Program Courses

PSC 393/593 - Political Economy of EU Integration (3-credits)
Prof. Michael Maum, UMass Dartmouth

Course Syllabus (opens as a pdf)

This course will describe the major political, economic, and demographic shifts in Portuguese society that have accompanied the European integration process, as well as the impact of EU integration on Portuguese agriculture, fishery, industrial, and educational policies. The timeframe will essentially cover the last 30 years of Portuguese history, but after a brief introduction to the role of the Portuguese revolution, most of our discussions, readings, and class visits will be about Portugal since 1986, the year it and Spain joined the EC. Students will finish the course with a first-hand understanding of how European integration and expansion has impacted the society and economy of a small open economy on Europe’s periphery. Students will be encouraged to think about how the lessons learned in Portugal might be instructive for the newest members of the EU club. Students will also be encouraged to conduct first-hand interviews with Portuguese entrepreneurs, academic experts, labor leaders, farmers, and/or fellow students for the purposes of producing a research project on one aspect of Portuguese society/political economy that especially fascinates them.

PSC 394/594 - Politics of European Integration (3-credits)
Prof. Antonio Goucha Soares, ISEG-UTL

Course Syllabus (opens as a pdf)

The purpose of this course is to give a general overview of the main features of the so-called process of European integration, that is, the process initiated after World War II and that lead to the establishment of the European Union. During the course we will also discuss the major constraints that actually face European construction, like the enlargement to the eastern countries and the finality of European integration. The course will concentrate on the major constitutional transformations that have occurred over time, namely the adoption of the Single European Act, the Maastricht Treaty (that established the European Union), the Amsterdam and Nice Treaties, and the ongoing effort to ratify a Constitution for the EU. It will also discuss the great challenge of institutional reform that faces the European Union in the new century and the role of small-medium member states like Portugal. The approach will be mainly centered on political and institutional affairs. It will not require a background in European integration, although some knowledge in European studies may be an advantage.

Courses may also be available at the 200-level:

PSC 251--World Political Issues and Ideas (for students who do not need the 300-level course)
PSC 820--Political Science 200-level Elective (for students who do not need the 300-level course)

For those students taking the program as an elective in the social sciences and for whom 300-level PSC credit is not required, the two 200-level course options are available. All course requirements are the same as for the 300-level credits, except the 2500-word research paper. In its place will be a shorter (+/- 1500 word) reflection paper/journal.

Graduate-level students

For graduate credits, students will complete a longer and more rigorous research paper of approximately 15-20 pages or an original data collection exercise and paper.

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