Apply

To apply to this course, click on the relevant Apply Link below

Non-EU Applicants

• European Studies, 4 Year(s) Full Time, Closing Date: 30/JUN/2013

Mature Student - Supplementary Application Form

Read the information about how to apply as a mature student, then select the link below to complete the TCD Supplementary Application Form for mature students.
• European Studies, 4 Year(s) Full Time, Closing Date: 08/FEB/2013

Advanced Entry Applications

Read the information about how to apply for Advanced Entry, then select the link below to apply.
• European Studies, Closing Date: 01/JUN/2013

What is European studies?

At Trinity College European studies is a broad-ranging, fully integrated 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 enjoy studying languages 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 and who are interested in a range of disciplinary approaches.

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 studied in 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.

Course content

In first year all components are compulsory. From the second year onwards the history of ideas, or cultural history, is compulsory and you will be able to choose other modules from the disciplines that interest you most, and so tailor the degree to your specific strengths and interests.

The Freshman years

Junior Freshman (first) year

There are approximately 22 hours of classes per week.

Languages 1 & 2:

Grammar and structures of the languages, written and spoken expression and comprehension

Introduction to the history of ideas

Introduction to the evolution of European thought and culture in the 20th century, and to the techniques of analysing texts in their historical context.

This module examines the intellectual and cultural climate in Europe before and after the two World Wars. In particular you will examine how intellectual and cultural trends reacted or contributed to the threat of war and how they dealt with catastrophes in their aftermath.

Topics covered include:

• The Fin-de-Siecle mood around 1900
• The urban culture of the European metropolis
• The pre-war crisis of values (Nietzsche)
• Social Darwinism
• Socialist ideologies
• The upsurge of right-wing thought after the First World War
• The role of new media
• Culture and politics in the inter war years
• The idea of Europe after 1945

Europe, c. 1500-1700: Power and belief

Examines the political, social and cultural history of sixteenth and seventeenth-century Europe.

By the end of this module, students will have been introduced to a variety of primary sources and some of the different methods and approaches that can be used in their analysis.

This module addresses key themes of the period including intellectual changes during the Renaissance and Reformation, the emergence of rival churches across most of the Continent, the impact of the printing revolution, the increasing power of territorial states, the expansion of states into new colonial spaces, and military and political rivalry between states.

Introduction to social science

This module offers students an introduction to the significant issues in the three main fields of social science: politics, economics and sociology.

The first section of the course introduces key debates in sociology about European social structure.

The second section provides an introduction to main issues in political science of significance to students of European politics.

The third section builds on the first two sections by paying attention to issues surrounding the economics of the EU.

Senior Freshman (second) year

There are approximately 22 hours of classes per week.

Languages 1 & 2:

Grammar and structures of the languages, written and spoken expression and comprehension

Culture and politics in Europe 1700-1815

Studies the emergence and development of modern society and culture since the Enlightenment. The core of the course concerns itself with political culture by analysing the political ideologies created from, and in opposition to, the French Revolution. You will be introduced to the central texts and figures who defined the meaning of modernity and to the social and cultural changes that carried forward the project of a modern society.

The making of Modernity 1750-1820

Introduces students to key concepts of modernity as they constituted themselves during the saddle epoch around 1800. It covers the main philosophical and cultural trends in the European Enlightenment and Romanticism and elucidates how cultural and aesthetic discourses interact with politics and society. It identifies elements of the Dialectics of Enlightenment and the interaction of Enlightenment trends with counter movements and cross-currents.

It follows and builds on the Michaelmas Term History module 'Culture and Politics in Europe 1700-1815'.

Select one of:

• History of Continental Europe since 1870
  Social, economic and political history are given equal emphasis in this course, which concentrates on Germany, France and Russia, as well as looking at Italy and Spain.
  
• Comparative politics
  This module is an introduction to the study of comparative politics. We will be studying both developing and developed countries, democratic and authoritarian regimes as well as countries that are in the midst of political and economic transitions. Among other things, we will learn about (i) why countries like Israel have a multitude of parties, while the United States has only two, (ii) what determines why some countries are capable of making the transition to democracy (e.g. Chile), while in other countries authoritarian regimes prevail and autocrats manage to hold onto power for a long time (e.g. Zimbabwe), and (iii) why some countries have seen tremendous economic growth, while others have struggled to spur economic development (e.g. most African countries). We will begin the course by discussing the micro foundations of political decision-making. Specifically, we will study the role of preferences and beliefs, which are essential for understanding political cleavages, conflict and culture. Next, we will move to the study of collective decision-making and group politics, covering a variety of topics ranging from political parties and interest groups to social movements (e.g. the American civil rights movement in the 1960s and the East European revolution in 1989). We will then shift to the study of political institutions as a key source for differences in individual as well as collective decision-making. The effects of political institutions will be studied at the micro level by looking at political decision-making (e.g. voting behaviour in plurality systems like the United States versus proportional systems like Italy) and at the macro level by looking at political and economic development
  
• International relations
  This module is an introduction to the positive, descriptive study of international relations. Why do states make war? What are the conditions for the growth of cross-border trade and finance? What is the impact of international organisations on relations between states? This module considers these questions by looking at differing theoretical approaches to international relations and a selection of topics in historical and contemporary politics, including the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation, the European Union, and international environmental and human rights regimes.
  
• European societies
  This module examines different forms of social inequality in Western Europe, the divisions of class, region, gender, ethnicity and life cycle. It considers the extent to which the European Union involves a European social model of social cohesion - a particularly European way of countering the divisions of a market society. The course uses case studies from France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK.
  
• Intermediate economics*
  The macroeconomic module of the courses has three steps. The first two steps study the sources of fluctuations in economic activity and the policy responses that help mitigate such fluctuations. The third step aims to understand why different countries have different long-run growth rates and different levels of prosperity. The microeconomic module of the course studies the theory and applications of microeconomics at an intermediate level. The module covers consumer theory (indifference curves and budget constraints); producer theory (isoquant curves and isocost lines); market structure (perfect competition; monopoly; monopolistic competition and oligopoly); game theory; factor markets (in perfectly competitive and imperfectly competitive settings) and general equilibrium.
  

* Students who wish to take this course must seek permission from the Head of the Department of Economics during the Trinity (third) Term of their Junior Freshman (first) year, before declaring their Senior Freshman (second year) subject choice.

Junior Sophister (third) year

The Junior Sophister year is spent at a university abroad studying through the language you choose as your major language and this is an integral part of the course. Exchanges have been established with history and political science departments in universities in France (Paris, Strasbourg, Grenoble, Bordeaux), Germany (Hamburg, TÌbingen, Freiburg), Italy (Pavia, Siena, Florence), Poland (Krakow), Russia (Moscow) and Spain (Seville, Salamanca, Alcalá). The year abroad may entail additional expenses for students but support funding under the European Union's Erasmus scheme partially offsets this additional expense (with the exception of Russia, where the Erasmus scheme does not apply).

Senior Sophister (fourth) year

In the Senior Sophister year, language work focuses predominantly on your major language. Coursework for your minor language concentrates mainly on comprehension and textual analysis. The core course in your final year is a history of ideas course: Modernism and mass society - ideas and culture since 1890. Additionally, you will choose one or two options from a wide range of modules from history, political science, sociology, and a number of culture and literature options from the language departments. Students who so wish are encouraged to write a ten thousand word dissertation (replacing one of the options) on a subject of their own choice under the supervision of a member of staff.

Assessment

Written, oral and aural exams are combined with continuous assessment, essays and end-of-year examinations.

Career opportunities

Recent graduates are employed in international organisations both in Ireland and abroad, in the EU, in the civil service and the diplomatic corps, in business, finance and marketing. Other popular career paths are in law, consultancy, teaching (in Ireland and abroad), translating and interpreting, journalism and tourism. Many students go on to do postgraduate courses, often with a more applied, specialised focus or specifically relating to Europe.

Further information

www.tcd.ie/European_Studies
Tel: +353 1 896 1808
E-mail: european.studies@tcd.ie

Specific Entry Requirements

	Applicants must present with at least one European language (other than English and Irish) in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent). If candidates are presenting one language (other than English or Irish), they must attain a grade of HB3 or higher If candidates are presenting two or more languages, they must attain at least the following grades:
Leaving Certificate	HC in two of French, German, Greek, Italian, Latin, Polish, Russian, Spanish HC1 If presenting French or German HC2 If presenting Spanish and taking Spanish as a non-beginner HC3 If presenting any other language
Advanced GCE (A-Level)	Grade B in one language other than English or Irish Or Grade C in two languages other than English or Irish (as listed above)
	Students study two languages from French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian and Spanish. Italian, Polish, Russian and Spanish are available from beginner level. No student may study more than one language as a beginner. Students entering this programme will study two languages from French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian and Spanish. Italian, Polish, Russian and Spanish are available from beginner level. No student may study more than one language as a beginner. Students accepted onto this programme, subject to the above regulations, will normally have at least a higher level grade C in the Leaving Certifcate or equivalent, in two of French, German, Greek, Italian, Latin, Polish, Russian, Spanish (C1 in the case of French and German, and C2 in the case of Spanish if non-beginner). Students who have only one language (other than English or Irish) may also be admitted, subject to the above regulations, if they achieve a higher level grade B in the language in the Leaving Certifcate, or equivalent.

Graduate Profile

Clare Denvir
Job title: Policy officer: Civil Society in EU Development Policy

My experience of growing up in diverse cultural environments left me with an abiding interest in history, languages and the European integration process. The unique inter-disciplinary approach of the "European Studies" course at Trinity offered all of this and more. The beauty and location of Trinity in the heart of Dublin was a further incentive to a returning emigrant eager to rediscover the city's vibrant cultural and social life.

I started my career at the EU institutions as part of the team which prepared Ireland's Presidency of the EU in 2004. My post as national delegate to the Africa Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) working group at the Council of Ministers allowed me to consolidate my knowledge of EU external relations and to develop particular expertise on development policy. I subsequently joined the Commission (DG Development) as part of the taskforce set up to negotiate the revision of the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement. I have focused particularly on governance issues and currently assume the lead on civil society and local authorities. This includes defining EC policy on the role of civil society in development policy and providing operational support on how to mainstream participatory approaches into country and regional programming processes. Participating in inter-institutional discussions with Member States and the European Parliament and engaging in regular dialogue with external stakeholders is an integral part of this work.

By virtue of its holistic, multi-disciplinary approach, "European Studies" provided an excellent introduction to the idea of "Europe" while also providing the incentive to specialise, in my case, on the EU institutions, policies and decision-making processes. The Erasmus year abroad was undoubtedly a highlight which helped prepare for life in the multi-cultural, multi-lingual working environment in Brussels.