Medieval and Renaissance Studies Minor
Coordinator: Mary K. Gayne
Emailbgaynemk@jmu.edu
Phone: (540) 568-6172
Medieval and Renaissance Studies Minor Website
Program Description
This minor focuses on the period from the fall of Rome (5th century C.E.) to 1700. The minor allows students to take courses in art history, English, history, music, philosophy, political science, religion and some languages, including medieval languages such as Old English and Middle English in the original or in translation, and elementary and intermediate courses in Arabic, Greek and Latin.
Minor Requirements
The minor requires 18 credits total from the list below, with the following restrictions. The 18 credit hours must include courses from at least three distinct disciplines. Note that all world language courses (ARAB, FR, GER, ITAL and LAT) fall into the single discipline of world languages and cultures. Other languages may also be counted for credit with the approval of the instructor. Introductory (i.e., 100 and 200 level) modern language courses are not permitted for credit. At least four of the six required classes must be 300- or 400-level classes. It is recommended that students take one introductory course before taking advanced classes.
Other courses with significant Medieval and/or Renaissance content may be counted toward the minor with the approval of the coordinator. In addition, students interested in pursuing a three-credit hour focused individual research project should contact individual faculty members with whom they might wish to work to determine the suitability of this option in their particular cases. Only one such independent study will count toward the minor.
Approval of the minor coordinator will also be required in the following two cases. First, courses with an asterisk will count toward the minor only if their content is focused on the Medieval and/or Renaissance periods. Second, because the content of HUM 200, HUM 250 and HUM 252 may vary, the minor coordinator will determine the appropriate disciplinary category for these courses.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory | ||
| Only two introductory courses may be counted toward the minor. Choose two of the following: | 6 | |
| Survey of World Art I: Prehistoric to Renaissance [C2VPA] | ||
| Survey of English Literature: From Beowulf to the Eighteenth Century [C2L] | ||
| World History to 1500 [C2HQC] | ||
| Great Works [C2L] 1 | ||
| Foundations of Western Culture [C2HQC] 1 | ||
| Global Cultures [C2HQC] 1 | ||
| Introduction to Islam | ||
| Subtotal | 6 | |
| Advanced | ||
| At least four courses must be 300 or 400 level. Choose four of the following: | 12 | |
| Masterpieces of Italian Renaissance Art [C2VPA] | ||
| Advanced Topics in Cross-Cultural Art (Only 3 credit hours toward the minor.) 1 | ||
| Advanced Topics in Pre-Modern Art 1 | ||
| Renaissance Art and the East | ||
| Studies in Leonardo and Michelangelo | ||
| Special Topics in Literature and Language 1 | ||
| The Bible as Literature 1 | ||
| Medieval Literature and Culture | ||
| Studies in Early Modern Literature and Culture | ||
| Early Modern Drama | ||
| Studies in Shakespeare | ||
| Shakespeare on the Page and Stage in London | ||
| Advanced Studies in Medieval Literature | ||
| Advanced Studies in British Literature Before 1700 | ||
| Advanced Studies in Author 1 | ||
| Special Topic Seminar 1 | ||
| Advanced Studies in Textuality and the History of the Book 1 | ||
| Special Topics in Francophone Literature 1 | ||
| History of Germanic Cultures and Societies 1 | ||
| Studies in German Literature 1 | ||
| History of Science and Christianity | ||
| The Premodern Middle East: Themes and Intersections | ||
| History of the Ottoman Empire, 1453-1922 | ||
| Research Capstone Topics 1 | ||
| Early Modern Islamic Empires | ||
| French History Seminar 1 | ||
| History of Italian Culture and Society 1 | ||
| Studies in Italian Literature 1 | ||
| The Ideas and Legacies of Medieval and Renaissance Political Theory | ||
| Topics in Classical Philosophy 1 | ||
| Medieval Philosophy | ||
| Art, Religion and Identity in Medieval Sicily | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Islam 1 | ||
| Knowledge, Identity and Power in Islamic Societies 1 | ||
| Islamic Philosophy | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
- 1
Course will count toward the minor only if their content is focused on the Medieval and/or Renaissance periods.