Medieval Studies at Brown

Housed in the historic Annmary Brown Memorial Building, the Program in Medieval Studies at Brown dates back to 1978. Currently, the Program offers two concentration tracks -- Medieval Cultures and Late Antique Cultures -- which are described below. For further information, please contact the Program Manager, Maria Sokolova, by telephone (401-863-1994), mail (Box 1905, Brown University, Providence RI, 02912), or email (Maria_Sokolova@brown.edu).

The Concentration in Medieval Cultures focuses on the eighth through the fifteenth centuries, combining interdisciplinary perspectives on this period with depth of study in one or two disciplines. One traditional area of

study is Western Europe, but students are encouraged to work in other cultural areas such as Byzantine, Islamic, Judaic and Slavic. It is also recommended that prospective concentrators take the introductory course, Medieval Perspectives, during their freshman or sophomore year. Other course offerings in Medieval Studies are listed on the Courses page.

Requirements for the concentration consist of the following: ten courses approved by the Program in Medieval Studies, including two courses in medieval history and one 100 or 200 level course that uses primary texts in a language other than Middle English. Interested students are invited to discuss their plans with an appropriate faculty member of the Program. A concentration proposal should be prepared in consultation with the faculty advisor and submitted to the Program Chair for approval.

Honors are awarded to those students who complete the required courses of the concentration, present a meritorious Honors thesis, and meet the academic standards for Honors in the department of the thesis advisor. The thesis permits the student to

synthesize various disciplines or interests, or to pursue a new interest in greater depth. Students meet with their faculty advisor(s) no later than the spring of their junior year to plan the thesis project. Honors requirements are the same as those for the regular concentration with the addition of one course credit in the department of the faculty advisor for the preparation of the honors thesis.

The Concentration in Late Antique Cultures is the second of two concentrations sponsored by the Program in Medieval Studies. Late Antique Cultures focuses on the third through the ninth centuries C.E., when ancient cultural forms were still in place but medieval cultures were beginning to take shape simultaneously. The Concentration in Late Antique Cultures, the

first undergraduate degree of its kind in this country, is organized to facilitate the study of human activity in all of its variety, unrestricted by the conventional demarcations of classical and medieval studies. The concentration serves those students who are interested in the changing relation of the many kinds of cultural practices, social patterns, political and economic forms, and artistic and literary traditions in this transitional period.

Concentration Requirements are as follows: one course in Roman History (CL131 or CL132, with CL132 being recommended) and one course in Medieval History (HI103 or HS 104); one course at the advanced level (numbered at least 100) in an approved language, typically Latin, but with provision for other ancient languages (such as Greek or Hebrew) depending on student inclination and competence, and subject to the approval of the concentration advisor; six other courses drawn from appropriate offerings and with the approval of the concentration advisor. These courses should support a concentrational area of special interest, on which see below.

Honors in Late Antique Cultures are awarded to those students who complete the required courses, present a meritorious Honors Thesis, and meet the academic standards for Honors in the department of the thesis advisor. For purposes of intellectual cohesion and legitimacy, students will be asked to articulate a concentrational area of special interest when they declare their concentration in Late Antique Cultures, and to focus their work in the concentration around this area. The area of special interest can be articulated under the rubric of an author (e.g. Basil of Caesarea, Prudentius, Boethius, etc.), a time period or theme (e.g. the tenth century, late antiquity, Christian humanism, etc.), or it can focus on more specific problems, such as the classical tradition and medieval imitation. The possibilities are wide, and creativity and originality in forming the area of special interest are expected of concentrators