Medieval Studies at Yale is an interdisciplinary program bringing together scholars from more than a dozen humanities departments as well as the Divinity School, Beinecke Library, and Institute for Sacred Music.
Our members study the art, history, literature, religion, languages, and cultures more broadly of the world from Late Antiquity to the beginning of the modern era. The Program in Medieval Studies currently grants two degrees: the Ph.D. and the Undergraduate Certificate. We were founded as a graduate program in 1962 and remain one of the strongest and most vibrant Medieval Studies programs in North America.
Explore our Department
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Undergraduate program
Explore what we have to offer for undergrads looking to earn a certificate.
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Graduate Program
Learn more about our graduate program.
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Yale Medieval Lunch Events
Check out our Medieval Lunch events where we listen to guest speakers while enjoying food.
Our History
The Medieval Studies Program began at Yale in 1962. The initiative came from the eminent historian Robert S. Lopez, who for many years served as chair. Yale’s Medieval Studies Program was the third of its kind to be founded in North America.
At first, Medieval Studies was an MA program to be followed by enrollment in a regular program for the Ph.D. degree. It became a Ph.D. program in 1965. An MPhil program (1999-2018) offered graduate students in other departments funding for an extra year of interdisciplinary course work in medieval culture. Currently, the program welcomes approximately two Ph.D. students each year.
Department News
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Estelle Guéville among three Ph.D. students named 2026 Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellows
Three Yale Ph.D. students were selected for the 2026 Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation fellowship, which is awarded by the American Council of Learn
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New book: Medieval Manuscripts and the Computational Humanities
Co-authored by Medieval Studies PhD candidate Estelle Guéville and David Joseph Wrisley, Medieval Manuscripts and the Computational Humanities:
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Prof. Edward M. Peters, Jr.: in memoriam
Edward Peters, recipient of Yale’s first PhD in Medieval Studies in 1967, passed away at his home in Guilford on November 6, 2024.
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Medieval Studies and manuscripts in The Atlantic
The Atlantic recently profiled Medieval Studies alumna Lisa Fagin Davis and her longtime frenemy, the Voynich Manuscript: you can find the essay here!
