Medieval Studies

[whatshewrote]

Greetings, all! I just happened to stumble upon this site and was ridiculously excited to find a place to get so much helpful info. from fellow students/applicants. It was particularly exciting since I so rarely hear of anyone else applying to a medieval studies program - there's not exactly a bounty of info. out there on this graduate field. I'm in the midst of the application process and am alternating between feeling fairly confident and freaking out and thinking I have no chance of getting in anywhere.

Anyhow, I saw that there was another "Medieval Studies" topic but that it hadn't been updated in a while, so I thought I'd throw a new one out there. I feel like my school choices are all over the map (literally), but they all appeal to me in one way or another.

Cornell (my biggest reach school, for sure, and the only direct-to-PhD program)

Western Michigan University

University of Toronto

U. of York (this is probably my dream top choice)

U. of Leeds

U. of Oxford

So - is anyone else out there applying to these schools? Or have opinions/advice about them? It's been hard for me to get a grasp on how selective each one is. I definitely did well in undergrad, and I've had interesting/relevent jobs since graduating in '09, but I haven't published or done anything jaw-droppingly amazing.

Phew. I hope this post isn't too scattered. I just couldn't wait to jump into the conversation!

-Natalie

[whatshewrote]

Thanks! I'm also going to re-post this under "Interdisciplinary Studies," which is where I meant for it to end up in the first place!

[Grizbert]

I did an MA at York ten years ago, although in modernism (what a waste - I now want to be a medievalist!), and it was, indeed, dreamy.

If you can afford it, go!

BTW, I went straight out of undergrad, 3.85 in English, 3.1 overall, had done two previous study abroad programs in the UK, and had good references. I suspect it will be harder to get into the MS program, and harder now because of the UK economic/educational situation, but they certainly like overseas fees-payers. I used all federal aid money, and will be paying for it for another 10-15 years, but it was still worth it. I ended up staying in the UK for a further three years to work (by virtue of a domestic partnership visa), and I wouldn't trade that experience for anything in the world. Obviously, the resources in York are amazing; the city is beautiful and cosmopolitan for its size, but easy to navigate; and you can get to London by train in about two and a half hours. If you're doing MS and can swing it, you might want to find private, shared accommodation in town, since the Centre for Medieval Studies is in York and the campus is a few miles outside. It will save you a lot of time on the bus, and the campus, while nice, is somewhat bleak due to its predominantly brutalist modern architecture. $0.02

Edited August 9, 2011 by Grizbert

[frenchmedievalist]

Hello! I'm a junior this year at Millsaps College in Jackson, MS, but I figured that I should get a head-start on the research process for graduate schools. I wasn't sure how to start a new forum or post (I'm not very tech-savvy haha), but I saw how all of you were giving good advice about grad schools. Since I'm new to the game, I was hoping to get some advice on how to do more than just preliminary research on google. I'm interested in French medieval studies (literature, history, and especially the culture). I'd like to find a 1- or 2-yr program in France, but I haven't had any luck. So far, my list of possible schools consists of Northwestern Univ, Univ of VA, and the Catholic Univ of America. As of now, my overall GPA is 3.5, and I have not presented any papers at conferences as my other friends have who are graduating this year. However, I am writing a thesis on medieval French lit for our honors program and will present in the spring of next year. So, I have two questions:

1. How can I find programs that fit what I'm looking for (besides using google)?

2. Do you think my chances of getting accepted are fair?

I've heard from other Millsapsians that there are many others out there like me who are even more competitive to get into programs, so it worries me that my GPA and experience with conferences aren't good enough. Please tell me what you think and give some advice! I'd definitely appreciate it

[maeisenb]

Hello! I'm a junior this year at Millsaps College in Jackson, MS, but I figured that I should get a head-start on the research process for graduate schools. I wasn't sure how to start a new forum or post (I'm not very tech-savvy haha), but I saw how all of you were giving good advice about grad schools. Since I'm new to the game, I was hoping to get some advice on how to do more than just preliminary research on google. I'm interested in French medieval studies (literature, history, and especially the culture). I'd like to find a 1- or 2-yr program in France, but I haven't had any luck. So far, my list of possible schools consists of Northwestern Univ, Univ of VA, and the Catholic Univ of America. As of now, my overall GPA is 3.5, and I have not presented any papers at conferences as my other friends have who are graduating this year. However, I am writing a thesis on medieval French lit for our honors program and will present in the spring of next year. So, I have two questions:

1. How can I find programs that fit what I'm looking for (besides using google)?

2. Do you think my chances of getting accepted are fair?

Well to respond in reverse order your GPA is good, although increasing it is of course great. Study for and take your GRE this summer if you can as well. The key for anything medieval will be language preparation so make sure to keep working on or start Latin, French, German, and any other particular languages you might need. The more you can do the better.

As for places, the best way to learn is to read articles and books by people whose work your really like and then see where they are working. So just read as you go along, then Google them to see where they are, if they work somewhere that takes students, etc. Also, if you want another year to strengthen your skills certainly take a look at some of the great medieval studies places in the UK as well.

[frenchmedievalist]

Thanks for your help! I plan on taking the GRE this summer, hopefully a little earlier if possible. I already know French, but I'm going to attempt and either take a Latin course on campus or try to teach myself Latin.

I've also been told to kind of "follow" the authors of articles and books to see if they still teach at a university as well. Some of the professors that I've found still teach at universities, but the universities are kind of out of my league and price range. Now I'm just researching schools first and then looking at the professors and their cv's if they're available. At this point, the most difficult part is finding a program that will focus in French medieval studies. I definitely don't mind studying in a program that concentrates on medieval Europe, but I'd prefer to put my French minor to good use. I still have time to do research, but I need to make sure that I have a list of schools by this upcoming fall, for sure. Thanks again for your help!

[Loimographia]

Thanks for your help! I plan on taking the GRE this summer, hopefully a little earlier if possible. I already know French, but I'm going to attempt and either take a Latin course on campus or try to teach myself Latin.

I've also been told to kind of "follow" the authors of articles and books to see if they still teach at a university as well. Some of the professors that I've found still teach at universities, but the universities are kind of out of my league and price range. Now I'm just researching schools first and then looking at the professors and their cv's if they're available. At this point, the most difficult part is finding a program that will focus in French medieval studies. I definitely don't mind studying in a program that concentrates on medieval Europe, but I'd prefer to put my French minor to good use. I still have time to do research, but I need to make sure that I have a list of schools by this upcoming fall, for sure. Thanks again for your help!

If you're applying to PhD programs, don't worry about price range: you shouldn't really have to pay for a PhD; schools give both funding & tuition remission to their grad students. If you only wish to apply to master's (1-2 year) programs, funding may become more difficult, but look to the thread on funded MAs (down the list on this board) and then look up the professors there and see if there's any you'd like to work with.

Other ways to get a terminal MA include UK and Canadian degrees, though these usually don't come with funding, though they do offer the occasional scholarship. Check the deadlines for these, for Oxbridge they're around October/November, unlike the December deadlines for US schools. Also remember that Oxbridge are not the only two schools in the UK: look at Glasgow and Edinburgh, and others (quick someone throw me a rope, I can't remember other good UK schools). In the US, smaller schools sometimes leave medieval studies alone and instead just place medievalists into history/english/french departments, but UK smaller schools still tend to have decent medieval studies departments. The University of Toronto is also very well known for its medieval studies department, and lists its recommended GPA for a prospective MA student as ~B to B+ range.

Keep in mind that medievalists in general are rather few and far between, so unlike Americanists, who may have 3 or even 4 professors they'd like to study with at a University, medievalists may have to settle for only 1 or 2 professors with relevant interests. You may want to study only the social impact of uncloistered women on monastaries in 12th-century Northern France, but you may have to settle on being taught by a professor who focuses on literacy in the 13th century. Odds are, she'll still probably have some relevant information to your interests (I've learned this lesson myself a little too late).

I also, to my knowledge, cannot think of a single school that explicitly focuses on *french* medieval studies, only European, and I assure you you will get *oodles* of use out of your French minor by going into a European program and then studying with their French historians, etc. Even people not studying French literature use French simply because much of the secondary literature over the years has been in French (I study Italy -- still gonna need to know French). You may have to end up taking courses outside your specific area of interest, but always remember that this in turn will make you more marketable as an academic later when job-searching, because universities want their professors to be able to teach undergraduates (and graduates, too, as I've noted) on a much broader variety of topics than they themselves research.

Hope some of this helps, and other medievalists should feel free to step in and tell me if I've made a horrendous mistake on some facts or something.

[Horseshoe]

Just wanted to let everyone know that there is finally some sort of ranking for Medieval Studies.

Its a US News ranking for graduate programs in medieval & renaissance:

 

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/medieval-renaissance-literature-rankings

Edited March 26, 2013 by Horseshoe

[greenwintermints]

Also remember that Oxbridge are not the only two schools in the UK: look at Glasgow and Edinburgh, and others (quick someone throw me a rope, I can't remember other good UK schools). 

 

I'm not an expert on medieval studies at all, but for the UK, anything in the Russell Group (http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/our-universities/) would be worth your while - those are the most research intensive schools in the UK, so some of them might have medieval programs that would work for you! (Missing off this list are St Andrews, which is very prestigious, and Sussex, which also has a very good reputation.)

[dr. t]

Depending on your interests, and if you really do want to get an master's first, I'd plug my own program: Master's of Theological Studies in the History of Christianity at Harvard Divinity School. Some great professors, a really customizable degree, and of course you can cross-register as you please. I'm using it to prep for a history PhD but it can go in many directions.

[Romanista]

The key for anything medieval will be language preparation so make sure to keep working on or start Latin, French, German, and any other particular languages you might need. The more you can do the better.

 

 

How experienced with languages must one be for admission to an MA or PhD program in Medieval Studies? I understand that you can't really be a medievalist without at least two foreign languages but what do they expect one to have mastered prior to admission? 

[bona_fide]

How experienced with languages must one be for admission to an MA or PhD program in Medieval Studies? I understand that you can't really be a medievalist without at least two foreign languages but what do they expect one to have mastered prior to admission? 

 

Hi Romanista! I have been admitted to an MA in Medieval Studies and I had a very strong background in French (applicable) and Spanish (rarer), and I had been studying Latin on my own and with the help of a tutor for about a year, but fairly intensively. I think my language background helped! Latin is huge, and though that was a weaker part of my app, the French may have made up for it. German could also make up for it. Just one person's perspective but I hope it helped

[dr. t]

How experienced with languages must one be for admission to an MA or PhD program in Medieval Studies? I understand that you can't really be a medievalist without at least two foreign languages but what do they expect one to have mastered prior to admission? 

 

You should have as much of as many languages as you can. It's definitely considered important.