MA Études Médiévales

Lincoln has a long and fascinating history. With its medieval castle, world-renowned Gothic cathedral, and some of the finest surviving examples of medieval domestic architecture in the United Kingdom, the city is home to a wealth of medieval resources, making it an ideal location in which to undertake an advanced study of the Middle Ages.

You will be able to learn a range of research methods used within medieval studies and develop skills such as paleography and Latin. You will be taught how to utilize historical archives to explore the social, political, cultural, economic, and religious histories of England, Europe, and the wider Mediterranean world. Our modules are informed by a wide range of disciplinary perspectives, including Women's History, the History of Emotions, and Medievalism. Some modules are supported by the wealth of literary manuscripts at Lincoln Cathedral, which holds one of only 50 full manuscripts of The Canterbury Tales, as well as The Thornton Romances, which contains the earliest known accounts of King Arthur's death.

You will be able to work with a team of academics who are leading researchers, authors, editors of books, contributors to international research projects and conferences, broadcasters, conservators, and experts in heritage.

As a Medievalist and a member of the School of History and Heritage, you will be able to join our vibrant Postgraduate community and participate in a range of extra-curricular research activities organized by the Medieval Studies Research Group. These include research seminars, an Annual Medieval Lecture, a 'Medieval Week' with international contributors, and reading groups involving also Ph.D. students and Postdoctoral researchers in the School.

Prioritising Face-to-Face Teaching

At the University of Lincoln, we strive to ensure our students’ experience is engaging, supportive, and academically challenging. Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, we have adapted to Government guidance to keep our students, staff, and community safe. All remaining Covid-19 legal restrictions in England were lifted in February 2022 under the Government’s Plan for Living with Covid-19, and we have embraced a safe return to in-person teaching on campus. Where appropriate, face-to-face teaching is enhanced by the use of digital tools and technology and may be complemented by online opportunities where these support learning outcomes.

We are fully prepared to adapt our plans if changes in Government guidance make this necessary, and we will endeavor to keep current and prospective students informed. For more information about how we are working to keep our community safe, please visit our coronavirus web pages.

Research at Lincoln

Our MA program relies on the research expertise and collaboration of members of our Medieval Studies Research Group.

Collaborations

We have a strong relationship with the wider scholarly and professional community including the Wren Library in Lincoln Cathedral and archives, with whom we collaborate in our teaching and research. We also collaborate closely with a number of organizations including:

• The Society for the Medieval Mediterranean
• The Lincoln Record Society
• Royal Historical Society
• The Noblewomen Network
• The Historical Association
• International Arthurian Society (British Branch)
• Pipe Roll Society
• British Archaeological Association

Features

This Programme offers a range of opportunities for you to develop as a scholar and to become an active member of both our Postgraduate cohort and ‘One Community’ at Lincoln.

You will be invited to attend research seminars and activities delivered by both internal and external speakers, including the University’s Annual Medieval Studies Lecture. In some years the Lincoln School of Humanities and Heritage’s Visiting Professor in Medieval History provides an annual seminar, lecture, or masterclass for graduate students in Medieval Studies. Other visiting lecturers, from the UK, Europe, and North America, have also previously given lectures and seminars for students. We also organise a ‘Medieval Week’, which includes a range of public events and lectures delivered by internationally recognised scholars in the field of Medieval Studies.

Our School benefits from its own Medieval Studies Research Group, where students can access support and engage with a wider scholarly and professional community.

We encourage you to attend extra-curricular activities, such as reading groups, where you will have the opportunity to discuss ideas and share knowledge with your peers, as well as with PhD students, Postdoctoral researchers, and staff in the School.

How to Apply

There are no formal interviews but students interested in taking the course will be invited to have an informal conversation with the programme leader, if this is possible, or to have a conversation via email.

"This information was correct at the time of publishing (July 2023)"

The University of Lincoln is home to a growing community of students from around the world and we are delighted that you are considering joining us.

Since Her Majesty the Queen opened the first University of Lincoln building on the Brayford Pool Campus, we have welcomed more than 90,000 students from across 135 countries. Today, we are listed in the world’s top 150 universities in the Times Higher Education’s (THE) Young University Rankings 2020 and were also named as the Modern University of the Year in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021.

At the University of Lincoln, we put students at the heart of everything we do. We have a reputation for innovative teaching and were awarded a five-star score overall in the QS Stars rating in 2020 and were awarded Gold, the highest standard possible, in the national Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2017.

A Great Location

As a student at the University of Lincoln, you will be living in one of Europe’s great historic cities,

with a history dating back as far as 300BC. Alongside remains from Lincoln’s Roman heritage, the city is also home to a number of historical buildings and landmarks, including Lincoln Cathedral which was built in 1072 and was once the tallest building in the world. The city is also home to Lincoln Castle which has watched over the city’s skyline for almost 1,000 years.

Lincoln is a fantastic place to live, study and work and was named as one of Britain’s 20 Best Cities in 2017 by The Telegraph. In 2016, Lincoln was also named as the friendliest place in the UK by the Eden Project’s Big Lunch programme and those who live here. More recently, Lincoln was named as one of the most affordable student cities in the UK, according to The Times Good University Guide 2020.

You may not think you know the county of Lincolnshire, but our residents have helped shape history beyond its borders. As an example, renowned physicist and mathematician Sir Isaac Newton was born in the Lincolnshire village of Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth in 1642. Lincolnshire was also the birthplace of the UK’s first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, and the home of poet Alfred Tennyson.

With more than 2,000 years of history, the city of Lincoln has been used as a filming location in a number of period television series and films including Downton Abbey, The Da Vinci Code and The King.

Preparing you for your future career

Employers are increasingly looking for individuals who can make a difference in today’s global workplace. As a student at the University of Lincoln, we aim to prepare you for your future career by providing you with a range of opportunities to engage with industry and to develop career-ready skills. The University is proud to have developed innovative partnerships with a range of organisations, providing students with enhanced opportunities for work experience, networking, and access to the latest industry trends.

One of the best ways for you to show an employer that you are the right person for the job is to have a CV containing real-world experience alongside your academic achievements. At the University of Lincoln, we offer a range of opportunities to help you develop the skills and qualities employers are increasingly looking for. As an example, a number of our undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes provide the opportunity to apply to take part in an industry work placement or project. There may also be opportunities to hear from guest speakers and to participate in field trips to help you broaden your knowledge. To find out more, please visit the programme pages on our website.

Our courses have gained international recognition with Agriculture at Lincoln ranked in the top 250 in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2020, while Computer Science and Education are ranked in the top 250 in the world in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021.

We want students to get involved in initiatives such as our Student Managed Investment Fund, and enjoy the benefits of our links to companies such as Siemens and Reuters. We have Bloomberg Terminals on campus, enabling business students and staff to monitor and analyse real-time financial market data, alongside laboratories, lecture theatres and seminar rooms

A Great Student Experience

Our Students’ Union (SU) can help to make your time at Lincoln a truly unforgettable experience.

Run by student leaders, the SU offers a range of opportunities and support for members of our student community whilst representing your academic interests.

Joining a club or society can be a great way to make new friends, creating bonds that can last a lifetime. The SU traditionally offers more than 100 different sports clubs and societies that anyone can join. They range from academic groups like the Computer Science and Law Societies to less traditional clubs such as the Harry Potter and Pokemon Go Societies.

Alongside it’s fascinating history and countryside, the county of Lincolnshire is renowned for regional food such as the Lincolnshire sausage, and there is lots to see and do, with countryside walks in the Lincolnshire Wolds and trips to the British seaside at Cleethorpes and Skegness nearby.

"This information was correct at the time of publishing (July 2023)"