Medieval and Renaissance Studies

 Contact: Ken Pennington

313B Maxwell Hall

tel: 443-4750

Email: Penningk@maxwell.syr.edu

The study of the medieval and Renaissance period covers more than 1,000 years of history and chronicles the development of Western Civilization out of Greco-Roman, Judeo-Christian, Germanic, Islamic, and Byzantine cultures. From the perspectives of art, history, literature, music, philosophy, politics, and theology, students study major figures as Constantine, St. Augustine, Mohammed, Charlemagne, Roland, King Arthur, Abelard and Heloise, St. Francis, Dante, Chaucer, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Joan of Arc, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli and many others. The period gave birth to universities, parliamentary institutions, love, individualism, capitalism, and the modern conception of the territorial state. This interdisciplinary program leads to a B.A. degree.

 Major Requirements

 Students majoring in medieval and Renaissance studies must complete at least 15 credits in one of three categories: literature, fine arts and philosophy, and history and religion. The remaining degree requirement of 30 credits is filled by taking 9 credits in a second category and 6 in a third.

Of the thirty credits required for the degree, 24 must be in courses numbered above 299. Students may not take more than one 200-level course in the categories in which they select 15 and 9 credits; they may not apply any 200-level course to the 6-credit category.

 The program of study must be approved by the director. The director may also grant exceptions to the requirements in special cases.

 Current Students enrolled as majors