European Studies with a Politics Major

[portland/thnet/Es1199/_private/navbar.htm]

BA Hons in EUROPEAN STUDIES (Politics major option)

UCAS code T200 BA/Europ

European Studies at Bradford gives you a thorough grasp of the issues facing modern Europe, focusing on East/West relations, European integration (especially the EC), Eastern Europe since 1989, and the major European powers. The course combines Honours-level study of French, German or Spanish with Honours-level study of politics, (with optional modules in economics, history, geography or sociology). These subjects are set in the context of contemporary Europe in a way that allows you to develop skills relevant to a career.

This is a four-year course, with the third year being spent at a continental university (typically a Politics department in France, Germany of Spain), studying your social science subject (in this instance Politics) through the medium of your foreign language. Language ability equivalent to a good A-level pass is required for entry.

Further information including a full list of modules and options under European Studies

What you study

The course comprises three almost equal elements: your language, your main social science option (Politics), and integrating subjects.

In the first year you take history plus three out of four other social science subjects. In the second year, you choose to specialise in one of these subjects, each of which comprises three core courses and two optional modules in the second and final years. You also take two compulsory courses about modern Europe.

Your language teaching over the first two years will concentrate on giving you access to social science material. It will include translation of social science passages, as well as précis and summary writing skills. Oral work includes language laboratory exercises on comprehension, fluency and pronunciation.

Your social science studies continue in the third year, spent at one of the European universities with which we have contacts. You will complete a dissertation (in English), and derive benefit from being part of French, German or Spanish academic life. Your studies in the final year will build upon these experiences and the insights and language fluency you will have gained.

You will also have an opportunity to develop skills useful to a future career; for example in computing, statistics, research methods and oral presentation.

First year

French, German or Spanish

Three from: Economics, Geography, Politics, Sociology

Modern European history

Second year

French, German or Spanish

Core modules in:

Politics

Modern Europe

Plus

Optional modules in any discipline (History, Economics, Geography, Politics, Sociology)

Third year