Kaitlyn Lannan, European Union Studies, Fall 2014
As an Economics minor, I was very excited to start taking classes on the EU Studies program. I thought it would be really interesting to see some of the same topics I learn about at Northwestern through another country’s views, and it has definitely lived up to and even exceeded my expectations!
The courses on the program are “The Political Economy of the European Union,” “France and the European Union,” “Decision Making in the European Union,” and “The Dynamics of Law Making in the European Union,” along with a French class. Our professors are all extremely knowledgeable in their respective fields, and I have learned so much about the EU. One of the most interesting classes, in my opinion, is “Decision Making in the European Union.” This class consists of role-playing sessions mimicking what occurs in major European institutions, such as the European Parliament. In this class, I was made the President of the European Union by the professor. It was a great way to examine the processes that take place in Parliament and also helped me to realize how much pressure the President is under! All of the other classes are also extremely informative and interesting. In the “Political Economy of the European Union” course, we are writing research papers in groups about topics related to the EU on topics that we chose.
Our program trips this year are to Brussels and Strasbourg, and it has been great to see some of the most important institutions to the European Union. Trips to NATO headquarters, the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the French Senate have been very eye-opening. I’m excited to apply what I’ve been learning to future classes that I take back at Northwestern!