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| Christina Macdonald is testdriving the new European Studies program. (Pearce photo) |
Christina Macdonald was scanning the undergraduate calendar looking for a degree program when her eye caught the heading 脪European Studies.鈥�
脪Hey, that脮s an idea,鈥� said the third-year arts student. 脪I was desperately searching for something and seeing that, I thought, 脭that脮s cool.脮 脭That脮s me.脮鈥�
European Studies is so new that Macdonald and a few other AV俱乐部 students are the first to enroll. Introduced in September, the program has been in the works for the past five years. The creation of the program coincides with the opening of the European Union Centre of Excellence, a research centre at AV俱乐部 recognized and supported financially by the European Union. The centre is headed by Finn Laursen, who recently joined AV俱乐部 as Canada Research Chair in -European Union Studies.
脪We found students had a great deal of interest in Europe and that there were already a lot of classes offered by many different de-partments,鈥� said Professor Robert Boardman, the coordinator of the program.
Multidisciplinary
European Studies is multidisciplinary, offering classes through 17 departments at AV俱乐部 and King脮s College. The program has been designed to encourage students to develop a broad perspective on Europe as seen through history and politics; literature and ideas; and the fine arts. There脮s also a requirement to learn a language, such as French, German, Spanish or Italian.
Unique to the program is its emphasis on studying abroad; honours students in their third year are expected to study for a term at a university on the other side of the Atlantic.
脪Getting that first-hand experience is very important,鈥� said Prof. Boardman, who has been teaching European Politics at AV俱乐部 since arriving here from England in the early 1970s. 脪It脮s not only the study, it脮s the living there, that will really bring Europe alive for students.鈥�
Ms. Macdonald, from Fall River, N.S., fell in love with Europe, its history and heritage during a family vacation to her dad脮s native Scotland a few years ago.
脪Canada has the Hudson脮s Bay Company and that脮s pretty old, but it脮s nothing compared to Europe. The chance to learn more about its history and culture is amazing.鈥�
Overseas study
This term, she脮s taking classes in Political Science (European Politics), English (Shakespeare), History (Modern Britain), Music (Listening to Music) and Contemporary Studies at King脮s (Wagner脮s Ring Cycle). She loves the flexibility of the program and its small size makes it easy for her to get advice on her choices.
And, even though it may push her over four years to finish her degree, she脮s looking forward to studying for a term overseas. She脮s tempted by universities in England and Germany, and would love to eventually work in Europe as well.
脪Maybe Ireland,鈥� she says enthusiastically. 脪I脮d like to go there.鈥澛� 脩 DN