European Area Studies

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Dean: Joel Kassiola

European Area Studies Program
HSS 381
Director:

Faculty

Professors—Bonds, Bradley, D'Agostino, Girard, Glanville, Kidner, Lawson, Luft, Nathan, Peters, Rappe, Stolz

Associate Professor—Steier

Program

Minor in European Area Studies


Program Scope

We are entering an age of increasing regional and world-wide interdependence and integration, both economically and socio-politically. In no part of the globe are these developments more keenly felt than in Europe, where the economic and political integration of the European Union steadily advances, attracting new members and new aspirants to membership from Eastern Europe, and where the failure to abandon old nationalistic ties has wreaked such havoc in former Yugoslavia. Understanding these developments is crucial to our understanding of the human polity and of the European civilization that constitutes one of the most important roots of the American heritage. The economic integration of West Europe has changed the nature of international relations, as well as internal domestic politics within the European Union. The multicultural nature of American life has European civilization as one of its most important roots, yet many American students seem oblivious to that part of their heritage.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once opened an address to the Daughters of the American Revolution with the salutation, "Dear Fellow Immigrants." This was his way of reminding even the oldest, most established, and venerably patriotic Americans that we all came here from elsewhere, often to escape religious, economic, or political oppression. This minor in European Area Studies is intended to remind the sons and daughters of immigrants from Europe of their cultural roots and heritage. It is also intended to inform interested students descending from other roots about the Eurocentric aspects of American history, politics, and culture. Thus, this minor seeks to improve students' multicultural sensitivity and understanding and gives focus to the campus-wide commitment to "internationalizing the curriculum."

In addition to this need for an increase in general awareness, there is a need for a carefully designed program to relate student career and intellectual interests. The ability to link their majors to a European Area Studies Minor will be especially attractive to students in international business, foreign languages, history, political science, international relations, the arts, humanities, and K-12 teaching.

MINOR IN EUROPEAN AREA STUDIES

The European Area Studies Minor consists of a core curriculum of nine to ten units which contain material and perspectives which reach across the normal disciplinary divisions of the university, plus fifteen to seventeen units of upper division courses taken from the following list on advisement. The minor must include courses from at least three different disciplines (prefixes) and two colleges.

Online course descriptions are available.

Core Courses Units
HIST 111 Western Civilization II 3
HIST/IR 346 Recent European History 3
One course selected from the following: 3-4
HIST 344 Nineteenth Century Europe
PLSI 352 Political Theory: Reformation to Nineteenth Century (4)
PLSI 353 Political Theory: Twentieth Century (4)
Total for core 9-10

Elective Courses

Students are to select two courses from Humanities and Literature; two courses from History, the Social Sciences, and International Business; and one course from Art History and the Performing Arts. These selections may focus on Europe as a civilization (e.g., the formation of Europe, Europe in transition, and contemporary Europe); a section of Europe (e.g., Russia and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, the European community, etc.); or on European artistic and intellectual traditions.

Humanities and Literature 6
ENG 422 History of the English Language
ENG 552 Modern British Novel
FR 410 Contemporary French Civilization
GER 402 Contemporary German Civilization
HIST 330/HUM 420 The Early Middle Ages
HIST 331/HUM 421 The High Middle Ages
HUM 430 Postmodern Criticism
HUM 440 Martin Heidegger
HUM 450 California Culture
ITAL 401 Italian Culture and Civilization
NEXA 387 Origins of Modern Science
PHIL 302 Medieval Philosophy
PHIL 303 Modern Philosophy
RUSS 401 Russian Culture and Civilization
SPAN 401 Culture and Civilization of Spain
WCL 445 National Literatures [Europe variants]
International Business and the Social Sciences 6-8
ECON 600 International Economics
HIST 330/HUM 420 The Early Middle Ages
HIST 331/HUM 421 The High Middle Ages
HIST 334 The Renaissance
HIST 336 The Reformation
HIST 338 The Age of Louis XIV
HIST 340 Europe during the Old Regime 1715-1789
HIST 342 Europe and the French Revolution
HIST 344 Nineteenth Century Europe
IBUS 593 European Business
IR 327 Europe: Forging a Union (4)
IR 328 Domestic and Foreign Policy: Eastern Europe (4)
PLSI 352 Political Theory: Reformation to Nineteenth Century (4)
PLSI 353 Political Theory: Twentieth Century (4)
PLSI 370 Classical Marxism (4)
PLSI 407 Politics of Russia (4)
PLSI 413 Comparative Communism (4)
Art History and the Performing Arts 3
ART 201 Western Art History I
ART 202 Western Art History II
MUS 550 Music from the Middle Ages to 1750
MUS 551 Classic and Romantic Music
THA 401 Theatre Backgrounds: 500 B.C.-1642
THA 402 Theatre Backgrounds: 1642-1900
Total for electives 15-17
Total for minor 24-27

Foreign Language Requirement

All students completing the European Area Studies Minor are required to demonstrate intermediate level competency in a language other than English, relevant to the area. This requirement may be met by completing the university entrance requirement of two years of high school language study, one year of successful college level language study, or demonstration of equivalent competency.