European Studies
Minor
About this program
The Minor in European Studies explores Europe’s history, politics, and culture through the arts, humanities, and social sciences. You’ll examine key ideas like revolution, democracy, and human rights, and study how Europe’s past shapes its present. This program supports interests in study abroad, global careers, or teaching. It helps you understand a major world region from multiple perspectives in a global context.
Program Curriculum and Requirements
Program Scope
What Is the European Studies Minor?
The European Studies minor is a multidisciplinary program in European history, politics, and culture designed to provide undergraduate students with a broad understanding of European ideas and institutions over time. The minor is open to students in all major fields.
Why Learn About Europe?
Europe today is a complex and fascinating region of the world undergoing significant change. It is grappling with an array of fundamental political, socioeconomic, and cultural challenges, from charting the future for the European Union to how to reform the European welfare state to integrating newly arrived immigrants into national society.
Who Should Declare a Minor in European Studies?
- Students interested in European society, culture, art, history and politics in any time period
- Students who have studied in Europe or want to study in Europe
- Students preparing for careers in the arts, international politics, international business, teaching or the foreign service
- Students who wish to show employers or graduate schools their expertise in a region outside of the United States
- Students who want to become global citizens
How Do I Find Out More?
For additional information or advising, contact the European Studies program coordinators, Prof. Scott Siegel by email at snsiegel@sfsu.edu.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Understand how European countries developed through an interconnected web of political conflict and cooperation, economic integration, and cultural exchange.
- Examine critically the conditions for the emergence of the core European institutions that we observe today--democracy, capitalism, social welfare, and cultural values.
- Trace the roots of Western culture and how it changed across time and was expressed differently in a variety of different artistic forms or modalities.