Premodern Studies Graduate Certificate
Explore the premodern world through the lenses of history, culture, philosophy, literature, and other fields. This interdisciplinary certificate draws from courses offered by 10 different departments and schools at UT, equipping students with the ability to connect ideas across disciplines while mastering innovative research methods. Designed for those passionate about advancing scholarship and academic inquiry, this certificate provides a robust understanding of one of the most captivating periods of world history, preparing students with a broad foundation of knowledge that can separate them in their respective fields.
Program Overview
The Premodern Studies graduate certificate explores interdisciplinary research in medieval literature, the evolution of European languages, and seafaring.
This certificate is intended to be an add-on for MA or PhD students, rather than a standalone degree, allowing students to gain diverse perspectives from a range of disciplines. Students will benefit from a unique, customizable pathway with course offerings in English, history, religious studies, philosophy, art history, and more.
This degree is a great fit for students interested in further academic research and scholarship, equipping them with a broadened repertoire of skills and knowledge to compete in their primary fields.
Why Study Premodern Studies?
The Premodern Studies graduate certificate at UT offers exceptional opportunities for professional development, intellectual growth, and academic advancement. Whether you are interested in pursuing a career in academia, research, or other industries, you’ll gain the skills and perspectives needed to make the impact you want.
Professional Development Opportunities
Housed in the Marco Institute for Medieval & Renaissance Studies (Marco) at UT, students earning a Premodern Studies graduate certificate will have opportunities to attend lectures and workshops on the premodern world, exposing them to current scholarship, networking opportunities, and the Marco Institute’s world-class faculty.
Connect the Premodern World to the Present
Through studying ancient ideas and asking complex questions, students can begin to understand how history shapes today’s world, allowing them to meaningfully contribute to modern debates on culture, ethics, and policy.
Prepare for Advanced Graduate Work
With robust training in research design, critical theory, and interdisciplinary methods, students will discover new dimensions to their research that they never imagined possible.
What Can You Do with an Graduate Certificate in Premodern Studies After Graduation?
A Premodern Studies graduate certificate prepares students for teaching positions, museum work, and even positions in academia.
Students might go on to become historians, museum curators, or even work as history teachers in K-12 schools. While a Premodern Studies certificate can be tailored to students’ unique career interests, many
UT graduates go on to become fellowship recipients, academic researchers, or professors at leading universities—making impactful contributions in academia and beyond.
Featured Courses
ARTH 451 Art of Italy, 1250-1450
This course surveys the significant artistic developments of the late middle ages through the beginning of the Renaissance in Italy, including the exploration of naturalism in Giotto’s Arena Chapel, Alberti’s theory of linear perspective, and Gentile Bellini’s travels and work at the Ottoman court. Artists and monuments: Donatello, Piero della Francesca, Botticelli, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Brunelleschi’s dome of the Florence Cathedral.
CLAS 445 Ancient and Medieval Seafaring
This course includes a survey of seafaring in the Mediterranean and northern Europe from its very beginning, c. 126,000 BCE, until the late Middle Ages. Discussion of shipwrecks, iconographic evidence, and texts. Emphasis on ship construction and the evidence it provides about seafaring, naval warfare, technology, the exploitation of natural resources, levels of labor, social differences in society, and changes in the economy.
ENGL 403 Introduction to Middle English
Topics covered in this course include a survey of the language and literature of England from the 12th through the 15th centuries. Reading of prose works and shorter poetry will be done in Middle English with special attention paid to grammar, style, dialect, and language change. The class will explore the culture of medieval England through critical essays, histories, and supplementary texts in translation.
HIST 631 Topics in 15th- and 16th-Century European History
This course has students engage in a research seminar in primary sources culminating in a scholarly paper in 15th- and 16th-century European history. Focus varies.
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