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Pre-Modern and Ancient World Studies

Pre-Modern and Ancient World Studies Courses & Requirements

Degrees Offered:

  • Minor: Pre-Modern and Ancient World Studies

Course Listings

  • Click here to read complete descriptions of the Pre-Modern and Ancient World Studies courses offered at Wittenberg.

Degree Requirements:

Minor in Pre-Modern and Ancient World Studies

Twenty credits are required for a Pre-Modern and Ancient World Studies (PAST) minor. Areas of study include art, economics, English, history, world languages, music, philosophy, political science, religion, and theatre. Some courses and departments directly reflect the area of study, yet some courses in history might be considered meeting an area of study in religion. A course in economics might, in fact, be considered a philosophy area of study. In order to determine how such courses might count, the PAST minor student will work with the PAST advisor and together they will determine, in consultation with the faculty teaching the course under question, if the course could count for another area of study.

  • 2 lower-level courses (8 credits)
  • 2 upper-level courses (8 credits)
  • 1 additional course, upper- or lower-level (4 credits)

Students need at least two areas of study with no more than three courses from any one department.

Areas of study:

Art, Economics, English, History, World Languages, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Religion, and Theatre

Optional emphases:

To provide coherence to the minor, students should decide in consultation with their PAST faculty advisor on a distribution:

Possible Chronological Distributions

  • Ancient Worlds
  • Medieval Worlds
  • Early Modern Worlds

Possible Comparative Distributions

  • Ancient Worlds
  • Asia and Europe

Possible Thematic Distributions

  • Cultures of Europe
  • Cultures of Asia
  • Philosophy
  • Travel and Journey

Or develop a theme of your choice with your PAST advisor.

Sample of Possible Pre-Modern and Ancient World Studies (PAST Minor Distributions)

Ancient Worlds I
Lower Level Foundations:

  • ENGL 180: Themes and Traditions in Literature (when topic appropriate)
  • RELI 221: Understanding the Old Testament 
  • HIST 210: Topics in the Ancient World 

Upper Level Advanced:

  • HIST 301: Topic: Homer and Greeks Archeology/Herodotus and the Greeks 
  • ART 275: Greek and Roman Art 

Ancient Worlds II
Lower Level Foundations:

  • RELI 121: Art of Biblical Literature 
  • ENGL 180: Themes and Traditions in Literature (when topic appropriate)
  • HIST 161: Pre-Modern East Asia 

Upper Level Advanced:

  • ART 275: Greek and Roman Art
  • RELI 333: Buddhist Thoughts and Scriptures 

Medieval Worlds I
Lower Level Foundations: 

  • ART 110: History of Art I
  • RELI 241: Christian Tradition
  • HIST 241: Topic: England from Arthur to Elizabeth I

Upper Level Advanced: 

  • ART 243: Western Medieval Art
  • ENGL 350: Medieval Literature 

Medieval Worlds II
Lower Level Foundations:

  • FREN 140: Topic: French Fairy Tales 
  • POLI 211: Ancient and Medieval Political Philosophy 
  • HIST 111: Medieval Civilization 

Upper Level Advanced:

  • MUSI 304: History of Western Music to 1750 
  • PHIL 310: Ancient and Medieval Philosophy 

Early Modern Worlds I
Lower Level Foundations:

  • ART 110: History of Art I 
  • THDN 260: History of European Theatre 
  • ENGL 280: British Literary Genealogies 

Upper Level Advanced:

  • HIST 314: Renaissance and Reformation 
  • MUSI 304: History of Western Music to 1750 

Early Modern Worlds II
Lower Level Foundations:

  • HIST 251: Medieval Russia
  • ENGL 280: British Literary Genealogies 

Upper Level Advanced:

  • ART 220: Italian Renaissance Art
  • HIST 314: Renaissance and Reformation 
  • MUSI 304: History of Western Music to 1750 

Sample of Course Offerings in Departments Approved for the PAST Minor

Please consult with the online Self-Service Catalog site to review what is currently available. Click department headings below for complete course descriptions from the academic catalog.

ART HISTORY

  • ART 110 Art History I – 4 credits  
  • ART 220 Italian Renaissance Art – 4 credits
  • ART 230 Baroque and Rococo Art – 4 credits
  • ART 240 Early Christian and Byzantine Art – 4 credits
  • ART 243 Western Medieval Art – 4 credits 
  • ART 275 Greek and Roman Art – 4 credits 
  • ART 280 Topics (when topic appropriate) – 2-4 credits

ECONOMICS

  • ECON 231 European Economic History – 4 credits
  • ECON 320 History of Economic Thought – 4 credits

ENGLISH

  • ENGL 180 Themes and Traditions in Literature (when topic appropriate) – 4 credits
  • ENGL 280 British Literary Genealogies – 4 credits
  • ENGL 350 Studies in Medieval Literature and Culture – 4 credits
  • ENGL 351 Studies in Renaissance Literature and Culture – 4 credits
  • ENGL 352 Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature and Culture – 4 credits
  • ENGL 363 Major Author (when topic appropriate) – 4 credits
  • ENGL 364 Shakespeare – 4 credits

HISTORY

  • HIST 101 Topics in History (when topic appropriate) – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 105 Pre-Modern World History – 4 credits
  • HIST 110 Ancient Mediterranean Worlds – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 111 Medieval Europe – 4 credits
  • HIST 161 Pre-Modern East Asia – 4 credits
  • HIST 170 Topics in African History (when topic appropriate) – 4 credits
  • HIST 201 Topics in History (when topic appropriate) – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 204 Topics in Historical Methods (when topic appropriate) – 4 credits
  • HIST 205 Topics in World History (when topic appropriate) – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 210 Topics in the Ancient World – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 211 History of Early Christianity – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 212 History of Early Islam – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 240 Topics in Premodern Europe – 2-4 credits 
  • HIST 251 Medieval Russia – 4 credits
  • HIST 301 Topics in History (when topic appropriate) – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 302 Topics in Ancient History and Archaeology – 2-4 credits 
  • HIST 303 Ancient and Pre-Modern Historians – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 304 Topics in Late Antiquity – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 306 Byzantium: The Mediterranean Empire – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 309 Eurasian Nomads in the Ancient and Medieval World – 4 credits
  • HIST 310 Topics in Pre Modern European History – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 311 The Viking World – 4 credits
  • HIST 314 Topics in Renaissance and Reformation – 4 credits

LANGUAGES
    CHINESE

  • CHIN 130 Chinese Topics (when topic appropriate) – 4 credits

    FRENCH

  • FREN 140 Themes of Francophone Literature (when topic appropriate) – 2-4 credits
  • FREN 264 Moments de l’histoire francophone – 2 credits

    SPANISH

  • SPAN 301 Introduction to Hispanic Literature – 4 credits

MUSIC

  • MUSI 220 Introduction to Church Music – 4 credits
  • MUSI 304 History of Western Music to 1750 – 4 credits

PHILOSOPHY

  • PHIL 310 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy – 4 credits
  • PHIL 311 Modern Philosophy – 4 credits

POLITICAL SCIENCE

  • POLI 211 Ancient and Medieval Political Philosophy – 4 credits 

RELIGION 

  • RELI 121 Art of Biblical Literature – 4 credits
  • RELI 134 Chinese and Japanese Religious Traditions – 4 credits
  • RELI 221 Understanding the Old Testament – 4 credits
  • RELI 222 Understanding the New Testament – 4 credits
  • RELI 241 Christian Tradition – 4 credits
  • RELI 321 Biblical and Modern Prophets – 4 credits
  • RELI 324 Apocalyptic Vision in Ancient and Modern Literature – 4 credits
  • RELI 333 Buddhist Thought and Scriptures – 4 credits
  • RELI 339 Monkeys, Samurai, and Gods – 4 credits

THEATRE

  • THDN 260 History of European Theatre – 4 credits

In addition, topics courses in these departments and others are approved to meet Pre-Modern and Ancient World Studies minor requirements as the selected topics warrant. Other types of courses may also be offered with a Pre-Modern and Ancient World Studies emphasis and be approved for PAST credit. Current PAST courses will be listed in the master schedule each semester. Students may also receive PAST credit for study abroad experience upon petition to the PAST faculty up to 10 credits. The remaining 12 credits must be completed with PAST Wittenberg faculty.

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