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 for links to 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 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

ENGLISH

  • ENGL 180 Themes and Traditions in Literature (when topic appropriate) – 4 credits
  • ENGL 280 British Literary Genealogies – 4 credits
  • ENGL 352 Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature and Culture – 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 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 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 306 Byzantium: The Mediterranean Empire – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 310 Topics in Pre Modern European History – 2-4 credits
  • HIST 311 The Viking World – 4 credits

CHINESE

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

SPANISH

  • SPAN 301 Introduction to Hispanic Literature – 4 credits

MUSIC

  • 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 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 333 Buddhist Thought and Scriptures – 4 credits

THEATRE

  • THDN 265 History of Western 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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