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    * Major in Medieval and Renaissance Studies

  Major in Medieval and Renaissance Studies

      42 Units

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        The major and minor in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MDV) offer the opportunity to study societies that evolved between the 5th and 17th centuries, particularly in Europe, from the perspective of various disciplines (language, literature, history, music, theatre or philosophy). MDV courses focus on particular themes (body and gender, heroes and narratives, travel and travelers, the perception of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance between the 19th and 21st centuries). In addition, the specific requirements of these programs include courses on this period in a variety of departments in the Faculty of Arts. Latin, the dominant language of learning in this period, is required for the major that gives access to graduate studies.

        One of the strengths of these programs is that they lead you to think differently, to open up to social practices that now seem hard to comprehend or mysterious, or to understand that these ancient societies offer alternative models to our own. By taking courses such as those on the myths of King Arthur, long-distance travel, knights, witchcraft, or the case of Joan of Arc, you will gain access to a deep past that seems very strange today. These programs are not job-specific, rather they open up a multitude of horizons, from diplomacy to heraldry to research and project management.

        Learn more about this program

      The table below includes only the discipline-specific courses. Please refer to the Academic Regulations for information on the Honours bachelor's with double major and the Honours bachelor's with major and minor.

        The French immersion stream is available when taken as part of an honours degree.

      Requirements for this program have been modified. Please consult the 2025-2026 calendars for the previous requirements.

      Course List
        Code                                                                                 Title                                                                          Units  
        HIS 2335                                                                             Deciphering the Medieval Era: Western Europe from the 5th to the 15th Century  3 Units
        MDV 2100                                                                             Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Civilization 1                        3 Units
        MDV 3100                                                                             Selected Topics in Medieval and Renaissance Studies 1                          3 Units
        MDV 4100                                                                             Seminar in Medieval and Renaissance Studies 1                                  3 Units
        6 course units from:                                                                 6 Units                                                                      
          LCL 1101                                                                           Latin I                                                                               
          LCL 1102                                                                           Latin II                                                                              
          LCL 2103                                                                           Latin III                                                                             
          LCL 3102                                                                           Latin IV 1                                                                            
        12 optional course units from the list of optional courses                           12 Units                                                                     
        9 optional course units at the 3000 or 4000 level from the list of optional courses  9 Units                                                                      
        3 optional course units at the 4000 level from the list of optional courses          3 Units                                                                      
        Total:                                                                               42 Units                                                                     
        

        Note(s)

        1

        This course has variable topics. It may be repeated several times with the permission of the program coordinator.

        List of Optional Courses

        Course List
          Code                                            Title                                                              Units  
          ARB 2101                                        Arabic Culture I                                                   3 Units
          ART 1360                                        Histories of Art I                                                 3 Units
          CLA 2131                                        Introduction to Latin Literature                                   3 Units
          CLA 2382                                        The World of the New Testament                                     3 Units
          CLA 2383                                        Religion in Late Antiquity                                         3 Units
          CLA 3110                                        Topics in Ancient History I 1                                      3 Units
          CLA 4150                                        Ancient History Seminar 1                                          3 Units
          CLT 1132                                        Introduction to the Celtic World                                   3 Units
          CLT 2130                                        Early Celtic Literature                                            3 Units
          CLT 2131                                        Medieval Celtic Literature                                         3 Units
          CLT 2150                                        Celtic Christianity                                                3 Units
          ENG 2105                                        Introduction to British Literature Before 1700                     3 Units
          ENG 2112                                        Classical Backgrounds of English Literature                        3 Units
          ENG 2113                                        The Bible and the History of English Literature                    3 Units
          ENG 2130                                        Traditions of King Arthur                                          3 Units
          ENG 3133                                        Elizabethan Shakespeare                                            3 Units
          ENG 3134                                        Jacobean Shakespeare                                               3 Units
          ENG 3135                                        Early Modern Drama                                                 3 Units
          ENG 3323                                        Medieval Literature I                                              3 Units
          ENG 3324                                        Medieval Literature II                                             3 Units
          ENG 3339                                        Sixteenth-Century Literature                                       3 Units
          ENG 3340                                        Seventeenth-Century Literature                                     3 Units
          ENG 4115                                        Medieval Literature: Seminar                                       3 Units
          ENG 4130                                        Medieval Literature: Special Topic                                 3 Units
          ENG 4133                                        Shakespeare: Special Topic                                         3 Units
          ENG 4134                                        Renaissance: Special Topic                                         3 Units
          ENG 4142                                        Shakespeare: Seminar                                               3 Units
          ENG 4148                                        Renaissance: Seminar                                               3 Units
          FRA 1746                                        Culture et littérature françaises : des origines au XVIIIe siècle  3 Units
          FRA 3561                                        Enjeux du Moyen Âge                                                3 Units
          FRA 3571                                        Enjeux de la Renaissance                                           3 Units
          HIS 3398                                        Selected Topics in Medieval History                                3 Units
          HIS 4320                                        Seminar in Medieval History 2                                      3 Units
          ITA 3106                                        The Italian Renaissance                                            3 Units
          LCL 1101                                        Latin I                                                            3 Units
          LCL 1102                                        Latin II                                                           3 Units
          LCL 2103                                        Latin III                                                          3 Units
          LCL 3102                                        Latin IV 1                                                         3 Units
          LCL 4100                                        Latin Authors 1                                                    3 Units
          MDV 2100                                        Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Civilization 2            3 Units
          MDV 3100                                        Selected Topics in Medieval and Renaissance Studies 2              3 Units
          MDV 4100                                        Seminar in Medieval and Renaissance Studies 2                      3 Units
          MDV 4900                                        Directed Research in Medieval and Renaissance Studies              3 Units
          MUS 4301                                        Selected Topics in Musicology 1                                    3 Units
          PHI 2381                                        Arabic Philosophy                                                  3 Units
          PHI 2382                                        Medieval Philosophy                                                3 Units
          POL 2107                                        Introduction to Political Thought                                  3 Units
          SRS 2380                                        God's Warriors: Religion in the Middle Ages                        3 Units
          SRS 2382                                        The World of the New Testament                                     3 Units
          SRS 2383                                        Religion in Late Antiquity                                         3 Units
          THE 2131                                        Theatre History I                                                  3 Units
          Courses offered by Saint Paul University: 3                                                                      
          THO 1307 What is the Bible?                     3 Units                                                          
          THO 3123 Early Church                           3 Units                                                          
          THO 3160 Introduction to the Ancient Testament  3 Units                                                          
          THO 3161 Introduction to the New Testament      3 Units                                                          
          

          Note(s)

          1

          This course has variable topics. It may be repeated several times with the permission of the program coordinator if the theme is different but still studying the medieval or Renaissance period.

          2

          This course has variable topics. It may be repeated several times with the permission of the program coordinator.

          3

          Please visit Saint-Paul University's website to see the course description.

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