Transatlantic Studies

The minor Transatlantic Studies addresses the political and cultural exchanges between Europe and North America. 

Summary

Number of EC

30 EC

Number of courses

4 compulsory courses

Start

Block 3

Coordinator

Prof. dr. Jaap Verheul

Course overview

Transatlantic Studies

Minor code

TAS-MINOR-17

Entry requirements

none

Associated MA-programmes
Register between 30 October and 24 November 2023

Make sure to register for the minor as well as all its courses

Content

The minor Transatlantic Studies is designed for those who are interested in the history of the political and cultural exchanges between Europe and North America and want to acquire specific expertise on transnational history and transatlantic relations in addition to their major programme. This minor provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the Atlantic world in the broadest sense of the word.

Note for humanities students: as you can complete this minor in the first semester of the third year, it forms an excellent preparation for an exchange programme with the United States or Canada.

Goal 

In this minor we focus on the period that begins with the so-called Atlantic revolutions at the end of the eighteenth century, and follow the transatlantic exchange of people, goods, money, ideas and cultural patterns to date. The four courses in this minor offer you a thorough and coherent overview of how the links between the Old and the New World were forged by the historical processes of immigration, knowledge transfer, cultural diplomacy, Americanization and globalization. You learn how American culture and society evolved from European roots and models to grow into a global superpower that in turn has deeply influenced the European economy, culture and society. This gives you insight into the relationship between culture and foreign relations, into processes of cultural exchange, and the shifting geopolitical in power relations within the Western world. 

Learning objectives

After completing this minor, you will:

  • have survey knowledge of the geopolitical relations and the circulation of people, goods and ideas, between Europe and North America from the end of the eighteenth century to the present;
  • be able to recognize how mutual perceptions, cultural diplomacy, soft power, and acknowledgement of a common past have affected these transatlantic relations;
  • be able to understand present challenges and developments in transatlantic relations from their historical context;
  • be acquainted with the most important conceptual approaches and research traditions in transatlantic history and has learned to apply these to concrete cases;
  • have practiced and applied academic skills such as academic writing and research.

Matching bachelor's programme's

The minor is especially interesting for students in the humanities and disciplines with a historical, cultural or political dimension.

Curriculum

The minor consists of 4 compulsory courses (30 EC) and starts in block 3.

Application and registration

How to register for this minor and its course modules, depends on whether you are a student of Utrecht University or not.

More information

If you wish to know more, or have questions about this minor, please contact the Student Desk Humanities.