Overview
Examining European society and culture

The Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MARS) program is an interdisciplinary minor that invites students to examine European society and culture from Late Antiquity to 1700 from a series of diverse perspectives. It was during this exciting period that a distinctly European civilisation was forged. It was an age of faith—but also an age of brutal violence. It was a period of rigid stratification, but one which saw people chaffing to break social and cultural boundaries. Most people were illiterate, but it saw the production of some of the greatest treasures of European art and literature. It was the age of the original information revolution.

Drawing upon the resources of a range of BCA departments, the minor will invite students to examine and investigate the dynamics and tensions inherent in this crucial period, and to understand how these were expressed across different social and cultural fields. In so doing, students will gain a richer understanding of the origins and meaning of many familiar modern ideas and institutions that have their roots in this period. But in addressing historical problems from an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural and trans-national perspective, students will be able to imagine new answers to some of the problems facing today’s society.

Declaring a Minor

Current students can declare a minor in this program through their myBCA account.

Course Structure
Minor

A minor in Medieval and Renaissance Studies will be recognized when a student has completed 21 semester hours in Medieval and Renaissance courses, including History 2010 and six other courses from at least three different departments. At least one course must be at the 4000 level.

The following courses would all be eligible to be counted towards the minor. Not all courses listed are available in any given year.

  • Classics 1010: Latin 1
  • Classics 1020: Latin 2
  • English 2550: Introduction to Shakespeare
  • English 2560: Shakespeare in Film and Media
  • English 2750: Arthurian Literature
  • English 3560: Renaissance Literature
  • English 3570: Renaissance Drama
  • English 3580: Milton
  • English 3720: Chaucer
  • English 3750: Middle English Literature
  • English 3780: The Medieval Book
  • English 4550: Advanced Studies in Early Modern Literature
  • English 4750: Advanced Studies in Medieval Literature
  • Fine Arts 2120: Medieval Art
  • Fine Arts 3010: Renaissance Art
  • French 4010: Renaissance Literature
  • French 4020: Le moyen-age
  • History 2010: European Civilization 500 BC-1648
  • History 3030: Power, Culture and Consumption: The Renaissance in Italy
  • History 3050: Martyrs, Marauders, Clerics and Kings: The Culture of the European Middle Ages
  • History 3100: Tudor England – 1485-1603
  • History 3110: Science Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult in Pre-modern Europe
  • History 4040: Monsters, Gold, and Glory: Travel, Trade, and the Problem of Discovery in Premodern Europe
  • History 4050: Crusades and Crusading
  • Philosophy 2480 (RS 2840): Introduction to Medieval Theology and Philosophy
  • Religious Studies 3760: Thomas Aquinas and the Thomistic Tradition
  • Spanish 4050: The Legacy of the Spanish Mystics
  • Spanish 4070: Spanish Medieval Literature
  • Spanish 4150: Cervantes’ Don Quixote and the Formation of the Modern Novel
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What can you do with an Arts degree? Anything you want!

BCA provides a solid education in the liberal arts, committed to rigorous study and inquiry, belief in the value of knowledge, lifelong capacity-building, and the development of the whole person.

Admissions Criteria
What's Required for Arts Admission?

High School Graduates

American High School Equivalency Chart

Successful completion of Grade 12 examinations in a University Preparatory Program with an overall average of at least 70% (75% for Quebec Secondary V students) in the following subjects:

  • English;
  • one Social Studies or Language;
  • any 3 other academic courses. Grade 12 math recommended.
    Note: Grade 12 Math is a prerequisite for some 1st year Art courses.

Please refer to the BCA Academic Calendar for complete admissions information.

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Faculty of Arts Programs Tuition

BCA's undergraduate tuition is the second-lowest in the Atlantic region, and we offer millions of dollars in scholarships and awards.

Tuition

$6,390 per year, based on 30 credit hours ($639 per 3 credit course).
International students pay $7,470 per year in addition to full-time student tuition.

For a complete breakdown of part-time or full-time study as a student in the Faculty of Arts, visit our Tuition and Fees page.

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Search the complete list of scholarships for information and application forms.  

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Including Guaranteed Entrance Scholarships and Academic Excellence Awards, these awards recognize the academic achievements of all students who meet the eligibility criteria while studying towards their first undergraduate degree.

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Medieval and Renaissance Studies