<p>This one might be a little out of the park, but I have always been really into medieval history. I was wondering if anyone knows of any good medieval undergraduate programs that are considered top notch? I just got my act scores back and I'm stuck at a 28, with a 3.7 uw gpa so I'm looking for something realistic as well. </p>
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<p>Bump.</p>
<p>What you can afford is going to determine a lot, so run net price calculators on these schools if you’re interested in any of them. You will find more colleges if you focus on a medieval studies program rather than just a history dept strong in medieval history, so that’s what I’ve done here. However, Catholic colleges and unis ranging from Catholic U to Fordham to Notre Dame and Georgetown have usu been strong in medieval history. Also consider state flagships that you can get into and that are likely to have more than one medievalist who teaches undergrads.</p>
<p>UWisconsin
Moravian C
St. Andrews
William & Mary
Penn State</p>
<p>I did a little searching and found the list available below. I’m a little concerned by its claim that this list is of history departments “that specialize in medieval history” because as far as I know no American college is primarily concerned with medieval history, but I offer it to you anyway for your investigation:</p>
<p><a href=“North American Universities that specialize in Medieval History - Medievalists.net”>http://www.medievalists.net/2009/10/30/north-american-universities-that-specialize-in-medieval-history/</a></p>
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<p>New York University has a [medieval</a> and renaissance studies center](<a href=“Medieval and Renaissance Center”>Medieval and Renaissance Center) as well as an undergraduate major in it. I suspect that as an undergrad interested in the field you would need fluency in dead languages so as to interpret documents although I’m not sure. </p>
<p>University of Notre Dame has the [Medieval</a> Institute](<a href=“http://medieval.nd.edu/]Medieval”>http://medieval.nd.edu/) which purports to have “over sixty faculty medievalists” making for a very very robust program. Unfortunately it is a HUGE reach school although perhaps a demonstrated interest in such an obscure topic could be a hook, especially if you create a story around medieval studies in your essays. </p>
<p>The Catholic University of America, an admissions safety for you, albeit a safety that is very strongly Catholic, has a [Center</a> for Medieval and Byzantine Studies](<a href=“Center for Medieval and Byzantine Studies - Arts and Sciences - Catholic University of America, Washington, DC | CUA”>http://mbs.cua.edu/) as well as an undergraduate major in the field. It’s also located in DC and would give merit aid to someone with your stats. </p>
<p>Emory University has a small but robust [Medieval</a> Studies program](<a href=“Error 404 | Emory University | Atlanta GA”>Medieval Studies Faculty). HUGE reach for you admission wise but it does have a smaller two year liberal arts college about 38 miles away called Oxford College. Excellent financial aid, and if you applied to Oxford, you’d likely get in. However you would have to postpone your plans to dive into medieval studies until your junior and senior year. </p>
<p>The University of Toronto’s [Centre</a> for Medieval Studies](<a href=“http://medieval.utoronto.ca/]Centre”>http://medieval.utoronto.ca/) is one of the largest in the North American continent. Admission is easier for students interested in the humanities, although you wouldn’t get financial aid.</p>
<p>The University of Tennessee’s [Marco</a> Insitute](<a href=“http://web.utk.edu/~marco/faculty.php]Marco”>http://web.utk.edu/~marco/faculty.php) seems to be pretty strong and would be an admission safety for you. However it may be affordable since OOS students aren’t likely to get financial aid. </p>
<p>The University of Oklahoma’s [Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies](<a href=“Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences”>Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences) is a pretty good program at the school. I currently attend OU, and love to hang out in the classics buidling (also houses some medieval studies courses). The students in the major are quite intellectual and always seem to have the most thought provoking conversations. Plus two of the affiliate centers, Jewish studies and History of Science recently recieved large grants which should boost course offerings for medieval studies minors. </p>
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<p>“More coffee, sir?”
</p>
<p>Please forgive the foregoing snide comment. It’s always wonderful to follow your passion; clearly, true education really isn’t about post-Bachelor’s job prospects and adequate initial salaries. However – consider the Occupy Movement’s highly-visible carping on this precise subject, as evidence that graduates of fine universities in “arcane” majors sometimes encounter substantial, real-world financial issues – for most individuals, life has very important, practical requirements. Therefore, I urge you to have a double major (or a strong minor) in a field that has abundant, reasonably-compensated opportunities. </p>
<p>@TopTier‌ I understand what saying, “I majored in medieval studies” can mean in terms of employment, but I have always wondered what life would be like if I went to school for what I truly loved. I feel like education would be the end goal for a major like this, and that’s what I am anticipating. I really want to be a professor in history some day, teaching during the school year, then doing archaeological and other research during the summers. It’s very idealized, I know, but I really have fallen for history and specifically medieval history in general. The mission is making it into a career I can support myself doing. </p>
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<p>@Sheepeasy‌: Good for you, I completely agree, and I sincerely hope your dreams materialize. All I suggest is a viable, alternative back-up strategy, one that will preclude your consignment to the “more coffee, sir” legion of well-educated and under-employed individuals. </p>
<p>Another way of thinking about this dilemma that @TopTier raises is that you think about what it would take to do very well in medieval studies and then set about single-mindedly doing it. There’s room in a lot of companies and firms and colleges for a medievalist with a 4.0 and the speaking, thinking, reading, and writing skills that should accompany that achievement. Companies frequently are in need of people who can think differently about a subject and communicate that thinking to others. (By the way, how is your Latin, French, and German?) If you’re not interested in that kind of achievement, you probably do want to think twice about a single major in medieval studies. Let us know how you make out.</p>
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<p>Past posts indicate that you’re from Ohio. An obvious suggestion is Ohio State, which has very diverse and impressive Med/Ren offerings. </p>
<p><a href=“http://cmrs.osu.edu”>http://cmrs.osu.edu</a></p>
<p>Medieval studies is one of the less popular humanities majors, but it’s pretty easy to find colleges that offer enough classes in medieval history, art history, music, religion, etc. to satisfy an undergrad. For example, many English departments offer classes in medieval literature (esp. Arthurian lit), most history departments will have at least a few courses covering medieval topics, and so on. At the bigger universities, most respectable linguistics, classics, and area studies departments offer classes in medieval languages (Old & Middle English, Old & Middle French, Gothic, OCS, medieval Latin, etc.) every so often. </p>
<p>Even if medieval classes are not available every semester, you can always schedule independent studies or (even better) study abroad for a term or two in a relevant location and experience the historical sites firsthand. To put it more briefly, you have a LOT of college options. </p>
<p>I recommend first creating a list based on other factors (size, affordability/cost, location, selectivity, etc.) and then using medieval studies offerings to cut that list down to a reasonable size. Since most students change majors at least once, it’s good to look for schools that would fit you regardless of what you eventually decide to study. </p>
<p>For a list of colleges with majors in medieval studies, check out IPEDS. My search just now yielded 39 colleges that offer majors in medieval studies. Some of them are very selective, but others are less so. Of course, many schools have very respectable medieval offerings but no major (e.g. Western Michigan, which annually hosts the International Congress of Medieval Studies, the biggest gathering of medievalists in the world). </p>
<p><a href=“College Navigator - Search Results”>College Navigator - Search Results;
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<p>I studied Theater in college. When I went to the emplyment placement service, they asked me “What were you thinking?” I was shocked with that question because that’s what I wanted to study. That was the most fullfilling time of my life and I enjoyed it every single second. Yes, it was an unpractical major but I have no regret. If you want to study something practical on the side to get the minor or second major, that’s great, but it was not for me. </p>
<p>My daughter is studying Medieval and Renaissance Studies. We had Peterson’s College Guide, which had a list of colleges by the majors. That was very helpful.</p>
<p>It’s kind of sad that some people consider colleges just as the career preparation institutions. It should be somewhere you can immerse yourself in what you want to study purely out of love of the field regardless of the future career. But I guess it depends on the person. </p>
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