European and European Union Studies
Talk with Rosemary Banks (NZ Ambassador to France), Florence Jeanblanc-Risler (French Ambassador to NZ), Michalis Rokas (EU's charge d'affaires in NZ) as part of a National Centre for Research on Europe event. © Restricted/University of Canterbury
Qualifications
Overview
Studying Europe from afar provides a number of advantages – of perspective, comparative analysis, and of isolation from short-term trends. Europe provides an important cultural and linguistic reference point to Aotearoa New Zealand in an increasingly global community. The European Union (EU) is Aotearoa's most significant bilateral partner after Australia and China, and is one of the world's leading political and trading blocs, with 28 member states and over 500 million people.
European and European Union Studies aims to offer a broad-based, inter-disciplinary programme that embraces the studies of the institutional, legal, political, economic, and social aspects of the integration process of the EU as well as the languages and cultures of Europe. The programme encourages the study of European languages within this framework.
UC offers two main areas of study under this major, which you can pursue throughout your three years of study.
- EU studies: if you want to know about modern-day Europe, this track gives you insight into the political, economic, and social integration of modern Europe; the EU as a major global actor, and its international relations. Within this track, you can learn how Aotearoa New Zealand currently interacts with the EU, including legal and economic relations.
- Cultures and languages of Europe: if you are interested in learning about the diverse languages and cultures of Europe, there are a number of courses where you can explore Europe’s varied histories, traditions, narratives, and cultures; the importance of Europe for Aotearoa; and the lessons we can learn from different cultures and languages living in a global environment.
The National Centre for Research on Europe
A number of courses within the programme are taught by members of the UC-based National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE). The Centre is Aotearoa New Zealand's only research centre devoted to the study of Europe and the EU. It fosters research on the EU that is regionally relevant. The Centre attracts visiting academics from all over the world and is an important national destination for those wishing to further their study in the area or utilise specialist study resources at UC.
UC students have a number of exchange options with European institutions.
There are no entry requirements for those entering 100-level courses on European and European Union Studies. It is a broad degree inviting students to explore political, social, and economic structures of modern-day Europe and the European Union and their relations to European languages and cultures.
Students who enjoyed studying history, geography, social studies, languages, and English may find this major a very attractive option.
UC offers a major and a minor in European and European Union Studies as part of the Bachelor of Arts. You can also study this subject as a minor within the Bachelor of Commerce.
100-level courses
Students intending to major in European and European Union Studies are required to take: EURA 101; EURA 201/EURA 301 European Identity and Culture: Multicultural Societies of Europe and the European Union; and EURA 210/EURA 310 European Integration from Community to Union.
Students intending to minor in European and European Union Studies are required to take EURA 101.
Students may credit up to 60 points of a European language towards their EURA major. It is strongly recommended that students undertake course(s) in European languages (eg, German, French, Russian, Spanish) as part of this major.
200-level and beyond
At 200 and 300-level, courses cover topics relating to European identity; European culture and languages; EU integration; future enlargement of the EU; European economic development, business, finance and law; the EU and the wider world; and the history of Soviet domination in Eastern Europe, foreign policy, and diplomacy.
A qualification in European and European Union Studies provides students with increasingly relevant and expanding employment opportunities. Graduates with knowledge of Europe are well placed to work in foreign affairs, international trade and development, government service, the business sector, tourism, law, non-government and not-for-profit organisations, and in private multinational companies such as Fonterra where European interests are significant.
Amongst our alumni are diplomats working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Manatū Aorere, government departments, practitioners at a number of non-governmental organisations dealing with international issues, journalists, and teachers.
Our alumni are also employed by a number of international bodies (eg, Antarctica Secretariat, other countries’ embassies), and by a number of leading universities in Europe, Aotearoa, and around the world.
Find out more about what you can do with a degree in European and European Union Studies.
Contact us
Department of Global, Cultural and Language Studies
Phone +64 3 369 3377
Email artsdegreeadvice@canterbury.ac.nz
Location
Logie building – see campus maps
Postal address
College of Arts | Te Rāngai Toi Tangata
University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand
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