European Studies

Overview

What is European Studies?

European Studies is a broad-ranging and integrated programme that offers students the chance to learn European languages, and also to study history and social sciences. This programme encourages students to think about our continent in all its complexity, and to analyse Europe’s cultures, history, and politics.

Do you enjoy…

• Learning languages?
• Studying Europe’s past?
• Thinking about the current state of Europe?

European Studies: The course for you?

If you care about Europe’s past and future, 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 designed for students with a broad intellectual appetite, and who are interested in a range of disciplines and subjects.

European Studies at Trinity

You will study and gain fluency in two European languages: French, German, Irish, Italian, Polish, Russian, or Spanish (German, Italian, Polish, Spanish, and Russian can be studied from beginner level, Irish can be a minor language only). You will explore and engage with cultural, political and societal diversity of European countries, analyse Europe’s past, and explore the current state of our complex continent. You will spend an exciting year abroad in one of our partner universities. You will gain intercultural communication competencies, critical thinking skills and linguistics abilities which will give you a competitive edge in the global job market.

Graduate skills and career opportunities

The intercultural competencies, linguistic abilities, and critical analysis skills gained through European Studies programme allow our graduates to take up opportunities in a diverse range of careers.
Our graduates have a successful track record of securing posts in international organisations in Ireland, the EU and across the rest of the globe. This includes civil service institutions and the diplomatic corps, in business consultancy, and journalism. Recent graduates are building careers in European Commission, Enterprise Ireland, embassies of Ireland across around the world, International Chamber of Commerce, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, Pernod Ricard Singapore, and E&Y New York, to name but a few.

Your degree and what you’ll study

First and second years

In first two years, you will study:

• Two European languages, and society and cultures of the two counties/regions. Both languages are studied equally.
• The history of early modern Europe, an introductory module to the history of ideas followed by study of the history of Europe in the 20th century.
• An introductory module in your choice of social sciences, political science, sociology or economics (in year one) and options of your choice in history, politics, sociology, or economics (in year two).

Third and fourth years

You will choose a Major language and will spend your third year at a university abroad studying through the major language.

In the final year, you will: 

• Continue advancing both Major and Minor languages.
• Choose options from a wide range of modules in history, political science, sociology, economics, culture and literature.
• Study your final core module ‘Modernity and Society: Ideas and Culture in Europe since 1850’ and write a Capstone on a topic of your choice. 

At all levels, you will be assessed by a combination of continuous assessment and exams. We use a mix of traditional and innovative continuous assessment methods. These include written, oral and aural examinations, essays, project work, presentations, podcast creation, book reviews and dossiers. Final-year students also write a Capstone project. 

European Studies is also available within the Dual B.A. Programme between Trinity College Dublin and Columbia University. Please note: The Dual B.A. is only open to Single Honours students. Joint Honours students cannot apply to the Dual B.A..

There are QQI/FET routes available for this course. Please see www.cao.ie for details.

Click here for further information on modules/subjects.

Study abroad

A year or semester studying abroad is one of the highlights of a student’s Trinity experience, and immersing oneself in the language and culture is also one of the most valuable ways of achieving fluency when you are studying a language. European students spend third year of study abroad in one of our partner universities.

Exchanges have been established with history and political science departments in universities in France (Paris, Strasbourg, Grenoble, and Bordeaux), Germany (Hamburg, Tübingen, Freiburg), Austria (Vienna), Spain ( Salamanca, Seville, Zaragoza and Alcala de Henares), Italy (Florence, Milan, Pavia, Siena, and Trento), Poland (Kraków) and Estonia (Tallinn). The year abroad may entail additional expenses for students but support funding under the European Union’s Erasmus scheme partially offsets this (with the exception of Russia, outside the Erasmus scheme). For more information on study abroad destinations and requirements visit: www.tcd.ie/global/mobility/outbound

Trinity College Dublin and Columbia University Dual Degree Programme

European Studies is also available within the Dual Degree Programme between Trinity College Dublin and Columbia University. Please note: The Dual Degree is only open to Single Honours students. Joint Honours students cannot apply to the Dual Degree. For more details, see www.tcd.gs.columbia.edu.