Masters Degrees in European Studies, Netherlands

Euroculture is an interdisciplinary master's specialization of excellence, focusing on the key challenges of contemporary Europe. Its strengths are a job-oriented approach and training in substantive research skills.

The master's specialization Euroculture is a unique, interdisciplinary and international programme consisting of 4 semesters (120 ECTS) and offered by a Consortium (8 European and 4 non-European universities). The status “Erasmus Mundus Master of Excellence" was granted to the programme by the European Commission in 2005 and again in 2011 thereby confirming the programme's outstanding quality. In 2015, Euroculture was, for the 4th time in a row, considered to be a "top" Master Programme by Keuzegids, an independent Dutch guide ranking university Programmes. In fact, the Keuzegids considered the Euroculture programme to be the best European Studies Master programme in the Netherlands.

The mission of the programme is to provide graduates with the following:

- a deep understanding of European identity, civil society, the ongoing European unification process in itself, its cultural and social dynamics and the consequences for its citizens and the wider world;

- the ability to identify and problematise what Europe, and the EU, represents for its citizens and for the wider world.

Why in Groningen?

Euroculture in Groningen is proud of being a founding member of the programme (1999), and of its achievements as Programme of Excellence. For three years in a row we have been selected as best European Studies Programme in the Netherlands (source: Master Keuzegids). Futhermore, the University of Groningen belongs to the global top 100 on the three most important ranking lists ('Shanghai, THE and QS World University Rankings).

The international staff of Euroculture hold doctoral degrees in a variety of disciplines, such as history, cultural studies, political science, European law, European studies and international relations. The academic and research focus in Groningen is the notion of cultural identity and its relation to European integration in all its dimensions. Concepts such as “Europeanisation” and “Citizenship” are important elements in seminars. Trans-Atlantic relations and East Asia feature prominently in Groningen too.

Groningen is also an excellent choice of residence because this university town is lively and pleasant, with about 1 out 5 inhabitants being a student. For students there are excellent facilities not only for studying (ICT, library, Placement Office, International Office), but also for sports, entertainment and leisure.

Job perspectives

Euroculture prepares graduates for professions and research careers where knowledge of contemporary Europe and the European Union institutions are of relevance.

Due to the multi- and interdisciplinary nature of the Euroculture programme, its graduates find work in a broad range of sectors where expert knowledge of present Europe and European integration processes is required. A number of our graduates have also undertaken further studies on doctoral level.

The focus of the programme is on cultural and social developments, the political process of European integration, values, citizenship and cultural identity within Europe and its correlations with the wider world. Euroculture teaches students the methods and skills required to identify the European dimensions of social problems, to critically assess and interpret information about European institutions and organisations, and to understand the cultural aspects and factors that play a key role in the process of European identity formation and integration.

Career Prospects

Euroculture alumni have found employment in the following areas/organisations:
- EU institutions
- International and national organisations (non-governmental, non-profit, foundations)
- Universities, education and research institutions
- Embassies and ministeries all over the world
- Media, journalism, publishing, libraries
- Cultural (management) organisations
- Foreign trade organisations
- Political parties, foundations and associations
- City and regional planning, local and regional cultural projects
- Centres for minorities and minority rights

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How can we understand the EU’s response to the financial crisis or to the confrontation between Ukraine and Russia? How do we account for the EU’s reaction to the refugee crisis provoked by conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa? What is Europe’s peacekeeping role and capacity? The master's programme in European Studies trains you to answer these complex questions. Because you cannot study Europe from just one angle, the programme examines global developments and multi-level governance in a broader context, combining political science, history, international relations, economics and cultural studies.

This student-centred, interdisciplinary programme is among the largest, and certainly the most international, in Europe and has an excellent reputation. You will study the internal and external dimensions of European policy, governance and administration. The focus is on the underlying issues of power and influence, governance and culture within the European milieu and between Europe and the wider world.

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The research-intensive master’s in European Studies is an interdisciplinary programme that combines political science and international relations with history and sociology. Research plays a primary role from the outset, with research projects integrated into each core module. You will gain in-depth training in methods such as quantitative and qualitative techniques, comparative methods and discourse analysis. You will also develop skills in designing research, writing research proposals, publishing your work and applying for funding and research positions. For the elective component, you can choose to take specialised courses, complete a research internship or do an exchange abroad. The master’s programme culminates with a thesis and the development of a PhD research proposal.

In this programme, you will:
- Learn to critically analyse and discuss challenges facing the EU
- Gain experience working in a multidisciplinary, international academic environment
- Receive in-depth training in conducting high-quality research
- Focus on designing, implementing and publishing your own research

A future in research

The overall objective of this programme is to equip graduates for high-level research careers in and outside academia. Thanks to the networks and activities of the research staff at Maastricht University, you will enjoy unique access to researchers at other universities, policymakers at EU institutions and member state administrations, Brussels-based interest groups, think tanks and other actors. Students in this programme also take active part in the Politics and Culture in Europe research programme, which is one of the largest research groups in European Studies.

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Are you a socially conscious, critical thinker? Are you interested in politics and technology? And does the connection between innovation and society intrigue you? Then the master’s European Studies on Society, Sciences and Technology (ESST) might be what you are looking for. As an ESST student, you will investigate the relationship between science, technology, and society, from a cultural, political, economic, and historical point of view.

This programme is offered together with 15 partner universities across Europe. You will spend your first semester taking courses at Maastricht University. During the second semester, you will select a specialisation and write your thesis either at Maastricht University or at one of the programme’s partner universities abroad.

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Literature is produced in a market, in an economic as well as in a figurative sense - a marketplace in which points of view and values are negotiated and reflected upon.

The Master's profile European Literatures and Cultures examines this cultural process of production and reflection, and how literature functions in society.

As a continuation of your bachelor degree you specialise in English, French, Frisian, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish or Swedish literature and choose one of the three following pathways:
- Literature as Market
- The Uses of Literature
- Material Culture.

Why in Groningen?

- English, German, French, Frisian, Italian, Russian, Spanish or Swedish literature
- New, modern and unique programme with focus on Media, Markets and Communication
- Attractive specializations in: Literature as Market, the Uses of Literature, Material Culture

Job perspectives

The programme aims to provide you with academic skills and approaches that will prepare you to operate as a cultural expert in wherever texts are involved: in the private sphere, in the media, in institutions and networks. You learn to analyse these processes and functions, to solve problems and to communicate about them clearly and with flair.

Job examples

- Book editing and publishing
- Cultural functions
- Journalism
- Translation

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Literature in a globalized world

In this Research Master's programme, you study the role of literature in modern societies and its continuing role in the changing media landscapes of the modern world.

The two-year Research Master's programme in Comparative Literary Studies focuses on the role that literature in European languages plays as a cultural medium in the modern world. You will study literary phenomena from the Renaissance onward, evaluating it against the intellectual, social, political, and technological changes that occurred in society during these different eras.

The ‘comparative’ approach characteristic for Utrecht is understood to involve comparison between literary phenomena along three principal axes:
-transculturality (how does literature reflect and negotiate cultural differences and operate across national borders?)
-mediality (how does literature work as a medium and relate to other forms of cultural and knowledge production? how are literary phenomena adapted to other media? )
-memory (how do stories and cultural forms survive across generations and how are they transformed across time?)

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Judged Best in the Field

The highly regarded Keuzegids Master’s Selection Guide 2016 ranked Utrecht University’s Literature programme as the best in the field in the Netherlands.
In this year's Elsevier Best Studies Survey, students have also rated Utrecht University’s Literature programme as the best programme.

In the Master's programme in Literature Today, you will learn how literature works in the modern globalised, digitalised, and commercialised world.

You will learn to identify and critically evaluate the most recent national and international developments in literature, and to situate these from a historical perspective. You will be equipped with the tools to identify and explain the quality of literary works in times of increasing commercialisation. You will learn how literature circulates within the market as part of a creative industry sustained by centuries-old tradition, and you will investigate from theoretical and practical angles how to help to spread literature, explain it to a broader public, and translate academic insights for the reading public.

Tracks

You can choose from among the following six tracks to tailor the programme to your interests and desired career path:

*English and Comparative Literature track (entirely in English)
*Dutch Literature track (in Dutch and English)
*Modern European Literature: French track
*Modern European Literature: German track
*Modern European Literature: Italian track
*Modern European Literature: Spanish track

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At first sight, the arts and sciences appear to be worlds apart. While sciences draw on strict procedures, the arts seem to be exempted from such rules. Yet both practices are governed by conventions - such as a consistent focus on innovation - that help to explain their cultural impact.

Moreover, the arts, science and technology mix and mingle in interesting ways. The arts provide scientists with metaphors to describe their work. The sciences are objects of cultural critique in the arts. The arts continuously incorporate new technologies. And both the arts and sciences “imagine” our culture’s future. That is why it is so important to study the contributions of the arts, science and technology to modern culture. And it is why we study all of these in one programme. CAST has roots in the internationally known field of Science and Technology Studies (STS) and is at the same time uniquely embedded in empirical cultural research.

Perfect preparation for a research position

The Research Master in Cultures of Arts, Science and Technology is a selective, intense, and highly reputed programme. The programme is designed to give you the best possible preparation for a professional research position. During your master’s, you will therefore not only study theories from history, sociology, philosophy, the arts and the qualitative social sciences, but you will also follow a number of courses that specifically focus on research methods such as qualitative interviewing, conceptual analysis, archival research, ethnographic observations and rhetorical, narrative and discourse analysis. Most importantly, you will actually learn to work with these methods by writing review papers, research papers and proposals. You will work closely with faculty research staff on their projects and gain a ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at how academic research is actually done.

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The master's programme in European Public Affairs is designed to meet the growing need for professionals who have a solid understanding of the multifaceted dimensions of policy-making in Europe. As policy problems transcend national borders and national problem-solving capacities, there is a need for individuals who are familiar with the complexities of Europe and the European Union, and who can reformulate intricate problems in manageable and achievable terms.

From the perspectives of political science, law, economics, cultural science and public administration, the programme delves into contemporary policy problems. You will be encouraged to become familiar with national and regional differences within the European territory, and to search out commonalities and paths for integration.

The programme is organised in close cooperation with the European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA). EIPA is a professional organisation that provides training, research and consultancy within the field of European affairs. The many lectures and workshops by EIPA professionals underline the practice-oriented approach of the programme and allow you to become familiar with the complexities of transnational policy-making. You will be equipped not only with academic skills, but also the tools that you will need in professional practice.

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Explore Europe’s history and culture from a global perspective

In the Master's programme in Cultural History of Modern Europe, you will study Europe's position in the world from a cultural-historical perspective, with an emphasis on modern history.

Our programme offers you profound insight into the history of ideas and practices that form the identities of individuals, groups, and societies, including heritage and public history in international frameworks. The programme content focuses on theories of modern cultural history, global perspectives on European civilization, the politics of heritage and cultural memory, aspects of transnational history and postcolonial culture, global practices of citizenship, and the development of career-oriented academic competencies. We begin by looking at contemporary problems and discussions.

This programme offers an English track and a Dutch track. The modules offered in these tracks are the same – only the language of instruction differs.

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