马斯特里赫特大学

What is Europe and how do we define it? How has history shaped our current understanding of the continent? How has European integration changed Europe? In the bachelor's programme in European Studies, you will work with your fellow students to develop answers to these complex questions. You will explore Europe and European integration using insights and methods from history, political science, international relations, law, economics, philosophy, and sociology. This programme trains you to become a critical thinker who can understand, analyse and explain complex current problems at the European level from various disciplinary perspectives. You can use this expertise to work in European institutions, public administration, management and consultancy.

The bachelor's programme in European Studies originated from one core idea: It is impossible to understand modern-day Europe and European integration from the perspective of only one discipline. Take the ongoing economic crisis as an example. This crisis can never be fully understood from an economic or financial perspective alone. In order to understand what is happening and to grasp how the European Union responds to this crisis, we also need to analyse the historical developments and different political and cultural backgrounds of European countries that are cooperating to manage the crisis.

Societal and political challenges can only be understood in the broader socio-cultural contexts. Politics, law or economics alone are not enough to solve the European 'puzzle'. Therefore, European Studies adopts an interdisciplinary approach, combining insights and methods from political science, history, international relations, law, economics, philosophy, and sociology.

Your future

When you graduate, you will have the opportunity to deepen your knowledge in the field of European Studies or in related fields such as European law and international relations. Other increasingly popular fields are journalism, governance and politics, and business and finance. Maastricht University has a series of one- and two-year master’s programmes for European Studies graduates, each with its own specialisations.

Career opportunities

As a graduate of the bachelor’ s programme in European Studies, you will be in high demand in a wide variety of places, from government and NGO’s to international institutes and corporations. Our European Studies programme has one of the best reputations in Brussels. That is because you learn not only facts and concepts but also the professional skills you will need in your career. Along with a research-oriented attitude and critical reflection, you will learn skills such as: problem-solving, professional communication, result- and quality-orientated behaviour, the ability to prioritise and organise your own working/learning process, working with others in multicultural teams, and, perhaps most importantly: you will learn how to learn. These skills are highly valued by employers, which is why over 95% of our graduates are either employed or go on to do a graduate study or internship.