Medieval Studies

This nine-month interdisciplinary programme is aimed at students who wish to follow courses in more than one discipline in medieval studies and who are keen to extend their skills. The degree is supported by several faculties within the Humanities Division, demonstrating the University’s tremendous wealth of scholarship in the period.

Graduate destinations

About a quarter of master’s students proceed to doctoral work at Oxford; others continue academic study at other institutions. Other career destinations are as diverse as, but broadly in line with, undergraduate history career destinations: law, finance, management consultancy, civil service etc.

This degree equips you to draw on a variety of disciplinary approaches to the study of the Middle Ages. It places emphasis on language training as well as on the development of skills in palaeography and codicology. It also offers the opportunity to undertake the acquisition of a medieval language not previously studied. You will follow a core course in research methods and choose from a range of taught Option Papers. You can also expect to spend at least a third of your time doing independent research with supervisors from at least two disciplines. You will also participate in a variety of workshops and exchanges.

Teaching and examination comprise:

• compulsory language classes, chosen from a variety of possibilities which normally include (medieval) Latin, Old English, Old Norse, Old French, Old Occitan, Old High German, Middle High German, Old Irish, Middle Welsh, Greek, Hebrew and Arabic. The language selected should normally be closely related to your work;
• palaeography/codicology classes in one of the participating departments, ie English, history (Medieval Latin), medieval and modern languages, Byzantine Greek;
• option papers, which are courses on short periods or specific themes. You can choose from a wide range of subjects on offer drawn from the participating faculties and you will submit essays based on the work for the option papers and developed in consultation with the convenor(s) of the option;
• attendance at an interdisciplinary seminar that underlines the different but complementary approaches to medieval sources offered by different disciplines. In Trinity term, you will present work in progress on your dissertation;
• attendance at a research methods workshop designed to address issues encountered by researchers in medieval studies and intended to be responsive to and shaped by your concerns; and
• a dissertation of no more than 12,000 words on your own research topic, to be submitted by the end of Trinity term. You will normally have two supervisors from different departments.

Please note that not every optional subject listed may be on offer every year, depending in part on levels of student demand. Full details of core and optional papers available are available on the course webpage.

In connection with the interdisciplinary seminar, a special week of additional research activities takes place each year. A particular expert in interdisciplinary medieval studies is invited to give a plenary lecture and seminar and to conduct a workshop for graduate students. This is an exciting opportunity for current students to discuss their work with a distinguished visiting scholar. Recent guest lecturers have included Caroline Walker-Bynum, Barbara Newman, Christopher Page, Jeffrey Hamburger and William Miller.

If you wish to apply for the DPhil you will be encouraged to develop your master’s and doctoral proposals in tandem during the first few months, so that you will be well placed to make a doctoral application.

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in a relevant discipline in the humanities or social sciences.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.75 out of 4.0.

Applicants are normally expected to have a previous degree in history, but for master's applications a number of candidates will be accepted without. You will need to ensure that you link your proposed dissertation topic with your previous expertise when you present it in your research proposal, or that you explain why you want to switch to study history, and to show that you have already done some background research into it. Your submitted written work should show your writing and research skills in their best light, as it will be important to show that you have the necessary skills required for historical research.

If you hold non-UK qualifications and wish to check how your qualifications match these requirements, you can contact the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

• Official transcript(s)
• CV/résumé
• Statement of purpose/personal statement: 500 to 1,000 words, typically two to four pages double-spaced
• Written work: Two essays of 2,000 words each or one essay of 4,000 to 5,000 words
• References/letters of recommendation:Three overall, generally academic

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Higher level

• Global Education
• Hill Foundation Scholarships
• Ertegun Scholarship Programme