Prospectus

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International Relations: European Union Studies

Master

This one-year Master of Arts in International Studies, specialisation European Union Studies, offered by the Faculty of Humanities of Leiden University, focuses on the processes of European integration from an interdisciplinary angle by a mix of specialist, academic researchers and experts with direct experience in policy-formulation and policy-making.

During the first semester students will follow four compulsory basic courses each designed to explore the state-of-the-art developments in its own field. Whilst each course maintains its own unique identity, their content has been designed to produce an integrated interdisciplinary core of overlapping and mutually reinforcing conceptual tools of analysis. In addition, all students take a “methods course” and a European seminar, which is continued in the second semester.

In the second semester the students can choose three courses from a wide range of specialist courses. By writing a thesis, the students will explore a topic of their own choice in-depth.

Students who start in February will follow an adapted course-schedule: please consult the details under the heading “more info”.

Courses

Course EC Semester 1 Semester 2

First semester
History of European Integration 5
Institutions of the EU 5
Contemporary Problems, Sources and Methods in EU Research 5
EU Law 5
Economics of the EU 5
EU Seminar 0
Start MA thesis/Thesis Seminar 5

Second semester

Choose three courses of the following:
European Foreign, Security and Defence Policy 5
EU Lobbying 5
Justice and Home Affairs 5
EU and Parliamentary Democracy 5
European Environmental Policies 5
External Economic Relations 5
Migration Law and Policy in the EU 5
European Non-Discrimination Law 5
Economic and Monetary Union 5
Germany and European Integration 5
EU and Energy Policy 5
European Neighbourhood Policy 5
Euroscepticism 5
MA Thesis European Union Studies (+ seminar) 15

More info

Objectives Structure Contact information

Objectives

The programme focuses on the processes of European integration from an interdisciplinary angle by a mix of specialist, academic researchers and experts with direct experience in policy-formulation and policy-making.

Structure

During the first semester students take the following compulsory basic courses of 5 EC each, each designed to explore the state-of-the-art developments in its own field:

  • History of European Integration

  • Institutions of the EU

  • EU Law

  • Economics of the EU

  • Sources and Methods

Whilst each course maintains its own unique identity, their content has been designed to produce an integrated interdisciplinary core of overlapping and mutually reinforcing conceptual tools of analysis. In addition to these five courses, students start preparations for the thesis and attend a number of EU Seminars (continued in the second semester).

During the second semester, students can choose three electives from a wide range of courses (15 EC total) and finish their thesis. By writing the thesis, students will explore a topic of their own choice in-depth.

For students starting in the February-semester, the programme looks slightly different:

First semester:

  • Institutions of the EU (block 1)

  • Economics of the EU (block 1)

  • Three electives (block 2)

  • Preparations thesis (block 1/2)

  • EU Seminars

Second semester:

  • History of European Integration

  • EU Law

  • Sources and Methods

  • EU Seminars (continued)

  • Thesis

Contact information

For more information, contact the Co-ordinator of Studies