Prospectus

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The Political Economy of the European Union

Course
2020-2021

Admission requirements

At least BSA (40 ects).

Description

Two of the first supranational European projects, the European Coal and Steel Community and the
European Economic Community, were both legal entities based on economic institutions and economic
regulation. Nearly all of the major legal steps towards the European Union taken in the following years
also had a clear economic rationale. These included the creation of a Common Agricultural Policy, the
introduction of regional and social policies, and the creation of an Economic and Monetary Union.
Europe’s recent expansion to the east has also brought forward several economic challenges. Most
recently, Europe has been dealing with a severe financial and economic crisis that may require new
initiatives in the field of European integration .

This course aims to provide students with a thorough understanding of the political economy of the EU,
focussing on economic rationales behind the process of European integration and the current economic
challenges facing the European Union. To do so, it will introduce students into the history of economic
integration, economic and trade theory and the legal framework that codifies the EU’s economic policies.

Course objectives

  • To provide students with a basic understanding of the political economy behind the process of European integration and the main policies of the European Union

  • To provide students with an understanding of the current legal and economic challenges facing the European Union

Timetable

See Timetable.

Mode of instruction

Lectures.

Assessment method

The final mark will be a combination of the following notes obtained during the classes, weighted in the following way: The final mark will be based on a midterm exam (40%), focusing on the content of the first block of the semester, and a final exam (60%), focusing on the second block. Students who do not achieve a passing mark as the final mark will be given the opportunity to take a retake exam, which will count 100%. The retake exam is representative of the whole course content.

Weighing

  • midterm exam (40%);

  • final exam (60%).

The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average.

Resit

Any student who has not passed the course is eligible for the resit. The resit covers the entire material of the course and the mark constitutes 100% of the final grade, thus replacing all previously earned marks. There is no resit for the midterm exam.

Exam Review

How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.

Reading list

  • To be announced before the course

Registration

Via uSis.

Contact

Dr. J.S. Oster

Remarks

None.