Medieval/Renaissance Studies Major
Goals for the Medieval/Renaissance Studies Major
The Medieval/Renaissance major seeks to develop the following areas of knowledge and skills:
- Engage with the Middle Ages and the Renaissance through a multidisciplinary approach, integrating coursework from a variety of subject areas, such as History, Art History, Religion, English, Philosophy, and World Languages and Literatures, Music and Book Studies into a deep and unified understanding of the era.
- Show familiarity with foundational works and events of this period.
- Analyze and critique primary and secondary source material across humanistic disciplines.
- Produce sophisticated analytical arguments based on humanistic approaches.
- Conduct original research in medieval and Renaissance Studies.
- Recognize and explain both the unity and diversity of European and Mediterranean cultures in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
- Identify major shifts within the fields of history, religion, philosophy, art, music and/or literature.
- Achieve in-depth understanding and special competence in at least one area of disciplinary or thematic specialization in the medieval and/or Renaissance periods.
Students must take at least nine units of course work from the following list. Of these, at least four must be above the 100 level in an area of concentration, a single department, a geographical location, a topic or theme.
A major in Medieval/Renaissance Studies will normally select her major advisor from the department or area in which she is concentrating. Two units of course work must be at the 300 level, and under normal circumstances, both of these courses must be taken at Wellesley College. Normally, credit/noncredit courses do not count for the major.
Honors in Medieval/Renaissance Studies
The only route to honors in the major is writing a thesis and passing an oral examination. To be admitted to the thesis program, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above the 100-level; the department may petition on her behalf if her GPA in the major is between 3.0 and 3.5. See Academic Distinctions.
Graduate Study and Careers in Medieval/Renaissance Studies
Majors who are contemplating postgraduate academic or professional careers in this or related fields should consult faculty advisors to plan a sequence of courses that will provide them with a sound background in the language and critical techniques essential to further work in their chosen fields. We make every effort to accommodate individual interests and needs through independent study projects (350s and senior theses) carried out under the supervision of one or more faculty members and designed to supplement, or substitute for, advanced seminar-level work.
Advanced Placement Policy in Medieval/Renaissance Studies
The Medieval/Renaissance Studies program does not accept Advanced Placement credits to replace course work in the major.
Transfer Credit in Medieval/Renaissance Studies
Under normal circumstances, no more than two courses taken outside of Wellesley College may be counted toward the major, and neither of these can be the required 300-level course for the major.
International Study in Medieval/Renaissance Studies
There are numerous opportunities for international study for those who wish to broaden their experience and supplement their research skills through direct contact with European and Mediterranean culture. Under normal circumstance, up to two courses in accredited programs abroad may be counted toward the major. Up to three courses in accredited programs abroad may be counted toward the major.
Collegium Musicum
By participating in the Collegium Musicum, students can learn to perform Medieval and Renaissance music; see the departmental entry for Music.
Courses for Credit Toward the Medieval/Renaissance Studies Major
| ARTH 110Y | Seminar: Michelangelo: Artist and Myth | 1.0 |
| ARTH 201 | Medieval Art and Architecture, 400-1400 |
1.0 |
| ARTH 222 | Network Analysis for Art History |
1.0 |
| ARTH 227 | Art in the Age of Crusades: Visual Cultures of the Mediterranean 1000-1400 |
1.0 |
| ARTH 229 | Islamic Arts of the Book |
1.0 |
| ARTH 235 / HIST 235 | Epidemics in Early Modern Europe: Art, History, Life, and Death |
1.0 |
| ARTH 244 | Art, Patronage, and Society in Sixteenth-Century Italy |
1.0 |
| ARTH 246 | Collectors, Saints, and Cheese-Eaters in Baroque Italy |
1.0 |
| ARTH 247 | Islamic Art and Architecture, 650-1500 |
1.0 |
| ARTH 251 | The Arts in Renaissance Italy Before and After the Black Death |
1.0 |
| ARTH 252 | Art and Love in Venice |
1.0 |
| ARTH 299 | History of the Book from Manuscript to Print |
1.0 |
| ARTH 313 | Seminar: Eurasia: Empires, Merchants, and Missionaries (1600 - 1800) |
1.0 |
| ARTH 325 | Seminar: Strong Women in Renaissance and Baroque Italuy |
1.0 |
| ARTH 326 | Art and Plague in Early Modern Europe |
1.0 |
| ARTH 328 | Dining with Michelangelo |
1.0 |
| ARTH 331 | Seminar: Italian Renaissance Art |
1.0 |
| ARTH 331 | Seminar: Rembrandt |
1.0 |
| ARTH 347 | Seminar: Beyond Iconoclasm: Seeing the Sacred in Islamic Visual Cultures |
1.0 |
| CPLT 247 / ENG 247 / MER 247 | Arthurian Legends |
1.0 |
| CHIN 211 | Dream of the Red Chamber in Chinese Literature and Culture (in English) |
1.0 |
| CHIN 220 | The Fall of the Ming in 1644, An Event in World Culture (In English) |
1.0 |
| ENG 112 | Introduction to Shakespeare |
1.0 |
| ENG 210 | History of the English Language |
1.0 |
| ENG 211 / MER 211 | Women in Medieval Literature, 500-1500 CE |
1.0 |
| ENG 212 / MER 212 | Monsters, Villains, and Wives |
1.0 |
| ENG 213 | Chaucer: Community, Dissent, and Difference in the Late Middle Ages |
1.0 |
| ENG 214 / MER 214 | Global Middle Ages: Stories, Ideas, Communities |
1.0 |
| ENG 221 / HIST 221 | The Renaissance |
1.0 |
| ENG 222 | Renaissance Literature |
1.0 |
| ENG 223 | Shakespeare Part I: The Elizabethan Period |
1.0 |
| ENG 224 | Shakespeare Part II: The Jacobean Period |
1.0 |
| ENG 227 | Milton |
1.0 |
| ENG 311 / MER 311 | Women in Medieval Literature, 500-1500 CE | 1.0 |
| ENG 315 | Advanced Studies in Medieval Literature |
1.0 |
| ENG 316 | Dead Poetry Society | 1.0 |
| ENG 317 | The Black, the Lady and the Priest: Medieval Romance and the Politics of Race | 1.0 |
| ENG 324 | Advanced Studies in Shakespeare |
1.0 |
| ENG 325 | Advanced Studies in 16th- and 17th-Century Literature |
1.0 |
| FREN 210 | From the Middle Ages through the Enlightenment |
1.0 |
| FREN 217 | Books of the Self |
1.0 |
| FREN 224 | Versailles and the Age of Louis XIV |
1.0 |
| FREN 278 | Court, City, Salon: Early Modern Paris—A Digital Humanities Approach |
1.0 |
| FREN 303 | Advanced Studies in Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries |
1.0 |
| FREN 333 | French Classical Tragedy: Corneille versus Racine: Rethinking the Parallel |
1.0 |
| HIST 208 | Society and Culture in Medieval Europe |
1.0 |
| HIST 211 / LAST 211 | The Empire of the Indies: Spanish Rule in America and the Philippines |
1.0 |
| HIST 213 | Conquest and Crusade in the Medieval Mediterranean |
1.0 |
| HIST 214 | Medieval Italy |
1.0 |
| HIST 222 | The Barbarian Kingdoms of Early Medieval Europe |
1.0 |
| HIST 232 | The Transformation of the Western World: Europe from 1350 to 1815 |
1.0 |
| HIST 234 | The Holy Roman Empire: Religion, Politics, and Culture from Luther to Napoleon |
1.0 |
| HIST 246 | Vikings, Icons, Mongols, and Tsars |
1.0 |
| HIST 279 | Heresy and Popular Religion in the Middle Ages |
1.0 |
| HIST 330 | Seminar: Revolution and Rebellion in Twelfth-Century European Society |
1.0 |
| HIST 352 | Seminar: Mental Health in European History |
1.0 |
| HIST 354 | Seminar: King-Killers in Early Modern Britain and France |
1.0 |
| HIST 358 | Seminar: Pepper, Silver, and Silk: The Political Culture of Early Commodity Circulation |
1.0 |
| HIST 379 | Heresy and Popular Religion in the Middle Ages |
1.0 |
| ITAS 263 | Dante's Divine Comedy (in English) |
1.0 |
| ITAS 274 | Women in Love: Portraits of Female Desire in Italian Culture |
1.0 |
| MES 261 / REL 261 | Cities in the Islamic World |
1.0 |
| MES 271 / REL 271 | Love and Longing in Middle Eastern and Iranian Literature and Film |
1.0 |
| MES 359 / REL 359 | Religion, Power and Legitimacy in Muslim Societies |
1.0 |
| MES 363 / REL 363 | Law and Community in Muslim Societies |
1.0 |
| MES 365 / REL 365 | Cities in the Islamic World |
1.0 |
| MES 367 / REL 367 | Muslim Travelers | 1.0 |
| MES 371 / REL 371 | Love and Longing in Middle Eastern and Iranian Literature and Film |
1.0 |
| MUS 200 | Early Music |
1.0 |
| PHIL 200 | Philosophy and Witchcraft |
1.0 |
| PHIL 221 | History of Modern Philosophy |
1.0 |
| PHIL 300 | Seminar: Philosopher Misfits, Philosopher Queens |
1.0 |
| PHIL 325 | Seminar: The Free Will Problem |
1.0 |
| REL 216 | Christian Thought anCities in the Islamic Worldd Practice 100-1600 |
1.0 |
| REL 225 | Women in Christianity |
1.0 |
| REL 226 | The Virgin Mary |
1.0 |
| REL 262 | The Formation of the Islamic Tradition |
1.0 |
| REL 270 | Religions of the Silk Road |
1.0 |
| REL 364 | Seminar: Sufism: Islamic Mysticism |
1.0 |
| SPAN 241 | Spanish Around the World: The Marvelous in Latin American Literature and Culture | 1.0 |
| SPAN 252 | Christians, Jews, and Moslems: The Spirit of Spain in Its Literature |
1.0 |
| SPAN 262 | Passion and the Lyric: An Introduction to Spanish Poetry | 1.0 |
| SPAN 278 | Writing Women, Early Modern Spain | 1.0 |
| SPAN 302 | Cervantes |
1.0 |
| SPAN 307 | Seminar: Clothing and Nakedness in Colonial Latin America |
1.0 |
| SPAN 308 | Masculinities in Medieval and Golden Age Spanish Literature |
1.0 |
| SPAN 311 | Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz |
1.0 |
| SPAN 318 | Seminar: Love and Desire in Spain's Early Literature |
1.0 |
| SPAN 325 | Seminar: Candid Cuisine: Food in Latin American Literature and Culture |
1.0 |
| WRIT 141 | Love Manuals: Medieval and Modern |
1.0 |
| WRIT 143 | The Persistent Mystery of Beowulf | 1.0 |
| WRIT 147 |
Medieval to Modern: Queens, Knights, and Magical Beasts in the Contemporary |
1.0 |
| WRIT 149 |
Sex in the Middle Ages |
1.0 |
| WRIT 153 | Shakespeare in Performance Across the Globe | 1.0 |
| WRIT 167 | Saints and Sinners in the Middle Ages |
1.0 |
| WRIT 172 | The Medieval Body: An Examination |
1.0 |
| WRIT 187 | From Miracles to Mesmerism: The Cultural History of the Scientific Revolution |
1.0 |