Easy Pathways to the Minor or Major

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The MRST minor requires:

24 credit hours of courses (normally 8 three-hour courses) comprised of:
- 2 2000-level MRST introductory courses (or substitutes among electives with approval of director)
- 6 electives taken from at least three component disciplines; 2 may come from Study Abroad course of appropriate content

A major in MRST may be taken through the Multidisciplinary Program with the consent of the director and a thematic and diversified program designed in consultation with a faculty advisor.

The BA requires 30 credit hours of coursework plus completion of two years of a foreign language (through 2004)
The BS requires 42 credit hours of coursework

Each semester students have a large choice of course offerings, usually 16 per year (8 or more per semester), with typically 6 offered in English, 5 or 6 in History, 2 in Art History, 2 or 3 by Foreign Languages and Literatures (including French and Spanish). Eligible courses in Great Books and Music are offered regularly, but not every year.

See below for a list of courses carrying credit toward General Education and Writing Intensive course requirements.

Easy Steps to Completing a Meaningful and Valuable Minor in MRST

Step 1

Consult your major guide (a model course schedule over four years. See Academic Advising for more information.). Follow it taking MRST courses and electives in slots reserved for Gen Ed and minor requirements; adjust as needed.

Step 2 – Years 1 and 2

Complete general education requirements. Take preferentially MRST 2400 and MRST 2500 and MRST elective courses carrying GE credit in Humanities, Social Sciences, and Fine Arts (see below). Aim to earn at least 12 credit hours (4 courses) towards the MRST minor.

Step 3 – Summers & Years 3 and 4

Consider taking a Medieval and Renaissance Studies themed study abroad program, such as the Certaldo Italy program, and/or taking 12 credit hours (4 courses, averaging 1 MRST elective course per semester) to complete the balance of 24 credit hours (8 courses).

Step 4 – Year 4 toward Graduation and Beyond

To validate your minor and stand about among other graduates and applicants, profile the minor and any study abroad experience on your CV and resumé indicating the skills and knowledge you gained. For your applications for jobs, internships, further study, and the like, solicit letters of reference and recommendation from MRST professors who know you well.

Easy Steps to Completing a Meaningful and Valuable Major in MRST

As soon as possible, discuss your plan for the major with the director to choose between the Multidisciplinary BA or BS options.

BA Pathway

Step 1 – Years 1 and 2

Complete general education requirements. Take preferentially MRST 2400 and MRST 2500 and elective courses carrying GE credit in Humanities, Social Sciences, and Fine Arts. Aim to earn at least 12 credit hours (4 courses) towards the MRST major. Begin taking your language; try to complete 2004 by the end of your second year.

Step 2 – Summers & Years 3 and 4

Consider taking a Medieval and Renaissance Studies themed Study abroad program, such as the Certaldo Italy program, and/or taking 18 credit hours (6 courses) to complete the balance of 30 credit hours (10 courses). Complete language training or supplement it with language study abroad.

Step 3 – Year 4 toward Graduation

To validate your major and stand about among other graduates and applicants, profile the major and any study abroad experience on your CV and resumé indicating the skills and knowledge you gained. For your applications for jobs, internships, further study, and the like, solicit letters of reference and recommendation from MRST professors who know you well.

BS Pathway

Step 1 – Years 1 and 2

Step 2 – Summers & Years 3 and 4

Consider taking a Medieval and Renaissance Studies themed study abroad program, such as the Certaldo Italy program, and/or taking 24 credit hours (8 courses) to complete the balance of 42 credit hours (14 courses).

Step 3 – Year 4 toward Graduation

MRST and Elective Courses Carrying General Education Credit

Humanities

ENGL 3070 – Shakespeare: The Histories (3) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 1100)
ENGL 3080 – Shakespeare: The Comedies (3) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 1100)
ENGL 3090 – Shakespeare: The Tragedies (3) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 1100)
ENGL 3600 – Classics from Homer to Dante (3) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 1100)
ENGL 4010 – Medieval Literature (3) (WI) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 2201)
ENGL 4020 – Chaucer (3) (WI) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 2201)
ENGL 4030 – Milton (3) (WI) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 2201)

ENGL 4050 – Prose and Poetry of the English Renaissance (3) (WI) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 2201)*
ENGL 4100 – Seventeenth-Century Literature (3) (WI) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 2201)*
FORL 2665 – Don Quixote (3) (WI) (GE:HU)
GRBK 2400 – Great Books of the Middle Ages and Renaissance (3) (WI) (GE:HU)
MRST 2400 – Introduction to Medieval Studies (3) (GE:HU)
MRST 2500 – Introduction to Renaissance Studies (3) (GE:HU)

Social Sciences

HIST 3412 – A History of Christianity to 1300 (3) (GE:SO)
HIST 3415 – The Middle Ages (3) (GE:SO)
HIST 3420 – Early Modern Europe to 1648 (3) (GE:SO)
HIST 3480 – Britain to 1688 (3) (GE:SO)

HIST 3610 – History of East Asia to 1600 (3) (GE:SO)*
HIST 3615 – History of Traditional Japan (3) (GE:SO)*
HIST 3629 – History of Traditional China (3) (GE:SO)*
HIST 3669 – History of the Middle East, 600–1500 (3) (GE:SO)*

Fine Arts

MUSC 2225 – Introduction to Early Music in the West (3) (GE:FA)

MRST and Elective Courses Carrying Writing Intensive credit

ARTH 2925 – Byzantine Art and Architecture (3) (WI)*
ARTH 3915 – Art of the Middle Ages (3) (WI)
ARTH 3935 – Italian Baroque Art: 1600–1700 (3) (WI)*
ARTH 3940 – Italian Renaissance Art: 1500–1600 (3) (WI)*
ENGL 4010 – Medieval Literature (3) (WI) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 2201)
ENGL 4020 – Chaucer (3) (WI) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 2201)
ENGL 4030 – Milton (3) (WI) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 2201)
- ENGL 4050 – Prose and Poetry of the English Renaissance (3) (WI) (GE:HU) (P: ENGL 2201)*

ENGL 4091 – Shakespeare: Topics (3) (WI) (P: ENGL 2201)*
FORL 2665 – Don Quixote (3) (WI) (GE:HU)
GRBK 2400 – Great Books of the Middle Ages and Renaissance (3) (WI) (GE:HU)
- PHIL 3321 – Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy (3) (WI)
- SPAN 4555 – Medieval Spain (900–1499) (3) (WI) (P: SPAN 3550; or consent of instructor)

* Requires consent of Director to count for the minor