The Certificate in European Studies (CES) is a rigorous multidisciplinary program that is open to all undergraduate students enrolled at Catholic University. The Certificate is intended to provide students with qualifications that supplement their course of studies in their major area of concentration. Unlike a minor concentration, students in the CES Program will take courses from different disciplines to study the history, politics, and culture of Europe and the European Union from various perspectives and modes of inquiry.

Students completing the CES will become thoroughly knowledgeable in at least one of the cultures of Europe. They acquire advanced language proficiency in at least one European language other than English, and they immerse themselves in European culture through first-hand experience, either through study abroad or an internship. CES students enroll in two gateway courses (EURO 201 and 202 or 203) that are specifically designed to serve as an introduction to the culture, politics, and history of Europe and the European Union. They take an additional four courses from two or more different departments on campus. At least two of the four elective courses must be taken from departments outside a student’s major area of concentration.

The Certificate Program is intended as a complement for majors in any humanities or social science discipline. It is intended to more thoroughly prepare students for employment in any sector requiring a comprehensive understanding of European culture, history, and politics. The Certificate courses also prepare students for graduate studies in a number of disciplines, ranging from language, history, politics, sociology, art, international business and law to interdisciplinary graduate programs in European Studies, both in the U.S. and in the European countries.