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Medieval Studies
The minor in medieval studies offers students the opportunity to acquire an understanding of the historical, cultural, and social forces that shaped Western civilization during the Middle Ages. Its primary goal is to foster a holistic appreciation of European culture in the period between the end of antiquity and the rise of the early modern nationstates.
The culture of the Middle Ages continues to captivate the modern imagination, and opportunities for original, creative, and multi-disciplinary research abound, even at the undergraduate level. In addition, the evolution of the mental, physical, ecclesiastical, and political “maps” of Europe in this period stretches our understanding of cultural identity and expands our perspective of how such identity was constituted in the pre-national, pre-modern era. The study of this historical period is not limited to events and developments in European history alone—we encourage students to explore ways that medieval Europeans came into contact with other cultures and how people of various religious perspectives negotiated their spiritual and political boundaries.
Medieval studies is inherently interdisciplinary because the texts, cultures, and languages it encompasses are not represented by any single department or field of study. The divisions of academic fields as we know them today do not appropriately define or describe this period of history when the border between history and literature was indistinct and when music and the visual arts more often served ideological, rather than purely aesthetic, social, and personal functions.
An interdisciplinary minor focused on medieval studies is an especially fitting way to help students approach the rich diversity of cultures and languages encompassed by medieval civilization and to explore the decisive impact that such multiplicity had on modern Western culture. In addition, it provides a fruitful counterpoint to the conventional study of languages and civilizations oriented according to modern cultural and linguistic divisions. This minor serves to introduce students to a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to the past in order to enhance their understanding of how knowledge is organized today.
The minor’s curricular contribution is two-fold: First, to give undergraduate students who have an interest in medieval studies the benefit of advising about available courses and resources both on- and off-campus; second, to allow those undergraduates who complete substantial work in medieval studies to enhance their applications to graduate programs (in part by ensuring that they will have embarked on the requisite language study).
Minors
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.