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History of European integration
Certificate of European Studies (CES) Parcours Certificate of European Studies (CES)
ComposanteSciences Po Strasbourg
Catalogue2025-2026
Syllabus
I. INTRODUCTION: THE EUROPEAN IDEA AND EUROPEAN IDENTITY
1. European identity: cultural basis, values, diversity
2. The origin of the European idea at the end of the 19th century and first European Integration concepts after World War I
3. The creation of first European Organizations (1945-1949)
II. THE FOUNDATIONS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION (1950-1985)
1. The functionalist approach of the Six within the ECSC and the EDC (1950-1952)
2. The setting-up of the European Communities (EC) (1955-1957)
3. The realization of the Common Market and the Common Agricultural Policy (1958-1962)
4. Europe in crisis: Political Union projects and the Empty Chair Policy
5. First EEC enlargement (UK, Denmark, Ireland) (1961-1973)
6. Economic crises and responses: towards a European Monetary System (1971-1979)
III. EUROPEAN INTEGRATION SINCE THE 1980s: DEEPENING AND ENLARGMENT (1980-1987)
1. A new actor in the EEC: Direct elections to the European Parliament (1979-1989)
2. The Mediterranean Enlargement (1981, 1987)
3. The path towards a European Single Market (1985-1989)
Exposés
IV. FROM THE EC TOWARDS THE EU (1989-1995)
1. The consequences of the fall of the Berlin wall for European Integration in the EC and the Council of Europe (1989-1991)
2. The Maastricht Treaty: towards monetary and political union (1992-2001)
3. The Northern Enlargement (1995)
4. Europe without borders: Schengen (1985-1995)
Exposés
V. TOWARDS A (PAN)EUROPEAN EU (1995-2012)
1. The reform of the EU: from the Amsterdam to the Nice Treaty (1997-2001)
2. The path towards Eastern Enlargement (2005-2012)
3. The failure European Constitution (2001-2004)
4. The adoption of the Lisbon Treaty (2007-2009)
Exposés
VI. EU EXTERNAL RELATIONS SINCE THE 1990s
1. External economic policy
2. European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP)
3. European Neighbourhood Policy
Exposés
VII. EUROSCEPTICISM SINCE THE 1990s
1. The origins of Euroscepticism in the 1980s
2. The decreasing support of public opinion for Europe since the Treaty of Maastricht (1992)
3. The rise of Euroscepticism in the European Parliament (2014-2024)
Exposés
VIII. EUROPE WITHOUT BORDERS
1. The Schengen Space (1985-1997)
2. The Common Asylum Policy and the Dublin Convention (1990-1997)
3. The reality of Europe without borders
Exposés
IX. THE EU AS A GLOBAL ACTOR TODAY
1.EU diplomacy
2. EU intervention in international conflicts
3. European Strategic autonomy
Exposés
X. INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN CRISES (2008-2016)
1. The European Economic Crisis and its remedies (2008-2012)
2. The terrorism crisis (2015)
3. The migration crisis (2015)
Exposés
IX. INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN CRISES (2020-2024)
1. Brexit (2016-2020)
2. The pandemic COVID 19 (2020-2022)
3. The Russian aggression war against Ukraine (2022-2024)
Exposés
XII. WRITTEN EVALUATION
Bibliographie
BARTOLINI, Stefano, Restructuring Europe, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2005.
BICHSEL, Olivier, DELAS, Olivier, MONDELICE, Murly (ed.), L'Union européenne, puissance globale dans les relations internationales et transatlantiques, Bruylant, 2023.
BITSCH, M.T., Histoire de la construction européenne, Bruxelles, 2004
BRUNET-JAILLY, Emmanuel, WASSENBERG, Birte, “Comparing and Contrasting EU Border and Migration Policy- Are They Exemplary”, special section, Borders in Globalization Review, vol. 1, Issue 2, 2020.
DE VRIES, Catherine E., Euroscepticism and the Future of European Integration, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2018.
DUMOULIN, Michel (dir.), Socio-economic governance and European identity, Yuste, 2005.
FRENNHOFF LARSEN, Magdalena, The EU in International Negotiations, Palgrave, 2023.
HARMSEN, Robert ; SPIERING, Menno (dir.), Euroscepticism : party politics, national identity and European integration, Amsterdam, Rodopi, 2004.
JUSKA, Zygimantas, Soft Power of the European Union, Mastering the Language of Power Politics, Springer, 2024.
KOPECKY, Petr/MUDDE, Cas, « The two sides of Euroscepticism: party positions on European integration in East Central Europe », European Union Politics, 2002, vol. 3, n° 3, p. 297-326
LIBERA, Martial, SCHIRMANN, Sylvain, Idées reçues sur l’Union européenne, Le Cavalier Bleu, Paris, 2024.
MILWARD, Alan, S., The frontier of National sovereignty. History and theory (1945-1992), London, 1994
PADGEN, Anthony, The idea of Europe. From Antiquity to the European Union, Cambridge, 2002.
ROVNY, Jan, Conceptualising party-based Euroscepticism: magnitude and motivations, Bruges, Collège d’Europe, 2004.
TAGGART, Paul/SZCZERBIAK, Aleks (dir.), Opposing Europe ? The Comparative Party Politics of Euroscepticism, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2007.
WASSENBERG, Birte, History of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, 2013.
WASSENBERG, Birte, SUZUKI, Noriko (ed.), Origins and Consequences of European Crises. Global Views on Brexit, Peter Lang, Bussels, 2020.
WASSENBERG, Birte, REITEL, Bernard (ed.), Critical Dictionary of Borders and European Integration, Peter Lang, Brussels, 2020.
VANHOONACKER, Sophie, HILL, Christopher, SMITH, Michael, International Relations and the European Union, Oxford University Press, 2017.
WESTLAKE, Martin, The European Union’s New Foreign Policy, Palgrave, 2020.
WILGA, M., KAROLEXSKI, P. (ed.), New approaches to EU Foreign Policy, Routledge, 2014.
MCC
Les épreuves indiquées respectent et appliquent le règlement de votre formation, disponible dans l'onglet Documents de la description de la formation.
- Régime d'évaluation
- CT (Contrôle terminal, mêlé de contrôle continu)
The Certificate of European Studies (CES) is a university degree awarded at the end of a semester of study at Sciences Po Strasbourg. The curriculum is taught exclusively in English and aims to allow students who speak little or no French to have access to a top-level education in a French « Grande Ecole » (elite university).
Focusing on Europe from a global perspective, the Certificate of European Studies combines lectures, small-group tutorials, field trips and educational visits while introducing students to the French language and culture.
Thanks to the long-standing partnership between Sciences Po Strasbourg and the European institutions (European Parliament, Council of Europe, etc.), CES students have a unique opportunity to gain both theoretical and practical knowledge of Europe from the very heart of its capital.
Open to exchange students and free movers
This diploma is intended for international students, enrolled in a university abroad with an aim to obtain a degree and having the equivalent of at least two semesters (i.e. 60 ECTS credits) validated in their home university, preferably, but not necessarily, in the following fields : Law, Economics, Political Science, International Relations and Contemporary History.
The CES is targeted at students with little or no French language skills (A1-A2), but proof of advanced command of English is necessary (B2 in English required).
The Certificate of European Studies is open to both exchange students coming from partner universities and to free movers (non-exchange students).
Organization of the study program
The Certificate of European Studies can be taken first or second semester.
The program begins, each semester, with an intensive French course.
During the semester, students must take French language courses, 4 compulsory courses related to Europe (depending on the semester: History of European integration, Political Sociology of Europe, Cultural Policy in Europe, The EU and the World Economy, etc.) and a seminar coupled with pedagogical visits to the European institutions. In addition, they choose 2 optional courses and participate in a field trip (Frankfurt, Brussels, Luxembourg ...).
For further details, please see the CES brochure with course descriptions for first semester and for second semester.
First semester, the program begins at the beginning of September; courses and exams are completed before the Christmas holidays.
Second semester, the program begins at the beginning of January; courses and exams are completed at the end of May.
How to apply
- Your home university has an exchange agreement with Sciences Po Strasbourg (Erasmus+ agreement or bilateral agreement) or with the University of Strasbourg (exchange agreement for universities outside Europe only) : you must be selected by your home university.
- Your home university does not have an exchange agreement, neither with Sciences Po Strasbourg nor with the University of Strasbourg: you will have to pay a registration fee of €1390.
- The application procedure and schedule for the next sessions of the Certificate of European Studies are available here :
- 2025/26 Semestre 1
- 2025/26 Semestre 2
