Program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Director
Helene Scheck, Ph.D.
Department of English
The purpose of the Medieval and Renaissance Studies program is to give students a broad, multidisciplinary training in the history and culture of Europe from late antiquity through the early modern period. Both as a major and a minor, the program offers a wide range of courses and a guide for anyone with a special interest in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It is especially recommended as a second major for anyone considering going on to graduate study in some aspect of medieval and early modern studies.
Degree Requirements for the Faculty-Initiated Interdisciplinary Major with a Concentration in Medieval and Renaissance Studies
General Program B.A.: A minimum of 36 credits: 9 credits from the core courses, 3 credits in Art History, 3 credits in History, 3 credits in Literature and Cultures, 3 credits in Philosophy, 3 credits in Global Perspectives, and 12 elective credits from courses listed or specially approved by the Director of Medieval and Renaissance Studies. In the case of courses marked “approval required,” the Director of Medieval and Renaissance Studies will determine appropriateness on a case-by-case basis. Courses that conform to the intent and content of the program but are not listed below may be counted towards fulfilling the requirements upon approval of the program director.
Majors are encouraged to have an elementary reading ability in Latin. In addition, it is strongly recommended that majors acquire at least an elementary reading ability in one modern Western language other than English.
Core courses: 9 credits
A ARH 331 Monks, Monarchs, and Medieval Art
A ARH 342 Italian Renaissance Art and Architecture: 1450-1600
A ENG 330 (formerly ENG 421) Literature of the Middle Ages
A ENG 331 (formerly ENG 422) Literature of the Earlier Renaissance
A ENG 332 (formerly ENG 423) Literature of the Later Renaissance
A HIS 235 Early and Medieval Christianity
A HIS 336 History of the Early Middle Ages
A HIS 337 The High Middle Ages
A HIS 338 The Italian Renaissance, 1300-1530
A HIS 339 Renaissance and Reformation in 16th Century Europe
A HIS 346 The History of England I
A PHI 311 History of Medieval Philosophy
Art and Music courses: 3 credits
A ARH 230 The Art of Medieval Knighthood
A ARH/A CLA 303 Early Christian Art and Architecture
A ARH 332 Gothic Art and Architecture
A ARH 442 Early Painting of the Netherlands
A ARH 499Y Research Seminar in Art History (approval required)
A MUS 230 Music History I
A MUS 287 University Chamber Singers (approval required)
History courses: 3 credits
A HIS 391 Topics in European History (approval required)
A HIS 463 The Byzantine Empire 300-1453
Literatures and Cultures courses: 3 credits*
A ENG 341 Chaucer
A ENG 342 Study of an Author or Authors before the Mid-18th Century
A ENG 346 Studies in Shakespeare (replaces A ENG 344 and 345)
A ENG 348 Milton
A ENG/A WSS 362 Critical Approaches to Gender and Sexuality in Literature (when appropriate; approval required)
A ENG/A WSS 368 Women Writers (when appropriate; approval required)
A ENG 411 Topics in British Literature and Culture (when appropriate; approval required)
A FRE 201 Perspectives on the French World (when appropriate; approval required)
A FRE 202 French Literature (when appropriate; approval required)
A FRE 455 Life and Letters (when appropriate; approval required; taught in French)
A ITA 315 Italian Civilization: From the Etruscans to Galileo
A ITA 421 Dante
A ITA 441 Women, Men, Love, and Politics of the Italian Renaissance
A SPN 311 Hispanic Literature through the Golden Age
A SPN 482 Cervantes
*In addition to the courses listed, appropriate genre or topics courses offered by the English Department will also be accepted, with the approval of the Director of the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program.
Philosophy courses: 3 credits
A PHI 311 History of Medieval Philosophy
A PHI 312 Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Philosophy
Global Perspectives courses: 3 credits
A EAC 395/A ARH 480 Song and Yüan Painting
A EAC/A HIS 398 Change in Medieval China
A EAS 397 The Silk Road
NB: Latin is not required, but is strongly recommended.
Honors Program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Honors students in Medieval and Renaissance Studies will take a structured sequence of coursework focusing upon the main areas of study offered in the Medieval and Renaissance Studies curriculum.
Degree Requirements for Honors in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (36 credits)
Three credits in each of the following areas of the core curriculum:
Art History: A ARH 331, 342
English: A ENG 330, 331, 332
History: A HIS 235, 336, 337, 338, 339, 346
The research project is the focus of the Honors Program and must draw upon at least two of the fields offered in the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program. In addition, it must have at least two of the following features: use of primary resources; research conducted in a language other than English; production of an annotated bibliography to develop an historiographic analysis. In the final semester of her or his senior year, the student will present the project formally to an Honors Committee composed of selected members of the Medieval and Renaissance Studies faculty. The student will also produce a major paper on the research project, which will be evaluated by the project’s faculty supervisor and another reader from one of the disciplines represented in the project.
Selection: The student should have declared a Medieval and Renaissance Studies major and completed at least 12 credits in the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program. Her or his overall grade point average must be at least 3.25, with a grade point average of at least 3.50 in the Medieval and Renaissance Studies major. To be considered, interested students should submit a letter of intent to the director of the Medieval and Renaissance Studies program. Students may apply beginning in the spring semester of the sophomore year through April of the junior year.
