Website: Medieval Studies

Medieval studies is an interdisciplinary major, combining courses in languages, literature, philosophy, history, and art.  Students learn about the variety and complexity of the Middle Ages, and complete their senior year by working closely with faculty members on a focused research project.

Medieval Colloquium

The annual Sewanee Medieval Colloquium brings scholars to campus to discuss various issues of the Middle Ages. Attendees spend several days on campus, meet with faculty and student groups, and speak to classes.

Recent themes of the colloquium have included law, religion, and the role of women in medieval society. Guest lecturers have come from prominent national and international institutions of higher learning.

The colloquium is sponsored by the University and supported by grants from the duPont Lectures Committee and by individual and group sponsors or patrons. The Colloquium Committee also sponsors a series of papers on medieval subjects presented early in the spring term by members of the college faculty. On occasion, student papers are included in the series.

The Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (CMRS)

This centre/program was founded in 1975 in Oxford as a permanent institute for the interdisciplinary study of the medieval, Renaissance and early modern periods. The institute provides academic training for overseas students who wish to complete part of their education in Oxford in these areas of study. Because Sewanee is a CMRS consortium member, Sewanee students who qualify have access to this program.

The medieval studies program provides the structure within departmental course offerings for a comprehensive major in a particular area of concentration in the medieval period — such as literature, history, or philosophy — chosen by the student and approved by the committee at the time the major is declared.

Travel and study abroad are highly desirable for students electing this major. They are encouraged to participate in British Studies at Oxford, European Studies, the semester at the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Oxford, or other established programs.

Requirements for the Major in Medieval Studies

The major requires successful completion of the following:

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Hours
Course Requirements 1
ARTH 320	Medieval Art and Architecture	4
PHIL 203	Ancient Philosophy from Homer to Augustine	4
PHIL 302	Medieval Philosophy	4
Select one of the following: 2		4-8
ENGL 301 and LATN 104	Old English Language and Literature and Elementary Latin II
FREN 401 and LATN 104	Early French Literature and Elementary Latin II
Another medieval language course in addition to completion of LATN 104
An independent study in another medieval language (with permission from the chair of medieval studies) combined with LATN 104 or above
Select two of the following:		8
ENGL 350	Medieval Drama and its Legacy
ENGL 351	Medieval English Literature
ENGL 352	Chaucer
Select two of the following:		8
HIST 303	Medieval Europe I
HIST 304	Medieval Europe II
HIST 305	Medieval Women -- In Their Own Words
HIST 366	Medieval England II
HIST 368	Saints and Society in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages
MDST 444	Independent Study (research project and paper) 3	4
Total Semester Hours		36-40

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Hours
Additional Requirements
A comprehensive examination 4

1	Elective courses are recommended by the committee in accordance with the student’s approved area of concentration from among upper-level course offerings in various disciplines.
2	Majors are encouraged to satisfy the College language requirement with Latin as early as possible and to complete the program requirement in Latin at their first opportunity; LATN 104 or above will satisfy this requirement. Familiarity with a vernacular language other than English is desirable.
3	Majors are required to carry through a research project culminating in a paper of interdisciplinary character in the chosen area of concentration, whose subject is approved by the committee at the beginning of the senior year. The project is directed by a member of the committee but evaluated by an interdisciplinary panel.
4	Majors must pass a written comprehensive examination of interdisciplinary character devised and judged by an interdisciplinary panel.

Honors

A citation of honors on the research paper and on the written comprehensive examination by a majority of the members of the examining panel qualify the major for honors.

Requirements for the Minor in Medieval Studies

The minor requires successful completion of the following:

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Hours
MDST 400	Medieval Colloquium Seminar 1	4
Select five of the following courses with at least one course from three of the four areas of art history, history, literature, and philosophy. 2		20
Art History
ARTH 320	Medieval Art and Architecture
History
HIST 303	Medieval Europe I
HIST 304	Medieval Europe II
HIST 366	Medieval England II
HIST 368	Saints and Society in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages
Literature
ENGL 301	Old English Language and Literature
ENGL 350	Medieval Drama and its Legacy
ENGL 351	Medieval English Literature
ENGL 352	Chaucer
FREN 401	Early French Literature
SPAN 322	Introduction to Medieval Spain and the Road to Santiago
SPAN 330	Middle Ages in Spanish Culture and Literature
SPAN 334	The Culture of Chivalry
Philosophy
PHIL 302	Medieval Philosophy
Total Semester Hours		24

1

Students are required to complete the course associated with the Sewanee Medieval Colloquium’s seminar, during which the student must produce a significant research paper. Students must also take part in the events associated with the Colloquium, including attending and participating in the Colloquium’s seminar and in the meeting with the seminar’s director. Students must present their research publicly, at Scholarship Sewanee or a similar event. The paper or project submitted for the MDST 400 – Medieval Colloquium Seminar will also be evaluated independently by the Medieval Studies faculty to determine whether it qualifies the student for the minor in Medieval Studies.

2

Other upper-level courses with a medieval focus or courses taken abroad may count with permission of the chair of Medieval Studies. Students are particularly encouraged to attend the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Oxford University.

Medieval Studies Courses