Master of Arts Classical Studies Specialization in Medieval and Renaissance Studies

The Department of Classics and Religious Studies, located in the Faculty of Arts, offers a masters program leading to the degree of Master of Arts in Classical Studies. The program comprises one main field: Late Antiquity (A.D. 200-700).

The objective of this program is to prepare the students for further study in the field of Late Antiquity, the important transitional period between Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The Department also offers the possibility of studying Coptic, Syriac and Ethiopic (in addition to Latin and Greek). Candidates will acquire a thorough background that will enable them to pursue doctoral studies.

The program aims to refine critical and scholarly skills and to broaden the knowledge of its graduates in certain areas. The ability to conduct detailed research, to argue coherently, to write an academic paper, and other skills learned can be applied in careers outside academia. Several graduates find positions in local or federal government, where their training at the MA level is clearly valued.

The Department offers a collaborative program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies at the MA level. For more information on this program, see Admission Requirements.

The collaborative masters in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MDR) has two goals:

• To offer at the graduate level a multi-disciplinary education in Medieval and Renaissance Studies;
• To teach students the theoretical approaches and methods of research specific to the study of the period.

Since the 16th century, study of the Middle Ages implies studying a middle, or intermediary period, seen as standing between two great civilizations: Roman Antiquity and the modern western world. This definition has had a major impact on scholarship, crystallizing a periodization that has now become traditional in most of the humanities.

The program is governed by the general regulations in effect for graduate studies.

For the most accurate and up to date information on application deadlines, language tests and other admission requirements, please visit the specific requirements webpage.

• An honours bachelor’s, or an equivalent degree, in Classics, in Medieval Studies or in a closely related area, with an overall average of at least 70% (B) and 75% (B+) in the advanced classical studies courses.
• 18 units of classical language courses (12 units in either Greek or Latin and 6 units in the other language) with a minimum average of 75% (B+).

Preference will be given to candidates who have already completed the 18 units. However, candidates with only 12 units will be considered on condition that the six other units will be completed with a minimum average of 75% (B+) within the first year of the program.

Collaborative Program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies

The Department of Classics Studies is a participating unit in the collaborative program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies at the Master's level. This program has been established for students wishing to enrich their training in Classical Studies by including an interdisciplinary component in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. The specific requirements of the collaborative program include two core courses in medieval studies and a thesis on a topic related to Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

Students should apply for acceptance in the Medieval and Renaissance Studies collaborative program at the same time as they apply for admission to the Master's program in Classical Studies.

In accordance with the University of Ottawa regulation, assignments, examinations, research papers and theses can be produced in either English or French.

• Apply online through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC), by completing form 105.
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