MA Medieval Studies

Programme overview

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

The Middle Ages shape landscapes and cities across the world and continue to be politicised in media and popular culture, from computer games to the daily news. The Middle Ages gave birth to at least five major world religions and saw the spread of belief systems across Afro-Eurasia.

The Leeds MA Medieval Studies provides an environment to explore a variety of medieval topics and their modern significance through compulsory and optional modules, culminating in an independent research dissertation.

You’ll be taught by experts who have specialist knowledge across a range of chronological and geographical topics, with specialisms in varied disciplines and ways of thinking about the past.

The course takes advantage of the inter-disciplinary Institute for Medieval Studies to bring together experts from the Schools of History; Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies; English; and Languages, Cultures and Societies. It also draws on the extensive connections of the Institute with heritage institutions, sites and collections. You’ll have access to the Leeds International Medieval Congress, the largest annual gathering of medieval scholarship in the world, and the International Medieval Bibliography, which offers funded internships with links to the publishing industry.

Alongside the University of Leeds’ own fantastic medieval collections, the University also has an official collaboration with the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, and long-established links with Ripon Cathedral, Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds City Museums & Galleries, and the Yorkshire Archaeological and Historical Society.

Year 1

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MEDV5151M	Language of the Past	30	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MEDV5154M	Sources, Concepts and Approaches in Medieval Studies	30	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MEDV5156M	Dissertation (Medieval Studies)	60	1 Sep to 31 Aug (12mth)

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study 60 credits from the following optional modules:

Candidates will be required to study 30 to 60 credits from Medieval Studies Optional Basket 1 AND Basket 2

Medieval Studies Optional Basket 1

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MEDV5153M	Palaeography: Reading Medieval Manuscripts	30	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MEDV5295M	Religious Communities and the Individual Experience of Religion, 1200-1500	30	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MEDV5340M	Medieval Bodies	30	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

Medieval Studies Optional Basket 2

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
ARTF5109M	Prehuman to Post-Anthropocene	30	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL5217M	Arthurian Legend: Medieval to Modern	30	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL5590M	Mystics and Metaphysicals: medieval and early modern spirituality	30	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MEDV5100M	Medieval Manuscripts in the Digital Age	30	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

Candidates may study up to 30 credits from Medieval Studies Optional Basket 3 OR Basket 4

Medieval Studies Optional Basket 3

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS5606M	Beginners Ancient Greek for Research	30	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS5607M	Beginners Latin for Research	30	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS5608M	Intermediate Ancient Greek for Research	30	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS5609M	Intermediate Latin for Research	30	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS5610M	Advanced Ancient Greek for Research	30	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS5611M	Advanced Latin for Research	30	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

Medieval Studies Optional Basket 4

Candidates may study any of the following modules in the first semester:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
LANG5050M	Czech and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
LANG5070M	Egyptian Arabic and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
LANG5080M	Modern Standard Arabic and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
LANG5090M	French and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
LANG5100M	German and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
LANG5110M	Italian and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
LANG5120M	Japanese and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
LANG5130M	Korean and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
LANG5140M	Mandarin and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
LANG5150M	Portuguese and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
LANG5160M	Spanish and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
LANG5190M	Persian and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
LANG5220M	Urdu and Intercultural Studies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

Candidates will be required to study the following module in the second semester:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MEDV5157M	Learning a Language for Medieval Studies	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

Last updated: 18/06/2026 16:34:13

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