Bachelor of Arts - European Union, Franco-German Partnership Minor

A specialisation focused on the European Union and the Franco-German partnership

The European Union, Franco-German Partnership Minor within the Bachelor’s programme at Sciences Po, is part of the multidisciplinary education in the humanities and social sciences shared across the Undergraduate College, while offering a dedicated focus on European dynamics through the lens of the Franco-German relationship.

This specialisation is grounded in a comparative European approach, placing particular emphasis on relations between France and Germany, two central actors in European integration. It provides insight into the major political, economic and social balances within the European Union, highlighting convergences, tensions and complementarities between these two national models.

Courses address the contemporary transformations of the European Union, including the development of a shared political and social space, the deepening of the single market, the transition to a sustainable economy, issues of sovereignty and defence, and the emergence of Europe as a global actor in international relations. The analysis of the Franco-German partnership, from post-war reconciliation to present-day cooperation, serves as a key thread for understanding the dynamics of European integration.

Delivered within a predominantly French-taught curriculum that also includes courses in English and German, the minor promotes a multilingual and intercultural approach to contemporary European issues. It is also designed to enable students who wish to do so to achieve a high level of proficiency in German.

The first semester of the first year may be undertaken entirely in English, alongside intensive French language courses designed to support a gradual integration into the programme. This option is particularly well suited to international students who are proficient in English but have not yet reached the required level of French to study in that language upon entry to Sciences Po.

This minor is taught at the Nancy campus. Several international dual degree programmes are available within this framework, notably with:

• Freie Universität Berlin, specific to the Nancy campus;
• University College London (UCL);
• La Luiss, Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli.

The European Union, Franco-German Partnership Minor explained in video

Courses and subjects for understanding European integration

The European Union minor, Franco-German partnership offers a curriculum taught primarily in French, complemented by courses in English and German. This linguistic structure enables students to develop within a genuinely European academic environment.

Teaching combines historical, political, economic and legal approaches, providing an in-depth understanding of European institutions, EU public policies, and Franco-German relations.

In the first year, Lectures are delivered in French and English, and students may also attend methodology classes and seminars in German.

Seminars, available in all three languages, cover a wide range of topics, including gender issues, the foundations of European integration, and the European Union’s external relations. In the second year, students choose two majors. Courses focusing on the campus’s geographical area allow them to deepen their analysis of political thought, international relations, and European public policies.

Examples of courses include:

• Information warfare;
• The European Green Deal – will the EU make it real?
• Weltpolitik – Beziehungen global gedacht.

Languages taught within the minor

The programme is based on the in-depth use of three working languages: French, German and English. Students are grouped according to their level in order to support effective progression and enable them to follow disciplinary courses in these different languages.

Once they have reached an advanced level (C1 in two languages), they may broaden their studies by learning additional European languages, such as Spanish, Italian, Russian or Swedish.

French as a Foreign Language courses are also offered to international students to support their gradual integration into the programme.

Proficiency in several European languages is a key asset for careers in European institutions, international organisations and multilingual professional environments.

Find out more about language teaching.

Skills and career opportunities

The European Union minor, Franco-German partnership provides students with the core knowledge in the humanities and social sciences shared by all students at the University College, enhanced by an in-depth specialisation in European studies.

Students develop a structured understanding of the institutional functioning of the European Union, European public policies, and issues related to the continent’s economic and strategic autonomy. The study of the Franco-German partnership offers valuable insight into the mechanisms of bilateral cooperation that have historically supported, and continue to shape, European integration.

The programme also fosters the ability to conduct comparative analysis of political and economic systems, as well as the capacity to grasp the complexity of European dynamics.

It opens up a wide range of career paths, including diplomacy, European institutions, national and international civil services, international organisations, the private sector, and academic research.

A third year to deepen European engagement

The third year of the Bachelor’s programme at Sciences Po takes place entirely abroad, at one of the institution’s 445 partner universities.

For students enrolled in the The European Union, Franco-German Partnership Minor, this year forms a direct continuation of their specialisation. It is strongly recommended that they spend this year in a European country, particularly within a German-speaking area, in order to strengthen both their language proficiency and their understanding of the national contexts studied.

However, mobility within the region of specialisation is not compulsory. Students remain free to choose a destination anywhere in the world, provided that they undertake coursework related to European issues or to relations between their host country and Europe.

Studying the European Union minor, Franco-German partnership on the Nancy campus

The European Union minor, Franco-German partnership is offered at the Nancy campus, which welcomes a large number of international students, particularly from across Europe. This multicultural environment encourages exchange, the comparison of perspectives, and a concrete understanding of European issues.

Find out more about the Nancy campus and its student community.