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European Studies: Geographies of Europe (B.A)
The Bachelor’s degree programme in European Studies: Geographies of Europe is concerned with spatial development processes in Europe. It focuses on a wide range of political, economic and social aspects, especially within the European Union, and their geographical manifestations. For example, concepts from geography and neighbouring scientific disciplines are applied to explain processes of economic and urban development or to interpret intergovernmental relations and migration movements. Students on this programme also get acquainted with methodological approaches used in social research and with digital geographic information systems. Graduates are well qualified to enter the job market immediately after obtaining their Bachelor’s degree, but they can also go on to study for a wide range of interesting Master’s degree programmes in the field of human geography such as the M.A. programme Border Studies at Saarland University.
In addition to the subject-specific knowledge students acquire in the field of geography, the degree programme in European Studies: Geographies of Europe provides an overview of European issues. In the interdisciplinary core area, students learn more about development processes, current trends and perspectives on Europe. Historical knowledge and knowledge of current developments in the field of history, geography, politics, language, law, literature and media allow students to independently study and critically reflect upon complex issues. Students choose a specialist subject which supplements the basic knowledge of European contexts taught in the degree programme.
The Bachelor's programme in European Studies: Geographies of Europe at Saarland University offers students the opportunity to choose an interdisciplinary degree programme focusing on development processes, current trends and perspectives regarding Europe. Historical knowledge and knowledge of current developments in the field of history, geography, politics, language, law, literature and media allow students to independently study and critically reflect upon complex issues.
Therefore, students on the Bachelor’s programme in European Studies who wish to focus on geography may do so by choosing the interdisciplinary area of specialization 'European Studies: Geographies of Europe'. Europe and the European Union develop at different speeds and are characterized by spatial inequalities, which correlate with political, social, economic, ecological, and other consequences. The programme 'Geographies of Europe' approaches today's Europe from a perspective characterized by spatial/regional science. In this context, concepts from human and cultural geography are particularly important as they enable students to explain, for example, economic and urban development. In addition, this B.A. programme allows students to develop methodological skills. Especially due to the programme’s focus on quantitative and qualitative methods used in social research as well as geographic information systems and digitalisation, graduates are well qualified to enter the job market or to go on to study for a Master's degree.
Internationality and work-integrated learning are also important aspects of this degree programme: students need to deepen their skills of foreign European languages, and the programme includes a stay abroad and a work placement or internship.
The three Bachelor's degree programmes in European Studies are composed of three areas (core area, specialist subject, mandatory elective section) and are identical except for the specialist subject. When enrolling, prospective students on the European Studies programme can choose one of the following specialist subjects: Geographies of Europe, Modern and Contemporary History, Comparative Literature. Students must earn total of at least 180 ECTS credits to obtain the Bachelor's degree.
Core area (102 ECTS credits)
In the core area, which all students in the Bachelor’s degree programmes in European Studies need to complete, they are taught basic knowledge about Europe. These courses provide an interdisciplinary overview of historical and current development processes which will help the students understand how Europe became what it is today.
Introductory events and advanced courses in the fields of geography, history, intercultural communication, media and cultural studies, political science and law create the ideal basis for the students to understand Europe.
- Einführung in Geschichte, Entwicklungslinien und Raumkonstrukte Europas
- Einführung in die Bevölkerungs- und Migrationsstudien
- Einführung in die Bevölkerungs- und Migrationsstudien
- Einführung Europa: Medienkulturen/Kulturmedien
- Einführung in das Regieren im Mehrebenensystem Europas
- Europäische Integration
- Basismodul Interkulturelle Kommunikation oder Basismodul Französische
- Kultur- und Medienwissenschaft
- Europarecht
- Einführung in das wissenschaftliche Arbeiten.
The core area also includes language courses (9 ECTS credits), which prepare students for their stay abroad and represent an additional qualification.
Students spend their fifth semester staying abroad (Erasmus semester or, for students of the 'European Studies: Geographies of Europe' programme, a research stay; 20 ECTS credits).
A work placement or internship (12 ECTS credits) with a European focus offers the opportunity to gain insights into working practice.
At the end of their studies, students will have to complete a Bachelor's thesis (12 ECTS credits).
In total, the core area comprises 102 ECTS credits.
Specialist subject (60 ECTS credits)
The specialist subject (60 ECTS credits) chosen at the time of enrolment is studied in parallel allowing students to specialize in a specific field. In this case, this field would be 'Geographies of Europe'. In the specialist subject, students are taught subject-specific knowledge. By selecting their specialist subject according to their interests, students can qualify for further study and career opportunities. Students specialize in cultural and human geography by completing the following modules (60 ECTS credits):
- Einführung in Gesellschaft und Raum: Introduction to human geography; social and spatial development processes (lecture course and exercise class)
- Einführung in die Europäische Siedlungsentwicklung: Stadt-Land-Welten im Wandel (Lecture course, exercise class and one-day field trip)
- Aktuelle raumbezogene Entwicklungen und Konflikte in Europa (seminar und advanced seminar)
- Methoden empirischer Forschung: introduction to qualitative and quantitative research methods and application of these methods (two exercise classes and one field practical work)
- Methodenvertiefung: Kartographie, GIS und Digitalisierung (exercise class); Räume und Gesellschaften im Wandel (project seminar)
- Große Exkursion Europa (preparatory seminar and one-week excursion).
Mandatory elective section (18 ECTS credits)
In addition, students take courses from the mandatory elective section. Students are required to complete mandatory elective courses corresponding to 18 ECTS credits. In this section, the prospective researchers in the field of European Studies can select modules from a course catalogue according to their individual interests and depending on the qualifications they wish to acquire to complete their profile.
In the mandatory elective section, students can take courses from the following fields:
- Business Administration
- European Comparative Media Studies
- Classical Archaeology
- Modern and Contemporary History
- Philosophy
- Romance Languages and Literature
- Comparative Literature Studies
- Prehistory and Early History
- 'Optionalbereich' including certificates (e.g. Applied Pop Studies, Gender Studies, German as a Second Language and GSL Methodologies for Schools)
Outside Saarland University, the programme qualifies students for Master's degree programmes in human geography.
Regulations
Examination regulations
Study regulations (in German)
Subject-specific regulations (in German)
Programme content and additional information
Study plan
Module catalogue
Central Student Advisory Service
Campus Saarbrücken
Campus Center, Building A4 4, ground floor
Phone: +49 681 302-3513
studienberatung(at)uni-saarland.de
Programme advisor
Dr. Ines Funk
Campus Saarbrücken
Building C5 3, room 2.12
66123 Saarbrücken
Phone: +49 681 302-64201
ines.funk(at)uni-saarland.de
Entry restrictions do not apply to this programme. Students can only join the programme in the winter semester.
You can enrol in the first semester of this study programme directly via Saarland University's SIM portals. You do not need apply for admission beforehand. The enrolment deadline is the end of September.
Please note: If you want to switch subjects and plan to enrol in a higher semester of the new study programme ('higher-semester entry'), you will also need to submit an RPL certificate (RPL: recognition of prior learning) from the relevant examinations office.
Enrolment documents can only be submitted online during the enrolment application process in the relevant SIM portal.
If you have any questions about using the SIM portals, please check out our SIM Saarland help pages where you will find lots of useful information, videos and step-by-step guides.
Slightly different admission rules may apply to prospective students with a foreign higher education entrance qualification.
Die Metropole Paris als Studienobjekt
In den Europawissenschaften gehört eine Exkursion im Geographie-Schwerpunkt zum Pflichtprogramm. Sie bietet die Möglichkeit, die einzelnen Teilbereiche des Studiengangs wie Geographie, Politik, Wirtschaft, Kultur und Gesellschaft gebündelt auf Metropolen, wie beispielsweise Paris, anzuwenden. So können Studierende heutige Herausforderungen einer Metropolregion wahrnehmen und das theoretische Wissen des Studiums direkt in der Praxis anwenden.
Central Student Advisory Service
Saarbrücken Campus
Building A4 4, Ground floor
Phone: +49 681 302-3513
studienberatung(at)uni-saarland.de
Central Student Advisory Service
Accredited study programmes
Saarland University was one of the first universities in Germany to achieve Quality Assurance Accreditation and has held the Accreditation Council’s official quality mark continuously since 2012.
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