• About Us
• Academics
  • MA in Medieval Studies
  • Undergraduate Minor
  • Admission
  • MDVL 1450
  • Graduate Courses
  • TA Resources
• Congress
• Publications
• Faculty and Staff
• Research Activities
• Research Resources
• Giving

• 
  

• Medieval Institute Home

MA in Medieval Studies

While allowing students to pursue specialized interests, the Master of Arts in Medieval Studies intends to provide them with a broad interdisciplinary background in medieval history, languages, literature, philosophy, religion, the arts, and research methodology. Program requirements vary depending on the area of emphasis students pursue. The program offers two options:

Option I, Thesis, 37 hrs.

1. A total of at least 31 hours of course work, including 13 hours of required core courses [English 5300, Medieval Literature; History 6350, Research Techniques in Medieval History; Latin 5600, Medieval Latin (grade of B or better required); Religion 5000, Medieval Christianity] and 18 hours of electives, the latter to be chosen from the list of approved courses in the Departments of Art, Comparative Religion, English, Foreign Languages and Literatures, History, Music, and Philosophy.
2. Demonstrated reading proficiency in Latin and in one modern foreign language, such as French, German, Italian, or Spanish.
3. Preparation of an acceptable Master’s Thesis (6 hours) under the direction of a thesis advisory committee.
4. Oral examination in defense of Master’s Thesis.

Option II, Non-thesis, 37 hrs.

1. A total of at least 37 hours of course work, including 13 hours of required core courses [English 5300, Medieval Literature; History 6350, Research Techniques in Medieval History; Latin 5600, Medieval Latin (grade of B or better required); Religion 5000, Medieval Christianity] and 24 hours of electives, the latter to be chosen from the list of approved courses in the Departments of Art, Comparative Religion, English, Foreign Languages and Literatures, History, Music, and Philosophy.
2. Demonstrated reading proficiency in Latin. (Note: Option II has no modern language requirement.)

Option II has no thesis requirement.

Approved Graduate Courses

Core requirements for all MA students:

• English 5300, Medieval Literature (3 hrs.)
• History 6350, Research Techniques in Medieval History (3 hrs.)
• Religion 5000, Medieval Christianity (3 hrs.)
• Latin 5600, Medieval Latin (4 hrs.)

Electives:

• Art 5200, Independent Study in Art History (2-3 hrs.)
• Art 5210, *Topics in Art History (3 hrs.)
• Art 5810, History of Ancient Art (3 hrs.)
• Art 5830, History of Medieval Art (3 hrs.)
• Art 5850, History of Renaissance Art (3 hrs.)
• English 5320, English Renaissance Literature (3 hrs.)
• English 5550, Studies in Major Writers: Chaucer, Dante (3 hrs.)
• English 6100, *Seminar in English Literature and Art to 1600 (3 hrs.)
• English 6420, Studies in Drama (3 hrs.)
• English 6520, Studies in Shakespeare: Tragedy (3 hrs.)
• English 6530, Studies in Shakespeare: Comedy (3 hrs.)
• English 6760, Old English (3 hrs.)
• English 6770, Middle English (3 hrs.)
• History 5500, Studies in Medieval History (3 hrs.)
• History 6000, Historical Method (3 hrs.)
• History 6010, Historiography (3 hrs.)
• History 6020, Historical Theory (3 hrs.)
• History 6120, Readings in Medieval History (3 hrs.)
• History 6200, *Bibliographical Research (1-3 hrs.)
• History 6820, Seminar in Medieval History (3 hrs.)
• Medieval Studies 5000, Interdisciplinary Studies in Medieval Culture (3 hrs.)
• Medieval Studies 5970, Directed Study (1-3 hrs.)
• Medieval Studies 6000, Advanced Seminar in Medieval Studies (2-4 hrs.)
• Medieval Studies 7100, Independent Research (2-6 hrs.)
• Medieval Studies 7120, Professional Field Experience (2-12 hrs.)
• Music 5170, Collegium Musicum (1 hr.)
• Music 5850, Medieval Music (2 hrs.)
• Music 5860, Renaissance Music (2 hrs.)
• Philosophy 5700, *Philosophical Topics (1-4 hrs.)
• Religion 5000, *Historical Studies in Religion (2-4 hrs.)
• Religion 5100, *Morphological and Phenomenological Studies in Religion (2-4 hrs.)
• Religion 6200, *Advanced Seminar in Comparative Religion (3 hrs.)

* Specific topics of these courses vary from semester to semester.

Culminating Research Course for Option I, Thesis:

• MDVL 7000, Thesis (6 hrs.)

Click here for the list of current and upcoming course offerings.

In addition to regularly scheduled electives, students at the Medieval Institute may have access to special topics seminars offered on campus by visiting scholars or off campus through Western Michigan University's affiliation with the Center for Renaissance Studies at Newberry Library in Chicago. Recent courses at the Newberry in which students have participated include "Law and Literature in Anglo-Saxon England," "Introduction to the Troubadours," and "Codicology and Latin Paleography."

The Tashjian Study Fellowship provides support for a student who has demonstrated interest in either Anglo-Saxon studies or manuscript research and who is enrolled in the MA program.