The field of Medieval Studies covers the period c. 400-1600, and thus encompasses such cultural touchstones as the survival of the eastern Roman empire in Byzantium, the establishment of the Tang dynasty in China, the spread of Islam in the Middle East, the diffusion of Scandinavian peoples across Europe and western Asia, the growth of the papacy’s political power in Europe, the rise of the Mongol influence in Asia and Europe, and the development of the Mali empire in west Africa—just to name a few. The Middle Ages has had a powerful, long-lasting effect on cultures worldwide. A medieval studies curriculum enables students to discover just how much of our modern world can be traced back to the Middle Ages. The Minor Program in Medieval Studies has been designed as an interdisciplinary minor, to reflect the inherently interdisciplinary nature of the field of Medieval Studies and to best prepare students to develop a complex understanding of the period.
Policies
Eight credits of coursework must be unique to the minor and students must complete all coursework with a minimum GPA of 2.00. Of the 18 credits applied to the minor, 12 credits must be at the 300- or 400-level.
For policies governing all minors, see AP.5.3.4 Minors.
Minor Requirements
Total credits: 18
Core Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 9 credits from the following courses | 9 | |
Material Culture and History | ||
| Art of the Islamic World (Mason Core) | ||
| Early Christian and Byzantine Art (Mason Core) | ||
| Western Medieval Art (Mason Core) | ||
| Survey of Middle Eastern Civilization (Mason Core) | ||
| Western Europe in the Middle Ages | ||
| Catholicism | ||
| Islamic Thought (Mason Core) | ||
Literary and Intellectual Culture | ||
| Literature of the Middle Ages | ||
| Chaucer | ||
| Medieval Intellectual Topics | ||
| Medieval and Early Modern Literature of Spain | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 9 credits from the following: | 9 | |
| Arts of Medieval England (Mason Core) | ||
| Early Renaissance Art in Italy, 1300-1500 (Mason Core) | ||
| Advanced Studies in Medieval or Islamic Art (Mason Core) | ||
| Topics in Literature (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Topics in Medieval and Renaissance Literature (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Topics in Global History (Mason Core) (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Topics in European History (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Women in Islamic Society (Mason Core) | ||
| Major Arab Writers/Stories (Mason Core) | ||
| Topics in Arabic Religious Thought and Texts (Mason Core) | ||
| Survey of Chinese Literature (Mason Core) | ||
| Major Chinese Writers (Mason Core) | ||
| The Legacy of Greece and Rome (Mason Core) | ||
| Topics in World Literature (Mason Core) (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Major French Writers (Topic Varies) (Mason Core) (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Special Topics Related to French Literature and Culture (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Major Writers (Mason Core) (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Major Italian Writers (Mason Core) (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Topics in Japanese Literature (Mason Core) (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Traditional Korean Literature in Translation | ||
| Studies in Roman Literature (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Studies in Roman Literature (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Major Russian Writers (Mason Core) (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Major Hispanic Writers (Mason Core) (when topic is applicable to medieval studies with approval of minor director) | ||
| Judaism (Mason Core) | ||
| Beginnings of Christianity | ||
| Qur'an and Hadith | ||
| Comparative Study of Mysticism | ||
| Sufism | ||
| Muhammad: Life and Legacy | ||
| Judaism from Exile to Talmud | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |