Scripps College > European Union Center of California – Scripps College, Claremont, California > Student Resources > European Union Studies Program

European Union Studies Program

The European Union Center of California offers a program of minimum requirements for proficiency in European Union Studies. Individual members of the Claremont Colleges may wish to adapt and enhance this minimum standard within their own academic programs. The purpose of this program is to encourage students to pursue a coherent academic program with substantial contemporary European and EU content while pursuing the academic major of their choice.

Submit Application

Students should submit their applications, along with an official transcript, to the EU Center after they have completed the courses required to fulfill the EU Studies Program requirements. The courses and associated grades must appear on the student’s transcript at the time of application. The same applies for graduating seniors.
EU Studies Program Application (pdf) or Apply online

EU Studies Program Course Lists

Requirements of the Program

Four courses, consisting of one course (minimum) from at least three of the following four areas: modern European history, comparative European politics, European economics, and European Union integration and institutions. The fourth course may be chosen from any of these four areas or a list of pre-approved elective courses.

Proficiency in at least one modern European language (excluding English). The foreign language requirement can be fulfilled by completing four full credit courses of foreign language study at the Colleges, or a letter from a language professor attesting to the student’s equivalent proficiency. Students are encouraged to continue language learning beyond this minimum requirement and to establish genuine competency in speaking, reading and writing a foreign language.

Successful completion of these requirements (four courses plus the language requirement) with a minimum GPA of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale), or 9.00 (on a 12.00 scale) at the time of fulfilling the program requirements will be noted in a letter of commendation from the European Union Center of California. Successful completion of the above requirements with a minimum GPA of 3.5 (on a 4.00 scale), or 10.50 (on a 12.00 scale) will result in a letter of commendation with honors.

Attendance at three (or more) EU Center of California events.

 Note: Study abroad/internships are an excellent complement to (but not a requirement for) the program. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the variety of opportunities to study/intern in Europe.

Course Selection Requirements

For courses to be listed for credit in comparative European politics, European economics, and European institutions, they must primarily focus on the specified issues. For electives to be accepted into the Program, the course needs to have a substantial EU component.

  • Modern European history: preference to courses that include attention to the 20th century through 1989.
  • Comparative European politics: preference to courses that primarily address different European political systems.
  • European economics: preference to courses that primarily address different European economic systems, or that focus primarily on the economics of European integration.
  • EU integration and institutions: preference to courses in which the study of the European Union integration process and EU institutions is the primary course focus.
  • Electives: preference to courses that have substantial European Union or contemporary European content, but do not meet the criteria for any of the preceding categories.

Feel free to contact the EU Center if you feel that a course currently not listed on the List of Pre-Approved Courses would qualify for selection for the EU Studies Program.