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.