Starting with the Class of 2022, Yale College students will be able to earn a Certificate in Medieval Studies. This new program will enable any undergraduate with an interest in the Middle Ages worldwide to undertake focused study within the period. Certificate advisors are available to help you develop a program that best suits your interests.
The Certificate requirements are deliberately flexible, in order to nourish and support almost any interest in the period. Whether you’re interested in the Middle Ages as a serious hobby, or looking to hone specialist skills in support of a senior essay, the Certificate in Medieval Studies will help you focus your studies, and will allow your work to be recognized on your diploma.
There are two major components to the Certificate: coursework, and attendance at lectures.
The coursework component will require you to complete five classes on the Middle Ages. To ensure breadth, only three courses from any one geographical zone can be counted, and only two courses can overlap with your major. There are many ways to choose a set of courses for the Certificate: Medieval Studies faculty have suggested some pathways to help you pursue different kinds of interests.
To earn the Certificate, you’ll also need to attend at least three lectures on medieval topics during your time at Yale, and to submit a brief account of what you learned at each one. In any given semester, you can usually find at least three–and usually many more!–lectures on a wide range of medieval topics, and can always find announcements of upcoming lectures under Events on the Medieval Studies home page.