European Studies

What Is European Studies?

LMU's European Studies major is an interdisciplinary program that helps students comprehend the rich history of a continent whose past is inextricably linked to that of the United States.

The major provides students with sufficient background to grasp the complexity of European civilization as a whole. Students choose to specialize in a particular field of study. That field could be a particular European language and culture, European region, historical period, or discipline within the social sciences.

Majors must achieve intermediate proficiency in a European foreign language. A semester of study in Europe is strongly recommended but not mandatory.
The European Studies major is solid preparation for graduate school or a career in government or the private sector.

What Do European Studies Majors Do?

European Studies majors examine the historical, intellectual, political, philosophical, and religious contexts of Europe, past and present. Students also explore European art, literature and other cultural expressions.

Selecting from a multitude of courses offered in different departments, students craft a program of study to suit their own interests and goals. During their senior year, students complete a capstone project that is a compilation of samples of previous work and a newly written reflective essay.

To fulfill the language requirement, students may choose from among seven European foreign languages offered at LMU: French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Modern Greek, and Latin.

Is This Major Right For You?

You might be a European Studies major if you:

Have a broad interest in Europe
Are interested in particular countries of this region
Like international culture
Like interdisciplinary learning
Enjoy Germanic or Romance languages
Plan to work or study abroad

About Our Faculty

Our expert faculty members come from various LMU departments that regularly offer courses that are directly concerned with issues relating to Europe as a whole, or with specific countries or traditions of Europe, past and present. Those departments include Art History, Classics and Archaeology, Film, History, Modern Languages and Literatures, Philosophy, Political Science, Theater Arts, and Theological Studies.

Faculty members from those departments are prolific and renowned researchers, travel regularly, attend national and international conferences, and produce a steady stream of books and papers for publication.

About Our Students and Graduates

Our students do internships, have participated in student undergraduate research, are active in program-related activities, and take part in semester study abroad and summer abroad programs. Programs take place in countries across Europe, such as England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland and Italy.

LMU students majoring in European Studies have entered fields such as teaching, business, entertainment, government and the arts. European Studies majors have gone on to prestigious graduate schools such as Oxford University or Johns Hopkins University.

Representative Courses

Our courses have included:

Ancient Philosophy
Art and Architecture of Ancient Greece
Art and Architecture of Ancient Rome
British Life and Cultures
Classical Mythology
European Language and Culture
Greek Orthodox Tradition
History of Christianity
History of International Film
Major Thinkers
Marx and Marxism
Medieval Philosophy
Modern Philosophy
Orthodox Christian Spirituality
Paris Métisse: Multiculturalism in Paris
Poetics of Modern Landscape
Capstone Project
Independent Studies