Study track: European Interdisciplinary Studies

Academic Year 2025-2026

Why follow the European Interdisciplinary Studies study track? 

Students interested in taking a broader, cross-disciplinary view of transatlantic affairs can pursue their interests by choosing from a wide array of courses at both the College of Europe and The Fletcher School. They will gain expertise in European integration processes, EU external relations and transatlantic affairs and learn to provide imaginative solutions to today’s most pressing and complex national, regional and global challenges by adopting a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, contextual and multicultural approach.  

My experience in the Natolin campus has provided me with a unique perspective on transatlantic relations in Central and Eastern Europe in the midst of the Russian invasion on Ukraine.  I am confident that the knowledge and skills I am gaining in the MATA program will allow me to generate common solutions facing the EU and the US today.

- Pau Alvarez Aragones, MATA-EIS student, class of 2024

 

 

 

Students starting at the College of Europe 

MATA-EIS STUDY TRACK SEMESTER 1 in Natolin

MATA-EIS students take 15 courses (23 ECTS): 

  • 1 MATA compulsory course 

  • 8 EIS introductory courses 

  • 1 EIS compulsory course 

  • 3 core courses from the pluridisciplinary track (can be exempted with disciplinary entrance test and replaced with interdisciplinary track courses) 

  • 1 (up to 2) EIS contextual courses 

  • 1 EIS masterclass and / or workshop 

plus 

  • EIS study trip  

 

Students can also select from voluntary courses (no ECTS) and participate in a voluntary simulation game (no ECTS) 

 

Additional milestones: 

  • Allocation of primary thesis supervisor 

  • Internship search 

 

MATA compulsory course (5 ECTS, 27h) 

  • US-EU Relations in the 21st Century: Multidisciplinary Analysis of Transatlantic Affairs (SKIADAS D. & LESSER I.) 

     

EIS introductory courses (no ECTS, 10h) 

  • Introduction to Political Science (ZIOLKOWSKA  J. & LEWIS O.) 

  • Introduction to International Relations (SCHUMACHER T.) 

  • Introduction to Law (VAN ELSUWEGE P.) 

  • Introduction to Economics (BOBROWICZ B.) 

  • Introduction to Theories and Strategies of European Integration (WESSELS W.) 

  • Introduction to Interdisciplinarity and Transdisciplinarity (SZOSTAK R.) 

  • L'Histoire de la Construction européenne (SCHIRMANN S.) 

  • History of European Civilization (BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI R.) 

 

EIS compulsory course (4 ECTS, 20h) 

  • History of Central and Eastern Europe, 1740-1939 (BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI R.) 

 

EIS core courses (4 ECTS, 20h) 

 

Pluridisciplinary Track (select 3 unless testing out) 

  • EU Institutions and Decision-Making (LORD C.) 

  • Political Economy of Europe in a Changing World Order (MARTELLI A.) 

  • The EU Legal Order: Rights, Norms and Values (VAN ELSUWEGE P.) 

 

Interdisciplinary Track (can be selected if testing out of pluridisciplinary track options) 

  • State and Economy (BELKA M.) 

  • International Cooperation and the Governance of Migration (CASSARINO J-P) 

  • Energy in a Globalised World: Economics, Politics and Policies (HENDERSON J.) 

  • The EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Strategies: A Geo-Legal Approach (LANNON E.) 

  • Security and Military Challenges in Europe (MICHTA A.) 

 

1 (up to 2) EIS contextual courses (no ECTS, 10h) 

  • Mapping the World: Geopolitical Imaginations Past and Present (BIALASIEWICZ L.) 

  • Orientalisme (BRAGUE R.) 

  • Grands enjeux de la liberté de la presse (MHANNA A) 

  • La religion dans un monde globalisé (PORTIER P.) 

  • Climate Induced Migration (SASNAL P) 

  • Geo-economics (WIGELL M.) 

 

1 EIS workshop (may be substituted with a masterclass) (no ECTS, 8h) 

  • Strategic Communication in Digital Age (KIMBER LINDWALL A.) 

  • Media and Climate: Communicating the Green Transition (KRUKOWSKA E.) 

  • Making Sense of Strategy (MILEVSKI L.) 

  • Geopolitical Risk Analysis (ZAMPIERI F.) 

 

1 EIS masterclass (may be substituted with a workshop) (no ECTS, 10h) 

  • Cold War Strategies from the Central Eastern Europe Perspective (CICHOCKI & DĘBSKI S.) 

  • External relations, Security and Defence through the Prism of EU Historical Documents (SCHLENKER D.) 

 

Voluntary courses (no ECTS, 20h) 

  • Research methods seminar 

  •  

Voluntary simulation games (no ECTS, 10h) 

  • The Paris Peace Conference of 1919-20 (BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI R.) 

  • Drafting a Peace Treaty for the End of the Cold War (MINK G. & CICHOCKI M.) 

  • EU Decision-making and Interest Representation in Practice / Le processus décisionnel de l'Union européenne et la représentation d'intérêts (MARISSEN V.) 

  • EU Foreign Policy-Making in Times of Conflict in the EU's Neighbourhood (SCHUMACHER T.)

 

 

 

MATA-EIS STUDY TRACK SEMESTER 2 in Natolin

MATA-EIS students take 6 courses (23 ECTS): 

  • 2 MATA compulsory courses 

  • 4 core and specialist courses from their major, at least one of them a core course 

plus 

  • EIS study trip  

Students can also select from voluntary courses and activities (no ECTS) 

  • Compact seminars 

  • Simulation games 

  • Modules  

 

Additional milestones: 

  • MATA study trip 

  • Internship search 

  • Thesis proposal 

 

MATA compulsory courses 

  • US-EU Relations in the 21st Century: Transatlantic Project (BERTI B & KOPLOVSKY M., 5 ECTS, 20h) 

  • Southern Atlanticism: Rethinking Mental Maps of Transatlantic Relations (LESSER I., no ECTS, 8h)

  •  

EIS core and specialist courses  

MATA-EIS students select 1 out of 2 majors  

  • The EU and the World (EUW) 

  • The EU in the Wider Europe and its Neighbours (EUN) 

 

MATA-EIS students must take a total of 4 core and specialist courses within their major and at least 1 core course within their major.

 

Core courses for the “The EU and the World” major (20h, 4 ECTS) 

  • The Legal Dimension of EU External Relations (BLOCKMANS S.) 

  • Security and Conflict Management (GRESSEL G.) 

  • EU Trade Policy from Rules based Trade to Trade Wars (SCHLEGELMILCH R.) 

  • The International Relations of the EU (SMITH K.) 

 

Specialist courses for the “The EU and the World” major (20h, 4 ECTS) 

  • China and the World (CABESTAN J.-P.) 

  • The European Union, the Global South and the Politics of International Development (CARBONE M.) 

  • After Liberal Hegemony - The transatlantic partnership and the return of Great Power Competition (FROHLICH S.) 

  • EU Asylum and Migration Policy in Global Context (LAVENEX S. & TRAUNER F.) 

  • The European Union and Bi- and Multilateral Diplomacy (MAYR-HARTING T.) 

  • International Climate Governance (NASSEF Y.) 

  • Human Rights in International Politics (SASNAL P.) 

  • NATO and European Defense Policy (TARDY T.) 

  • Comparative Regionalism (WINAND P.) 

  • Politics in the Digital Age: Power, Platforms, and Participation (YORK J.) 

 

Core courses for the “The EU in the Wider Europe and its Neighbours” major (20h, 4 ECTS) 

  • The EU and its Southern Neighbourhoods (LANNON E.) 

  • Enlargement Policy of the European Union (ŁAZOWSKI A.)  

  • Whither Neighbourhood? The EU, Eastern Europe, and the Southern Mediterranean in Times of Peace and War (SCHUMACHER T.) 

  • The EU and Eastern Europe (WOLCZUK K.) 

 

Specialist courses for the “The EU in the Wider Europe and its Neighbours” major (20h, 4 ECTS) 

  • Turkey Between Europe and Eurasia: Historical and Contemporary Evaluation (AYDIN M.) 

  • Cooperation on Migration Governance between the EU and its Neighbourhood (CASSARINO J.-P & DAVITTI D.) 

  • Minority Issues, Nationalism and Identity Politics in the EU’s Neighbourhood (CASTELLINO J. & CAVANAUGH K.) 

  • External Perceptions of the EU and EU Public Diplomacy: Views from the EU’s Neighbourhoods and around the World (CHABAN N.) 

  • Autocratization in the Middle East and North Africa (DEMMELHUBER T.) 

  • EU Energy Governance in the EU's Neighbourhood (BUZOGANY A.) 

  • The EU and the Geopolitics of Disinformation and Digital Communication in the Neighbourhood and Russia (KALENSKY J.) 

  • The EU’s Relation(s) with a Wider Europe – The Legal Dimension (HILLION C.) 

  • War and Conflict in the Post-Soviet Space (LANOSZKA A.) 

  • The European Union and Bi-and Multilateral Diplomacy (MAYR-HARTING T.) 

  • Revolutions and Mass Mobilization in Eastern Europe (ONUCH O.) 

  • Church-State Relations and the Role of Religious Movements in the EU Neighbourhood/ Les relations Eglises-Etat et le rôle des mouvements religieux dans les pays voisins de l'Union européenne (ROUSSELET K.  & SHEIKH N.) 

  • Western Balkans: EU Enlargement, External Influences, Post-Conflict Transition (TEOKAREVIC J.) 

  • The EU, Russia and the EU's Eastern Neighbourhood: power, performance, and perceptions (TYUSHKA A.) 

 

Voluntary compact seminars (no ECTS) 

Compact seminars for the “The EU and the World” major 

  • Geopolitics and Geoeconomics of the Arctic (ALIYEV N., 8h) 

  • L’Etat post-colonial en Afrique à l’épreuve des politiques européennes de développement (DIMIER V., 8h) 

  • Challenges of Multilateralism and Intelligence Cooperation (FREYTAG VON LORINGHOVEN A., 10h) 

  • The International Relations of Latin America and its Interaction with the EU (GARDINI G. L., 10h) 

  • The EU and the Indo-Pacific (ISLAM S., 8h) 

  • Terrorism and Hybrid Warfare in the EU and its Neighbourhood (JERMALAVIČIUS T., 8h) 

  • Politics of Climate Change (KURTYKA M., 10h) 

  • The EU and Crisis Management in Practice (VIMONT P., 8h) 

  • Making International Climate Action Deliver (WATKINSON P., 10h) 

Compact seminars for the “The EU in the Wider Europe and its Neighbours” major 

  • EU-Middle East Relations: Conflict, Peace and Security (BOURIS D., 10h) 

  • The Energy and Climate Transition in the European Union’s Neighbourhood – A Policy Lab on Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans (BUSCHLE D., 10h) 

  • Energy Security and Conflict in the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood (FRANZA L., 10h) 

  • Central Asia as the EU's Wider Neighbourhood: Power, Politics, and Foreign Policy (ISAACS R., 10h) 

  • Sanctions and Economic Statecraft (SHAGINA M., 10h) 

 

Simulation games (no ECTS) 

Simulation games for the “The EU and the World” major (8h)  

  • Disinformation in Diplomacy (ANDRIUKAITIS, A.) 

  • The Congress of Vienna 1814-15 (BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI R.) 

  • NATO and the EU’s Response to War in Europe (TARDY T.) 

Simulation game for the “The EU in the Wider Europe and its Neighbours” major (6h)  

  • The Congress of Vienna 1814-15 (BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI R.) 

  • Energy and Climate in the Neighbourhood (FRANZA L.) 

 

Students of all majors may also participate in any number of the following modules (no ECTS):   

Cooperation with external partners  

  • Introduction to International Humanitarian Law within the framework of a seminar organized with the International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva - open to external participants (MIKOS-SKUZA E., 17h) 

  • Workshops in history organized in cooperation with the Max Weber programme of the European University Institute  

  • Cycle of seminars with the EIB on the EU Green Deal (7.5h) 

 

 

MATA-EIS Study Track Year 2

 

MATA-EIS students have 3 options: 

  1. Semester 3 doing a high-level internship and semester 4 at The Fletcher School 

  2. Semester 3 at The Fletcher School and semester 4 doing a high-level internship 

  3. An academic year at The Fletcher School

     

Additional milestones: 

  • Semester 3: Appointment of second thesis supervisor from The Fletcher School 

  • Internship report

  • Semester 4: Thesis submission and defence   

 

Option 1 

  • Semester 3: High-level internship (25 ECTS) 

  • Semester 4: 4 courses (24 ECTS) at The Fletcher School with the possibility of cross-registration and the substitution of 1 course from Tufts University or Harvard University  

At least one course from each of the three divisions (‘breadth requirement’):  

  • International Law and Organizations (ILO) 

  • Diplomacy, History and Politics (DHP)  

  • Economics and International Business (EIB) 

 

Thesis submission (25 ECTS) in late March and defence in April. 

Option 2 

  • Semester 3: 4 courses (24 ECTS) at The Fletcher School with the possibility of cross-registration and the substitution of 1 course from Tufts University or Harvard University  

At least one course from each of the three divisions (‘breadth requirement’):  

  • International Law and Organizations (ILO) 

  • Diplomacy, History and Politics (DHP)  

  • Economics and International Business (EIB) 

 

  • Semester 4: High-level internship (25 ECTS) 

 

Thesis submission (25 ECTS) in late March and defence in April. 

 

Option 3 

  • Semester 3: 4 courses (24 ECTS) at The Fletcher School with the possibility of cross-registration and the substitution of 1 course from Tufts University or Harvard University plus 1 module (1.5 ECTS) 

At least one course from each of the three divisions (‘breadth requirement’):  

  • International Law and Organizations (ILO) 

  • Diplomacy, History and Politics (DHP)  

  • Economics and International Business (EIB)

     

  • Semester 4: 4 courses (24 ECTS) at The Fletcher School with the possibility of cross-registration and the substitution of 1 course from Tufts University or Harvard University

 

Thesis submission (25 ECTS) in late March and defense in April. 

 

 

 

Students starting at the Fletcher School
for the EIS Study Track

MATA-EIS STUDY TRACK SEMESTER 1 at the Fletcher School

MATA-EIS students take 4 courses (23 ECTS) 

  • 1 MATA compulsory course 

  • 3 Fletcher courses 

Additional milestones: 

  • Allocation of primary thesis supervisor 

  • Internship search 

 

MATA compulsory course: 

  • US-EU Relations in the 21st Century: Multidisciplinary Analysis of Transatlantic Affairs (SKIADAS D. & LESSER I., 5 ECTS, 27h)

     

3 Fletcher courses, with at least one course from each of the three divisions (‘breadth requirement’):  

  • International Law and Organizations (ILO) 

  • Diplomacy, History and Politics (DHP)  

  • Economics and International Business (EIB) 

Cross-registration and substitution of 1 course from Tufts University or Harvard University possible

 

 

 

 

MATA-EIS STUDY TRACK SEMESTER 2 at the Fletcher School

MATA-POL students take 5 courses (29 ECTS): 

  • 1 MATA compulsory course 

  • 4 Fletcher courses 

Additional milestones: 

  • Internship search 

  • Thesis proposal 

 

MATA compulsory courses 

  • US-EU Relations in the 21st Century: Transatlantic Project (BERTI B. & KOPLOVSKY M., 5 ECTS, 20h)

     

4 Fletcher courses (24 ECTS), with at least one course from each of the three divisions (‘breadth requirement’):  

  • International Law and Organizations (ILO) 

  • Diplomacy, History and Politics (DHP)  

  • Economics and International Business (EIB) 

Cross-registration and substitution of 1 course from Tufts University or Harvard University possible 

 

 

 

MATA-EIS STUDY TRACK SEMESTER 3

MATA-EIS students undertake a high-level internship (25 ECTS) 

 

Additional milestones: 

  • Appointment of second thesis supervisor from the College of Europe 

  • Course selection for semester 4 

  • Internship report 

 

 

 

MATA-EIS STUDY TRACK SEMESTER 4 in Natolin

MATA-EIS students take 5 courses (23 ECTS): 

  • 1 MATA compulsory course 

  • 4 core and specialist courses from their major, at least one of them a core course 

plus 

  • EIS study trip  

  • Thesis submission and defense (25 ECTS) 

Students can also select from voluntary courses and activities (no ECTS) 

  • Compact seminars 

  • Simulation games 

  • Modules  

Additional milestones: 

  • MATA study trip 

 

MATA compulsory courses 

  • Southern Atlanticism: Rethinking Mental Maps of Transatlantic Relations (LESSER I., no ECTS, 8h)

     

EIS core and specialist courses  

MATA-EIS students select 1 out of 2 majors  

  • The EU and the World (EUW) 

  • The EU in the Wider Europe and its Neighbours (EUN) 

 

MATA-EIS students must take a total of 4 core and specialist courses within their major and at least 1 core course within their major 

 

Core courses for the “The EU and the World” major (20h, 4 ECTS) 

  • The Legal Dimension of EU External Relations (BLOCKMANS S.) 

  • Security and Conflict Management (GRESSEL G.) 

  • EU Trade Policy from Rules based Trade to Trade Wars (SCHLEGELMILCH R.) 

  • The International Relations of the EU (SMITH K.) 

 

Specialist courses for the “The EU and the World” major (20h, 4 ECTS) 

  • China and the World (CABESTAN J.-P.) 

  • The European Union, the Global South and the Politics of International Development (CARBONE M.) 

  • After Liberal Hegemony - The transatlantic partnership and the return of Great Power Competition (FROHLICH S.) 

  • EU Asylum and Migration Policy in Global Context (LAVENEX S. & TRAUNER F.) 

  • The European Union and Bi- and Multilateral Diplomacy (MAYR-HARTING T.) 

  • International Climate Governance (NASSEF Y.) 

  • Human Rights in International Politics (SASNAL P.) 

  • NATO and European Defense Policy (TARDY T.) 

  • Comparative Regionalism (WINAND P.) 

  • Politics in the Digital Age: Power, Platforms, and Participation (YORK J.) 

 

Core courses for the “The EU in the Wider Europe and its Neighbours” major (20h, 4 ECTS) 

  • The EU and its Southern Neighbourhoods (LANNON E.) 

  • Enlargement Policy of the European Union (ŁAZOWSKI A.)  

  • Whither Neighbourhood? The EU, Eastern Europe, and the Southern Mediterranean in Times of Peace and War (SCHUMACHER T.) 

  • The EU and Eastern Europe (WOLCZUK K.) 

 

Specialist courses for the “The EU in the Wider Europe and its Neighbours” major (20h, 4 ECTS) 

  • Turkey Between Europe and Eurasia: Historical and Contemporary Evaluation (AYDIN M.) 

  • Cooperation on Migration Governance between the EU and its Neighbourhood (CASSARINO J.-P. & DAVITTI D.) 

  • Minority Issues, Nationalism and Identity Politics in the EU’s Neighbourhood (CASTELLINO J. & CAVANAUGH K.) 

  • External Perceptions of the EU and EU Public Diplomacy: Views from the EU’s Neighbourhoods and around the World (CHABAN N.) 

  • Autocratization in the Middle East and North Africa (DEMMELHUBER T.) 

  • EU Energy Governance in the EU's Neighbourhood (BUZOGANY A.) 

  • The EU and the Geopolitics of Disinformation and Digital Communication in the Neighbourhood and Russia (KALENSKY J.) 

  • The EU’s Relation(s) with a Wider Europe – The Legal Dimension (HILLION C.) 

  • War and Conflict in the Post-Soviet Space (LANOSZKA A.) 

  • The European Union and Bi-and Multilateral Diplomacy (MAYR-HARTING T.) 

  • Revolutions and Mass Mobilization in Eastern Europe (ONUCH O.) 

  • Church-State Relations and the Role of Religious Movements in the EU Neighbourhood/ Les relations Eglises-Etat et le rôle des mouvements religieux dans les pays voisins de l'Union européenne (ROUSSELET K.  & SHEIKH N.) 

  • Western Balkans: EU Enlargement, External Influences, Post-Conflict Transition (TEOKAREVIC J.) 

  • The EU, Russia and the EU's Eastern Neighbourhood: power, performance, and perceptions (TYUSHKA A.) 

 

Voluntary compact seminars (no ECTS) 

 

Compact seminars for the “The EU and the World” major  

  • Geopolitics and Geoeconomics of the Arctic (ALIYEV N., 8h) 

  • L’Etat post-colonial en Afrique à l’épreuve des politiques européennes de développement (DIMIER V., 8h) 

  • Challenges of Multilateralism and Intelligence Cooperation (FREYTAG VON LORINGHOVEN A., 10h) 

  • The International Relations of Latin America and its Interaction with the EU (GARDINI G. L., 10h) 

  • The EU and the Indo-Pacific (ISLAM S., 8h) 

  • Terrorism and Hybrid Warfare in the EU and its Neighbourhood (JERMALAVIČIUS T., 8h) 

  • Politics of Climate Change (KURTYKA M., 10h) 

  • The EU and Crisis Management in Practice (VIMONT P., 8h) 

  • Making International Climate Action Deliver (WATKINSON P., 10h) 

Compact seminars for the “The EU in the Wider Europe and its Neighbours” major 

  • EU-Middle East Relations: Conflict, Peace and Security (BOURIS D., 10h) 

  • The Energy and Climate Transition in the European Union’s Neighbourhood – A Policy Lab on Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans (BUSCHLE D., 10h) 

  • Energy Security and Conflict in the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood (FRANZA L., 10h) 

  • Central Asia as the EU's Wider Neighbourhood: Power, Politics, and Foreign Policy (ISAACS R., 10h) 

  • Sanctions and Economic Statecraft (SHAGINA M., 10h) 

 

Simulation games (no ECTS) 

Simulation games for the “The EU and the World” major (8h)  

  • Disinformation in Diplomacy (ANDRIUKAITIS, A.) 

  • The Congress of Vienna 1814-15 (BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI R.) 

  • NATO and the EU’s Response to War in Europe (TARDY T.) 

Simulation game for the “The EU in the Wider Europe and its Neighbours” major (6h)  

  • The Congress of Vienna 1814-15 (BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI R.) 

  • Energy and Climate in the Neighbourhood (FRANZA L.) 

 

Students of all majors may also participate in any number of the following modules (no ECTS):   

Cooperation with external partners  

  • Introduction to International Humanitarian Law within the framework of a seminar organized with the International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva - open to external participants (MIKOS-SKUZA E., 17h) 

  • Workshops in history organized in cooperation with the Max Weber programme of the European University Institute  

  • Cycle of seminars with the EIB on the EU Green Deal (7.5h) 

 

Thesis submission (25 ECTS) in late March and defence in April

 

General News

30.01.2026
Natolin

Maghreb & Mashriq Cultural Day at Natolin

Students at the College of Europe in Natolin came together for an evening dedicated to the cultures of the Maghreb and Mashriq, celebrating the region’s rich heritage, artistic traditions, and shared...

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