Program Coordinator: Christina von Nolcken, G-B 308, 702-8024, mcv4@uchicago.edu

Secretary: Amy Schulz, G-B 309, 702-7092

Program of Study

The B.A. program in medieval studies aims to acquaint students with a broad range of medieval materials from a variety of perspectives (e.g., historical, literary, artistic, theological) as a preparation for writing a B.A. paper on some aspect of medieval civilization. Students investigate the Middle Ages through studies in historical, literary, and adjunct areas.

Program Requirements

Eleven courses are required, including at least three courses basically historical in nature, three courses of linguistic character, and two courses in other disciplines (e.g., art, music, philosophy, theology). Each student should determine these courses in consultation with the program coordinator.

Students are also expected to demonstrate competence in reading one language in which a significant body of medieval source material exists. Such competence is demonstrated primarily through the language courses and through the use of source materials in the B.A. paper. Latin is strongly urged for those working in Western materials, but other options (particularly for students interested in Byzantine, Jewish, or Muslim cultures) are available. Students should consult the program coordinator regarding the three-course language requirement, which is to be used both for acquiring language skills, if necessary, beyond the College language competency requirement and for reading medieval texts.

The program also requires all students to participate in a one-quarter reading and research course with a member of the committee who has agreed to advise them in planning and writing the B.A. paper; students should register for a reading course in this committee member's department. Their completed paper will typically be read by at least two members of the committee representing different academic departments.

Summary of Requirements

3 courses in historical studies

3 language studies

2 adjunct areas

3 electives

1 reading and research course

B.A. paper

Grading. Except for courses taught within the New Collegiate Division, there is no P/F grading in this major.

Honors. Consideration for honors is individually arranged with the program coordinator. For candidacy, a student must have completed a B.A. paper of the highest quality, and have a GPA of at least 3.0 overall and at least 3.5 within the major.

Faculty

M. Allen, D. Bevington (Emeritus), R. Bird, R. Dankoff, A. Davidson, D. Delogu,
F. Donner, C. Fasolt, R. Fulton, N. Golb, R. Hellie, R. Helmholz, A. Hollywood,
D. Hristova, N. Ingham, W. Kadi, W. Kaegi, R. Kendrick, J. Kraemer, M. Miller,
M. Murrin, L. Pick, T. Qutbuddin, A. W. Robertson, J. Robinson, J. Schleusener,
J. Steinberg, J. Stern, N. Swerdlow, C. von Nolcken, E. Weaver, D. Whitcomb, J. Woods

Courses (Autumn 2005 to Spring 2006)

Historical and Civilization Studies

ARTH 17305. Arts of the Book: Later Middle Ages and Renaissance. R. Zorach. Spring.

ARTH 18705. From Steppe to City: The Art of the Mongol Empire. J. Purtle. Autumn.

CLCV 21800. "Get Thee to a Nunnery." (=CLAS 31800) M. Allen. Spring.

HIST 13001. History of European Civilization I. R. Fulton. Autumn.

HIST 21701/31710. Byzantine Empire, 330 to 610. W. Kaegi. Autumn.

HIST 21702/31702. Byzantine Empire, 610 to 1025. W. Kaegi. Spring.

HIST 22001/32001. Byzantium and Islam. W. Kaegi. Autumn.

HIST 22302/32302. War in the Middle Ages. R. Fulton. Autumn.

HIST 25200. Body and Soul: Historical and Ethnographic Approaches to Prayer. (=BPRO 25200, HUDV 25200) PQ: Third- or fourth-year standing. R. Fulton, T. Luhrmann. Spring.

JWSC 20100-31100. Jewish Civilization II: Rabbinic Judaism from the Mishnah to Maimonides. (=HUMA 20100) Winter.

MUSI 22406. Music, Liturgy, and Art in Sacred Spaces in the Middle Ages. (=ARTH 19600, HUMA 28600) A. Robertson. Winter.

NEAA 20521/30521. Egypt after the Pharaohs: Coptic and Islamic Egypt. D. Whitcomb. Autumn.

NEHC 20601/30601. Introduction to Islamic Civilization I. (=SOSC 22000) W. Kadi. Autumn.

NEHC 20016/30016. Near Eastern Literatures: Classical Arabic Literature. Knowledge of Arabic helpful but not required. T. Qutbuddin. Spring.

NEHC 20411-20412-20413/30411-30412-30413. Medieval Jewish History I, II, III. (=HUMA 23000-23100-23200, JWSC 23000-23100-23200, JWSG 38100-38200-38300) PQ: Consent of instructor. N. Golb. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

NEHC 20601/30601. Introduction to Islamic Civilization I. (=SOSC 22000) W. Kadi. Autumn.

NEHC 20602/30602. Introduction to Islamic Civilization II. (=SOSC 22100) R. Dankoff, J. Perry. Winter.

NEHC 20621/30621. History of the Islamic Middle East I: The Rise of Islam and the Caliphate. (=HIST 25700/35700) F. Donner. Autumn.

NEHC 20622/30622. History of the Islamic Middle East II: 1200 to 1700. (=HIST 25800/35800) J. Woods. Winter.

PHIL 25100. Maimonides and Hume on Religion. (=JWSC 26100) J. Stern. Winter.

PHIL 26000. History of Philosophy II: Medieval and Early Modern Philosophy. (=HIPS 26000) PQ: Completion of the general education requirement in humanities required; PHIL 25000 recommended. Winter.

RLST 20601. Jewish Heretics and Apostates in the Middle Ages. (=HIJD 30601) J. Robinson. Winter.

RLST 20700. Medieval Women's Religious Writing. (=GNDR 23700, HIST 19800) L. Pick. Autumn.

RLST 21600. Early Monasticism. (=HIST 11900) L. Pick. Spring.

Linguistic and Literary Studies

ENGL 14900/34900. Old English. (=GRMN 31000) C. von Nolcken. Autumn.

ENGL 15102/35102. Old English Seminar: Law and Literature in Anglo-Saxon England. PQ: ENGL 14900/34900 or equivalent. The class meets at the Newberry Library. J. Schulman. Winter.

ENGL 15600. Medieval English Literature. (=GNDR 15600) M. Miller. Spring.

ENGL 15801. The Medieval Vernacular Literature of the British Isles. (=RLST 28301) M. Murrin. Winter.

ENGL 20111. Arthurian Romances. PQ: Enrollment in London Program. M. Murrin. Autumn.

ENGL 25500. Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales. (=FNDL 25700) C. von Nolcken. Winter.

FREN 21901/31901. L'écriture autobiographique au Moyen Age. PQ: consent of instructor. D. Delogu. Autumn.

ITAL 10400-10500-10600. Italian through Dante, I, II III. Not open to students who have taken ITAL 10100-10200-10300. E. Weaver. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

ITAL 20700. Survey I: Letteratura italiana dal Duecento al Quattrocento. PQ: ITAL 20300 or consent of instructor. Autumn.

ITAL 23501/33501. Boccaccio's Decameron. J. Steinberg. Autumn.

LATN 22400/32400. Augustine. P. White. Winter.

LATN 26500/36500. Medieval Latin. M. Allen. Winter.

SLAV 22000/32000. Old Church Slavonic. (=LGLN 25100/35100) PQ: Knowledge of another Slavic language or good knowledge of another one or two old Indo-European languages. V. Friedman. Winter.

SPAN 20700. Literatura hispánica: textos clásicos. PQ: SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor. Winter.