SPS608 Advanced Studies of European Union
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on May 05, 2026
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Social and Political Sciences
Hamza Preljević
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course is designed to train doctoral students in high-level analysis and critical scholarship on the history, politics, and policy-making of the European Union. The course provides a platform for students to theorize and develop original conceptual frameworks by engaging with the EU's emergence, evolution, and integration policies from World War II to the present. Students will critically synthesize complex bodies of literature, formulate advanced research questions, and design rigorous methodologies for examining institutional, political, and policy dynamics. Through seminar discussions, research projects, and debates, students will be equipped to contribute new knowledge to the field, defend complex academic arguments, innovate in theoretical and interdisciplinary approaches, and lead scholarly discourse on European integration
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
McCormick, J. (2022). Understanding the European Union: A concise introduction (8th ed.). Bloomsbury Academic. (Original work published 1999); Cini, M. & Borragán, N.P-S. (2022). European Union Politics. Oxford University Press. 7th edition; Nugent, N. (2017). The government and politics of the European Union (8th ed.). Palgrave.
Additional Literature
Selected articles, book chapters, and official documents to be provided on Teams groups (file - required reading).Teaching Methods
This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing
Written assignments
Presentations
Reading analysis and group debates.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction & Research Orientation | |
| 2 | Historical Foundations of European Integration (1945–1970s) | View course details |
| 3 | Theoretical Approaches I: Neofunctionalism & Intergovernmentalism | View course details |
| 4 | Theoretical Approaches II: Constructivism, Historical Institutionalism, and New Institutionalism | View course details |
| 5 | The EU Institutional Architecture | View course details |
| 6 | EU Policy-Making Processes | View course details |
| 7 | Integration Theories Applied: Single Market & Economic Governance | View course details |
| 8 | MIDTERM EXAM | All above |
| 9 | Research Proposal Workshop | |
| 10 | EU Enlargement and External Relations | View course details |
| 11 | Research Proposal Workshop | View course details |
| 12 | The Future of Europe | View course details |
| 13 | European Security and Foreign Policy | View course details |
| 14 | Social, Environmental, and Human Rights Policy | View course details |
| 15 | Final Research Presentations & Scholarly Debate |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | 09:00 - 12:00 | B F1.31 | |
| Friday | 09:00 - 11:00 | B F1.31 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final project
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 and 4
Midterm Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 and 4
Presentation
AI: Consult InstructorAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 and 3
Facilitation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 and 3
Research proposal (week 9)
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Research Proposal
6 hours ⏳ (2 week × 3 h)
Participation
14 hours ⏳ (7 week × 2 h)
Home Study
28 hours ⏳ (14 week × 2 h)
Midterm Exam
16 hours ⏳ (2 week × 8 h)
Final Project
24 hours ⏳ (6 week × 4 h)
Presentation
20 hours ⏳ (2 week × 10 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [SPS608] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on May 05, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
Print Syllabus
Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| SPS608 | Advanced Studies of European Union | 3 | 0 | 6 | FRI 17:00-19:50 | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Hamza Preljević | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Wednesday: 9:00-12:00 Friday: 9:00-11:00 |
|||||||
| hpreljevic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course is designed to train doctoral students in high-level analysis and critical scholarship on the history, politics, and policy-making of the European Union. The course provides a platform for students to theorize and develop original conceptual frameworks by engaging with the EU's emergence, evolution, and integration policies from World War II to the present. Students will critically synthesize complex bodies of literature, formulate advanced research questions, and design rigorous methodologies for examining institutional, political, and policy dynamics. Through seminar discussions, research projects, and debates, students will be equipped to contribute new knowledge to the field, defend complex academic arguments, innovate in theoretical and interdisciplinary approaches, and lead scholarly discourse on European integration | |||||||||
| Textbook | McCormick, J. (2022). Understanding the European Union: A concise introduction (8th ed.). Bloomsbury Academic. (Original work published 1999); Cini, M. & Borragán, N.P-S. (2022). European Union Politics. Oxford University Press. 7th edition; Nugent, N. (2017). The government and politics of the European Union (8th ed.). Palgrave. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing, written assignments, presentations, reading analysis and group debates. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction & Research Orientation | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Historical Foundations of European Integration (1945–1970s) | View course details | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Theoretical Approaches I: Neofunctionalism & Intergovernmentalism | View course details | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Theoretical Approaches II: Constructivism, Historical Institutionalism, and New Institutionalism | View course details | ||||||||
| Week 5 | The EU Institutional Architecture | View course details | ||||||||
| Week 6 | EU Policy-Making Processes | View course details | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Integration Theories Applied: Single Market & Economic Governance | View course details | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MIDTERM EXAM | All above | ||||||||
| Week 9 | Research Proposal Workshop | |||||||||
| Week 10 | EU Enlargement and External Relations | View course details | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Research Proposal Workshop | View course details | ||||||||
| Week 12 | The Future of Europe | View course details | ||||||||
| Week 13 | European Security and Foreign Policy | View course details | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Social, Environmental, and Human Rights Policy | View course details | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Final Research Presentations & Scholarly Debate | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final project | 1 | 35 | 1, 2, 3 and 4 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 30 | 1, 2, 3, and 4 | Not Allowed | |
| Presentation | 1 | 10 | 1,2, and 3 | Consult Instructor | |
| Facilitation | 2 | 15 | 1,2, and 3 | Not Allowed | |
| Research proposal (week 9) | 1 | 10 | 3 and 4 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 3 | 14 | 42 | Research Proposal | 3 | 2 | 6 | |||
| Participation | 2 | 7 | 14 | Home Study | 2 | 14 | 28 | |||
| Midterm Exam | 8 | 2 | 16 | Final Project | 4 | 6 | 24 | |||
| Presentation | 10 | 2 | 20 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 15/05/2026 | |||||||||