Medieval and Renaissance
Medieval and Renaissance at Barnard
The Medieval and Renaissance program at Barnard College enables students to acquire a thorough knowledge of the most important aspects of Medieval or Renaissance civilizations and to gain an awareness of the interdependence of historical and cultural developments.
All images are drawn from manuscripts/books owned by Barnard College or Columbia University and made available by Columbia's Digital Scriptorium. Images used with permission.
Fall 2026 Information for Current Students
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Major, Senior Essay, Language Requirement
Major programs are established individually with a concentration in one of these disciplines: art history, history, literature, philosophy, romance philology, music, or religion. Each student, after consultation with the chair, chooses an adviser in her area of concentration who guides her in developing a sequence of courses to be taken in the field.
A minimum of 11 courses is required for the major in Medieval and Renaissance Studies:
- Five courses in the area of concentration;
- Two history courses for students who are not concentrating in history OR two courses in the other disciplines mentioned above for those who are;
- Two electives in areas outside the concentration, to be chosen in consultation with the adviser;
- A two-semester program of interdisciplinary research leading to the writing of the senior essay.
Our Faculty
Christopher Baswell
Gregory Bryda
Rachel Eisendrath
Kim F. Hall
