Undergraduate Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for the major/minor in European and Mediterranean Studies?
To view the program requirement for the major, please visit the CAS Bulletin. The program requirements for the minor can be viewed here.
Where should I go to declare a major or minor in European and Mediterranean Studies?
You can declare the major or minor by contacting CEMS via email at european.studies@nyu.edu. You will be asked to fill out a major, honors major, or minor declaration form.
When can I declare my major?
Generally, students can declare their major in their sophomore year. However, students must be in CAS to officially declare.
Where can I find forms for the major/minor in European and Mediterranean Studies?
All forms (major and minor checklists and major and minor declaration forms) are available on our website. Hard copies are also available in the department.
What timeframe does the required course, "Contemporary Europe" cover?
The first part of the course reviews the social, economic, and security concerns Europe faced in 1945, and the institutions that were constructed to respond to these concerns. It will also explore the Cold War and its consequences for the politics, and the realities of people throughout Europe. The second part of the course explores the integration of Europe into a social, economic, and identity community, and the expansion of European institutions and identity first to Southern Europe and then to the former Soviet Bloc. The third part of the course addresses the current "Crisis of Europe" from the 2008 financial crisis through the surge of refugee migration and the rise of populism.
What are the requirements for departmental honors?
Students who have completed at least 64 points of graded work in the College may be awarded degrees with departmental honors if they complete the designated honors sequence in a department and maintain the requisite grade point average. There are three levels: honors, high honors, and highest honors.
Students seeking admission to and graduation with departmental honors are expected to have a minimum grade point average of 3.65, both overall and in the major. Departments may exercise some flexibility in admissions, as follows. In rare cases where a candidate for admission to a departmental honors program falls short of the expected minimum GPA, the director of undergraduate studies or the director of departmental honors may petition the director of college honors for an exception. In all cases, once admitted, students are expected to maintain the GPA at the stipulated level in order to graduate with departmental honors. Should there be an exceptional circumstance in which the stipulated GPA is not maintained, the director of college honors may be petitioned for an exception. If the case is compelling, the latter will inform the Registrar’s Office of the waiver.
Honors programs must, minimally, be a two-term (8-point) experience that includes a research project. The research project, which typically culminates in a thesis, should reflect sustained original research over two semesters. The scope and length of a thesis will vary by discipline, but the thesis is typically 40 to 60 pages in length.
Students with double majors in discrete, unrelated disciplines must complete honors programs in each major for which they seek honors. Students with double majors in interdisciplinary or related fields may, if the two departments concur, convene a joint honors committee to establish an interdisciplinary research program of course work that culminates in a single thesis. Similarly, in the case of joint majors, the relevant departments must work out an agreement on the requirements for honors and on the supervision and evaluation of students’ theses or projects.
INTERNSHIPS
Can I count an internship towards one of my major or minor requirements?
Yes. If you complete a four point European and Mediterranean Studies internship, it can be counted towards one of the course requirements. The type of internship you complete will determine which course requirement the internship will satisfy.
How can I find a European and Mediterranean Studies internship?
It is the students’ responsibility to look for their own internships. The internship must be approved by the undergraduate advisor prior to registration. More information about internship requirements, as well as a list of organizations where CEMS students have found internships in the past, can be found on our website.
COURSE
Can I count an independent study towards one of my major or minor requirements?
Yes. Students must submit an Independent Study (IS) proposal to the undergraduate advisor for approval prior to registration. It is the student’s responsibility to find an NYU faculty member who will be willing to work with them over the semester. The IS content will determine what course requirement the IS will satisfy.
Can Core courses be counted towards the major or minor?
Many Core courses do not go beyond the introductory level, and therefore will not satisfy any part of the major requirements. However, decisions about these courses will be made on a case-by-case basis and will depend on course content. Students are responsible for clearing the use of any Core course for the major/minor with the Core program.
Can Liberal Studies Core courses be counted towards the major or minor?
Yes, however, decisions about these courses will be made on a case-by-case basis and will depend on course content.
Can AP courses be counted towards the major or minor?
Yes. However, decisions about these courses will be made on a case-by-case basis and will depend on course content.
ALBERT does not accurately list the courses I have used to satisfy the major or minor. What’s wrong?
Students are expected to gain approval for courses being counted towards the major or minor prior to registration. The approval for these courses is kept in our student files. During the students’ senior year, the department will send a final listing of courses to the registrar’s office to clear them for graduation. So before this point, courses being counted towards the major or minor may not be accurately listed. There is no need to worry about this.
Where can I find a schedule for the current semester course listings?
In addition to Albert, course schedules for current and previous semesters are available on our website.
How do I know if a course will count towards the major or minor?
Students can make course inquiries to the European Studies department Monday-Friday between the hours of 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. by calling (212) 998-3838 or by emailing european.studies@nyu.edu.
Can I overlap courses if I am double-majoring?
Yes. We allow students who are double-majoring to overlap a total of two applicable courses between majors. However, you must also gain approval from the other majoring department.
Can I overlap courses between my major/minor in European and Mediterranean Studies?
Yes. We allow students to overlap a total of one applicable course between your major and our minor. However, you must also gain approval from the majoring department.
Should all my courses focus on one country?
No. Taking courses that focus on comparative issues in Europe and the Mediterranean is advisable, as well as those on individual European countries. However, try to organize your study so that the course content relates to your specific area of interest. The courses that you count toward your major will be helpful in determining a research topic for your senior thesis.
What courses would count towards the social science requirement?
Courses in contemporary European economics, politics, sociology and anthropology would satisfy the social science requirement.
Where do I look for courses with European content that will count towards the major or minor?
The major is interdisciplinary, therefore students should look through the various NYU departments (e.g., anthropology, economics, European language and literature departments, history, politics, sociology, etc.) to find courses that will satisfy the major. Please also visit our courses page for a list of pre-approved courses across various departments.
What percentage of European content should a course have to count towards the major and/or minor?
More than 50% of the course content should relate to Europe. Exceptions can be made if the student can justify the relevance of the course to their program. Students should seek departmental approval for their courses prior to registration.
STUDY ABROAD
I want to study at a non-NYU study abroad site. Where should I go for approval?
If you are interested in doing a program outside of NYU's partner universities, you will likely need to take a leave of absence from the university. You should meet with your academic advisor and dean in order to get approval for this and to ask about tranferring credits back to NYU.
Does studying abroad in the summer count as a semester abroad?
Yes.
ADVISING QUESTIONS
Who is my academic advisor?
A member of CEMS faculty will be assigned to you as an advisor. Please email european.studies@nyu.edu for more information.
What do I need to do to be cleared for registration?
Prior to registration, you should fill out one of the three checklist forms (or update it) with your proposed courses for the upcoming semester and email a copy to Melissa Graves (melissa.graves@nyu.edu) including the following information:
Name
University ID Number (N number)
Proposed course names
Proposed course numbers (including section number)
What major requirements are these courses fulfilling?
Where do I obtain access codes for courses offered in European and Mediterranean Studies?
Access codes can be obtained by calling the department at (212) 998-3838 or by emailing Melissa Graves (melissa.graves@nyu.edu). For courses outside of European Studies, you should contact the sponsoring department.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE B.A./M.A. PROGRAM
Where can I find information about the European and Mediterranean Studies B.A./M.A. program?
Information about the B.A./M.A. program can be found on the department website.
When should I plan on applying to the B.A./M.A. program?
Applicants must have completed a minimum of 48 credits toward the bachelor's degree but not more than 96 credits or six semesters, whichever comes first (Advanced Placement (AP) credits may be counted for this purpose).
Where should I go for an application and to find out more about the program?
Please visit the Accelerated Bachelor’s-Master’s Tracks website for information about the B.A./M.A. program
Do I have to be a European and Mediterranean Studies major to apply to the B.A./M.A. program?
No. The B.A./M.A. program is open to NYU undergraduates who are matriculated in the College of Arts and Science (CAS).