Medieval Doctoral Consortium

Founded in 1978 to help address problems identified in the 1969 report of the Fleming Commission to re-evaluate doctoral programs in New York State, the IUDC was formed to address concerns about rising costs, declining enrollments, and shrinking job opportunities for graduates. The IUDC grew out of an effort by the Presidents of CUNY, Columbia, Fordham, the New School, and NYU, who secured funds from four different foundations to explore ways to maintain and improve opportunities in doctoral education. A Medieval and Renaissance Studies sub-committee was formed (chaired by Dr Jeanette Beer at Fordham), which debated a variety of aims. In the end, this sub-committee and its decisions about cross-registration and sharing of library facilities was the basis for the Medieval Studies IUDC, one of the seven original consortia established in the late 1970s. A permanent Inter-University Cooperation was established in 1980 to oversee the IUDC and develop more cooperative efforts.

By allowing doctoral students to cross-register for courses at member universities, the IUDC aims to broaden the graduate experience for students by exposing them to the extensive resources of area schools, many of which have very active medieval and renaissance studies programs, and putting them into contact with scholars in their fields. The Medieval Studies Doctoral Consortium has been especially active in that it organizes an annual Graduate Student Colloquium every spring, hosted on a rotating basis by each of the seven participating institutions. The Medieval Studies Doctoral Consortium also worked together to host the 15th Annual New Chaucer Society Meeting (27-31 July 2006) and the 77th Annual Meeting of the Medieval Academy of America (4-6 April 2002).

Download the IUDC Registration Form.

Doctoral Consortium Members

City University of New York Graduate Center (CUNY): Medieval Studies Certificate Program
Columbia University: Interdepartmental Committee on Medieval and Renaissance
Fordham University: Center for Medieval Studies
New York University: Medieval and Renaissance Center (MARC)
Princeton University: Program in Medieval Studies
Rutgers University: Program in Medieval Studies
Stony Brook University (SUNY): Medieval Studies Program

Other members of the IUDC, though not active in the Medieval Studies IUDC, are the New School for Research and Teachers College at Columbia University.

Each of the above programs appoints a representative to the Medieval Studies IUDC; they nominate students from their home institution to participate in the Annual Graduate Student Colloquium, consult about other shared events, and take the lead when it is their program’s turn to host the Colloquium.

City University of New York Graduate Center (CUNY): Dr. Steven Kruger [email protected]
Columbia University: Dr. Adam J. Kosto [email protected]
Fordham University: Dr. Nicholas Paul [email protected]
New York University: Dr. Karl Appuhn [email protected]
Princeton University: Dr. Helmut Reimitz [email protected]
Rutgers University : Dr. Sarah E. Novacich [email protected]
Stony Brook University: Dr. Sara Lipton [email protected]

Doctoral Consortium Registration

Students who have completed at least one year of full time study toward the PhD are eligible to take graduate courses at participating universities in the New York metropolitan area. Fordham students cross-registered for courses offered at another member of the IUDC can use their libraries and consult with their faculty while enrolled in those courses, thereby expanding their course options and research opportunities. Students pay their home institution tuition for Consortium courses, which will show up on their home school transcript. Access to these courses depends on the student’s degree status (they must have completed one year of full-time study in a doctoral program at their home institution), space being available (email the instructor for information) and the approval (with signatures) of the home school chair or program director, home school dean/IUDC coordinator, the instructor, and the host school dean/IUDC Coordinator (in this order).

To register for courses, complete the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium Registration Form, obtain the required signatures, and register for ZZGA0920 (consortium registration).

Annual Graduate Student Colloquium

Hosts of Past Medieval Studies Graduate Student Colloquia:

2022: Fordham University (April 8)

2019: Princeton (April 26)
2018: NYU (April 27)
2017: Columbia (April 21)
2016: CUNY-Graduate Center (Friday, April 1)
2015: Fordham University (Friday, April 24 - Lincoln Center campus)
2014: Stony Brook University (March 14)
2013: Rutgers—Contacts, Interactions, and Exchanges (March 8)
2012: Princeton—Engaging Traditions (April 20)
2011: NYU—Where to Next? Medieval Studies in Perspective (April 1)
2010: Columbia (April 30)
2009: CUNY Grad Center— Reading, Writing and Storytelling in the Christian Middle Ages (March 20)
2008: Fordham—Spectatorship and Visuality in the Medieval World (April 25)
2007: Stony Brook (April 20)
2006: Rutgers
2005: Princeton
2004: Columbia—The Mediterranean in the Middle Ages (April 16)
2003: NYU (April 25)
2002: CUNY Grad Center
2001: Fordham (April 20)