http://uoregon.edu/~midages
Stephanie Clark, Program Director
311 Susan Campbell Hall
Medieval studies, an interdisciplinary undergraduate program, integrates various approaches to the Middle Ages by medievalists in several departments. Medieval studies provides an excellent general education or a solid base for graduate work in a more specialized area. Study abroad is strongly encouraged.
Medieval studies concentrates on the period from 300 to 1500, combining courses in art and architecture, history, language, literature, music, philosophy, and religion. A typical course of study includes diverse topics such as the Bible, the early Church, Byzantium, Islam, the Vikings, the Crusades, women in the Middle Ages, mysticism, romance, the Gothic cathedral, Chaucer, Dante, and medieval China and Japan. The program aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the medieval worldview in Europe and beyond, and the origins of the modern world.
Participating Faculty
Ina Asim, history
Martha J. Bayless, English
Louise M. Bishop, honors college
Steven T. Brown, comparative literature
Stephanie Clark, English
Frederick Colby, religious studies
Andrew E. Goble, history
Deborah A. Green, Judaic studies
D. Gantt Gurley, German and Scandinavian
David Hollenberg, religious studies
Maile Hutterer, history of art and architecture
Mary Jaeger, classics
Lori Kruckenberg, music
Charles H. Lachman, history of art and architecture
C. Anne Laskaya, English
Eric Mentzel, music
Stephen J. Shoemaker, religious studies
Mark T. Unno, religious studies
Cynthia M. Vakareliyska, linguistics
Marc Vanscheeuwijck, music
David Wacks, Romance languages
Lisa Wolverton, history
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
Medieval studies majors must complete twelve medieval courses in at least three departments with a grade of mid-C or better. At least 24 credits must be in upper-division work. Two years of Latin are recommended for those who want to do graduate work in medieval studies. See the program website for more information.
Honors in Medieval Studies
A degree with honors in medieval studies allows a student to focus on an area of concentration in a written thesis. Requirements are as follows:
- Satisfaction of the requirements for the major
- A grade point average of 3.50 or better in courses taken to meet the upper-division requirements of the major. A minimum cumulative UO grade point average of 3.00
- A prospectus for the thesis approved by both the thesis director and the program director. The prospectus must be submitted no later than week seven of the term before the student plans to complete the honors project. When the prospectus has been approved, the student and thesis director will agree on a schedule of submission of work
- A senior thesis of substantial quality, representing new or substantially new work beyond any project or paper submitted within other university courses, approved by the thesis director and at least one other member of the medieval studies participating faculty. The thesis must be complete and ready for public presentation no later than week seven of the fall, winter, or spring term
- A presentation of the project. The student presents the honors project to students and faculty members and participates in an open discussion of the project with the audience. Presentations typically occur in weeks seven through ten of fall, winter, or spring terms and are arranged in consultation with both the director of the Medieval Studies Program and the student’s thesis advisor
- Honors in medieval studies are not given for substantially the same project or paper submitted for honors to any other unit in the university. Departmental honors theses shall be written exclusively for honors in medieval studies
- Students normally enroll in at least one but no more than two terms of Thesis (MDVL 403). Enrollment in Thesis is not required but is recommended. Thesis credits cannot serve to fulfill the minimum major requirements
Minor Requirements
Students who want a minor in medieval studies must complete seven medieval courses in at least two departments.
Suggested Courses
Students should plan their programs as early as possible with the aid of a medieval studies faculty advisor. With the advisor’s consent, courses numbered 199, 399, 405, 407, 408, or 410 may be substituted for suggested courses. At least five of the courses must be taken at the University of Oregon. More information is available from the medieval studies office or from the Medieval Studies Program director.
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| ARB 331 | Reading Classical Arabic | 4 |
| CLAS 110 | Classical Mythology | 4 |
| CLAS 314 | Gender and Sexuality in Antiquity | 4 |
| |
| ENG 225 | Age of King Arthur | 4 |
| ENG 423 | The Age of Beowulf | 4 |
| ENG 425 | Medieval Romance | 4 |
| ENG 427 | Chaucer | 4 |
ENG 428
& ENG 429
& ENG 430 | Old English I
and Old English II: [Topic]
and Old English III: [Topic] | 12 |
| HIST 101 | Ancient Mediterranean | 4 |
| HIST 190 | Foundations of East Asian Civilizations | 4 |
| HIST 319 | Early Middle Ages in Europe | 4 |
| HIST 320 | High Middle Ages in Europe | 4 |
| HIST 321 | Late Middle Ages in Europe | 4 |
| HIST 345 | | 4 |
| HIST 387 | Early China | 4 |
| HIST 396 | Samurai in Film | 4 |
| HIST 414 | Ancient Rome: [Topic] (depends on topic) | 4 |
| HIST 490 | Japan: [Topic] (The Classical Age) | 4 |
| HIST 498 | Early Japanese Culture and Society: [Topic] (Buddhism and Society in Medieval Japan; Samurai and War; Medieval Japan) | 4 |
| ARH 205 | History of Western Art II | 4 |
| HUM 102 | Introduction to the Humanities II | 4 |
| HUM 300 | Themes in the Humanities 1 | 4 |
| ITAL 317 | Italian Survey: Medieval and Renaissance | 4 |
| ITAL 441 | | 4-6 |
| JPN 305 | Introduction to Japanese Literature | 4 |
| JDST 212 | Medieval and Early Modern Judaism | 4 |
| HBRW 313 | | 4 |
| |
| MUS 267 | Survey of Music History | 4 |
| MUS 391 | Collegium Musicum | 1-3 |
| PHIL 310 | History of Philosophy: Ancient and Medieval | 4 |
REL 222
& REL 223 | Introduction to the Bible I
and Introduction to the Bible II | 8 |
| REL 233 | Introduction to Islam | 4 |
REL 321
& REL 322 | History of Christianity
and History of Christianity | 8 |
| REL 324 | History of Eastern Christianity | 4 |
| REL 335 | Introduction to the Qur'an | 4 |
| REL 355 | Mysticism | 4 |
| REL 414 | Biblical Book: [Topic] | 4 |
| REL 418 | | 4 |
| REL 432 | Islamic Mysticism: [Topic] | 4 |
| REL 444 | Medieval Japanese Buddhism | 4 |
| SCAN 259 | Vikings through the Icelandic Sagas | 4 |
| SCAN 343 | Norse Mythology | 4 |
| SCAN 344 | Medieval Hero and Monster | 4 |
Four-Year Degree Plan
The degree plan shown is only a sample of how students may complete their degrees in four years. There are alternative ways. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best path for them.
Bachelor of Arts in Medieval Studies
Degree Map
| First Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| Course on medieval subject |
| 4 |
| LAT 101 |
First-Year Latin |
| 5 |
| WR 121 |
College Composition I |
| 4 |
| Elective course |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 17 |
| Winter |
|---|
| Course on medieval subject |
| 4 |
WR 122
|
College Composition II
or College Composition III |
| 4 |
| LAT 102 |
First-Year Latin |
| 5 |
| General-education course in social science |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 17 |
| Spring |
|---|
| Course on medieval subject |
| 4 |
| LAT 103 |
First-Year Latin |
| 5 |
| General-education course in arts and letters |
| 4 |
| General-education course in social science |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 17 |
| | Total Credits | | 51 |
Degree Map
| Second Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| Course on medieval subject |
| 4 |
| LAT 301 |
Authors: [Topic] |
| 4 |
| General-education course in social science |
| 4 |
| General-education course in arts and letters |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| Winter |
|---|
| Course on medieval subject |
| 4 |
| LAT 302 |
Authors: [Topic] |
| 4 |
| General-education course in science |
| 4 |
| General-education course in arts and letters |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| Spring |
|---|
| Course on medieval subject |
| 4 |
| LAT 303 |
Authors: [Topic] |
| 4 |
| Upper-division elective course |
| 4 |
| General-education course in science |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| | Total Credits | | 48 |
Degree Map
| Third Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| Course on medieval subject |
| 4 |
| Upper-division elective course |
| 4 |
| General-education course in arts and letters |
| 4 |
| General-education course in science |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| Winter |
|---|
| Course on medieval subject |
| 4 |
| Upper-division elective course |
| 4 |
| General-education course in social science |
| 4 |
| General-education course in science |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| Spring |
|---|
| Course on medieval subject |
| 4 |
| General-education course |
| 4 |
| General-education course that also fulfulls multicultural requirement |
| 4 |
| Upper-division elective course |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| | Total Credits | | 48 |
Degree Map
| Fourth Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| Course on medieval subject |
| 4 |
| Upper-division elective course |
| 4 |
| General-education course |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 12 |
| Winter |
|---|
| Course on medieval subject |
| 4 |
| Upper-division elective course |
| 4 |
| General-education course that fulfills multicultural requirement |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 12 |
| Spring |
|---|
| Course on medieval subject |
| 4 |
| Upper-division elective course |
| 4 |
| General-education course |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 12 |
| | Total Credits | | 36 |
