European Studies with Politics

Description

Our BA European Studies with Politics offers you a wide-ranging knowledge of all aspects of European life, culture and politics, including detailed acquaintance with the country where you spend a full academic year.

Why study BA European Studies with Politics at Essex?

European studies is an interdisciplinary subject that touches on a wide range of topics across the humanities and social sciences. Here at Essex, our teaching and research in European studies offers maximum flexibility for you to study areas that interest you. Our teaching and research builds on a foundation of expertise in modern languages, literature, film, history of art, history, politics and sociology, with experienced staff in all disciplines.

Why study this subject?

Switch on the news any day of the week, or pick up just about any national newspaper, and you will be sure to come across an item on Europe. Media coverage of the news coming from continental Europe demonstrates the fact that few of us fully understand the idea and ramifications of a unified Europe. An understanding of the nature of ‘Europe’ requires an examination of its economic, legal and sociological context. Its historical origins are also profoundly important. The artists, writers, musicians, composers and film-makers of Europe have exerted a cultural influence that even now is not eclipsed by the dominance of America on the world’s stage. Yet how many people are equipped to contribute to the process of defining Europe, of shaping the turbulent and recent history which underpins the radical changes in our everyday lives?
The study of Europe encourages rational discussion of the move towards a common European identity and a deeper appreciation of the diverse traditions and people who are all Europeans. Through a course in European studies, you will acquire the knowledge, skills and experience to make an active contribution to one of the most important political and cultural processes of the century. Sociology is the study of the different kinds of social tensions, interactions and networks that make up everyday life. It asks why individuals, groups, cultures and peoples are the way they are and how they might be different.

Our facilities

Our students have access to all our Colchester Campus facilities for learning and research, such as computing laboratories and our Albert Sloman Library, which has strong holdings that, in the subjects of Latin America, Russia and Eastern Europe, are of national significance.

Study abroad/placement opportunities

The third year of your course is spent at one of our ERASMUS partner universities where you will follow modules related to your course at Essex. The year’s work provides an unparalleled experience of life in another country. As you do not need to be studying a language on BA European Studies, your year abroad options include: Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Istanbul, Malta and Stockholm.

Detailed Course Facts

• GBP 9000 Year (EEA)
• GBP 11950 Year (Non-EEA)

• English

Course Content

The special characteristics of our courses are flexibility and choice. In your first year, you usually take four or five modules that include pre-requisite(s) for your course but, in many cases, mean you can try subjects you have not come across before. If you are taking a humanities or social science, then you have the greatest choice, as most of our first-year modules do not assume any specialist knowledge.
With a small number of exceptions, if you successfully complete the first year of your BA, then you are qualified to enter the second year of that course and a range of other courses: for example, if you take economics, politics, philosophy and sociology, then you have a choice of at least nine possible single or joint honours courses at the end of your first year. This means you can change your course, providing you have taken the appropriate pre-requisites and places are available. We offer a range of optional modules in your second- and final-years and most courses allow you to undertake a final-year project, an individual piece of research on a topic that interests you.
We operate a credit framework for our awards, which is based on principles widely used across the UK university sector. Each module has a credit rating attached and our standard three-year course consists of 360 credits (120 credits in your first year, and 240 credits across your second and final years).
Please note that module information on our course finder provides a guide to course content and may be subject to review on an annual basis.

Year 1

Europe: Myth and Idea;and
Introduction to European Politics ;and
One language option; and
One European option OR one outside option OR second intensive language option

Year 2

One language option;
two European options (one to exclude politics options); and
either: West European Politics or International Relations

Year 3

Year abroad

Year 4

One language option;
one European politics option;
one European option; and
project in politics or one politics option

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

• A-levels: ABB-BBB
• GCSE English: C
• IB: 32-30 points (we consider IB certificates at the Higher Level on a case-by-case basis)
• Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 6 level three credits at distinction and the remainder at merit (or above) or achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 45 level three credits at merit (or above).
• If French or Portuguese is taken as the major language, you will need to have A-level French or Portuguese/Spanish at grade E or above (or equivalent).
• If you are interested in studying European studies with a modern language for which you consider yourself to be a native speaker, please contact Undergraduate Admissions prior to making your application.

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall with minimum 5.5 in each component (or equivalent). Different requirements apply for second year entry.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Essex.

Funding

For up-to-date information on funding opportunities at the University of Essex please visit: www.essex.ac.uk/funding.