Master of Arts in Medieval Studies
Our master’s degree in medieval studies is an integrated interdisciplinary program that will provide you with a complex understanding of the medieval world and the opportunity to develop a specialized skillset for both academic and non-academic careers.
Run by Fordham’s renowned Center for Medieval Studies, our program offers courses designed especially for medieval studies as well as a broad spectrum of courses from the graduate wings of participating departments, including art and music history, classics, English, history, modern languages and literature, philosophy, political science, and theology.
With access to strong medieval collections at our university library and at major New York City museums, libraries, and archives, you’ll hone your research skills using a variety of methods and techniques. All students in the master’s program choose two areas of concentration. Popular concentrations include:
- Medieval English, German, Latin, Norse, and romance literature
- Medieval ecclesiastical and intellectual history
- Medieval art history and architecture
- Manuscript studies (paleography, codicology, and scholarly editing)
- History of medieval England, France, Germany, Italy, and the Holy Land
- Monasticism and scholasticism
- Digital humanities
- The French of England, Italy, or Outremer
- Crusading and pilgrimage studies
- Medieval Iberia
- Medieval women and gender studies
Program Highlights
- Graduate assistantship financial aid packages available to first-year students
- Chance to collaborate with Fordham medievalists who have decades of experience creating digital humanities projects
- Opportunity to join a vibrant community and attend events offered by the Center for Medieval Studies
Program Basics
- Curriculum requires two medieval studies courses, one history course, two courses in your first concentration, two courses in your second concentration, and one to three electives for a total of 30 credits
- Full-time students may complete the program in one to two years
- Students may attend part-time
- Some evening courses are available
- Master’s degree candidates choose between comprehensive examination or a master’s thesis
- Latin and a second foreign language are strongly recommended
Careers
About half of our graduates have been admitted to doctoral programs. Many continue at Fordham while others have gone on to Columbia University, UC Berkeley, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Yale, and others.
- Philanthropic organizations
- Libraries and special collections