European Studies

European Studies is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on the politics, culture, economy, society and history of Europe, and on Europe’s place in the world. It puts you on the threshold of a world at the forefront of dynamic change -- social, cultural, political, and economic -- as well as a world of rich and resonant traditions in literature, philosophy, science, art and architecture. There are close to 70 faculty in various departments at UC San Diego affiliated with the European Studies Minor, whose courses form our curriculum. Students may choose from among these, with any emphasis that they desire. The European Studies Minor is a very useful credential to have on your degree, especially if you are interested in a career that has a global dimension. It also indicates an approach to the world that is attractive to law, medical and business schools.

Here are some of the issues your studies for the Minor could open up:

Brexit: what are the implications of the UK leaving the EU?
The Euro: how does an international currency function?
Immigration: how can the movement of peoples be conducted?
Heritage: how can the past be preserved for the future?
Privacy: what are the rights of citizens and the obligations of the state to individual privacy in the digital age?
Social Justice: how can inequality be addressed?

Students choosing to minor in European Studies may design their coursework to focus on their own interests by drawing from multiple disciplines including communications, economics, history, political science, literature, sociology, philosophy, the arts and more. The program also encourages students to complete some of their coursework through study abroad in Europe.

People

Program Directors

Frank Biess, Co-Director
Professor, History

Ulrike Strasser, Co-Director
Professor, History

Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor

Jennifer Dieli
Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor
Ridge Walk Academic Complex - Arts and Humanities Building, 6th Floor, Room 655
caesar@ucsd.edu

Current UC San Diego undergraduate students, please use the Virtual Advising Center (VAC) for all advising questions.

Faculty

Eric Bakovic, Linguistics

Ryan Bessett, Literature

Frank Biess, History

John D. Blanco, Literature

David Brink, Philosophy

Alain Cohen, Literature

Thomas Csordas, Anthropology

Adriana de Marchi Gherini, Literature

Thomas Gallant, History

Cathy Gere, History

Clark Gibson, Political Science

Amelia Glaser, Literature

Harvey Goldman, Sociology

Mark G. Hanna, History

Michael Hardimon, Philosophy

Matthew Herbst
Director, Making of the Modern World

Deborah Hertz, History

Germaine Hoston, Political Science

Monte Johnson, Philosophy

Dayna Kalleres, Literature

Grant Kester, Visual Arts

Robert Kluender, Linguistics

Lisa Lampert-Weissig, Literature

Martha Lampland, Sociology

Ping-hu Liao, Literature

Babette Mangolte, Visual Arts

Luis Martin-Cabrera, Literature

Karola Obermüller, Music

Patrick Patterson, History

Catherine Ploye, Literature

Michael Provence, History

Pamela B. Radcliff, History

Babak Rahimi, Literature

Samuel Rickless, Philosophy

Philip Roeder, Political Science

Akos Rona-Tas, Sociology

Jordan Rose, Visual Arts

Christina Schneider, Political Science

Gershon Shafir, Sociology

Kaare Strom, Political Science

Ulrike Strasser, History

Charles Thorpe, Sociology

Clinton Tolley, Philosophy

William Tronzo, Visual Arts

Eric Watkins, Philosophy

John Welchman, Visual Arts

Alena Williams, Visual Arts

Oumelbanine Zhiri, Literature

Minor

European Studies Minor

The European Studies minor is for students with strong European interests or who plan to study in Europe on an EAP or OAP program, but also those who seek to complement their major with the study of Europe as a political, cultural, and economic entity.

A minor in European Studies consists of completing 7 courses (twenty-eight units) that focus on Europe from two different departments. At least 5 of the courses must be upper division. Two of these courses can be replaced with language courses.

Resources:

Resources

UC San Diego Undergraduate Student Resources

Course Offerings

Refer to the official UC San Diego General Catalog for a complete list of approved courses that will count toward a minor in European Studies.

Course offerings are constantly changing. Please refer to the Schedule of Classes for the most up-to-date listing.

(*) Indicates course may be petitioned for credit. Instructions on How to Petition Courses.

Fall 2024

HIEU 171. Special Topics in Twentieth-Century Europe: Berlin and the 20th Century
LIFR 1A/1AX. French Conversation/Analysis of French
LIFR 1B/1BX. French Conversation/Analysis of French
LIFR 1C/1CX. French Conversation/Analysis of French
LIFR 1D/1DX. French Conversation/Analysis of French
LIIT 1A/1AX. Italian Conversation/Analysis of Italian
LIPO 1A/1AX. Portuguese Conversation/Analysis of Portuguese
LIPO 1D/1DX. Portuguese Conversation/Analysis of Portuguese
LISP 1A/1AX. Spanish Conversation/Analysis of Spanish
LISP 1B/1BX. Spanish Conversation/Analysis of Spanish
LISP 1D/1DX. Spanish Conversation/Analysis of Spanish
LTFR 2A. Intermediate French I
LTFR 2B. Intermediate French II
LTIT 2A. Intermediate Italian I
LTSP 2A. Intermediate Spanish I
LTSP 2B. Intermediate Spanish II
LTSP 2C. Intermediate Spanish III
LTTH 115. Introduction to Critical Theory
MUS 4. Introduction to Western Music
MUS 113. Topics in Classic, Romantic, and Modern Music
MUS 120A. History of Music in Western Culture I
PHIL 13. Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics
PHIL 14. Introduction to Philosophy: The Nature of Reality
PHIL 31. Introduction to Ancient Philosophy

Events

2021-2022 Events

March 10, 2022: War in Ukraine - Perspectives and Comments from UC San Diego Experts (Video)

March 8, 2022: Black German Women and and Intellectual Activism with Tiffany Florvil (Video)

January 10, 2022: Edmond Fleg and Jewish Minority Culture in Twentieth-Century France with Sally Charnow (Co-Sponsored with Jewish Studies Program) (Video)

2020-2021 Events

May 11, 2021: Ruin and Renewal: Civilizing Europe after World War II - Paul Betts in conversation with Frank Biess (Video)

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Please see below for responses to commonly asked questions. If you have further questions, please contact the European Studies program through the Virtual Advising Center (VAC).

Who should minor in European Studies?

The European Studies Minor is ideal for students who:

plan to study in Europe on an EAP or OAP program (or are returning from study abroad in Europe)
have strong European interests and/or are already proficient in an European language
are thinking about working in Europe
seek to complement their major with the study of Europe as a political, cultural, and economic entity
are entertaining a career in foreign service, international non-governmental organizations, law, biomedical research, medicine, or business

Can I take courses P/NP for the European Studies minor?

No, P/NP courses cannot be used toward the minor. Courses must be taken for a letter grade and be passed with a grade of C– or better.

I took a course not listed on the course catalog. Can I count it toward my minor?

You will need to petition the course to see if it will apply towards your European Studies minor.

Instructions on How to Petition Courses