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Minor in Medieval Studies

Beloit students in a Medieval Mediterranean History course check out the Art Institute's collection of medieval armor.

Examine medieval worlds to question today

What is Medieval Studies?

Medieval studies examines the cultures, ideas, languages, and institutions that shaped Europe and its global connections between late antiquity and the early modern period. Students study how people understood faith, power, identity, art, and knowledge in a world before modern nations and academic disciplines existed. The field brings together history, literature, philosophy, art, music, and languages to understand a period whose influence continues to shape contemporary culture.

Beyond Europe’s borders, medieval studies explores how medieval societies interacted with Islamic, Jewish, African, and Asian worlds, and how religious, political, and cultural boundaries were negotiated across regions.

Why study Medieval Studies?

Studying the Middle Ages develops your ability to think across disciplines, interpret complex texts and artifacts, and understand how cultures construct meaning over time. You gain perspective on how concepts of identity, belief, and authority evolve, and how the past continues to inform present debates about culture, religion, and power.

This minor is especially valuable for students interested in history, literature, languages, philosophy, religion, museum work, or graduate study. It strengthens analytical reading, research, and writing skills that translate across many professional fields.

Why study Medieval Studies at Beloit College?

Beloit College offers a rich environment for medieval studies through close faculty mentoring and interdisciplinary coordination. Students receive guidance in selecting courses, developing research projects, and preparing for advanced language study, essential for graduate work in the field.

The college’s emphasis on original research means undergraduates engage deeply with medieval texts, visual culture, and historical questions. Students pursue independent projects or special-topic courses that serve as capstone experiences. Study abroad is strongly encouraged, and programs in Ireland, France, Germany, Scotland, and Italy provide immersive access to medieval landscapes, archives, and cultural heritage.

Students interested in medieval studies pair the minor with majors in history, English, philosophy, or religious studies.

Details

Specialization

Minor

Credits Required

6 units (24 semester hours)

Format

In-person

Related Departments & Schools

Medieval Studies

Related Offerings

Medieval Studies curriculum

The medieval studies minor combines a shared interdisciplinary foundation with flexible electives drawn from multiple departments. Coursework emphasizes cultural context, textual interpretation, visual analysis, and historical inquiry, supported by language study and experiential learning.

Medieval Studies Minor (6 Units)

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) may count toward the minor only when the topic is appropriate.

Interdisciplinary Studies 217/History 223. Offered every year, this course serves as the core course for the minor.
Three (or 4) of the courses listed below in art history, history, literature, and philosophy, of which 1 must be numbered 300 or above and which must include at least two different subject designators. (Students may, in consultation with the medieval studies advisor, design a special project that would substitute for a 300-level course.): Art History 250*; English 251*; History 150*, 210*, 264, 310; Greek, Latin, and Ancient Mediterranean Studies 243; Spanish 320*. Courses marked with an asterisk may count toward the minor only when the topic is appropriate. Other courses may substitute for electives with the consent of the medieval studies advisor. Our definition of the medieval period is deliberately broad, and courses in either late antiquity or the early modern era will be counted toward the minor if a student successfully establishes their relevance to his or her overall program of study.
Capstone experience: students are encouraged to undertake special projects or independent studies to explore areas of particular interest and to present such work as capstone experiences when appropriate.
Two semesters of Latin (Greek, Latin, and Ancient Mediterranean Studies 140, 141, or more advanced work) or one semester of a relevant non-English language at the intermediate level (French 210, Spanish 210, or other languages by approval). Proof of language proficiency may be accepted as a substitute.
- Note: Latin is fundamental for advanced work in medieval studies and therefore given priority. Other modern European languages are also expected for graduate work in the field.
International and experiential work: up to 2 units of off-campus coursework may be accepted for the minor. Students are strongly encouraged to include a semester of study abroad in their plan of study. The following programs are particularly appropriate: Galway, Ireland; Rennes, France; Erfurt, Germany; Glasgow, Scotland; Florence, Italy. Students are also strongly encouraged to investigate the ACM’s domestic off-campus Newberry Library Program in the Humanities, as well as the shorter (block-length) courses that are occasionally offered on appropriate topics.

Courses introduce students to medieval cultures, texts, visual traditions, and historical methods while encouraging interdisciplinary analysis and original research.

[HIST 223] Medieval European Civilization: This course surveys the period from the dissolution of the classical Greco-Roman world into three kindred civilizations (Byzantium, Islam, and Latin Christendom) to the formation of a new civilization in the West. The primary focus of the class is to develop a synthetic understanding of the Middle Ages through an integrated exploration of its art, music, literature, theology, politics, and sociology.
[HIST 224] Encounter, Exchange, and Power in the Medieval Mediterranean: This course explores the multicultural environment of the Mediterranean Sea in the Middle Ages (ca. 600-1500) and the conflicts and coexistence that characterized interactions among Christians, Muslims, and Jews around the shores of that sea. Trade, travel, and armed conflict all defined those interactions in addition to religious rivalries and differences. This course explores how such contacts led both to alienation of these cultures from one another but also to periods of uneasy tolerance. Whether at war or in peace, Christians, Muslims, and Jews exchanged ideas and artifacts throughout this period, and the class examines the creative interplay of those exchanges.
[ENGL 251] Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Literature: English literature before 1500, or 1500 to later 1700s. First of a set of courses, “Texts and Historical Contexts,” all of which approach literature by locating it in its historical context. Recent topics have included Chaucer and His Contemporaries, Shakespeare and Film, and Milton and Satanic Rebellion.
[HIST 264] Popular Piety and Heresy in the Middle Ages: This course examines the religious beliefs and devotional practices of medieval Christians, with a special emphasis on the development of heretical beliefs, the practice of pilgrimage, and the cults of various medieval saints. Particular attention is paid to primary source material, both visual and written, and to understanding the larger framework of medieval society.

Medieval Studies outcomes

Completing the medieval studies minor from Beloit College prepares students to think historically, read critically, and analyze culture across time, languages, and disciplines.

Students completing the medieval studies minor can:

Analyze medieval texts, images, and artifacts within their historical and cultural contexts.
Compare religious, political, and cultural systems across medieval societies.
Integrate methods from history, literature, philosophy, and art history.
Conduct interdisciplinary research using primary and secondary sources.
Apply language study to the interpretation of historical and literary materials.
Communicate complex ideas clearly in written and oral forms.

Communications & Media: Share information through writing, outreach, and storytelling in print, online, or broadcast media. ($45,000 → $100,000+)
Cultural Resource Management: Evaluate, document, and preserve sites and materials in compliance with preservation laws. ($45,000 → $80,000+)
Education & Academia: Teach, advise, and research within schools, colleges, or universities in specialized disciplines. ($35,000 → $90,000+)
Museum & Heritage Curation: Curate, interpret, and preserve artifacts, art, and documents for public learning. ($45,000 → $80,000+)
Public History & Heritage Preservation: Document, interpret, and share historical materials through programs, exhibits, digital projects, or public engagement. ($40,000 → $80,000+)
Publishing: Develop, edit, and produce educational or cultural content for print and digital audiences. ($40,000 → $80,000+)

Reviewed on November 2025. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Salary figures shown here are estimates. Actual pay will vary by position, industry, location, education, and experience. Some pathways and positions may require additional education or certifications. For more detailed information, please explore reputable career and salary resources.

Disrupting the binary in medieval lit

In Joseph Derosier’s “Trans Before Trans” course this spring, students contemplate what it meant to perform gender in the Middle Ages and how queer experiences might be identified in medieval literature.

Jared Saathoff’24 inspects a rare book at the Newberry Library in Chicago.

Exploring museum careers and rare books

In late November, Beloit faculty and students took advantage of the college’s partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago to participate in a panel about careers in the museum industry, followed by an exploration of the Newberry Library’s rare book collection.

Beloit students get a guided tour of the Art Institute’s Baroque art collection.

Special access to Chicago’s world-class art museum

Through a partnership, Beloiters get free admission to the Art Institute of Chicago, with an option for a guided view of the collections and the chance to learn about art museum careers from working professionals.

Professor of French Joseph Derosier asks his students to read translations of medieval literature.

Rewriting medieval French literature

Professor of French Joseph Derosier teaches students to dive deep into medieval French romances, asking: How do we connect with literature that was written in a different language, for a different audience, and in a much different time? And how can we reinterpret them as stories that we do understand, like The Office?

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