The M.A. degree program in Medieval and Byzantine Studies offers students broad and interdisciplinary training in various aspects of medieval civilization while providing tools for specialized research. The program recognizes the complex intertwining of religious studies, philosophy, history, languages, literatures, and cultures for advanced study in any field. It draws upon course offerings from the School of Arts and Sciences, Canon Law, Music, Philosophy, and Theology and Religious Studies.
Master's
Medieval & Byzantine Studies (MA)
Degrees
The M.A. in Medieval and Byzantine Studies program is a 30-credit-hour degree program.
Course work: Ten approved graduate courses in the following distribution:
- Language training – 2 courses (6 credits) of intermediate and/or advanced Latin or Greek (LAT 516-17, GR 516-17, or higher). Students who test out may take either
- 6 credits of instruction in any other ancient language (e.g. Syriac)
- 6 credits of advanced instruction in Medieval Latin and/or Latin Paleography (e.g. LAT 561, 733).
- Content courses – 8 courses (24 credits) across at least three academic disciplines. All courses must focus primarily on the period c. 500-1500 AD but may cover any region or culture of the period.
- Advanced Latin courses that are not needed to meet the language requirement may be counted instead as content courses
- Two courses (6 credits) may be used to research and write an MA thesis supervised by a faculty advisor
Modern language requirement: Reading knowledge of one modern research language, demonstrated either through additional coursework or by passing a proficiency exam
Comprehensive exam: An exam with both written and oral components is administered by the MBS graduate director and faculty advisors during the final term of coursework
Research requirement: For students not writing an MA thesis, completion of one advanced course with a research paper requirement (typically 700 or 800 level) or submission of a 15-20 page research paper developed on the basis of coursework and evaluated by a faculty expert.
$1,250 / credit hour
More information about this degree is available on the or by request from our Admissions team.