Medieval Studies
Michael Sanders (Ph.D., History) and David Howes (MA, Medieval Studies; Archives Assistant) present a 15th-century illuminated incunabulum of Justinian's code, and other materials from the University's Special Collections
The Medieval Studies program was founded in 1971 to promote the interdisciplinary study of the Middle Ages. By the late 1970s, the program had grown to include an undergraduate element and was housed in the Center for Medieval Studies, which is now one of the university's most active and well-known centers of advanced study.
The Center administers the Medieval Studies Program, which offers an interdisciplinary undergraduate BA in Medieval Studies and graduate MA in Medieval Studies, as well as a doctoral-level Advanced Certificate in Medieval Studies for PhD students enrolled in one of the participating departments.
The Center for Medieval Studies at the annual Medieval Festival in Fort Tryon Park
The Center is located at Fordham's Rose Hill Campus, and houses three offices, a small library, and a seminar room. Special facilities for medievalists, including a Paleography Room, Archives Room, and the O'Hare Special Collections, are offered at Walsh Library, which is especially strong in its medieval holdings. Fordham's location in New York City also affords easy access to major libraries, museums, and other institutions of higher learning. The Center for Medieval Studies participates in the New York Metropolitan Area Medieval Doctoral Consortium.
The Center has made a significant contribution to the promotion of the study and teaching of medieval Europe. Through our digital workshops and work on one of our online projects, students have many opportunities to learn more about the digital humanities. Fordham is home to the Internet Medieval Sourcebook, the French of England website, the French of Italy website, the French of Outremer website, the Oxford Outremer Map Project. Student cataloguers have been key participants in the Online Medieval Sources Bibliography. The Center also hosts The Latin Works of John Wyclif and several pedagogical sites. For further information on these websites, visit Center Digital Projects.
Medieval Studies Class at Camino di Santiago
The integrated interdisciplinary approach to the Middle Ages is a natural extension of Fordham's long-standing commitment to the study of this crucial historical period, which has attracted some of the University's most distinguished faculty and students. The emphases on intellectual diversity, depth of study, and rigorous scholarship that underlie the degree and outreach programs of the Center resonate strongly with Fordham's Jesuit tradition and institutional goals, particularly with its dedication to teaching and to close student-faculty interaction, with its devotion to scholarship and ethical values, and with its stress on critical thinking and communication. The Center supports the exchange of views and information through its annual conferences, lecture series, and ongoing professional workshops, providing a community of scholarship for all those interested in the middle ages.
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