What It Takes To Write A Good PhD Dissertation In European Studies

You may decide that writing a PhD dissertation in European studies is going to be a fairly easy task. What you need to know about European studies is that it is an area of study that is quite complex and fast moving. Take into consideration that following:

• That Europe’s boundaries have changed and expanded in some areas. There are areas now that are part of Europe that used to be part of Russia.
• The politics within the European Union are fast moving and built upon centuries of history and change.
• The European Union makes directives that are sometimes not very popular and go against some of the laws that a country would have be defined by in the past.
• The changes that have affected Europeans because of the number of refugees, asylum seekers and economic migrants that have migrated into Europe.
• There are differences within the European Union but there is also a sense of oneness and agreement.

To write a good PhD dissertation you really need to have studied the area that you want to focus on for a period of three to four years.

• Within that time period you need to have made one new discovery or have come across a contribution by another author or a sub-area within the subject that you want to explore.
• You will need to produce a thesis statement about your area of study. In your thesis you will need to add your own contribution that you are seeking to make within that area. You will also need to critically compare your approach in comparison with approach that others have made (Literature Review).
• The thesis is in effect a monolog. It is a piece of work that you need to complete on your own and not part of a team. It should offer a solution to the problem that you have highlighted through the work you have completed on European Studies.
• Both of the above areas will need to be explored totally as the next stage before you actually start writing your dissertation will be to face a panel of examiners who will ask you about your proposed study.

This process known as a Viva is not to trip you up, but it is chance for you to talk through your work with other academics, who will give you critical advice on what you need to cover if you are to be successful with your dissertation. Likewise if they feel that you are not yet at a stage to start writing your dissertation they will give you some pointers of where you need to improve.