European Studies

European Studies is an area-studies and intellectual history program administered by the School of Languages and Cultures (SLC) with participation from other Departments. European Studies is designed to provide information on and analysis of the identities, societies and cultures of contemporary Europe and on the social, cultural, and intellectual developments which generated the Europe of today, including both the European Union and the 'Europe' of tradition and history.

Students must register with the European Studies Director in addition to their normal University enrolment. The Director of European Studies will help to plan a course in which European Studies and the various disciplinary areas are combined into a co-ordinated program of study.

Program structure and content
While the undergraduate units cover broad aspects of European society, literature, culture and history, the main theoretical basis lies in civilisational analysis, in which contemporary Europe and the concept of Europe and of European civilisation is linked to long-term historical, cultural and socio-political developments. In the core upper-level European Studies units we study the context and intellectual history of key aspects of contemporary Europe, such as the state of European civilisation, origins and development of the European individual, regional, national and ethnic identity in contemporary Europe, European and western modernity, and other key aspects of European civilisation. Aspects of European identity are studied through literature, film and historical, political and sociological texts; and theoretical discussions of European identity, civilisation and culture are monitored and critically examined. Optional units may be chosen from European Studies and from a broad range of cross-listed units in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Students intending to major in European Studies must fulfil the requirements of language study or its equivalent. However students taking EUST units do not require any ability in a language other than English.

European Studies is closely allied to the study of relevant languages and all students are encouraged to learn a European or allied language. However, the program also aims to establish wider links to the humanities and to the social sciences, economics, law and other areas of teaching in which a European component is involved. Comparative studies in particular may involve the use of translations, although for higher-degree work in particular knowledge of relevant languages is necessary.

Students wishing to take EUST units of study at senior level must have completed 48 junior credit points. There are as yet no specific EUST units of study at a junior level.

EUST senior units of study can be credit towards the major, taken as electives or can be cross-listed towards other majors in SLC, or towards a major in other departments, in accordance with the cross-listed requirements of those departments.

The following EUST units of study will be offered in 2011: EUST2601 Europe: Civilisation and Barbarism; EUST2605 Europe: Literature and Dictatorship; EUST2611 European & Middle Eastern Myth & Legend; EUST2612 Regionalisms in Europe & the Middle East.

Requirements for a major
In order to complete the requirements for the major in European Studies, students need to have done the following:

• completed at least 36 senior credit points in relevant non-languages acquisition units
• completed at least three of the designated core units
• completed EITHER 12 credit points of a European or Middle Eastern Language other than English at junior advanced level OR 24 credit points of a European or Middle Eastern Language other than English at Beginners, Introductory and Senior Intermediate level. Languages that can be studied include Arabic, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Ancient Greek, Modern Greek, Latin, Spanish and Yiddish.

Summer and Winter School
Relevant units of study offered as part of Summer and Winter School may be counted towards a major in European Studies.

Honours (see chapter 5 for more information)
Intending Honours students must obtain a credit average in the units taken for their European studies major, plus either 12 advanced level credit points OR 24 introductory/intermediate level credit points of a non-English European or Middle-Eastern language. Students intending to do honours are also strongly advised to undertake an exchange semester during their major. Honours students will undertake two seminars, and write a 20,000 word thesis.

Contact/further information
Department Website: sydney.edu.au/arts/european_middle_eastern
Program Director: Professor Peter Morgan;