Medieval and Renaissance Studies The Ohio State University

Overview

Medieval and Renaissance studies (MRS) provides a wide-ranging introduction to the medieval and early modern eras, spanning late antiquity to the mid-seventeenth century and reaching from Europe to cultures around the globe. It is adaptable to individual student interests, emphasizing historical traditions but also promoting reflection on the presence of the past in a fast-moving twenty-first-century world. 

The Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (CMRS), one of the oldest and most highly developed centers at Ohio State and one of the few that offers its own course of study, administers the MRS major. The CMRS promotes interdisciplinary scholarship that crosses traditional historical and geographical boundaries.

The Medieval and Renaissance Studies major from The Ohio State University opens doors onto the history, literature, arts, philosophies and religions of Europe, the Mediterranean world, the Near East and Asia. And it’s easy to get involved in the center’s intellectual life outside the classroom: the CMRS annually runs a scholarly lecture series, an evening film series, a two-day Popular Culture and the Deep Past conference/festival, and competitions for essay prizes and travel funding.

Possible careers

When you earn a degree in medieval and Renaissance studies (MRS), potential employers and graduate school admissions committees will know that you’ve engaged in research, academic writing and critical thinking across several disciplines.

Graduate of this interdisciplinary liberal arts education are attractive to many employers who seek to hire graduates with liberal arts backgrounds to teach languages, literature and history in private secondary schools; to work in staff and administrative roles in educational institutions at all levels; and to take up entry-level positions in publishing, media, state and local government, the nonprofit sector, and museums and other institutions that offer educational programming and outreach. The skills MRS students develop also provide well-rounded intellectual preparation for law and business school.

Additionally, students may go on to pursue master's and doctoral degrees in affiliated disciplines, such as comparative studies, English, French, Italian, German, Greek, history, history of art, Islamic studies, Jewish studies, Latin, linguistics, music history, philosophy, Slavic languages and literatures, Spanish and Portuguese, theatre, and theology. Others may choose to pursue a Master of Library and Information Science or to receive further training in historical preservation and conservation, en route to exciting careers in museums, libraries and archives.

Students can explore career options through Career Connection and the Arts and Sciences Career Services Office. Providing complimentary services, Career Connection focuses on helping students establish a career direction, while the Arts and Sciences Career Services Office assists students with finding internships—experiences that are essential to testing out the suitability of career fields they are considering.