Medieval and Renaissance Studies

The Medieval and Renaissance Studies Minor encourages students interested in the cultures and polities that flourished from (ca. 250-CE-1700) to deepen their understanding of these worlds through an interdisciplinary program of study. Heirs to ancient empires and creators of complex cultures, societies in northern Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and areas of Asia and Africa offer fascinating opportunities to watch communities and cultures coping with timeless problems of power, identity, meaning and belief. Students explore these topics through written, archaeological, material, and visual evidence in pursuit of a rich, multi-dimensional understanding of other peoples and other worlds.

The minor is open to students in ANY major who wish to expand their knowledge of this important and fascinating period of human history and all of the cultures and connections that contributed.

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--another advanced course (at the 200 or 300 level) as a capstone course provided that the minor pursues a substantial interdisciplinary research project 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 (not offered in 2022-23)
ARCN 246 Archaeological Methods & Lab
ARTH 101 Introduction to Art History I
ARTH 102 Introduction to Art History II
ARTH 155 Islamic Art and Architecture
ARTH 235 Revival, Revelation, and Re-animation: The Art of Europe's "Renaissance" (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 255 Islam in the Eyes of the West (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 263 Architectural Studies in Europe Program: Prehistory to Postmodernism (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 321 Arts of the Chinese Scholar's Studio (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 324 The Sexuality of Jesus Christ
CHIN 258 Classical Chinese Thought: Wisdom and Advice from Ancient Masters
CLAS 124 Roman Archaeology and Art (not offered in 2022-23)
ENGL 114 Introduction to Medieval Narrative
ENGL 144 Shakespeare I
ENGL 203 Other Worlds of Medieval English Literature (not offered in 2022-23)
ENGL 210 From Chaucer to Milton: Early English Literature (not offered in 2022-23)
ENGL 216 Milton
ENGL 244 Shakespeare I
ENGL 278 London Program: Shakespeare's England (not offered in 2022-23)
ENGL 285 Textual Technologies from Parchment to Pixel (not offered in 2022-23)
ENGL 310 Shakespeare II (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 100 Confucius and His Critics
HIST 131 Saints and Society in Late Antiquity
HIST 133 Crisis, Creativity, and Transformation in Late Antiquity (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 135 Making and Breaking Institutions in the Middle Ages: Structure, Culture, Corruption, and Reform (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 137 Early Medieval Worlds in Transformation (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 138 Crusades, Mission, and the Expansion of Europe (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 139 Foundations of Modern Europe (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 150 Politics of Art in Early Imperial China
HIST 201 Rome Program: Building Power and Piety in Medieval Italy, CE 300-1150
HIST 206 Rome Program: The Eternal City in Time: Structure, Change, and Identity
HIST 231 Mapping the World Before Mercator
HIST 232 Renaissance Worlds in France and Italy (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 233 The Byzantine World and Its Neighbors, 750-ca. 1453 (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 238 The Viking World (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 243 The Peasants are Revolting! Society and Politics in the Making of Modern France (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 245 Ireland: Land, Conflict and Memory (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 289 Gender and Ethics in Late Medieval France
HIST 331 Regional States: Boundaries and Horizons in Fourteenth-Century Italy (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 332 Image Makers and Breakers in the Premodern World (not offered in 2022-23)
LATN 243 Medieval Latin (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 111 Introduction to the Qu’ran
RELG 122 Introduction to Islam (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 162 Jesus, the Bible, and Christian Beginnings (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 231 From Luther to Kierkegaard (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 234 Angels, Demons, and Evil
RELG 275 Death, Heaven, and Hell (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 278 Semantics of Love in Sufism
RELG 282 Samurai: Ethics of Death and Loyalty (not offered in 2022-23)
SPAN 227 Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Early Modern Spain (not offered in 2022-23)
SPAN 301 Greek and Christian Tragedy (not offered in 2022-23)
SPAN 318 Islamic Spain
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 (not offered in 2022-23)
ARBC 315 Readings in Premodern Arabic Anthologies
ARBC 387 The One Thousand and One Nights (not offered in 2022-23)
ARCN 111 Archaeology of the Americas (not offered in 2022-23)
ARCN 211 Coercion and Exploitation: Material Histories of Labor
ARCN 222 Experimental Archaeology and Experiential History
ARCN 246 Archaeological Methods & Lab
ARCN 395 Archaeology: Science, Ethics, Nationalism and Cultural Property (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 100 Witches, Monsters and Demons
ARTH 101 Introduction to Art History I
ARTH 102 Introduction to Art History II
ARTH 155 Islamic Art and Architecture
ARTH 165 Japanese Art and Culture (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 166 Chinese Art and Culture
ARTH 209 Chinese Painting (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 235 Revival, Revelation, and Re-animation: The Art of Europe's "Renaissance" (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 236 Baroque Art (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 255 Islam in the Eyes of the West (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 263 Architectural Studies in Europe Program: Prehistory to Postmodernism (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 323 Idolatry (not offered in 2022-23)
ARTH 324 The Sexuality of Jesus Christ
ARTS 117 Living London Program: Visualizing Renaissance England (not offered in 2022-23)
CHIN 258 Classical Chinese Thought: Wisdom and Advice from Ancient Masters
CLAS 124 Roman Archaeology and Art (not offered in 2022-23)
ENGL 114 Introduction to Medieval Narrative
ENGL 144 Shakespeare I
ENGL 203 Other Worlds of Medieval English Literature (not offered in 2022-23)
ENGL 207 Princes. Poets. Power (not offered in 2022-23)
ENGL 208 The Faerie Queene (not offered in 2022-23)
ENGL 209 Much Ado About Nothing: A Project Course
ENGL 210 From Chaucer to Milton: Early English Literature (not offered in 2022-23)
ENGL 213 Christopher Marlowe (not offered in 2022-23)
ENGL 214 Revenge Tragedy
ENGL 219 Global Shakespeare
ENGL 244 Shakespeare I
ENGL 278 London Program: Shakespeare's England (not offered in 2022-23)
ENGL 310 Shakespeare II (not offered in 2022-23)
EUST 111 The Age of Cathedrals (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 131 Saints and Society in Late Antiquity
HIST 133 Crisis, Creativity, and Transformation in Late Antiquity (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 137 Early Medieval Worlds in Transformation (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 138 Crusades, Mission, and the Expansion of Europe (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 139 Foundations of Modern Europe (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 201 Rome Program: Building Power and Piety in Medieval Italy, CE 300-1150
HIST 206 Rome Program: The Eternal City in Time: Structure, Change, and Identity
HIST 231 Mapping the World Before Mercator
HIST 232 Renaissance Worlds in France and Italy (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 233 The Byzantine World and Its Neighbors, 750-ca. 1453 (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 238 The Viking World (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 243 The Peasants are Revolting! Society and Politics in the Making of Modern France (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 245 Ireland: Land, Conflict and Memory (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 246 Making Early Medieval England
HIST 288 Reason, Authority, and Love in Medieval France (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 289 Gender and Ethics in Late Medieval France
HIST 331 Regional States: Boundaries and Horizons in Fourteenth-Century Italy (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 332 Image Makers and Breakers in the Premodern World (not offered in 2022-23)
IDSC 150 Plague, War and Crisis: Reading Hobbes Reading Thucydides, Books 1-2: Plague and Democracy (not offered in 2022-23)
IDSC 151 Plague, War, Crisis: Reading Hobbes Reading Thucydides: Books 3-5 Revolt and Revolution (not offered in 2022-23)
IDSC 152 Plague, War, Crisis: Reading Hobbes Reading Thucydides: Books 6-8 Catastrophe and Coup (not offered in 2022-23)
LATN 233 The Catilinarian Conspiracy (not offered in 2022-23)
LATN 234 Julius Caesar: the Gallic and Civil Wars (not offered in 2022-23)
LATN 255 Biography, History, and Empire in Tacitus’ Agricola
PHIL 113 The Individual and the Political Community (not offered in 2022-23)
PHIL 270 Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 272 Early Modern Philosophy: Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Philosophy
POSC 250 Kings, Tyrants, Philosophers: Plato's Republic (not offered in 2022-23)
POSC 254 Freedom, Excellence, Happiness: Aristotle's Ethics (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 111 Introduction to the Qu’ran
RELG 120 Introduction to Judaism (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 121 Introduction to Christianity
RELG 122 Introduction to Islam (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 152 Religions in Japanese Culture
RELG 153 Introduction to Buddhism
RELG 155 Hinduism: An Introduction
RELG 231 From Luther to Kierkegaard (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 233 Gender and Power in the Catholic Church
RELG 236 History of Antisemitism (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 242 Oh My G*d: Christianity and Sexual Revolutions (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 254 Zen Buddhism
RELG 275 Death, Heaven, and Hell (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 278 Semantics of Love in Sufism
RELG 287 Many Marys (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 322 Apocalypse How? (not offered in 2022-23)
SPAN 227 Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Early Modern Spain (not offered in 2022-23)
SPAN 301 Greek and Christian Tragedy (not offered in 2022-23)
SPAN 330 The Invention of the Modern Novel: Cervantes' Don Quijote
THEA 195 Acting Shakespeare (not offered in 2022-23)

Capstone Seminars (6 credits required):

Please consult with Program Coordinator regarding the Capstone Seminar/Project Requirement)

ARCN 395 Archaeology: Science, Ethics, Nationalism and Cultural Property (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 331 Regional States: Boundaries and Horizons in Fourteenth-Century Italy (not offered in 2022-23)
HIST 332 Image Makers and Breakers in the Premodern World (not offered in 2022-23)
RELG 322 Apocalypse How? (not offered in 2022-23)
SPAN 301 Greek and Christian Tragedy (not offered in 2022-23)
SPAN 318 Islamic Spain
SPAN 330 The Invention of the Modern Novel: Cervantes' Don Quijote