The certificate in European Union studies (CEUS) allows CU Boulder undergraduates in a range of social science and humanities programs to gain skills and understanding around the European Union (EU). The certificate documents a student's expertise in European Union studies, opening opportunities for further study, internships and careers in public, private or nonprofit sectors.

CEUS is housed in the International Affairs Program (IAFS) in the College of Arts and Sciences, and the certificate curriculum is intentionally interdisciplinary. Students admitted into the program will complete coursework with EU content going beyond what they can obtain merely by completing any single major. They will also participate in cocurricular activities to augment their understanding of the development, focus, functioning and future of the EU.

Upon completion of this program, students will have a demonstrated understanding of the European Union; its politics, history, institutions, economics, policies, member states, relations with the US, role in the world and much more.

For more information, visit the program's European Union Studies webpage.

Requirements

Application and Admission

For more information and to apply, contact iafs@colorado.edu. The application includes an essay describing the applicant’s interests and background in EU studies and reasons or motivations for pursuing this certificate. 

Program Requirements

A total of 19 credit hours of coursework is required to complete the certificate. All credit hours must be completed with grades of C- or better and an overall GPA of 3.000. None of the required hours may be taken pass/fail.

In addition to their coursework, CEUS students will attend at least four EU-related lectures and events during their semesters of residency at CU and will submit a brief write-up of the main themes or discussion points of the events to iafs@colorado.edu.

Lower-Division Core Requirements7
It is essential that all students in the EU Studies Certificate program begin with a common framework for the analysis of international institutions and relations as a background for the upper-division coursework in EU studies. All students must therefore complete the following lower-division requirements:
Introduction to Comparative Politics
Global Issues and International Affairs
Upper-Division Core Requirements3
European Union Politics
Upper-Division Electives9
Students must complete at least 9 hours of relevant upper-division coursework, including at least 6 credit hours from outside their major or minor, selected from the list below. Courses not listed here but with a focus on EU issues may be applied to this elective requirement with approval from IAFS. This includes, in particular, courses taken on authorized study abroad program in EU countries.
Economic History of Europe
Special Topics in Finance (certain topics)
Geography of Western Europe
Issues in German Politics, Literature and Media
Gender, Race and Immigration in Germany and Europe
The Age of Religious Wars: Reformation Europe,1500-1648
Britain and the Empire, 1688-1964
History of France since 1815
German History 1848-1989: Weimar Republic, Nazism, State Socialism
Modern European Thought and Culture, 1870-Present
Europe since 1945
French Connections: Contemporary France and America in Historical Context
History of Modern Italy
Current Affairs in International Relations
Democracy and Its Citizens in the US and EU
International Law
Western European Politics
East European Politics
International Organizations
Europe and the International System
Spanish Culture
Catalan Culture 1: Nation and Art
Catalan Culture 2: Contemporary Trends and Barcelona
Discovering Barcelona: Culture and Heritage
Barcelona: Understanding Local and Immigrant Cultures
Total Credit Hours19

Students earn the certificate in European Union studies upon verification by IAFS that they have completed a series of curricular and co-curricular requirements.