Courses of Study 2024-2025
Medieval Studies
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In the College of Arts and Sciences .
Course Offerings
Faculty
A. Hicks, director; F.M. Ahl, B. Anderson, E. Born, R. Brann, C. Brittain, O. Falk, L. Ferri, A. Galloway, N.J. Giannella, K. Haines-Eitzen, T.J. Hinrichs, C. Howie, C. Lambert, S. MacDonald, S. Manning, M. Migiel, J.S. Mokhtarian, J.A. Peraino, S. Pinet, M. Raskolnikov, E. Rebillard, C. Robinson, C. Roby, J.M. Rosenberg, M. Velasco, D.X. Warner, M.L. Weiss, S. Zacher. Emeriti: E.W. Browne, A.M. Colby-Hall, A.B. Groos, W.E. Harbert, T.D. Hill, W.J. Kennedy, P.I. Kuniholm, J.M. Najemy, S. Senderovich, W. Wetherbee
Website: medievalstudies.cornell.edu
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Undergraduate Study in Medieval Studies:
The Medieval Studies Program offers two undergraduate minors: the Medieval Studies Minor and the Viking Studies Minor. Coursework for both minors is inherently interdisciplinary – history, literature, language, art, archaeology, religion, music, and law are all within their scope. The Program sponsors a full slate of lectures, museum and library events, and conferences every year, which undergraduates are welcome to attend. Those enrolled in either minor are considered members of the Medieval Studies program and are invited to participate in our events and activities. Additionally, the Program has a lively undergraduate association, Quodlibet, that provides a student-run series of additional events, activities, and lectures. Cornell’s Medieval Studies Program cultivates a strong and supportive community of students, faculty, and staff. Those completing a minor will receive a notification on their transcripts and a certificate signed by the Director.
Medieval Studies Minor:
Medieval Studies students can choose among a wide array of subjects spanning more than a thousand years of languages and cultures—from Old and Middle English literature to Byzantine monuments; from Icelandic sagas to Aztec architecture; from Chinese intellectual history to Islamic legal history. The global medieval period saw many of the foundational choices that have, for good and ill, made the world what it is today. In classes, students explore how many of our current challenges in, for instance, human rights, religion, attitudes toward power, law, and authority, and gender and sexuality have been shaped by more than a millennium of discussion and debate.
Medieval Studies Minor Requirements
- Complete five MEDVL courses at the 2000 level or above in at least two different areas of study (e.g., literature, art history, philosophy, archaeology, etc.). Up to two of these courses may also count toward the student’s major. Relevant courses not listed or cross-listed as MEDVL, or courses taken while studying abroad may be allowed by petition.
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All courses must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
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Before the end of the final semester of the degree, submit a brief 300-word exit statement that articulates the intellectual interests developed in work done for the minor.
Viking Studies Minor:
In the early Middle Ages, Norse peoples (popularly called Vikings) surged out of Scandinavia and established themselves as settlers and rulers across Europe. Beyond their political and territorial gains, they raided and traded even more widely. These major achievements were commemorated and celebrated in an extensive corpus of historical and fictional texts, many available in English translation. With a Viking Studies Minor, students explore this history, language and literature, and archaeological record from an interdisciplinary perspective, and gain an appreciation for the period and its long-term consequences. The minor encourages combining coursework abroad and locally, allowing students to take advantage of Cornell’s unique resources, such as the Fiske Icelandic Collection.
Viking Studies Minor Requirements
- Complete four approved Viking Studies courses
- Complete one capstone course
- All courses must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
- Before the end of the final semester of the degree, submit a brief 300-word exit statement that articulates the intellectual interests developed in work done for the minor.
Medieval Languages:
Medieval texts (like all others) become most lively and informative when read in the original, and Cornell fortunately offers many courses for students interested in acquiring the relevant skills: Medieval Latin, Old English, Middle English, Gothic, Old Saxon, Old High German, Middle High German, Old Norse-Icelandic, Old Irish, Middle Welsh, Old Occitan (Provençal), Old French, Medieval Spanish, Medieval Italian, Old Russian, Old Church Slavonic, Classical Arabic, Medieval Hebrew, Classical Chinese, and Classical Japanese.
Some medieval languages require study of a modern language (e.g., French for Old Occitan and Old French) or a classical language (Classical Latin for Medieval Latin) as background. Students are advised to consult the sponsoring departments for information about the prerequisites for various medieval languages.
Graduate Study:
The Medieval Studies Program offers a Ph.D. in medieval studies. Disciplinary fields of concentration offered within the field of medieval studies are medieval archaeology, medieval history, medieval history of art, medieval literature, medieval music, medieval philology and linguistics, medieval philosophy, and medieval religious studies. Information about the graduate Program in Medieval Studies is available from the field coordinator, and on the program’s website.
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