declaring the minor in Winter Quarter 2006 or after)
Two years of a continental European language; 15-credit core sequence (EURO 301, SIS 201, and a survey course on modern Europe); 10 credits of approved elective coursework in European society and culture.
Full Program Description (PDF file)
For a full program description including a list of electives. (Adobe Acrobat Reader required).