Academic year: 2025-2026
Course: Foundation Course – Humanities/ Science
Credits: 3
Period: First semester
Number of hours: 24
Lecturer: Riccardo Luporini (riccardo1.luporini@santannapisa.it)
Language of instruction: English
Module description
This module serves as an introduction to the legal and institutional aspects of the European Union (EU). It provides fundamental knowledge about the history of the integration process, the EU’s competences and its institutional setup, and the primary methods of creating, implementing, and enforcing EU law. Additionally, the module offers an overview of EU sectoral policies and covers topics such as the protection of the environment and external action.
Learning Objectives
This module is designed for students who have no prior knowledge of EU law. It aims to provide them with a basic understanding of the subject matter. By the end of the course, students are expected to understand the main reasons, mechanisms, advantages, and disadvantages of the EU integration process. Additionally, they should know how the EU works in comparison to other supranational entities and be able to discuss the EU’s role in addressing some of the current global challenges.
Teaching methods
The module will run for 9 weeks and will be divided into 9 lessons, with each lesson lasting for 2 hours per week. The lectures will be based on ppt presentations prepared by the lecturer, and will be designed to be as interactive as possible, with active student participation encouraged. Students may, on a voluntary basis, give short individual or group presentations on a specific topic of interest agreed in advance with the lecturer.
Syllabus
1. Origins and development of the European integration process
2. Membership: accession to and withdrawal from the EU Treaties
3. Who governs the EU? Competences and institutional framework
4. The creation and application of EU Law
5. Enforcement of EU Law
6. Internal market and free movement
7. Immigration and asylum
8. European environmental law
9. The external action of the EU
This is a tentative list of sessions, but students are encouraged to suggest some topics for discussion.
Bibliography
The lecturer will provide students with all the necessary study materials (presentation slides, treaties and other relevant legal instruments, academic papers) in electronic format.
Assessment methods
Active class participation will be considered in the final assessment for both physically present and online students. At the end of the course, there will be a final examination based on the lecturer’s presentations and shared study material. During the course, an intermediate written test consisting of multiple-choice or short open-ended questions may be scheduled.