How one specializes in the Medieval Era

 

Frequently, I've read about historians and literary scholars over the years who specialized in the Middle Ages. I often wondered what ''specialization'' meant in terms of a degree. 

Medievalism is the study of the Middle Ages. Generally, most people who study the Middle Ages don't take every degree program that only courses in the Middle Ages. Generally speaking, the only degrees in the USA where every course concerns the Middle Ages are those called ''Medieval Studies.'' While some colleges offer the option of concentrating on Medieval history or Medieval literature, most don't. However, those studying in a particular discipline such as religion, history, literature, art, or even music, may have the option to specialize in the Middle Ages.  

For many years, I thought that a medievalist was limited to those who obtained a degree in Medieval Studies. In general, however, the term refers to anyone who has focused on the Middle Ages in their graduate thesis or dissertation. A few examples of this would be master's degree holders in history who wrote a thesis on the crusades, master's degree holders in English who wrote a thesis on The Canterbury Tales, and master's degree holders in Philosophy who wrote a thesis on Thomistic philosophy. 

By concentrating one's thesis or dissertation on a specific era, the student makes themself an expert on it. Typically, this is the beginning of one receiving recognition as a university scholar. 

Here in the south, there are fewer opportunities for the study of the Middle Ages than in the northeast or on the west coast. Considering that Europe has more access to medieval manuscripts than most places in America, studying abroad would be ideal. However, one may have access to a gallery of facsimiles of medieval art at a local southern university. Finally, while I imagine that it's rare, some universities in the United States do have artifacts of the Middle Ages.  

For me, I am likely to pursue graduate studies in one of the three following disciplines: history, theology, or English literature. I have several ideas for a thesis in mind including the Crusades, Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, Medieval allegories, Knighthood and Chivalry, the Arthurian Romances, and the influence of the monasteries upon late Medieval religion. While I maybe open to slightly altering my thesis, I am certain that I wish it to be on something medieval.