European Integration

Upon completion of the European Integration Summer School the student will have acquired analytical skills and updated empirical knowledge of the political, economic and social integration in Europe.

Upon successful completion of this programme, the student should be able to

Knowledge

• understand the driving forces behind the process of European integration from a historical, sociological, economic and political perspective
• assess the legal foundation of European integration and the political system of the European Union as well as its policies and policy-making processes
• analyse different concepts and theories of European integration and grasp different methodological approaches to European integration

Skills

• apply analytical, methodological and theoretically informed approaches to the study of European integration
• critically assess and challenge well-established approaches and develop dissenting arguments
• discuss current issues facing the political system of the European Union and its policies
• transfer relevant information to other instances of regional integration

General competence

• demonstrate a thorough understanding of key political, economic and legal aspects of European integration that are of importance to government and private business
• engage in inter-disciplinary dialogue and collaboration with neighbouring fields of European Studies, e.g. law, economics, political sciences, etc.

Knowledge of EU politics at introductory level recommended (e.g. ST-202 The European Union - Institutions and Politics) or, alternatively, use of John McCormick, Understanding the European Union. A Concise Introduction (London and Basingstoke: Palgrave 2011) and Michele Cini & Nieves Peréz-Solórzano Borragán (eds), European Union Politics (Oxford: Oxford University Press 2010) for thorough preparation prior to the courses.

Working language and literature is in English. Assignments and exams are in English only.

European Integration Summer School is an extremely intensive study programme which is given over seven weeks during summer. There are lectures, working groups and role plays, and all students are expected to take an active part in the development of the study.

Students have to hand in two individually written assignments of 1200 words each to be able to put themselves forward for the exam, one for each part. For both parts/courses (ST-401 and ST-402 ) there is a six hours school examination. The language of instruction is English.

ST-419 and ST-420 are highly demanding portions of this programme which are given over a period of seven weeks during the summer. Both courses build on lectures, working groups and seminars and involve several local and international scholars. Students are expected to take an active part in the development of the study as they are exposed to a unique blend of different lecture and teaching styles creating an extraordinary classroom atmosphere. As a consequence, there is an attendance requirement of at least 80% of all classes.

Students have to hand in one individually written assignment of 1200 words per course in order to be able to sit for the final exam. For each course, there is a six hours school exam. ST-421 consists of a thesis which is due at the beginning of the exam period in the fall term.

Successful completion of the European Integration Summer School courses (ST-419 and/or ST-420) before examination in ST-421.

ST-419 and ST-420 are highly demanding portions of this programme which are given over a period of seven weeks during the summer. Both courses build on lectures, working groups and seminars and involve several local and international scholars. Students are expected to take an active part in the development of the study as they are exposed to a unique blend of different lecture and teaching styles creating an extraordinary classroom atmosphere. As a consequence, there is an attendance requirement of at least 80% of all classes.

Students have to hand in one individually written assignment of 1200 words per course in order to be able to sit for the final exam. For each course, there is a six hours school exam. ST-421 consists of a thesis which is due at the beginning of the exam period in the fall term.

Successful completion of the European Integration Summer School courses (ST-419 and/or ST-420) before examination in ST-421.

Hvorfor velge dette studiet?

Sommerskolen 2024: Differentiated Integration at the Time of the EU’s Polycrisis

Selv om prosessen med europeisk integrasjon har gått gjennom mange kriser gjennom historien, påvirker EU fortsatt den politiske og økonomiske agendaen i verden. EU er ingen supermakt, men er absolutt rangert som en av de viktigste aktørene på den globale scenen. EU påvirker ikke bare livene til de mer enn 450 millioner innbyggere som bor i Europa, men også millioner av mennesker som bor utenfor EUs grenser. Både pandemien, migrasjon og krigen i Ukraina er eksempler på kriser eller såkalte "multikriser" EU både har måttet og må forholde seg til.

Enten du ønsker en karriere innen næringsliv eller offentlig forvaltning, vil kunnskap om EU og Europa og hvordan disse påvirker oss være relevant kunnskap å ta med seg videre.

Gjennom sosiale og faglige aktiviteter gir sommerskolen deg en unik mulighet til å bli kjent med studenter fra hele verden. Sommerskolen har mottatt nasjonal og internasjonal anerkjennelse som et studium som kan vise til et eksepsjonelt godt læringsmiljø for studentene.

EISS/sommerkurset er også en del av spesialiseringen i Europeisk integrasjon på master i statsvitenskap og ledelse, og kan også gi et verdifullt faglig grunnlag i arbeidet med masteroppgaver innenfor det aktuelle fagfeltet.

Søkere med nordisk/norsk statsborgerskap eller fornybar/permanent oppholdstillatelse kan registrere en søknad.

Hva lærer du?

European Integration Summer School (EISS) vil kunne gi deg:

• innsikt i en rekke sentrale spørsmål knyttet til europeisk integrasjon
• et internasjonalt perspektiv på samfunnsfaglige tema (for eksempel innen jus, offentlig forvaltning og økonomi)
• faglig og personlig utvikling i tett samspill med både medstudenter og forelesere

Hardly ever has it been more timely and important than today to study the process of European integration. In the aftermath of the global financial and economic crisis of 2008, the sovereign debt default crisis has affected several EU Member States of the Euro-zone. The "Euro crisis" and its potential domino-effects vis-à-vis other countries, does not only undermine the economic basis of the historical project of European integration, it also threatens to push the entire world into a global maelstrom. The European Union is at the most critical juncture of its history facing both the threat of disintegration and the challenge of further deep integration. Any lasting solution is certain to require fundamental changes in the way the EU has been governed thus far. It is toward this background that new light is being shed into old debates, such as the persistence of national interest, the democratic deficit and, in general, the European Union's role in the world and model for regional integration.

Bringing together graduate students, young scholars and well-established academics from Norway, Europe and the entire world since 1990, the European Integration Summer School at the University of Agder has always provided a stimulating environment for these debates. The programme is dedicated to the study of the European integration and proposes to take a closer look at various core aspects of European integration. Doing this from a country outside the European Union, but inside Europe, sometimes triggers more nuanced perspectives.

The European Integration Summer School prides itself of providing a very comprehensive, methodologically driven introduction into "European Studies" at the MA level. Its profile is threefold: first it provides an introduction into key aspects of the political system of the European Union; second it includes a module on methodology in European Studies and identifies on an annual basis core themes of European integration, such as for instance the European Union`s role in the global combat against climate change which are discussed together with the top scholars in the respective field; third, it offers interested students a web-based thesis option during the subsequent fall term which may be used to deepen any aspect of the courses of the European Integration Summer School.

The programme consists of three courses of 10 credits each:

• ST-419 History, institutions and policies of European integration (summer)
• ST-420 Current issues in the European Union (summer)
• ST-421 EU - studies: Research Essay (fall)

The first course is a problem-oriented analysis of the motives behind European integration, its historical, economic and political foundations and core aspects of the political system of the European Union. The second course is concerned with a selection of current issues of the European Union, such as for instance the development of its external relations and the implications of the European debt crisis for the Economic and Monetary Union. Both courses make up the core of the European Integration Summer School (EISS) of the University of Agder, Norway`s oldest summer school dedicated to the study of the European integration. Finally, an additional course, offered in the fall term and open to successful participants of the previous two courses only, will provide the students with the opportunity of writing a thesis (with the approval of the academic coordinator) on a topic of their choice, but related to any of the topics dealt with during the summer school. Upon the successful completion of all three courses students will earn 30 ECTS.

Master level - 30 ECTS - Summer School - Kristiansand

The European Integration Summer School can be taken as part of the Master in Public Policy and Administration. It can also be combined with other social science subjects, economics or law. It is perfect for people who would like to work in an international environment or at the national, regional and local level in Norway with issues related to European politics and the development of the European Union.