Late Ancient and Medieval

The Late Ancient and Medieval field of study for the doctoral program enables students to understand the encounters of Jews, Christians, and Muslims with each other and with other cultures of late antiquity and beyond. Fordham’s program promotes immersion in the rich diversity of ancient and medieval communities and traditions, from the Levant and the Near East to North Africa and Europe. Students gain expertise in at least two of the three monotheistic traditions, and some dissertations pursue interdisciplinary topics. Our faculty members embrace research into literary sources, material artifacts, and ritual practices in order to explore theological themes and diverse constructions of identity.

Language Requirements
Language requirements for the Ph.D. in Fordham’s Theology department are individualized: each student will work closely with their academic advisor at the beginning of the program to determine appropriate language requirements and proficiency levels tailored to their specific needs and goals. That being said, in almost all cases the doctoral students in the Late Ancient and Medieval field will be required to achieve competency in multiple languages pertinent to their research (e.g., Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Arabic, Syriac, Coptic, German, French, Italian, Spanish). 

Comprehensive Exams

Comprehensive exams are designed to develop teaching competencies in multiple areas while laying the foundation for dissertation research. The exact plan of comprehensive exams is developed individually with the primary advisor, but typically Late Ancient and Medieval students take comprehensive exams in one or two of the primary religious traditions of the period, with a third exam selected from another field of study in the department and a fourth dissertation area exam.