Major & Minor

For more information from UCSB’s course catalog, click here!

Bachelor of Arts — Medieval Studies

How do I prepare for the major?
You will need to take History 4A-B. If you are planning work at the graduate level, a reading knowledge of Latin and of at least one modern European language will be necessary. In certain fields, Hebrew, Arabic, or Greek may also be needed. For students not planning graduate work, a language is desirable, but not required.

Who do I speak to about declaring the major?
For questions about the major, please email the program’s executive director, Prof. Edward English (english@history.ucsb.edu). You may also want to talk to your professors in medieval studies classes you’ve had about questions about the field.

What does it mean to “build” my major? Are there specific course requirements?
Our Medieval Studies is an interdisciplinary program, which means that students’ majors will look different according to their interests. For example, someone interested in medieval French literature will have a much different set of courses than someone working on medieval Middle Eastern history. However, there are some requirements involved with building the major. An upper-division major will require forty units from the following list of courses, with the selection forming a coherent program that must be approved by a member of the medieval studies committee.
Note: students may also submit petitions to the chair of the Medieval Studies Program to have other appropriate courses count towards the major.

Can I double-major in Medieval Studies?
Yes, you can double-major.

Is there an opportunity to minor in Medieval Studies?
Coming soon Fall 2024!