Medieval/Early Modern Studies Minor
Heather Hayton, Department of English and Media Studies
The medieval and early modern period (ca. 400-1800 C.E.) has been profoundly formative of the world we live in today. Study of this period, a time markedly different from our own, provides a crucial vantage point for understanding the present age. The medieval/early modern studies minor aims at introducing students to interdisciplinary developments in literature, religion, history, philosophy and culture. It explores such matters as: the determination of life’s meaning; the encounter with diverse civilizations; the pursuit (or evasion) of truth through reason, faith and experience; the unsettled confluence of three great world religions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam); the relation among religion, arts and science; the origins of romantic love and humanism; the development of bourgeois society and urban centers out of feudalism and manorialism; the emergence of the great national literatures of Europe; and the shaping of the mythological foundations of the modern West.
Although the locus of study is clearly Europe, students may take courses in medieval China, Japan and Africa, which offer alternative perspectives on this time period and our own.
Minor Requirements
The minor requires a minimum of 16 credit hours (four courses).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select four of the following: | 16 | |
| Art History: Renaissance in Florence (HIST 235) | ||
| Historical Perspectives (Variable Title) (King Arthur) | ||
| Historical Perspectives (Variable Title) (Fairies, Witches, Rebels, Caribs) | ||
| British Literature I | ||
| Shakespeare | ||
| Shakespeare and Film | ||
| Medieval Literature | ||
| Early Modern Literature | ||
| Medieval Lives in Love and War | ||
| History of East Asia to 1800 | ||
| Medieval Civilization: Crusades and Chivalry | ||
| Reformation: Luther to Fox (REL 236) | ||
| Africa Before 1800 | ||
| Colonial Latin America | ||
| Silk & Silver: Imperial China | ||
| Samurai in Word and Image | ||
| The Elizabethan Age (ENGL 336) | ||
| Ancient Western Philosophy | ||
| Modern Western Philosophy | ||
| Political Theory | ||
| History of Christianity | ||
| Witches, Ghosts and Demons | ||
| Culture and Society: Beginnings of a Nation (The Integration of Three Cultures) | ||
| Theatre and Culture I | ||
| Total Credits | 16 | |
Total credit hours required for medieval/early modern studies minor is 16 creditsVarious special topics courses that are medieval or early-modern in content may also be counted toward the minor (for example,ENGL 250 Dante, ENGL 350 Chaucer or HIST 250 Studies in the Renaissance). Please see the medieval/early modern studies coordinator for petition information.
In order to provide coherence to the minor, students are required to build a portfolio of major essays that they have written in each of their four courses. Students will cap this portfolio with an analytical summary prior to completing the minor.