Overview
This interdisciplinary program in medieval studies at SMU comprises a concentration (a B.A. major, a B.A. minor, and an M.A.) in both the liberal and the fine arts which relies on courses offered in all the above departments. The medieval studies program affords the student an opportunity for a “classically” liberal education, exploring the literature, language, history, art, music, and belief of the Middle Ages within a broad subset of “Western” (Celtic, Franconic, Italic, Germanic, Visigothic) and “non-Western” (Byzantine, Islamic, Persian) contexts.
Ranging from the fourth century to 1485, from Celtic Britain to Visigothic and Islamic Spain, Byzantium to Persia and the Caliphate, from script to print, from feast to fast, from fine arts to liberal arts, from Augustine to Abelard and beyond, this program offers an intense and condensed liberal education. Studies reveal how the historical shapes, institutional structures, literary visions and artistic forms that emerged from the Middle Ages have colored our concepts of God, society, self, love, individualism, creativity and success.
Medieval studies is an interdisciplinary major of 30 credit hours in medieval subjects and advanced Latin language and literature distributed over at least three broad subject areas in medieval studies: 1. history, 2. literature and 3. music and visual arts (art/music history), with no fewer than six credit hours in each area. Latin language and literature courses after the second year may, with the approval of the director, count toward hours for the medieval studies major. Students are encouraged to take courses in medieval philosophy, religious studies and church history when they are available. The medieval studies minor requires 15 credit hours.
