Kent State University

What you'll study

The programme is built around a core of historical methods and period surveys, combined with specialised courses in medieval and early modern European cultural history. You will study how religious practices, artistic production, book culture, gender relations, legal systems and everyday life shaped societies across Europe between the migration period and the Enlightenment.

• Core modules: Historical Methods and Research, Western Civilization surveys, European History seminars.
• Medieval and early modern specialisms: Medieval Europe, The Renaissance and Reformation, Early Modern Europe, History of the Book and Print Culture, Religion and Society in the Middle Ages.
• Cultural topics: Art and material culture, popular religion and ritual, witchcraft and magic, gender and family, consumption and urban life.
• Skills and methods: palaeography and manuscript studies (where available), archival research, historiography, quantitative and qualitative approaches, digital tools for history.
• Language study: opportunities to study Latin and modern European languages relevant to primary-source research.
• Capstone experience: senior seminar or honours thesis, with an emphasis on independent research using primary sources from university and regional archives.
• Experiential learning: internships with museums, archives and heritage organisations; study abroad options in Europe; undergraduate research projects with faculty supervision.

Entry requirements

Applicants must meet the general undergraduate admission requirements of Kent State University. Typical applicants will present a completed secondary-school qualification or equivalent.

• Successful completion of secondary education with a programme that qualifies the applicant for university entry in their home country.
• Demonstration of preparation in humanities or social sciences is advantageous; coursework in history, languages, or writing strengthens an application.
• International applicants must meet the university's English language proficiency requirements; applicants who have undertaken upper-secondary instruction in English may also qualify.
• Transfer applicants should provide college transcripts; credit may be awarded for previous relevant coursework.
• Applicants to honours pathways or departmental scholarships may be expected to submit a writing sample or portfolio and meet departmental criteria.

Career prospects

Graduates with a concentration in Medieval and Early Modern European Cultural History develop strong research, critical thinking and communication skills that employers value across many sectors. The programme prepares students for a range of careers and further study.

• Heritage and museums: curatorial work, collections management, education and public programming in museums, historic houses and cultural organisations.
• Archives and libraries: archival technician roles, special collections, records management and digitisation projects.
• Education and outreach: secondary teaching (with appropriate certification), community education, interpretation and public history roles.
• Publishing, media and communications: editing, research for documentary and cultural media, content development.
• Public sector and NGOs: policy support, cultural heritage management, grant writing and research roles.
• Further study: graduate work in history, public history, library and information science, law or other professional programmes.

Why study at Kent State University

Kent State offers a comprehensive undergraduate history programme with faculty expertise across Europe’s medieval and early modern periods, allowing students to pursue both broad surveys and narrow specialised topics. The department emphasises faculty-led undergraduate research and provides multiple pathways for hands-on learning.

• Faculty and research supervision: access to historians working on cultural, religious and intellectual history of medieval and early modern Europe who supervise honours projects and independent research.
• Library and archival resources: Kent State’s university libraries and special collections, together with regional archives and museums, support primary-source work and manuscript-based study.
• Experiential opportunities: internships with local cultural institutions, study abroad options in Europe and projects that place students in museum, archival and public-history settings.
• Transferable skills: emphasis on writing, critical analysis, source evaluation and digital literacy prepares students for a variety of careers or graduate study.
• Supportive community: advising, academic support services and opportunities for departmental honours, student conferences and public presentations of research.