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Studies & Degrees in Classical Medieval and Renaissance Studies

Classical, medieval and Renaissance studies deal with the world before modern times: Greek and Roman antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, a period that many universities now group with the following centuries under the name "early modern". The subject is interdisciplinary. It brings together history, literature, classical languages, art, philosophy and religion, and looks at how ideas, texts and institutions passed from one period to the next.

Students learn to read and interpret primary sources such as manuscripts, inscriptions, chronicles and literary texts, often in the original language. They also learn the methods of the field: source criticism, the study of old handwriting and books, and, more recently, digital tools for working with large collections of texts and images.

Qualifications and levels

The subject is seldom a first degree under this exact name. Most students start with a bachelor's degree in history, classics, a language and its literature, art history or philosophy and specialise in the older periods through their course choices and thesis. Some universities, mainly in English-speaking countries, also offer a major or minor in medieval and Renaissance studies inside a broader arts degree.

  • Bachelor's degree. At the University of Groningen the bachelor's degree in History takes 36 months and has 180 ECTS credits. Its first year surveys history from antiquity to the present day, and all classes in the international track are in English.
  • Research master's degree. The Groningen track Classical, Medieval and Early Modern Studies is a two-year research master's programme of 120 ECTS credits, taught in English, that leads to the degree of MA in History (research). It covers classical antiquity, the Middle Ages and early modernity in Europe and the Middle East. Students concentrate on history, literature or classics, take a core module on digital approaches to the premodern world and shape 60 ECTS credits of the programme individually. The thesis, with its preparation, counts for 30 ECTS credits, and a study period abroad of up to 30 ECTS credits is optional.
  • Doctorate. A research master's degree is designed as preparation for a PhD. Groningen states that approximately 50 percent of the alumni of this track have obtained a PhD position.

Admission

Master's programmes in this field expect a first degree in a related subject. Groningen asks for a bachelor's degree in history, classics, medieval studies, a European language and culture with a specialisation in literature and culture, or another related field. It also asks for an excellent academic record, a CV, a motivation letter and two letters of recommendation. For English it accepts, among other certificates, IELTS Academic with an overall score of at least 7.0 and at least 6.5 in each part. The programme starts in February and in September. The tuition fee listed for 2026-27 is €2,694 for EU/EEA students and €19,900 for students from other countries.

Knowledge of Latin, Greek or a medieval language is an advantage for work with original sources. Ask each university which languages it expects at entry and which it teaches during the programme.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists one active school for this subject: the University of Groningen, in the north of the Netherlands. Universities often place related programmes under history, classics, art history or the individual languages, so it is worth searching those subjects too. When comparing programmes, look at the periods and regions the teaching staff cover, the access to libraries, archives and manuscript collections, and the language of instruction.

Careers

The University of Groningen gives these job examples for graduates of its track: historical researcher, journalist, teacher, and employee of a library, an archive, a heritage institution or a cultural organisation. It also offers a fast track that lets students combine the programme with part of a teacher-training master's degree.

Research and heritage posts are few and usually require a postgraduate degree. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, historians typically need at least a master's degree; they held about 3,800 jobs in the United States in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035. Archivists, curators and conservators also typically need a master's degree, and overall employment of archivists, curators and museum workers is projected to grow 4 percent over the same period.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need Latin or Greek to study this subject?

It depends on the programme and on your specialisation. Work with original classical and medieval sources requires the languages, so ask the university what level it expects at entry and what it teaches during the course.

How long does a research master's degree in this field take?

The research master's track Classical, Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the University of Groningen takes 24 months and has 120 ECTS credits.

Can I study it in English?

Yes. The Groningen research master's track is taught in English, and so is the international track of its bachelor's degree in History.

What jobs does this degree lead to?

Typical routes are a PhD and academic research, teaching, and work in libraries, archives, museums, heritage institutions, publishing and journalism.