Course details

Summary

Studying Europe from afar provides a number of advantages - of perspective, comparative analysis and of isolation from short-term trends. Europe provides an important cultural and linguistic reference point to New Zealand in an increasingly global community. The European Union (EU) is New Zealand's most significant bilateral partner after Australia and is one of the world's leading political and trading blocs, with 28 member states and 500 million people.

European and European Union Studies aims to offer a broad-based, inter-disciplinary programme that embraces the studies of the institutional, legal, political, economic and social aspects of the integration process of the EU as well as the languages and cultures of Europe. The programme encourages the study of European languages within this framework.

PGCertArts students will be introduced to sophisticated subject matter and develop skills in the critical evaluation of academic literature in their discipline or area of specialisation. They will also foster high-level skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and communication.

UC offers two main areas of study under this major, which you can pursue throughout your three years of study.

EU studies: if you want to know about modern-day Europe, this track gives you insight into the political, economic and social integration of modern Europe, the EU as a major global actor and its international relations. Within this track you can learn how New Zealand currently interacts with the EU, including legal and economic relations.

Cultures and languages of Europe: if you are interested in learning about the diverse languages and cultures of Europe, there are a number of courses where you can explore Europe’s varied histories, traditions, narratives and cultures, the importance of Europe for New Zealand and the lessons we can learn from different cultures and languages living in a global environment.

Qualification structure and duration

To qualify for the Postgraduate Certificate in Arts, a student must complete at least 60 points from taught courses, as approved by the Head of Department and the Dean of Arts.

This certificate takes six months full-time or 12 months part-time to complete.

Further study

Subject to the approval of the Dean of Arts, a student may transfer courses passed with a B grade or higher for the Postgraduate Certificate in Arts to:

the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts

the Bachelor of Arts with Honours

the coursework section of a master's degree (there are a number of taught master's operated by the College of Arts)

Career opportunities

A qualification in European and European Union Studies provides students with increasingly relevant and expanding employment opportunities. Graduates with knowledge of Europe are well placed to work in foreign affairs, international trade and development, government service, the business sector, tourism, law, non-government and not-for-profit organisations and in private multinational companies such as Fonterra where European interests are significant.

Among our alumni are diplomats working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, government departments, practitioners at a number of non-governmental organisations dealing with international issues, journalists and teachers.

Our alumni are also employed by a number of international bodies (eg, Antarctica Secretariat, other countries' embassies), and by a number of leading universities in Europe, New Zealand and around the world.

Entry criteria

Candidates must have qualified for a Bachelor of Arts or an equivalent degree and satisfied the prerequisites for the subject concerned. Prerequisites vary between departments, but normally good grades in 300-level courses in that subject are required.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 575 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum B+ grade; CAE or CPE score of 176 with a minimum of 169 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 64 and no PTE communicative skills score below 58.