European Studies Certificate

Are you curious how Brexit, migration, populism and Russian tactics are affecting Europe and the embattled European Union? Explore the fall of the Berlin Wall, the emergence of a strong Central Europe, and the modern challenges dividing political and economic alliances and redefining the concept of Europe.

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Program description

The European Studies Certificate provides a broad overview of the European countries, from their natural environment to their cultural, demographic, economic, and political aspects. The fluid nature of post-1989 Europe and the pressing issues facing Europe today reveal both its tremendous diversity and globalizing elements that invite our transdisciplinary investigation of the languages, literatures, and cultures in the attempt to answer the question “what is Europe.”

Our engagement with the European countries prompts a critical examination of migration and native-immigrant conflict, Brexit, populism, far right movements, democratic decline, terrorism, ethnic tensions, the Ukrainian war, and Russia’s neo-imperial activities. The new understanding of today’s Europe highlights, across countries and generations, the ways in which social, political and economic circumstances shape and transform Europe’s societies, political leadership, and culture.

Our courses offer an innovative and interactive cultural mapping that reflects Europe’s historic and contemporary role as a leading world region and its incredible dynamism on the world stage as a far-reaching and significant global influence.

The European Studies Certificate aims to

Equip students with a broad understanding of Europe that engages the interconnectivity of the tiniest continent’s Western, Central and Eastern regions.
Examine both old liberal democracies and new post-communist countries within and beyond the European Union and NATO.
Foster students’ curiosity and respect for the complexity and interrelationships of European countries’ religious dimensions or ideological influences by posting questions about the complexity of cultures that promote one’s human potential.

Program contact information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

Prof. Ileana Alexandra Orlich | orlich@asu.edu | Durham Hall 402 H
Dr. Madalina Meirosu | madalina.meirosu@asu.edu | Durham Hall 305 D
School of International Letters and Cultures | Durham Hall 318

At a Glance: Program Details

Location: Tempe campus
Additional Program Fee: No
Second Language Requirement: No

Career Opportunities

Graduates who have combined the certificate in European studies with their major program of study may become more marketable to employers. They often decide to pursue employment in education, political analysis, tourism and hospitality or marketing.

Students are encouraged to develop heightened awareness of European societies and cultures, former empires, emerging liberal democracies and post-totalitarian structures, as well as specific area studies. Certificate recipients enhance their academic prospects for scholarships and fellowships, graduate school admissions, and a range of specialized employment opportunities in government, the humanities, and the sciences.

Contact Information

Prof. Ileana Alexandra Orlich | orlich@asu.edu | Durham Hall 402 H

Dr. Madalina Meirosu | madalina.meirosu@asu.edu | Durham Hall 305 D

School of International Letters and Cultures | Durham Hall 318

Program Requirements

A student pursuing an undergraduate certificate must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at ASU. Undergraduate certificates are not awarded prior to the award of an undergraduate degree. A student already holding an undergraduate degree may pursue an undergraduate certificate as a nondegree-seeking graduate student.

Enrollment Requirements

The certificate requires 15 credit hours of upper-division coursework. Each course must be completed with a grade of "C" (2.00 on a 4.00 scale) or better.

Required Core Course -- 6 credit hours

GCU 325: Geography of Europe (SB & G) or POS 352: European Democracies (3)
SLC 429 / ENG 429 / THE 429: What is Europe? ((L or HU) & G & H) (3)

Elective Courses (choose two) -- 6 credit hours

CEL 375 Politics & Leadership in the Age of Revolutions
CEL 394 Freud & Social Thought
CEL 394 Justice & Virtue / Ancient Political Thought
CEL 394 National Security Challenges in the 21st Century: Ukraine/Russia
CEL 394 Russian Social & Political Philosophy
CEL 394 Shakespeare’s Leadership Lessons in the Pines
CEL 394 Trial of Galileo
CEL 394 War & Culture in Central Europe
CEL 494 Classical Mythology and the Western Tradition
CEL 494 Globalism, Nationalism, Citizenship
FRE 321: French Cultural Masterpieces I ((L or HU) & H) (3)
FRE 322: French Cultural Masterpieces II (L or HU) (3)
FRE 414 / ITA 414 / SLC 414: French and Italian Popular Culture ((L or HU) & G) (3)
FRE 415: French Civilization I (HU) (3)
FRE 416: French Civilization II (HU & G) (3)
FRE 494 / ITA 494: Paris & Florence in the Middle Ages (1100-1500) or SLC 494: Paris and Florence in the Middle Ages (1100-1500) (3)
GCU 325: Geography of Europe (SB & G) (3)
GCU 426: Geography of Russia and Surroundings (SB & G) (3)
GER 416: German Civilization (HU & H & G) (3)
GER 422: German Literature Survey, 1800-Today (L or HU) (3)
GER 445 / FMS 445: The Holocaust in German-Mediated Memory (3)
GER 446: Weimar-Era German Film (3)
GER 447 / SLC 447: German Modernism (3)
GRK 344 / LAT 344 / SLC 344: Classics and Comics (HU) (3)
GRK 347 / HST 347 / SLC 345: Ancient Greece I: Bronze Age through the Peloponnesian War (SB & H) (3)
GRK 360 / LAT 360 / SLC 360 / HST 397: Greece and Rome at War (3)
GRK 362 / SLC 362 / REL 360: Ancient Greek Religion (3)
HST 304 / JST 304: Studies in European History (3)
HST 351: Renaissance Europe ((L or HU or SB) & H) (3)
HST 352: Europe's Reformations ((L or HU or SB) & H) (3)
HST 353: Old Regime in Europe (SB & H) (3)
HST 354: Revolutionary Europe (SB & H) (3)
HST 355: Total War and the Crisis of Modernity (SB & G & H) (3)
HST 356: Europe since 1945 (SB & G & H) (3)
HST 359: Jewish History from 1492 to 1948 (SB & G & H) (3)
HST 361 / REL 374: Witchcraft and Heresy in Europe ((L or HU) & H) (3)
HST 362: Sex and Society in Classical and Medieval Europe (SB & H) (3)
HST 363: Sex and Society in Early Modern Europe ((HU or SB) & H) (3)
HST 364: Sex and Society in Modern Europe ((L or SB) & H) (3)
HST 368: Culture and Imagination in European History (HU & H) (3)
HST 370: Eastern Europe in Transition (SB & G & H) (3)
HST 373 / LAT 373 / SLC 373: Roman History I: Foundations and Republic (3)
HST 374 / LAT 374 / SLC 374: Roman History II: The Roman Empire (3)
HST 427: French Revolution/Napoleonic Era (SB & H) (3)
HST 429: Modern Germany (SB & G & H) (3)
HST 432: Eastern Europe the Balkans, 20th Century (G & H) (3)
HST 465: Women in Europe, 1750 to Present ((HU or SB) & H) (3)
HST 495: Holocaust (L) (3)
ITA 315: Italian Culture: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (HU & G) (3)
ITA 321: Italian Renaissance Culture: Politicians, Merchants, Artists and Courtesans (H) (3)
ITA 322: Modern Italian Culture: Explorers, Scientists, Musicians and Revolutionaries (HU) (3)
ITA 350 / SLC 350: Food and Culture: The Mediterranean Lifestyle in Italy (3)
ITA 423 / SLC 423: Italian Organized Crime in Films and History ((L or HU) & G) (3)
POS 352: European Democracies (3)
POS 356: European Union (SB & G) (3)
REL 312: History and Memory of the Holocaust (3)
REL 377: Religion in Russia (HU & H) (3)
REL 382: Magick, Religion and Science (L or HU) (3)
RUS 323: Russian Literature and Revolution: The Twentieth Century ((L or HU) & G) (3)
RUS 430: Russian Short Story (L or HU) (3)
RUS 440: Russian Mass Media (G) (3)
SLC 442 / ROM 442: Dracula and Vampire Lore ((L or HU) & G & H) (3)
SPA 425: Foundational Texts of Spain (L or HU) (3)
SPA 426: Literature and Society in Modern Spain (HU) (3)
SPA 473: Old and New Spaniards: Culture and Civilization of Spain ((HU or SB) & G) (3)

Capstone Experience (choose one) -- 3 credit hours

Upper Division Capstone Elective (3)

Students select Capstone Experience from list below in consultation with the European studies certificate faculty coordinator and academic advisor.

Students may use credit earned on a study abroad program in a European country. Placement of the credit must be reviewed and approved by the European studies certificate faculty coordinator and the academic advisor.

Independent Study with Area Expert

FRE 499: Individualized Instruction (3)
GER 499: Individualized Instruction (3)
ITA 499: Individualized Instruction (3)
ROM 499: Individualized Instruction (3)
RUS 499: Individualized Instruction (3)
SLC 499: Individualized Instruction (3)
SPA 499: Individualized Instruction (3)

Internship

FRE 484: Internship (3)
GER 484: Internship (3)
ITA 484: Internship (3)
RUS 484: Internship (3)
SLC 484: Internship (3)
SPA 484: Internship (3)

Professional Seminar

SLC 498: Pro-Seminar (3)
SPA 498: Pro-Seminar (3)

Depending on a student's undergraduate program of study, prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this certificate.