Cornell University Registrar

Graduate Field

Medieval Studies

Program Description

The graduate field of medieval studies provides students with interdisciplinary training in the broad geographical, chronological, and disciplinary expanse of medieval cultures, languages, and literatures, while providing discipline-specific training characteristic of more traditional departments. The program features a flexible curriculum tailored to the needs of individual students; minimal shared degree requirements include a seminar on research methods, reading knowledge of a medieval language (generally Latin but Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, or other non-European languages are included) and two modern research languages (other than English), and paleographical training in the requisite medieval language. See our procedural guide for more detailed information.

Our diversity of faculty attracts exceptional graduate students from all areas of medieval studies and guides them to dissertations on a broad range of literatures, disciplines, contexts, and approaches. Work in primary archival materials—and the related fields of paleography, codicology, and textual criticism—is well supported by abundant library resources, as well as by faculty dedicated to these fields. Work in gender and sexuality studies; issues of race, ethnicity, and class; medieval and modern literary theory; archaeology and material culture; and the post-medieval reception, use, and abuse of the “Middle Ages” is also well supported by program faculty and supplemented by the full array of other departments and programs at Cornell. Resources for studying Latin and most medieval vernacular languages (including Celtic, East Asian, Germanic, romance, Semitic, and Slavonic languages) are a mainstay of the program.

Students from many other doctoral programs at Cornell are closely involved in the medieval studies program, which cultivates a lively and varied community of medievalists that spans Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences. In turn, students in medieval studies may work with any faculty members in Cornell’s graduate field and pursue any courses pertinent to their training and research. Traditional coursework and seminars are supplemented by formal and informal reading groups, independent studies, regular lectures and workshops from visiting scholars, and the annual Medieval Studies Student Colloquium.

The program does not ordinarily admit students seeking a terminal M.A. degree. Ph.D. degree candidates are granted the M.A. degree after successful completion of coursework and the general field exams.

Concentrations

• Medieval archaeology
• Medieval art
• Medieval history
• Medieval literature
• Medieval music
• Medieval philology and linguistics
• Medieval philosophy

Program Information

• Program Mode of Delivery: In Person
• Program Location: Ithaca, NY

Program Requirements

• 10 semesters of grad research course
• 12 graduate-level seminars
• Minimum semesters for degree: 10

Graduate School Milestones

• Responsible Conduct of Research Training: required
• Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID): required
• Student Progress Reviews (SPR) begin: second year
• Examination for admission to candidacy (A exam): spring or summer of third year
• Defense of dissertation (B exam): Usually after sixth year, at the discretion of the student's special committee

Field Specific Milestones

• Field progress review conducted first year
• Latin or other Medieval language exam (by petition) required
• Two modern research language proficiency exams determined by special committee
• One semester of teaching assistantship required

Course Requirements

Additional course requirements may be set by the student’s special committee. Program specific requirements that apply to all students are included below.

• MEDVL 7777 Medieval Studies Proseminar
• MEDVL 6102 Latin Paleography or LATIN 7222 Latin Paleography or other approved Paleography course
• 12 graduate seminars
• Latin or other language courses

Graduate School Enrollment Requirements

Course Requirements

• Course requirements are determined by the student’s Special Committee.
• Enrollment in a GRAD research course or the equivalent field specific research course is expected of all students each semester through graduation. These courses include:
  • GRAD 8000 In Absentia
  • GRAD 9010 Graduate-Level Research
  • GRAD 9011 Doctoral Dissertation Research
  • GRAD 9012 Master's Thesis Research
  • GRAD 9016 Summer Graduate-Level Research
  • GRAD 9050 Global Hubs: Research Partnerships
  • GRAD 9060 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

University Graduation Requirements

Requirements for All Students

In order to receive a Cornell degree, a student must satisfy academic and non-academic requirements.

Academic Requirements

A student’s college determines degree requirements such as residency, number of credits, distribution of credits, and grade averages. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the specific major, degree, distribution, college, and graduation requirements for completing their chosen program of study. See the individual requirements listed by each college or school or contact the college registrar’s office for more information.

Non-academic Requirements

Conduct Matters. Students must satisfy any outstanding sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed or agreed to under the Student Code of Conduct (Code) or Policy 6.4. Where a formal complaint under the Code or Policy 6.4 is pending, the University will withhold awarding a degree otherwise earned until the adjudication process set forth in those procedures is complete, including the satisfaction of any sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed.

Financial Obligations. Outstanding financial obligations will not impact the awarding of a degree otherwise earned or a student’s ability to access their official transcript. However, the University may withhold issuing a diploma until any outstanding financial obligations owing to the University are satisfied.

Learning Outcomes

• Make an original and substantial contribution to the field.
• Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of one major concentration within the field.
• Have a broad knowledge of research and theory across three or more concentrations, comprising a major concentration and two or more minor ones (which may include one minor concentration from another graduate field outside medieval studies). At least one minor concentration should be in a discipline different from that of the student’s major concentration.
• Demonstrate working proficiency in at least one major medieval language (typically Latin) and two major modern research languages.
• Communicate research findings effectively in written and in spoken presentations.
• Demonstrate effective skills in undergraduate teaching and potential for graduate teaching.

Admissions

Application Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadlines

Fall, January 18; no spring admission

Requirements Summary

Ideally, an undergraduate major in one of the participating disciplines, including college-level Latin (or another medieval language, as appropriate) and modern research languages, should precede graduate concentration in this field.

• All Graduate School requirements, including the English language proficiency requirement
• 20-page writing sample on a medieval topic
• Three letters of recommendation

For additional information, visit our website.

Admissions Contact Information

Email: medievalst@cornell.edu
Phone: 607-255-8545
Campus Address: 259 Goldwin Smith Hall
Website: http://www.medievalstudies.cornell.edu