Program Description Classical, Medieval and Renaissance Studies examines the earlier cultures and societies that lay the foundations of what today is commonly known as the Western Tradition. Drawing on the resources of twelve departments in Arts & Science and St. Thomas More College, it offers an integrated interdisciplinary approach that allows students to bring a broadly informed perspective to the study of a cultural tradition that ranges from the eastern Mediterranean in the 8th century BCE to 17th-century Italy and the England of Shakespeare, Bacon and Hobbes. Students in the program thus are able to focus on a particular discipline and period, but to develop their understanding of their specific field within the broader tradition that informs it. By bringing together the insights and methodological approaches of such disciplines as history, literary criticism, philosophy, religious studies, art history, archaeology and the study of languages, the program encourages students to develop a broad foundation in support of the detailed study of their field of interest.
An understanding of civilization requires the integration of three dimensions: the historical (including archaeology and the history of society and politics); the intellectual (including philosophy, science, and religion); and the cultural (including languages, arts, drama, literature, and architecture). This integration of humanities disciplines makes Classical, Medieval & Renaissance Studies both distinctive and exciting.
