Prospective Students

What is European Studies?

At Trinity European Studies is a broad-ranging, multidisciplinary programme which encompasses the history, culture, languages and politics of European nations. It studies the European past in order to understand the present, and examines contemporary Europe in all its complexity on a continent-wide basis.

Is this the right course for you?

If you are a good linguist and have an interest in history, politics and the workings of contemporary society you will enjoy this course. European Studies is explicitly designed for students with a broad intellectual appetite.

Course overview

You will study two out of six European languages: French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian or Spanish (Italian, Polish, Spanish and Russian can be studied from beginner level). Both languages are studied equally in the first two years, after which one becomes your major, and the other your minor language. Language learning is embedded in the study of the society and culture of the countries in which the language is spoken and language study is designed to meet the needs of students specialising in the social and political sciences. Literature is not studied until the final year.

As well as languages you will study the European past and present through three disciplines – history, history of ideas and social sciences (politics, economics and sociology). The history of ideas teaches the evolution of European thought and culture from the Renaissance to the present and is the compulsory core component in the first, second and fourth years.