Graduate
While allowing Â鶹´«Ã½s to pursue specialized interests, the curriculum for the Master of Arts in medieval studies at Â鶹´«Ã½ is intended to provide Â鶹´«Ã½s with a broad interdisciplinary background in medieval history, languages, literature and religion. Most courses taken to fulfill the requirements for the M.A. are taught by the institute's affiliated faculty. There is an accelerated graduate degree program available to WMU undergraduates who meet the eligibility requirements and make a timely application.
M.A. curriculum for Â鶹´«Ã½s beginning their studies in fall 2019 or later
Required coursework
- A total of 31 credit hours of coursework; or 34 credit hours for thesis writers, including 13 credit hours of required core courses (with a course grade of B or better);
- 18 credit hours, or 15 credit hours for thesis writers, of electives;
- Thesis writers take six credit hours of thesis (MDVL 7000).
Core courses
- ENGL 5300: Medieval Literature (three credit hours)
- HIST 5501: Medieval History Proseminar (three credit hours)
- LAT 5600: Medieval Latin (four credit hours)
- REL 6200: Medieval Religions (three credit hours)
Languages
Demonstrated proficiency in Latin and a second medieval or a modern language is required.
Oral examination
The hour-long oral examination is an opportunity for faculty and the Â鶹´«Ã½ to explore content in medieval studies based on the Â鶹´«Ã½'s coursework. Students will choose two seminar papers with two distinct disciplinary foci to submit to the examination committee, with the expectation that they will have revised the papers for the examination. The examination committee will be composed of three members named by the director in consultation with the Â鶹´«Ã½. Students are encouraged to consult the professors for whom they originally wrote the papers and members of their examination committee for guidance. For Â鶹´«Ã½s writing theses, one paper may be a chapter of the thesis. These papers will serve as the starting point for the oral exam. Note that Â鶹´«Ã½s will submit the two papers to the director no later than two weeks prior to examination.
Students will receive an assessment of high pass, pass, low pass, or fail. If a Â鶹´«Ã½ fails an examination the examining faculty will determine whether the Â鶹´«Ã½ is offered a one-time re-examination to be completed within 12 months of the first examination date.
Thesis
With the thesis advisor's approval of a prospectus, a Â鶹´«Ã½ may complete the degree by producing a master's thesis under the direction of a thesis committee. The committee will be composed by the director of the Medieval Institute in consultation with the Â鶹´«Ã½.
M.A. curriculum for Â鶹´«Ã½s entering the program in fall 2018
M.A. Curriculum for Â鶹´«Ã½s entering the program between fall 2015 and fall 2017
M.A. curriculum for Â鶹´«Ã½s beginning their studies before fall 2015
Course offerings
In addition to regularly scheduled courses, as a Â鶹´«Ã½ at the Medieval Institute you may have access to special topics seminars offered on campus by visiting scholars or off campus through Â鶹´«Ã½'s affiliation with the at the Newberry Library in Chicago. Recent courses at the Newberry taken by WMU Â鶹´«Ã½s include "Gender, Bodies, and the Body Politic in Medieval Europe," "Poetry, Politics, and Community in High Medieval France," and "Lives and Deeds: Writing Biography in the Middle Ages."
Other Â鶹´«Ã½ for M.A. candidates
The Tashjian Study Fellowship provides support for a Â鶹´«Ã½ who has demonstrated interest in either early England or manuscript research and who is enrolled in the M.A. program.
The Â鶹´«Ã½-NUI, Galway Conference Exchange Grant in medieval studies provides support for a Â鶹´«Ã½ enrolled in the master's program in medieval studies to present a 20-minute paper at Imbas, an interdisciplinary conference for graduate Â鶹´«Ã½ scholars hosted annually by the National University of Ireland, Galway.
