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The Graduate Program
Optional Ph.D. Emphasis: Medieval Studies
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The interdisciplinary Ph.D. emphasis in
Medieval Studies is designed primarily for Ph.D. candidates
specializing in European and Mediterranean cultures (roughly
500-1500), although students focusing on other medieval cultures
may also participate, if they fulfill the requirements. The
program includes faculty and graduate students from at least
five departments in the Division of the Humanities.
History and Justification
This emphasis gives institutional recognition to the intrinsically
interdisciplinary nature of medieval studies, and the intellectual
cross-fertilization and cooperation that has long existed
among faculty and graduate students in western medieval and
Middle Eastern disciplines at UCSB. A number of our faculty
in differing departments have co-taught courses and co-edited
books, a number of us have served on Ph.D. committees for
medieval graduate students in departments other than our own,
we have a long standing tradition of sponsored talks and colloquia
that have drawn faculty and students from our various departments,
and the chairship of the Medieval Studies Program has rotated
among faculty in several of our departments.
Three UCSB medieval faculty have won Guggenheim
Fellowships in the past five years, two have been awarded
memberships at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton,
New Jersey, two have been awarded the Modern Language Associations’
Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Award for the best book in French
and Francophone Studies and Professors Enders and Fradenburg
were both recognized in the Santa Barbara Independent (2001)
for offering “life-changing” courses.
The Ph.D. Emphasis in European Medieval
Studies has been developed primarily for Ph.D. candidates
whose dissertations focus to a substantial degree on some
aspect of medieval European or Mediterranean culture. The
faculty in the Medieval Studies Program firmly believe that
while our graduate students should continue to pursue degrees
within traditional disciplines, the emphasis will enhance
their prospects for academic positions by affirming that they
have analyzed medieval society from a multidisciplinary perspective,
that they have approached its society and culture through
original sources in more than one language, and that they
have received formal training in technical skills that are
necessary for research with archival or manuscript materials.
The colloquium series/2-unit graduate course
(Medieval Studies 200a-b-c) which constitutes one of the requirements
for the emphasis will enhance the students’ abilities
to speak across disciplines. It also serves the purpose of
increasing the graduate students’ sense of intellectual
community across the disciplines. Because the emphasis program
will enhance the students’ research skills and attractiveness
on the job market it will strengthen our ability to attract
strong graduate students to work with our participating faculty.
Relationship to Existing Majors
The Graduate Emphasis in European Medieval Studies is an enhancement
to normal degree requirements. Students fulfilling the requirements
for the emphasis must also fulfill all requirements for the
Ph.D. In their home departments. Some may choose to fulfill
normal department requirements and emphasis requirements simultaneously.
For instance, Ph.D. candidates in history are allowed to prepare
a field outside of history for the fourth field on their Ph.D.
qualifying exams.
Some of who are preparing for the Graduate Emphasis in European
Medieval Studies may choose to take courses, for instance,
in Medieval French, Spanish or English Literature in order
to fulfill the vernacular language requirement for the Graduate
Emphasis in Medieval Studies while also preparing for the
fourth field. Students can continue to take courses in preparation
for the graduate emphasis even after they have taken qualifying
exams in their home departments.
Course Requirements, Present and Proposed Courses
Students pursuing the Graduate Emphasis in Medieval Studies
must receive at least a B in the following courses (or in
equivalent courses taken at other institutions). Required
courses add up to a total of 22 units:
a) Medieval Latin (Latin 103, 4 units)
b) 1 course (4 units) in vernacular, western European or
middle eastern medieval language (English 205A, English
205B, English 205C, English 230, French 206, French 207,
Spanish 222A, Spanish 222B, Portuguese 222, Religious Studies148A,
Religious Studies 148B, Religious Studies 148C, Religious
Studies 210).
c) One of the following 4-unit courses, or an appropriate
equivalent from another institutions, in medieval Paleography
and/or Diplomatics (medieval Studies 201, proposed course;
History 215S, 215T [these two courses have been taught in
the past but are not currently offered by the history department]).
d) Medieval Studies 200a-b-c (this is a year long, 2-unit
course; students must enroll for all three quarters). Students
must enroll in 3 consecutive quarters. They may enroll in
the course more than once e) 8 additional units in graduate
courses on medieval topics.
Dissertation Requirements
Students petitioning to participate in the emphasis must be
writing dissertations which focus on topics considered appropriate
to the European Medieval Studies Emphasis. Students may choose
to write on contiguous or comparative topics as well (for
instance, on themes relating to late antiquity and the European
middle ages; or to medieval and early modern Europe), but
at least one half of the dissertation should treat some aspect
of the medieval European and Mediterranean society.
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