Europe decides – and these decisions shape labour markets, organisations and public debate. By studying the Certificate of European Integration, you will learn how European policy is formed: who decides what, how compromises are reached, and why certain issues (such as migration, climate change, and foreign and security policy) are particularly complex at EU level. Through English-language teaching and examination formats, you will acquire the tools to contextualise, explain and critically evaluate EU developments. In doing so, you will also strengthen a key future-oriented skill: professional communication in English, which is a given in many Europe-related professional fields. You will thus gain skills that you can demonstrate in job applications using concrete examples and apply directly in your everyday working life.
Students…
- ...deepen their knowledge using a practical format (simulation of the EU legislative process) and reflect on roles, interests, and negotiation outcomes.
- …develop the ability to understand EU decision-making processes and apply this ability to specific cases.
- …systematically learn about the structures, actors, and decision-making procedures of the European Union.
- …can analyze and classify the basic features of central EU policy areas (e.g., migration, environmental/climate policy, foreign and security policy).
- …are able to present EU-related issues in an argumentatively comprehensible and professionally sound manner – also in English-speaking contexts.
- …possess sound knowledge of theories and central debates of European integration.
- …can theoretically analyze and evaluate EU integration and disintegration processes.
- …are able to explain the role and interaction of EU institutions (especially the Commission, Parliament, Council) and relate them to current problems.
- …practice working with English-language specialist literature and European-related professional communication in English (e.g., in the context of discussion, analysis, and presentation of political content).
The certificate consists of an introductory module, an advanced module, and the module examination. All courses offered in the certificate program are taught in English.
Lecture on European Integration
Within the introductory module, one of the two lectures offered must be attended, either “The Politics of European Integration” or “Policy-Making in the European Union”. The two lectures are offered in alternating years.
Date: annually in the winter semester; Wednesday, 10:15 AM – 11:45 AM
Module examination: Electronic exam (45 min.) on the lecture material (graded)
The lecture course is designed to introduce students to the politics of European integration. While the lecture “Policy-Making in the EU” focuses more on the different policies and theories of European integration, this course deals with the politics of the EU, i.e. processes, actors and interaction patterns as well as the political contestation emerging from that.
The course is divided into several parts. Part A provides a brief, comprehensive overview of the history of the European Community/Union and raises some major issues that need to be taken into consideration when analysing the integration process in Europe. Part B looks at the most important actors involved in the European integration process, including the EU institutions, the Member States, and interest groups. Part C deals with the EU negotiating and decision-making process and also takes up major debates and controversies related to the political system of the EU (especially the Union’s democratic deficit). Finally, in part D we will focus on the future of European integration in challenging times. In addition, the various crises of the EU (Euro crisis, refugee crisis, Brexit, COVID-19 crisis and the war in Ukraine) will play a certain role throughout the course.
The language of instruction is English.
Amongst all regional integration projects, the European integration process is the one which impinges most deeply on the competences of the nation-state. Knowledge of its historical foundations, its theoretical underpinnings and the content of major EC/EU policies are a precondition for understanding and explaining European (Union) policy-making.
The course seeks to give comprehensive insights into the history, theory and policies of European integration. The first part of the course will introduce into the overall subject matter and look at some historical roots and foundations of the European integration project. This will be followed by discussing the most important theoretical approaches towards (European) integration and will also form the basis for the analysis of (some of the) subsequent topics. The third and main part of the course will focus on the content as well as the scope and level of integration of major EU/EC policies (including the single market, monetary union, agricultural policy, social policy, regional policy, environmental policy, justice and home affairs, and EU external policy). This part also aims at applying the insights of section one, and especially section two, to specific policy areas and seeks to illustrate the knowledge gained by way of (concrete) examples.
The language of instruction is English.
Seminar on “EU Institutions and Decision-Making”
Date: annually in the summer semester: Tuesday, 12:15 PM – 1:45 PM
Project Seminar: Model European Union Mainz (MEUM)
Date: annually in the summer semester: 3.5 days in one of the last weeks of the semester (lecturers of regular courses will be informed in advance about a possible absence of certificate participants)
The seminar “EU Institutions and Decision-Making” will prepare students for participation in the Model European Union Mainz (MEUM). Participants will study and analyse the relevant EU institutions as well as EU decision-making and negotiation processes.
At the core of the course, participants will simulate EU decision-making in Model EU Mainz (MEUM). Normally, around 60 participants from all over Europe (and sometimes beyond Europe) will come to Mainz for the simulation of the ordinary legislative procedure. Participants will slip into the roles of national ministers, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and journalists. MEUM offers young Europeans the chance to get a first-hand insight into the complex workings of the EU’s political system and decision-making. Starting point for the debate will be two proposals for legislation drafted by the European Commission. Participants, in their roles as MEPs and national ministers, will deliver speeches, work on amendments to the proposal texts and organize majorities in order to adopt their suggestions for changes to the legislation while journalists will monitor and critically report on this political process.
The language of instruction is English.
Electronic exam (45 min.) on the material of the lecture (graded)
The certificate can only be started in the winter semester. The application is possible within the following period: mid-May to September 1st. Applications are also accepted during the application period for a regular degree program at JGU. However, enrollment before the start of the respective semester is a prerequisite for participation.
Please note: the number of places in the certificate program is limited. If there is a high number of applicants, places will be allocated by admission by lottery. There is no entitlement to participate in the desired certificate program. Applicants will receive an acceptance or rejection by email.
Note: If you do not receive a confirmation email or if the status of your application is “open”, you have not yet finally submitted the application. If this is the case and you cannot submit the application, please contact the coordination office directly!
The certificate is administered by the Chair of International Politics (Prof. Arne Niemann) together with the Political Science student office. Ms. Laura Ulrich will be happy to help you with any content-related questions regarding the “Certificate of European Integration” program. For general and technical questions, please contact the central coordination office for certificate programs at JGU (zertifikate@uni-mainz.de).