Medieval and Renaissance Studies (CERT)

Admission Requirements

Language Proficiency

Demonstration of language proficiency by completing a graduate level language course or passing a language competency exam while enrolled in the program (the latter typically involves translating an intermediate 350-500 word passage using a dictionary over three hours).

The Graduate Certificate in Medieval and Renaissance Studies can be completed on its own OR in conjunction with another graduate degree.

  • Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university;
  • Complete the University of Louisville, Graduate School, Graduate Admissions application.
  • Schedule an interview with the program director, Dr. Andrew Rabin, Department of English, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292  (502) 852-1722

Program Requirements

  1. A total of 18 credit hours in courses approved for graduate credit in accordance with the policies of the Graduate School.
  2. Nine (9) credit hours from the list of "Approved Medieval and Renaissance Courses" must be taken in the student's home department. These credit hours may also count towards the student's graduate degree. In cases where the student's home department does not offer a sufficient number of medieval and renaissance courses, the student may develop an alternative course of study with the approval of the program director.
  3. Nine (9) credit hours from the list of "Approved Medieval and Renaissance Courses" must be taken outside of the student's home department. These credits must be distributed as follows: three (3) credit hours from the list of courses designated by the program as "History and Culture Courses"; three (3) credit hours from the list of courses designated by the program as "Textual Studies Courses"; three (3) credit hours from the list of courses designated by the program as "Arts and Music Courses." Substitutions must be approved by the program director.
  4. Attendance at lectures and participation in workshops conducted each semester by visiting faculty selected by the graduate programs committee.
  5. Student must demonstrate reading knowledge at the Master's level in one of the following: Latin, Greek, French, Italian, Hebrew, German, Spanish, Portuguese, or Arabic. Reading knowledge in other languages may be used to fulfill this requirement at the discretion of the program director. Reading knowledge may be demonstrated either by taking a language exam or by earning a B or above in a graduate level language course. Fulfillment of this requirement may overlap with the completion of a language requirement in the student's home department.
  6. At least nine (9) credit hours must be at the 600 level.
  7. A single course may fulfill more than one of these requirements.
  8. Independent studies may not count towards the fulfillment of these requirements.
  9. 500-level courses taken for undergraduate credit may not count towards the fulfillment of these requirements. As is standard practice, those students enrolled in 500-level courses for credit towards the certificate must complete the requirements for graduate-level work specified by the instructor.
  10. Coursework towards the graduate certificate in medieval and renaissance studies may count towards the student's graduate degree.
Approved Medieval and Renaissance Courses9
History and Culture3
Studies in Medieval History - WR, CUE
HIST 555
HIST 571
HIST 572
HIST 591
Studies in Medieval History
Seminar in Early Modern European History
ST: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Humanities - WR 1
Textual Studies3
Introduction to Old English
History of the English Language
Studies in Old and Middle English Literature - CUE
Studies in Tudor and Elizabethan Literature - CUE
Chaucer - CUE
Shakespeare - CUE
Milton - CUE
History of Criticism: Plato to the New Criticism - CUE
Old English and Middle English Language and Literature
Renaissance Drama
Shakespeare
Renaissance Poetry and Prose
History of Rhetoric I
Dante
Historical Perspectives on Arts & Culture I
Introduction to Medieval Latin
Readings in Medieval Latin
Studies in Spanish Medieval Literature
Studies in Spanish Golden Age Literature
History of the Spanish Language
History of the English Language
Arts and Music3
Studies in Medieval Art
Topics in Medieval Art
Topics in Renaissance Art
Studies in Renaissance Art
Renaissance Counterpoint
Foundations of Music Theory
Music Notation to c. 1550: History, Transcription, Editing
Minimum Total Hours18
1

HUM 590 is a special topics course and may be used to satisfy this requirement when its subject matter is appropriate. Please consult with your advisor.