The Institute of European Studies of Macau (IEEM), in cooperation with the University of Macau, offers a two-year Master of Arts degree programme in European Studies. The interdisciplinary programme provides students with in-depth insights into the process of European integration from various perspectives. The coursework of the programme is clustered around four modules, including: general foundation, economics, legal studies, and international relations of the European Union. All courses are taught by leading academics from various European Universities and Institutes as well as the University of Macau.
This programme is especially suitable to those who wish to prepare themselves for sufficient knowledge base, communication skills and analytical competences of European and international affairs and social sciences in general. It is attractive to people with particular interests in European and international affairs and those with plan to find jobs of international nature. Alumni of the MASSEUS programme have pursued successful careers both in China and abroad, including in the business, diplomatic, the government, international organizations, non-profitable organization, educational and academic sectors.
Module 1: General (102 hours)
Public Policy and Politics
This is an introductory course in the theory and practice of public policy wherein the problems, agendas and formulation of policy formation will be discussed. It also examines several theories of public policy including theories of policy adoption and policy implementation. The course will conclude with discussions on topics such as policy impact, evaluation and change in public policy making.
Governments and EU Governance
This course discusses the institutional dimension of the EU as a multilevel civilian political entity, while addressing the socio-economic dimension of multilevel governance and the Lisbon Strategy (2000-2010). It also allows students to have understandings in the institutional framework of the EU external relations as well as the EU global governance and the concepts of multilateralism.
Social Policy and European Identity
The course approaches the welfare states and social model in the EU from the legislation phases with respect to the relevant economic policies under Europe’s democratic background and also introduces the concepts about European Identity. There are needs for the reform in the social policies regarding its sustainability while the EU is facing globalization and other social and economic problems.
Europe: A History of Disintegration and Integration
This course offers a brief account of the sources of disunity and conflict as well as of the unity and integration in the history of modern Europe from the French Revolution to the foundations of the European Coal and Steel Community (1950). This is an introductory course which presupposes little or no knowledge of the history of Europe.
Research Methods
This course aims to introduce a variety of research methods to assist the students in designing feasible and theoretically sound research studies. The course consists of two parts: lecture and proposal presentation.
Module 2: Economics (117 hours)
Introduction to Macroeconomics
The course is composed of theoretical and factual contents. Its objective is to provide the students with the macroeconomic theories at intermediate level and it is combined with the historical background of the European Union, the rise of the integration and also a general picture about the European Union today. The core of the theoretical part falls onto the IS-LM as well as the AD-AS model while the students should understand how the economic policies function.
Theory of European Integration
It presents the different stages of integration (from the customs union, free trade area, common market… to the economic union), problems and benefits, policies and the movement for the completion of a single market, supported by empirical studies and theories from both the political and economic point of view upon the dimensions of widening and deepening.
Economic Policies of the EU
This course explains the economic policies for the internal market, the financing and institutional set-up of the policies, Agricultural Policy, Cohesion Policy (Structural Funds), and the structural reforms along with the dynamic integration process in Europe.
The European Monetary Unionin the World Context
The course includes an introduction about the European monetary unification in an historical perspective, the costs and benefits of a monetary union, the governance and the strategy of the European Central Bank, with the analysis of the enlargement process of both the European Union and the Eurozone. It also discusses the global role of the euro and the development of the single European capital market.
Globalization & EU’s Foreign Direct Investment
It illustrates the growing importance of globalization and multinational enterprises in the world economy. The theories that explain the internationalization process of companies will be analyzed, as well as the evolving organizational structures according to the degree of multi-nationality of firms. The tendencies of multinational enterprises to enter into joint ventures and other collaborative agreements will also be studied. Special attention will be devoted to the outward direct investment of the EU.
Lisbon Strategy and Sustainable Development
The Lisbon Strategy is the EU’s response to globalization in 2000. The course introduces the economic, social and environmental dimensions of this ten year plan with also its first phase assessment and the reform in the second phase; how this agenda is related to the structural reforms of the EU and what the difficulties and problems are.
Innovation and the World Economy
This course introduces the theoretical models and conditions for innovation, the systems of innovation at different levels and how these can contribute to the construction of a knowledge-driven economy and an e-society. It also provides the background of the Lisbon Strategy and discusses about the policy instruments in the EU.
Module 3: Legal Framework (54 hours)
EU Law I – Institutions and Treaties
The course explains the legal foundation of the European Communities/Union, which is based on the treaties signed by the member states, and it introduces the decision-making procedures, roles and competences of the institutions, and especially the Commission, Council, Parliament, Court of Justice…etc in the process of construction of the European single market.
EU Law II – Four Freedoms
The course’s rationale is to further the students’ understanding about the EU internal market and the rules governing it with the focus on the four freedoms and the principles regulating free movement within the EU. Its builds upon the foundation material in EC/EU taught earlier in the year and examines the substantive law of the EU. As such, the course provides combination of lectures on laws and rules regulating internal market followed by discussion. It also explains the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital and concludes with basic competition rules with reference to the case law.
The Lisbon Treaty and Institutional Reform
This course provides an introduction to the legal and institutional reforms under the Treaty of Lisbon (TOL). The successor of the ill-fated Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, the TOLwas signed on 13 December 2007and is now in the process of being ratified. Once it is ratified by all 27 European Union (EU) Member States, it will come into force, most likely in late 2009 or early 2010. This will mean major legal and institutional reforms in the EU. The Treaty of Lisbon will shape EU law and institutions for the foreseeable future. In this course, we explore this important transformation of EU law by outlining the main reforms and their likely implications.
Module 4: EU and the World (87 hours)
Theory of International Relations
By an overview of IR theories, the course aims to enable students to grasp the main themes of the theories that have been most influential in explaining world politics and, to some extent, to apply them in analyzing the reality of world affairs. This course examines traditions of key theories and approaches in the study of international relations, including classical realism and neo-realism; classical liberalism and neo-liberalism; the concept of international society; social constructivism and its application in IR; the relations between states and markets in world affairs (international political economy); the study of managing external relations and activities of nation states (foreign policy analysis).
External & Security Policies of EU
This course aims to present a general understanding of the developments in European peace, security, defence and military policies with special reference to EU’s CSFP, CESDP, the new EU crises intervention force and the EU armament market. It will provide the students with the necessary theoretical-methodological as well as historical background for this understanding.
EU and the World I: the Neighbourhood
The course introduces how the new members in the east joined the European Union and the relation between the former Communist countries as well as those in the Mediterranean region. It also presents the discussions for further enlargement of the EU.
EU and the World II: EU-Asia Relations
This course aims to introduce the complexities of EU-Asia relations, both, at the inter-regional level and at the bilateral level. It will focus on matters that will encompass the following Asian sub-regions: East Asia, Central Asia and South-Asia. Within East Asia, special attention will be given to China-EU relations, both from the historical point of view as well as the most recent developments, including bilateral negotiations towards a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). EU-Japan and EU-ASEAN relations will be given some attention, as well. The ASEM process (Asia Europe Meeting) will be introduced as a case of summit diplomacy with all its merits and limitations. In regard to Central-Asia, a brief analysis of Central-Asia significance in the context of Asia-Europe relations and the overall economic and security concerns of EURASIA will be the focus of our attention. In the same token, EU-India relations will be briefly analyzed.
Because the EU integration force is such an overall successful process, by bringing peace and development to the whole continent of Europe, it will attract other regions to also try the similar experiences. Regionalism in Asia is an on-going issues and it is worth comparing currents Asian trends with the case of the EU.
EU and the World III: the Rest of the World
It introduces the relations between EU and Africa and EU with the America. Europe has with Africa historical relations, from its colonial past. It is therefore a special relation with positive as well as negative outcomes. EU-African relations will be analyzes against the backdrop of recent developments of Africa in the international context, namely Africa-China relations and Europe reactions to the development of these relations.
On the other hand EU has strong relations with some of the leading countries of South America, particularly those belonging to Mercosur. Region-to-region dialogue as well as bilateral relations will be analyzed.
Lastly, the EU-US relations, is the corner stone, the most important single element of EU’s external dimension. All implications of those relations from the bilateral perspective as well as multilateral implications will be covered, as well as the implications of this Atlantic connection to overall EU relations with the world in the various dimensions of the CSFP as well as CESDP.
Remarks:
Module 1-4: 21 Courses
Total hours: 360
Second Year will be thesis writing