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 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.

UC San Diego undergraduate students: Please use the Virtual Advising Center (VAC) for all advising questions. Use the "Meet with Advisor" page to schedule an appointment with an academic advisor. If you need to submit petitions, you may use the email: caesar@ucsd.edu

People

Program Co-Directors

Frank Biess
Professor, History

Ulrike Strasser
Professor, History

Academic Advising

UC San Diego undergraduate students: Please use the Virtual Advising Center (VAC) for all advising questions. Use the "Meet with Advisor" page to schedule an appointment with an academic advisor.

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

Oumelbanine Zhiri, Literature

Minor

European Studies Minor

To receive a minor in European Studies, a student must complete seven four-unit courses (twenty-eight units), at least five of which must be upper division and taken in at least two different departments. Language courses are not required for this minor, but please note that some upper-division courses may have prerequisites.

Up to two four-unit courses in foreign language can be included in the seven courses required for the minor. These may be lower-division courses.

All courses applied to the minor must receive a letter grade of C– or better.

Upper-division courses may include up to two 198 and 199 courses and up to three courses from Study Abroad Programs with the approval of the program director.

Minors in European Studies are encouraged to study abroad in Europe. Students should consult with the program director before going abroad to determine which courses will be approved for minor credit.

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
*POLI 120H. European Integration
VIS 122B. Baroque: Painters, Sculptors, Architects

Winter 2025

HIEU 147. Europe and the World I, 1808–1918
LTEU 105. Medieval Studies: Dante's Inferno
LTIT 2B. Intermediate Italian II
MUS 113. Topics in Classical, Romantic, and Modern Music: Moondrunk: German Expressionism Through Music, Art, and Literature
PHIL 107. Hegel
PHIL 32. Philosophy and the Rise of Modern Science
LTEN 23. Introduction to the Literature of the British Isles: 1832–Present
LTEN 140. The British Novel: 1790–1830
LTEN 142. The British Novel: 1830–1890
LTEN 189. Twentieth-Century Postcolonial Literatures: Legacies of British Imperialism
LTEU 105. Medieval Studies: Dante's Purgatory and Paradise
LTEU 141. French Literature in English Translation
LTEU 150C. Survey of Russian and Soviet Literature in Translation, 1917–Present
LTFR 2B. Intermediate French II
LTFR 2C. Intermediate French III: Composition and Cultural Contexts
LTFR 104. Advanced French Reading and Writing
LTGM 2B. Intermediate German II
LTIT 2B. Intermediate Italian II
LTSP 2A. Intermediate Spanish I
LTSP 2B. Intermediate Spanish II
LTSP 2C. Intermediate Spanish III
LTSP 2F. Spanish for Heritage Learners II
LTSP 3F. Spanish for Heritage Learners III
LTSP 100F. Advanced Spanish Language and Culture for Heritage Learners
LTSP 116. Representations of Spanish Colonialism
LTSP 123. Topics in Modern Spanish Culture
*POLI 120G. British Politics

Spring 2025

HIEU 128. Europe Since 1945
HIEU 146. Fascism, Communism, and the Crisis of Liberal Democracy: Europe 1919–1945
HIEU 148. Europe and the World II, 1918–Present
LIFR 1A/1AX. French Conversation/Analysis of French
LIFR 1C/1CX. French Conversation/Analysis of French
LIFR 1D/1DX. French Conversation/Analysis of French
LIGM 1C/1CX. German Conversation/German Conversation
LIIT 1C/1CX. Italian Conversation/Analysis of Italian
LIPO 1C/1CX. Portuguese Conversation/Analysis of Portuguese
LISP 1A/1AX. Spanish Conversation/Analysis of Spanish
LISP 1D/1DX. Spanish Conversation/Analysis of Spanish
LTEN 22. Introduction to the Literature of the British Isles: 1660–1832
LTEN 110. Topics: The Renaissance
LTEN 127. Victorian Poetry
LTEU 110. European Romanticism
LTEU 140. Italian Literature in Translation
LTEU 154. Russian Culture
LTFR 2A. Intermediate French I
LTFR 2C. Intermediate French III: Composition and Cultural Contexts
LTFR 141. Topics in Literatures in French
LTGK 3. Intermediate Greek (II)
LTGM 2C. Intermediate German III
LTIT 50. Advanced Italian
LTLA 3. Intermediate Latin (II)
LTRU 1C. First-Year Russian
LTRU 104A. Advanced Practicum in Russian: Linguistic Skills Development
LTRU 150. Russian Culture
LTSP 2A. Intermediate Spanish I: Foundations
LTSP 2B. Intermediate Spanish II: Readings and Composition
LTSP 2C. Intermediate Spanish III: Cultural Topics and Composition
LTSP 100A. Advanced Spanish Reading and Writing for the Humanities and the Social Sciences
MUS 4. Introduction to Western Music
MUS 113. Topics in Classic, Romantic, and Modern Music
PHIL 13. Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics
PHIL 102. Hellenistic Philosophy
PHIL 108. Nineteenth-Century Philosophy
PHIL 33. Philosophy between Reason and Despair
POLI 110C. Revolution and Reaction: Political Thought from Kant to Nietzsche
POLI 126AB. Politics and Economics in Eastern Europe
SOCI 20. Social Change in the Modern World
SOCI 100. Classical Sociological Theory
SOCI 106. Comparative and Historical Methods
VIS 22. Formations of Modern Art
VIS 113BN. History of Criticism II: Early Twentieth Century (1900–1950)
VIS 121AN. Art and Experience in the Middle Ages
*VIS 128A. Topics in Premodern Art History: “Clash of Gods”: Late Antique Art and Architecture

Summer Session I 2025

HIEU 109. Blood, Soil, Boundaries: Nationalism in Europe
HIEU 128. Europe Since 1945
HIEU 147. Europe and the World I, 1808–1918
LIFR 1A/1AX. French Conversation/Analysis of French
LIFR 1B/1BX. French Conversation/Analysis of French
LISP 1D/1DX. Spanish Conversation/Analysis of Spanish
*LTEN 128GS. British and Irish Poetry: 1900 to Present
*LTSP 123GS. Topics in Modern Spanish Culture
MUS 4. Introduction to Western Music
PHIL 13. Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics
PHIL 15. Introduction to Philosophy: Knowledge and Its Limits
PHIL 167. Contemporary Political Philosophy
PHIL 183. Topics in Continental Philosophy: Jewish Existentialism
POLI 110C. Revolution and Reaction: Political Thought from Kant to Nietzsche
SOCI 100. Classical Sociological Theory
VIS 22. Formations of Modern Art
VIS 125A. Twentieth-Century Art

Summer Session II 2025

HIEU 148. Europe and the World II, 1918–Present
LIFR 1C/1CX. French Conversation/Analysis of French
LIFR 1D/1DX. French Conversation/Analysis of French
MUS 4. Introduction to Western Music
PHIL 105. Topics in Early Modern Philosophy
POLI 110B. Sovereigns, Subjects, and the Modern State: Political Thought from Machiavelli to Rousseau
POLI 126AA. Fundamentals of Political Economy: Modern Capitalism
SOCI 20. Social Change in the Modern World
SOCI 106. Comparative and Historical Methods
TDHT 101. Topics in Dramatic Literature and Theatre History: Shakesqueer

Events

Please find information about upcoming events and how to subscribe to the Institute of Arts and Humanities newsletter on the Events webpage.

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

Where can I learn more information about studying abroad in Europe?

The European Studies minor program is separate from Study Abroad. You can visit the Study Abroad website to learn more about your options and their advising services. They are listed in VAC under "Study Abroad" and all Study Abroad questions should be directed to them.

If you have any questions about the minor, please reach out to "European Studies" on VAC. We encourage studying abroad and this could be a great addition to your plans!

Where can I learn more about taking a European language?

The European Studies program does not offer any languages, but you can see this webpage on language courses at UC San Diego.

Language classes can apply to the European Studies minor, so review the minor requirements and reach out to "European Studies" on VAC if you have any questions.