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Morris Campus
Medieval and Ancient Studies MinorDivision of Humanities - Adm
Division of Humanities
Medieval and Ancient Studies (MAS) is an interdisciplinary major and minor in the humanities division, administered by the medieval studies faculty and the chair of the humanities division.
Medieval Studies examines primarily European literature and culture from roughly 500 to 1500 CE. Ancient Studies examines the languages, literatures, cultures, and material remains of human societies from roughly 3000 BCE to 500 CE. The two overlapping fields include anthropology, archaeology, art history, English, history, math, philosophy, political science, theatre, music, world languages, and areas such as gender and religion with historical roots in ancient and classical periods and Byzantine cultures. These fields provide an opportunity for students to think synthetically across disciplines.
Coursework in Medieval Studies enhances understanding of artistic and material relics of the Middle Ages (manuscripts, cookbooks, Gothic cathedrals, Crusader castles, and picturesque towns cramped within ancient walls) and many of the foundational choices that have made the world what it is today, for good and ill. Many current challenges in the fields of “Western” law, human rights, attitudes toward power, authority, gender relations, and sexual mores derive from the ways in which these were viewed a millennium ago.
Coursework in Ancient Studies enhances understanding of literary and material relics of the ancient world on all continents: the languages and cultures of the Americas prior to European colonization, Greek dramas, Roman mosaics, classical Latin, the writings of Plato and Aristotle, prehistoric cultures of Asia and Africa, and ancient Athenian democracy. The cultures of the ancient world built the foundations of art, thought, literature, architecture, religion, and politics on which much of the modern world still rests, for better or worse.
Students explore implications and intersections of products of the medieval world across disciplinary, chronological, and geographical barriers. The medieval studies major prepares students for graduate study in many academic fields as well as internship and career opportunities from museum curating to education, law, and data analysis.
The Medieval Studies curriculum is designed to ensure that students:
1. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the key dates, people, places and events of the European Middle Ages.
2. Read, write, and discuss in an analytical fashion primary and/or secondary texts related to the European Middle Ages.
3. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the range of medieval cultures, languages, schools of thought, and religion in the Middle Ages
and how these are reflective of personal and social contexts.
4. Critically analyze, interpret, and synthesize various types of evidence for the medieval period.
5. Apply methodologies and critical paradigms from relevant academic fields to explain ways in which the medieval past, including language, has a variety of specifics tied to places, times, and cultural contexts.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
Minor Requirements
Students must complete a significant amount of coursework in Medieval and Ancient Studies at UMN Morris, but are also strongly encouraged to study abroad or on other campuses. In order to count study abroad toward the minor, all students must procure formal approval of coursework from the Medieval and Ancient Studies steering committee prior to departure. Students interested in a foreign study experience may complete ENGL 3163 in York, England; HUM 1006 in Rome, Italy; or IS 3053; offered periodically in summer terms. Other study abroad programs may be considered toward this degree program in consultation with the Medieval and Ancient Studies faculty.
Medieval and Ancient studies is by nature interdisciplinary. Students are responsible for developing a coherent program from the elective choices available. Work with a Medieval and Ancient Studies faculty member to see how a careful selection of your General Education courses can enhance your knowledge of the field. Program faculty strongly recommend at least one year of study in another world language in addition to Latin.
No grades below C- may count toward the Medieval and Ancient Studies minor. Courses may not be taken S/N unless offered S/N only. No more than 60% of courses toward the MAS minor may come from a single discipline.
A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required in the minor to graduate. The GPA includes all, and only, University of Minnesota coursework. Grades of "F" are included in GPA calculation until they are replaced.
Required Courses
LAT 1002 requires Lat 1001 as a prerequisite. One or both courses may be satisfied through a proctored proficiency exam or transfer credit.
LAT 1002 - Beginning Latin II
[WL]
(4.0 cr)
Elective Courses
Courses used to meet the elective requirement are exclusive of any used to complete the required courses. No more than four credits of an x993 course (directed study) will be accepted toward the major. At least 3 credits must be at the 3xxx level or higher.
Instructors of courses requiring prerequisites within a discipline may admit students who have taken a similar level course in a comparable discipline.
Take exactly 20 credit(s) from the following:
·
ANTH 3455 - North American Archaeology
[SS]
(4.0 cr)
·
ARTH 1111 - Ancient to Medieval Art
[FA]
(4.0 cr)
·
ARTH 2104 - Irish Art and Archaeology
[FA]
(2.0-4.0 cr)
·
ARTH 3112 - Faith, Image, and Power: Art and the Byzantine Empire
[FA]
(4.0 cr)
·
ARTH 3113 - Early Islamic Art and Culture
[FA]
(4.0 cr)
·
ARTH 3132 - Castles and Cathedrals
[FA]
(4.0 cr)
·
ENGL 1205 - Survey of British Literature to the 18th Century
[HUM]
(4.0 cr)
·
ENGL 2033 - The Bible and Literature
[HUM]
(4.0 cr)
·
ENGL 3021 - Grammar and Language
[HUM]
(4.0 cr)
·
ENGL 3043 - Medieval Makings of Tolkien's Worlds
(4.0 cr)
·
ENGL 3163 - Life in a Medieval City: Literature and Culture in York, 700-1500
[HUM]
(4.0 cr)
·
ENGL 4004 - Research Seminar: Old English Literature and Language
(4.0 cr)
·
FREN 1803 - Fairies and Warriors: Medieval Legends and Fictions
[IC]
(2.0 cr)
·
FREN 1804 - Medieval Myths, Religions, and Fantasy through Literature
[IC]
(4.0 cr)
·
FREN 3002 - MEMS: Civilization and Composition: Tools for Studying the Medieval and Early Modern Periods
[HIST]
(2.0 cr)
·
FREN 3402 - Medieval and Early Modern Studies: Pre-Enlightenment Culture in France
(2.0-4.0 cr)
·
FREN 3406 - Medieval and Early Modern Studies: Emotional Extremes in Medieval and Early Modern Literature
(4.0 cr)
·
FREN 3407 - Medieval and Early Modern Studies: The "East" and its Marvels
(2.0-4.0 cr)
·
FREN 3408 - Medieval and Early Modern Studies: Quests, Quails, and Custards--Food in Life and Literature
(2.0-4.0 cr)
·
FREN 3410 - Medieval and Early Modern Studies: Troubadours and Old Occitan: Creative Writing in the Middle Ages
[HUM]
(4.0 cr)
·
FREN 3411 - Medieval and Early Modern Studies: Medieval and Renaissance Bodies
(4.0 cr)
·
HIST 1501 - Introduction to East Asian History: China, Japan, and Korea before 1800.
[HIST]
(4.0 cr)
·
HIST 2103 - Medieval Europe
[HIST]
(4.0 cr)
·
HIST 2104 - Medieval Cathedrals as Historical Sources
[HIST]
(2.0-4.0 cr)
·
HIST 2105 - Topics in Ancient and Medieval History
[HIST]
(2.0-4.0 cr)
·
HIST 2108 - Ancient Greek and Roman History
[HIST]
(4.0 cr)
·
HIST 3107 - Silenced Voices: Gender, Class, and Ethnicity in the Ancient Mediterranean
[HIST]
(4.0 cr)
·
HIST 3207 - The Crusades
[IP]
(2.0-4.0 cr)
·
HUM 1002 - Norse Saga
[HUM]
(4.0 cr)
·
HUM 1006 - From the Caesars to the Saints: Walking Ancient Rome
[HIST]
(4.0 cr)
·
HUM 1051 - Greek Drama
[HUM]
(4.0 cr)
·
IS 3053 - Irish Texts and Contexts
[ENVT]
(4.0 cr)
·
IS 3215H - Honors: Sagas before the Fall: Culture, Climate, and Collapse in Medieval Iceland
[ENVT]
(2.0 cr)
·
IS 3242H - Honors: Two Cosmological Poets: Dante and Lucretius
[IP]
(2.0 cr)
·
IS 3248H - Honors: Art and History of the Crusades
[FA]
(2.0 cr)
·
LAT 2001 - Intermediate Latin Prose
[IP]
(4.0 cr)
·
LAT 2002 - Intermediate Latin Poetry
[HUM]
(4.0 cr)
·
MATH 2211 - History of Mathematics
(4.0 cr)
·
MUS 1155 - Foundations in Music History I: Ancient to 1750
[HIST]
(2.0 cr)
·
MUS 2403 - Choral Traditions and Literature
[FA]
(2.0 cr)
·
MUS 3108 - Intellectual Foundations of Western Music
[HUM]
(2.0 cr)
·
NAIS 1002 - Beginning Dakota Language II
[WL]
(5.0 cr)
·
NAIS 1012 - Beginning Anishinaabe Language II
[WL]
(4.0 cr)
·
NAIS 1054 - Associated Languages: Introduction to Nahuatl Language
[IP]
(4.0 cr)
·
NAIS 2011 - Intermediate Anishinaabe Language I
[HUM]
(4.0 cr)
·
NAIS 2012 - Intermediate Anishinaabe Language II
[HUM]
(4.0 cr)
·
PHIL 3151 - History of Ancient Philosophy
[HIST]
(4.0 cr)
·
POL 3351 - Ancient and Medieval Political Thought
[HUM]
(4.0 cr)
·
SPAN 1054 - Associated Languages: Introduction to Nahuatl Language
[IP]
(4.0 cr)
·
TH 3101 - World Theatre: History and Literature I
[FA]
(4.0 cr)
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Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 -4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Fall Even Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Prerequisites: | any 1xxx ArtH course or jr status or # |
Typically offered: | Spring Odd Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Spring Even Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Prerequisites: | two from 31xx-35xx, # |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 -4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 -4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 -4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 8.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 -4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 -4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 -4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Spring Odd Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Summer |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Prerequisites: | participation in the Honors Program or # |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Prerequisites: | 1101 or higher or # |
Typically offered: | Fall Even Year |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Fall Even Year |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Spring Odd Year |
Credits: | 5.0 [max 5.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | SPAN 1054/NAIS 1054 |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Fall Even Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Spring Even Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | SPAN 1054/NAIS 1054 |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |