European Studies - The Hague University (THUAS)

The programme
Year 1 - Understanding Europe
Your first year at European Studies is all about understanding Europe and understanding yourself. You’ll study politics, business and culture as well as Europe’s government agencies, international organisations, non-profits and private businesses – your potential employers.
You’ll also learn the fundamentals of management and marketing within those organisations. Along the way, you’ll sharpen your professional skills and work on research and critical thinking. You’ll get comfortable with public speaking, study intercultural communication and work on your foreign languages and English. You’ll also begin a four-year personal development process to help you identify and pursue your own career goals.

Topics: The Cultural, Political & Business Dimension of Europe, English Practicals & Writing, Research Skills, Project Managmenet & Europe today, Modern Forein Languages, Management of Organisations in Europe, Foundations of Marketing, Institutions of the EU, IGOs & NGOS, Intercultural Communication, Career Development

Year 2 - Sustaining Europe
In the second year of European Studies, you’ll take everything to the next level, developing a deeper understanding of international businesses and organisations, public policy and European culture, while doubling down on your professional skills and foreign languages. You’ll also learn how to operate within those organisations in different situations. You will still have guidance and supervision, but you’ll also be given more independence and take on more complex challenges.

Year 2 includes a deep dive into how Europe’s organisations deal with contemporary challenges like sustainability, as well as peace and security and you will explore the decision-making processes and strategies used by governments, non-profits and companies to take on those challenges.


Year 3 - Discovering Europe and the World
Year 3 of European Studies starts with one of the high points of the European Studies programme: a 5-month exchange to one of over 100 partner institutions all over the world. While mandatory for Dutch students, the study abroad experience, supported by the Erasmus Plus programme, is optional for internationals. While on exchange, or staying in The Hague, you will follow courses of your own choosing, giving you another opportunity to explore topics of interest and build a unique CV that is fully tailored to your own career goals. Choose wisely ;)

The second half of Year 3 combines your ongoing career development with an analysis of the impact of diversity on Europe and its organisations that will ask you to look at contemporary issues from a business perspective, a political perspective and a cultural perspective.
You will also continue with your foreign language learning and personal
development. By the end of the year, you should be ready to enter the final phase of your studies.

Year 4 - Changing Europe
In Year 4, it’s time to get ready to start your career or to apply for a master. There are a few final courses that will allow you to further improve your language skills, while also exploring topics of your own interest in a minor, but you’ll spend most of your time pursuing your own professional goals as you get ready to graduate.
In this final phase of your studies, you’re going to have options and it will be up to you to decide you how you want to graduate, based on your own interests and the personal development process that you started in year 1.
It will involve an internship at an international business, government agency, a non-profit or other kind of political or cultural organization. You can do this abroad if you like, but The Hague also has a lot to offer as the international city of peace and justice. Wherever you choose work, you will likely be involved in doing research, producing policy advice, marketing, (social media) communications, event planning and other tasks. You could be assisting refugees with the Dutch legal system or promoting brands on Instagram. You can do an internship abroad, but as the International City of Peace and Justice, The Hague also has a lot to offer. If you’re lucky, you’ll be offered a job. That happens to at least one in three of our interns.

But before you take that job, you’ll have to choose a graduation project to finish your studies. The topic and the type of research will be up to you. Using your career goals as a guideline, you can choose to conduct applied research for an employer to provide them with practical analysis and advice, producing a marketing or export plan, for example. If you have your heart set on a master, a more traditional research paper is also possible. Whatever you choose, you should be able to walk out the door with an impressive diploma and a highly personalized CV.

Career prospects
European Studies offers you options when you graduate. Most graduates pursue careers in management, marketing, communications, public relations or policy advice in international businesses or organisations. However, a growing number of ES alumni are also enrolling on master’s programmes to take their studies to the next level.
Examples of possible jobs are: Business Development Analyst, Journalist, International Liaison, Corporate Communications Officer, Event Planner, Compliance Officer, Entrepreneur, Marketeer, Political Advisor.