Medieval and Renaissance Studies

The Medieval and Renaissance Studies Minor encourages students interested in the cultures and kingdoms that flourished from Late Antiquity through the Renaissance to deepen their understanding of these periods through an interdisciplinary program of study. Heirs to ancient empires, the societies of Europe, Byzantium, and the Muslim world each offer fascinating opportunities to watch societies cope with timeless problems of power, identity, and belief. The minor is open to students in ANY major who wish to expand their knowledge of this important and fascinating period of human history.

A total of 42 credits (usually 7 courses) is required for the minor: 18 credits in "Core" courses, 18 credits in "Supporting" courses; and a capstone seminar. In addition to the capstone seminars listed below, students may count--with prior approval of both the course instructor and the minor coordinators--other advanced courses (200 or 300 level) in which the minor pursues an interdisciplinary research project focused on a topic within the period covered by the minor.

Optional Off-Campus Programs: Off-campus study can be an important part of the minor. Students interested in study abroad as part of the concentration are advised to consult with their academic advisers in deciding when to go off-campus and with the minor coordinators to discuss the range of programs available and potential programs of study. Courses taken abroad may count for up to two "core" courses (12 credits) and two "supporting courses" (12 credits).

Requirements for the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Minor

Core Courses (3 courses/18 credits required):

ARBC 185 The Creation of Classical Arabic Literature
ARCN 246 Archaeological Methods & Lab (not offered in 2019-20)
ARTH 101 Introduction to Art History I
ARTH 102 Introduction to Art History II
ARTH 155 Islamic Art and Architecture (not offered in 2019-20)
ARTH 235 Revival, Revelation, and Re-animation: The Art of Europe's "Renaissance"
ARTH 255 Islam in the Eyes of the West (not offered in 2019-20)
ARTH 263 European Architectural Studies Program: Prehistory to Postmodernism
ARTH 321 Arts of the Chinese Scholar's Studio (not offered in 2019-20)
CLAS 124 Roman Archaeology and Art
ENGL 114 Introduction to Medieval Narrative (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 125 Norse and Celtic Mythology (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 144 Shakespeare I
ENGL 210 From Chaucer to Milton: Early English Literature
ENGL 216 Milton
ENGL 244 Shakespeare I
ENGL 285 Textual Technologies from Parchment to Pixel
ENGL 310 Shakespeare II (not offered in 2019-20)
FREN 351 Love, War and Monsters in Renaissance France (not offered in 2019-20)
FREN 352 The Arthurian Legend (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 131 Saints and Society in Late Antiquity (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 133 Crisis, Creativity, and Transformation in Late Antiquity (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 137 Early Medieval Worlds in Transformation (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 138 Crusades, Mission, and the Expansion of Europe
HIST 139 Foundations of Modern Europe (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 201 Rome Program: Building Power and Piety in Medieval Italy, CE 300-1150 (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 202 Icons, Iconoclasm, and the Quest for the Holy in Byzantium and Its Neighbors (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 204 Jews, Christians and Muslims in the Medieval Mediterranean (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 206 Rome Program: The Eternal City in Time: Structure, Change, and Identity (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 231 Mapping the World Before Mercator (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 233 Cultures of Empire: Byzantium, 843-1453
HIST 236 Women and Gender in Europe before the French Revolution (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 238 The Viking World
HIST 243 The Peasants are Revolting! Society and Politics in the Making of Modern France
LATN 243 Medieval Latin (not offered in 2019-20)
RELG 122 Introduction to Islam
RELG 162 Jesus, the Bible, and Christian Beginnings (not offered in 2019-20)
RELG 229 Monks and Mystics (not offered in 2019-20)
RELG 231 From Luther to Kierkegaard
RELG 234 Angels, Demons, and Evil
RELG 263 Sufism (not offered in 2019-20)
SPAN 227 Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Early Modern Spain
SPAN 326 Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Early Modern Spain (not offered in 2019-20)
SPAN 330 The Invention of the Modern Novel: Cervantes' Don Quijote

Supporting Courses (18 credits required):

Note: all courses listed as "core courses" also qualify as "supporting courses."

ARBC 185 The Creation of Classical Arabic Literature
ARCN 246 Archaeological Methods & Lab (not offered in 2019-20)
ARCN 395 Archaeology: Science, Ethics, Nationalism and Cultural Property
ARTH 100 Renaissance, Revolution, and Reformation: The Life and Art of Albrecht Dürer
ARTH 101 Introduction to Art History I
ARTH 102 Introduction to Art History II
ARTH 155 Islamic Art and Architecture (not offered in 2019-20)
ARTH 165 Japanese Art and Culture
ARTH 209 Chinese Painting
ARTH 235 Revival, Revelation, and Re-animation: The Art of Europe's "Renaissance"
ARTH 236 Baroque Art
ARTH 263 European Architectural Studies Program: Prehistory to Postmodernism
ARTH 323 Idolatry
CLAS 124 Roman Archaeology and Art
CLAS 131 Imagining New Worlds: From Homer to Columbus and Beyond (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 114 Introduction to Medieval Narrative (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 126 Arthurian Tradition: From Medieval to Modern (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 144 Shakespeare I
ENGL 204 History of the English Language (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 205 The Medieval Outlaw (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 206 Arthurian Tradition: From Medieval to Modern (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 207 Princes. Poets. Power (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 208 The Faerie Queene (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 209 Much Ado About Nothing: A Project Course (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 210 From Chaucer to Milton: Early English Literature
ENGL 213 Christopher Marlowe
ENGL 214 Revenge Tragedy
ENGL 219 Global Shakespeare
ENGL 228 Encountering the Other: The Crusades (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 244 Shakespeare I
ENGL 302 The Medieval Outlaw (not offered in 2019-20)
ENGL 310 Shakespeare II (not offered in 2019-20)
EUST 111 The Age of Cathedrals
FREN 351 Love, War and Monsters in Renaissance France (not offered in 2019-20)
FREN 352 The Arthurian Legend (not offered in 2019-20)
GEOL 245 “When the Earth Shook…” Earthquakes in Human History & Lab
HIST 100 The Black Death: Disease and Its Consequences in the Middle Ages
HIST 131 Saints and Society in Late Antiquity (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 133 Crisis, Creativity, and Transformation in Late Antiquity (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 137 Early Medieval Worlds in Transformation (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 138 Crusades, Mission, and the Expansion of Europe
HIST 139 Foundations of Modern Europe (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 201 Rome Program: Building Power and Piety in Medieval Italy, CE 300-1150 (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 202 Icons, Iconoclasm, and the Quest for the Holy in Byzantium and Its Neighbors (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 204 Jews, Christians and Muslims in the Medieval Mediterranean (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 206 Rome Program: The Eternal City in Time: Structure, Change, and Identity (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 231 Mapping the World Before Mercator (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 233 Cultures of Empire: Byzantium, 843-1453
HIST 236 Women and Gender in Europe before the French Revolution (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 238 The Viking World
HIST 243 The Peasants are Revolting! Society and Politics in the Making of Modern France
HIST 246 Making Early Medieval England (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 330 Ideas Incarnate: Institutional Formation, Reform, and Governance in the Middle Ages (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 335 Ireland: Land, Conflict, Memory
LATN 233 The Catilinarian Conspiracy
LATN 257 Caesar, Lucan, and Civil War (not offered in 2019-20)
PHIL 270 Ancient Philosophy
POSC 250 Ancient Political Philosophy: Plato's Republic
POSC 254 Freedom, Excellence, Happiness: Aristotle's Ethics (not offered in 2019-20)
POSC 354 Freedom, Excellence, Happiness: Aristotle's Ethics (not offered in 2019-20)
RELG 100 Illness, Medicine, and Magic
RELG 121 Introduction to Christianity
RELG 122 Introduction to Islam
RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
RELG 228 Martyrdom (not offered in 2019-20)
RELG 229 Monks and Mystics (not offered in 2019-20)
RELG 231 From Luther to Kierkegaard
RELG 233 Gender and Power in the Catholic Church (not offered in 2019-20)
RELG 236 History of Antisemitism
RELG 263 Sufism (not offered in 2019-20)
RELG 287 Many Marys
RELG 322 Apocalypse How?
SPAN 227 Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Early Modern Spain
SPAN 326 Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Early Modern Spain (not offered in 2019-20)
SPAN 330 The Invention of the Modern Novel: Cervantes' Don Quijote
THEA 195 Acting Shakespeare

Capstone Seminars (please consult with Program Coordinator regarding the Capstone Seminar/Project Requirement)
(Six credits required):

ARCN 395 Archaeology: Science, Ethics, Nationalism and Cultural Property
FREN 351 Love, War and Monsters in Renaissance France (not offered in 2019-20)
FREN 352 The Arthurian Legend (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 330 Ideas Incarnate: Institutional Formation, Reform, and Governance in the Middle Ages (not offered in 2019-20)
HIST 335 Ireland: Land, Conflict, Memory
RELG 322 Apocalypse How?
SPAN 330 The Invention of the Modern Novel: Cervantes' Don Quijote