Ancient, Medieval & Renaissance Studies

In the interdisciplinary Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance Studies Program, you may select courses from English, Fine Arts, History, Classics, Comparative Literature, Music, Philosophy, Religion, and World Languages & Cultures. Most OWU students choose to combine this major with another in English or History.

About the Majors

Together with your adviser, you select one of the program's three tracks (Ancient, Medieval, or Renaissance) and choose three foundation courses, six core courses, and two electives from history, literature, languages, religion, art, or philosophy. You complete an interdisciplinary capstone project during your senior year.

All three AMRS majors permit great flexibility, and you may tailor the program to your specific interests. You might choose to focus on a specific period in history, or explore themes across time periods, such as the concept of the holy man, the status of single women, the development of ideas on slavery, or the architectural debt of the Renaissance to Etruscan and Roman art.

Related Minors

Think Big

Undergraduate research, performed under the mentorship of expert faculty, is a central component of The OWU Connection.

We emphasize intellectual curiosity, initiative, and synthesis. OWU provides opportunities for you to examine an existing problem or develop a new avenue of exploration. You can work with a faculty mentor and present your research at the Student Symposium in the spring.

Research & Independent Study

Undergraduate Editing Experience

Jordan Waterwash '18 double majored in English and Renaissance Studies. Her senior year, she served as Editor-in-Chief of both The Trident and The OWL (OWU's literary journal).

Symposium Presentation

For her senior capstone, Emily Thomas '15 explored how a map from 1300 C.E. served as a literary device for a frame story.

Go Global

Students are encouraged to travel to Florence, Paris, London, or Athens for a semester or year's credit, and to get on-site experience in the art, archaeology, and topography of European lands. Many Mediterranean and Northern European archaeological digs may welcome you as a summer intern; departments and the University-funded Theory-to-Practice Grants offer funding to support travel.

Theory-to-Practice Grants

Castles and Cathedrals

Dr. Arnold's Travel Learning Course takes students to France and Germany to study how castles tell stories of power, authority, and religion.

Get Real

Ancient, Medieval & Renaissance Studies majors have interned at museums, libraries, and universities, including Northwestern University's Early Print Lab.

Students also have interned at Mediterranean and Northern European archaeological digs.

OWU Connection

Northwestern Internship

Christopher Shanley '18 (left) and Capri Pappas '20 received Mellon Foundation grants to help fund their internships at Northwestern University's Early Print Lab, where they worked on the curation of digitized texts from the Renaissance.

Digging Romania

Bridget Roddy '20 spent a month in Romania in the summer of 2019 serving as part of the volunteer excavation team at the Roman fort Halmyris.

Highlights

Hands-on Research

Students have access to an extensive collection of rare books, artifacts, and manuscripts in the Rare Books Archive of the Beeghly Library.

Study Abroad

Students may study abroad through programs such as Syracuse University's Florence Campus, University College Cork, Newberry Library at the University of Chicago, and internships at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a College Year in Athens.

Awards

The AMRS awards an annual senior Book Prize to graduating majors or minors who have shown the highest level of academic achievement and intellectual promise. The spring essay competition awards promising writers.

Publishing Opportunities

AMRS students publish The Trident, a literary magazine with student-written articles, reports on faculty research, book reviews, and puzzles.

Graduate Outcomes

Capri Pappas '20

Capri was accepted into the University of York's master's program in medieval studies. She received OWU's Baran Fellowship and Dwight Robinson Prize to help fund her first year of graduate school.

Baran Fellowship

Diverse Careers

Students who major in Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance Studies find a remarkable number of career pathways after graduation. The knowledge you acquire about the cultural heritage of our nation and civilization prepares you for professions in museums, teaching, publishing, fundraising, law, and other areas.

Graduate Study

Many of our majors go on to study archaeology, art history, classics, history, philosophy, or religion in graduate school. Others move on to law school, library work, or management. Our graduates are well prepared for jobs that require analytical skills and oral and written communicative power.

Archival Experience

Danielle Bernert ’13 has library and archival experience at Kent State University, the Bexley Public Library, and the Columbus Metropolitan Library. She currently works as the Technical Services Library Specialist for the Serials and Acquisitions section of the Columbus College of Art and Design’s library.

Undergraduate Research to Career

Sarah Lucas ’16 is the Circulation Team Leader for the Northwest Branch of Worthington Libraries. While at OWU, she conducted a variety of research projects, including a Symposium project about ancient Roman library business practices.

A Look at AMRS

See All 6 Items

Castles and Cathedrals— Dr. Arnold's Travel-Learning Course is popular among students, and alternates between going to France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

From OWU to Paris

Castles and Cathedrals

Bridget Roddy '20 participates in an archaeological dig at a Roman fort in Romania.

Program Contact Info

Location

Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH 43015

Program Contact

Director: Patricia DeMarco
Professor of English
740-368-3582
pademarc@owu.edu

Academic Assistant: Beth Fedoush
740-368-3590
bmfedoush@owu.edu