Medieval Studies (M.Phil. / P.Grad.Dip.)

Overview

Engaged with the formative period of Western culture, Trinity’s M.Phil. in Medieval Studies equips students with the critical skills needed for in-depth work on medieval texts, sources, and artefacts, and provides an introduction to what different disciplinary methods offer the medievalist while permitting students to specialise in particular approaches in accordance with their interests. The teaching on the programme takes full advantage of Trinity’s world-leading holdings of medieval manuscripts and other artefacts, as well as those of other Dublin institutions and opportunities available for students to explore the built remains of medieval Ireland.

The programme aims to:
•    Give students an opportunity to experience from international experts the rich range of disciplinary approaches – historical, literary, linguistic, theological, art historical, philosophical, and gender-based – that can be taken to the Middle Ages, at the same time as maximising their opportunities to pursue their own interests, and develop specialist expertise.
•    Provide students with the traditional and technical skills necessary to read and study medieval manuscripts, documents, and artefacts in the twenty-first century.
•    Help students develop into independent researchers with sophisticated analytical and communication skills, ready to embark on doctoral research or to proceed with their chosen career.  

The course offers students the choice of three strands: History, Language and Literature and Culture and Civilisation. All students take three core modules of 5 ECTS - Sources for Medieval Studies I and II and Introduction to Medieval Books and Documents – and write a dissertation worth 30 ECTS. Further requirements depend on the choice of strand:

•    History: students take a further core module in Palaeography (10 ECTS) and study Latin at an appropriate level (10 ECTS), then choose 25 ECTS of optional modules, including, if they wish, another, more advanced, Latin module.
•    Language and Literature: students take a further core module in Reading Medieval Books and Documents (5 ECTS), study a medieval language (10 ECTS), then choose 30 ECTS of optional modules, including, if they wish, a second medieval language.
•    Culture and Civilisation: students take a further core module in Reading Medieval Books and Documents (5 ECTS), then choose 40 ECTS of optional modules, including, if they wish, a medieval language.
The range of options available varies from year to year and modules run subject to availability and demand.

Career Opportunities  

The MPhil helps prepare graduates for a wide variety of careers including in the museum and heritage sectors, libraries and archives, publishing, law, public policy and administration, archaeology, teaching, media. It also provides invaluable training in research for those planning to pursue a doctorate and/or career in research. 

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