King's College London - Faculty of Arts & Humanities
MA in Medieval Studies
London, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2024
TUITION FEES
GBP 27,996 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* first application deadline
** UK students: £12,468 per year | international students: £27,996 per year
Introduction
King’s contains one of the largest concentrations of medievalists in the UK, bringing together scholars in medieval history, languages, literature and culture, with expertise across Europe and Asia. Our MA in Medieval Studies not only offers specialist training in crucial research skills—in particular, medieval Latin and palaeography—but also is outward-looking, exploring and critiquing the place of medieval history and perceptions of the medieval past in the world today.
The programme takes full advantage of its place in central London, home to some of the largest collections of medieval manuscripts as well as material and visual culture in the British Library, the British Museum and other institutions. The course caters for history students, literature students and language students and introduces them to interdisciplinary techniques and challenges. We take pride in our 'hands-on' approach to the medieval past, which effectively prepares students for future doctoral work by providing them with the skills to engage in some of the medieval period's most hidden aspects—through teaching students how (literally) to read the script and how to see how images of the distant past soak through contemporary life in different ways across the world. The programme aims to enable students to take the in-depth analytical skills and understanding of the past that they have gained by studying at this level both into many careers and into the further study of the disciplines which make up medieval studies, whether privately or professionally.
Key benefits
- Learn from one of the largest concentrations of medievalists in the UK, spread across eight departments including the only specialist professor in the UK in Palaeography and Manuscript Studies and specialisms in the contemporary medieval.
- Provides key training in research skills including palaeography - all whilst adopting an outward-looking approach to the medieval past, engaging in its diverse representations and meanings across the world today.
- The special “Ages of Medieval London” module takes students out of the classroom into a real-world environment in which they will apply their knowledge and problem-solving.
- Access to expert talks and resources on medieval literature, history and culture including the V&A, Lambeth Palace and the British Museum.
- Opportunity for hands-on access to medieval manuscripts- including at The National Archives, Lambeth Palace Library and more.
- Vibrant research culture, including seminars and conferences at which students are encouraged to participate and give papers.
- International Centre of excellence for the study of history, literature and languages.
- The central London location offers students unrivalled access to world-class museums, collections, archives and libraries as well as easy access to resources in Europe.
Admissions
Curriculum
Structure
Required modules
Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 180 credits. You are required to take:
- Encountering the Medieval (30 credits)
- Researching the Medieval (15 credits)
- Dissertation (60 credits)
Optional modules
In addition, you are required to choose two from a list of Skills Options, each worth 15 credits, which may typically include:
- Ages of Medieval London
- Skills for Medievalists: Palaeography 1 (15 credits)
- Early Vernacular English Manuscripts (15 credits)
- Latin (Beginner or Intermediate level) 15 credits
And optional modules to a value of 45 credits, from a list which may typically include:
- Gender and Sexuality in the Middle Ages (15 credits)
- Official and Unofficial Religion (15 credits)
- The Arthurian Tradition (15 credits)
- The Languages of Politics (15 credits)
- Palaeography across the sea: Britain and Ireland, 600-1200 CE (15 credits)
- Archives of Old English Poetry (15 credits)
- Medieval Latin Literature (30 credits)
- The Mediterranean and the Global Middle Ages (15 credits)
- The Environment and the Economy in Late Medieval Europe (15 credits)
- The Contemporary Medieval (15 credits)
Part-time students.
If you are a part-time student, you will take all ‘Encountering the Medieval’ and ‘Researching the Medieval’ in Year 1 and your dissertation in Year 2.
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, the modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place for all students who elect to study this module.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
The Medieval Studies MA can lead to a variety of career and study options including teaching, archives, the media, finance, politics and heritage industries or further research.