Major
Overview of the Undergraduate Major
Every period in history is better illuminated and understood by using evidence from research in different fields rather than by studying it solely from the point of view of a single discipline. People of the past, after all, did not live their lives according to the departmental divisions of a modern university. Medieval studies, particularly in the last half century, have benefited enormously from this interdisciplinary approach. Work in family history, genealogy, archeology, folklore, iconography, textual criticism, linguistic analysis, and statistical research has advanced and deepened our knowledge of the highways and byways of the period.
The study of the Middle Ages has been strong and active at the University of Virginia for many years. A diverse community of scholars routinely offers dozens of courses on medieval topics in the departments of History, Classics, Religious Studies, Philosophy, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Middle Eastern Studies, Art History, Architecture, Music, and Government. Research and teaching on the medieval period are supported by extensive holdings in the University Library, including Special Collections.
The Medieval Studies major provides a way to pursue truly multidisciplinary coursework that will recognize these early centuries as a critical period of interconnectivity that speaks to an already global world.
Requirements for the Major
The major is open to all qualified students in the College of Arts and Sciences who have demonstrated competence in a foreign language appropriate to their work in the program through the 2000 level, or its equivalent. Students are required to take 30 hours of credit in courses approved by the student’s advisor with passing grades, and at least a 2.0 average, distributed over the following fields of study: · MSP 3501 Exploring the Middle Ages (3 hours) by the spring of the junior year, or the equivalent.
Of the remaining 27 hours of coursework, at least 15 hours (or five classes) must be at the 3000 or above level (of which at least one must be at the 4000 level or above). Course selection must reflect a multidisciplinary approach to Medieval Studies. Student coursework must thus include representation of at least four of the thirteen departments of the College of Arts & Sciences that offer MSP-approved coursework.
These departments are:
- Anthropology
- Art
- Classics
- English
- East Asian Language, Literatures and Cultures
- French Language and Literature
- German Language and Literature
- History
- Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures
- Philosophy
- Politics
- Religious Studies
- Spanish, Italian and Portuguese
The major may be combined with another departmental program as a double major
Requirements for a Minor
Students may complete a minor in Medieval Studies by taking at least 18 credits in medieval courses approved by the program director. At least three of the courses (9 credits) for the minor must be at the 3000 level or above. Coursework must reflect a multidisciplinary approach to Medieval Studies. Student coursework must thus include representation of at least three of the thirteen departments of the College of Arts & Sciences that offer MSP-approved coursework.
These departments are:
- Anthropology
- Art
- Classics
- English
- East Asian Language, Literatures and Cultures
- French Language and Literature
- German Language and Literature
- History
- Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures
- Philosophy
- Politics
- Religious Studies
- Spanish, Italian and Portuguese
Courses on medieval topics from departments not listed can count as a substitute with the director’s approval (e.g. Philosophy, Politics).
DISTINGUISHED MAJOR
The Distinguished Majors Program (DMP) offers students the opportunity to graduate with distinction by pursuing in-depth research involving analysis of issues and topics related to their major and culminating in the writing of a thesis. To qualify, students must follow the procedure found below
Admission into the DMP occurs in the Spring semester of the student's third year. Applicants must have declared the MSP major. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.4 or above in both their major GPA and general GPA. Applications should include the following in their application addressed to the director:
- A statement of interest explaining the student's desire to enter the program and his/her/their general area of research interest, mentioning which faculty member the student might approach as advisor;
- A writing sample (ex: a strong paper written for a course);
- One confidential letter of recommendation from an MSP faculty member sent to the Director of Medieval Studies or sealed and submitted by the student with the other application materials;
- A copy of the student's most recent transcript.
Upon admission into the program, the following steps must be taken:
- Students are responsible for obtaining the agreement of one MSP affiliated faculty member who will serve as their thesis advisor and the approval of the Director of MSP.
- Students must enroll in MSP 4998 (in the Fall) and MSP 4999 (in the Spring), which together comprise a six-hour sequence of tutorial work meant to guide students to completing a thesis.
MSP 4998 (3 credits) is offered during the Fall semester and consists of gathering sources and research materials as well as submitting an outline and thesis statement along with a literature review.
MSP 4999 (3 credits) is offered during the Spring semester and focuses on drafting, revising, and finalizing the thesis.
Note that these two courses do not count towards the distribution requirement of the student's degree.
- Students are encouraged to use primary language sources in researching their thesis.
- The minimum length of the thesis is 11,000-13,000 words (approximately 40-50 pages).
- The faculty advisor and the MSP Director determine the degree of distinction earned by the DMP student.
Students must satisfy the following requirements for the Distinguished Major:
- Satisfy all the distribution rules for the MSP major
- Complete a Senior Thesis deemed of high quality by the thesis advisor and director.
Additional Information
For more information, please contact Deborah McGrady, Department of French Languages & Literature, 359 New Cabell Hall, University of Virginia, PO Box 400130, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4130.
Medieval and Renaissance Studies in English
Note: there is a concentration in Medieval and Renaissance Studies within the undergraduate English major. It can be combined with our program in a double major or major + minor arrangement. You can find out about the English concentration here: UVA Medieval and Renaissance English Program.
Becoming a Medieval Studies Major/Minor
To discuss becoming a Medieval Studies Major or Minor or to ask questions about the undergraduate program more generally, please contact Prof. Deborah McGrady at dlm4z@virginia.edu