The Certificate in Medieval Studies program enables students to combine study in three or more disciplines into an organized investigation of the Middle Ages, a rich historical period that continues to influence today's culture. Students may earn the Certificate in Medieval Studies as a distinct interest or combine it with focused study in areas such as art history; classics; gender, women's, and sexuality studies; languages (e.g., French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish); music; philosophy; religion; and theater.
The undergraduate Certificate in Medieval Studies requires at least 18 s.h. in medieval studies coursework. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in work for the certificate.
The certificate may be earned by any student admitted to the University of Iowa who is not concurrently enrolled in a UI graduate or professional degree program.
Courses used to fulfill GE CLAS Core requirements or the requirements of a major or minor may be counted toward the certificate in most cases. Up to 6 s.h. of transfer credit may be counted toward certificate requirements, with the Certificate in Medieval Studies coordinating committee's approval; contact the certificate program's coordinator.
The Certificate in Medieval Studies requires the following coursework.
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| |
| MDVL:3409 | Medieval Civilization I | 3 |
| or MDVL:3410 | Medieval Civilization II |
| 15 |
| Total Hours | 18 |
Additional Courses
Remaining courses may be chosen from the "Associated Courses" below or from medieval studies courses (prefix MDVL) under Courses in this section of the Catalog. Students must include courses from at least three different departments; they may count a maximum of 10 s.h. from a single department or program. Students should consult regularly with a medieval studies advisor while planning and completing their program of study.
Associated Courses
The following courses are approved for the medieval studies certificate. Other courses may be approved for satisfaction of certificate requirements; students who wish to have a course approved should make a request to the Certificate in Medieval Studies coordinating committee. The coordinating committee revises the list of approved courses as necessary.
Arabic Language and Literature
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| ARAB:2001 | Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic I | 5 |
| ARAB:2002 | Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II | 5 |
Art and Art History
Center for the Book
Classics
English
German
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| GRMN:2770 | Norse Mythology: Gods, Heroes, and Monsters of Northern Europe | 3-4 |
History
Italian
Japanese
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| JPNS:3202 | Traditional Japanese Literature in Translation | 3 |
| JPNS:3206 | Warriors' Dreams | 3 |
| JPNS:4201 | The Tale of Genji | 3 |
Music
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| MUS:2301 | History of Western Music I | 3 |
| MUS:4200 | Counterpoint Before 1600 | 3 |
Philosophy
Religious Studies
Russian
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| RUSS:1532 | Traces of Ancient Russian Culture (IX-XVII Centuries): Vikings, Mongols, and Tsars | 3 |
Spanish and Portuguese
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| SPAN:4690 | Topics in Spanish Literature (when topic is medieval) | 3 |
Language Courses
The Medieval Studies Program strongly encourages students to complete coursework in a language relevant to the medieval period. Latin is recommended for anyone intending to pursue graduate study in the field. Many language courses have prerequisites, and some are offered irregularly, so students should complete their language coursework as early as possible. The following language courses are approved for the medieval studies certificate.
Sample Study Plans
Both of these sample study plans fulfill the certificate's requirements.
Sample plan for students planning graduate work in medieval studies:
Sample plan for students with a general interest in medieval studies:
