Case Western Reserve University

What you'll study

The programme is offered as a concentration within the History BA and balances chronological and thematic approaches to Europe from roughly the fourth to the eighteenth centuries. You will study political, religious, social and cultural developments—including art, material culture, law, print culture and religion—alongside the methods historians use to interpret them.

Typical modules and courses

• Introduction to Medieval Europe and Introduction to Early Modern Europe—foundational surveys that situate later specialised work
• Medieval Intellectual and Religious Culture—exploration of monasticism, scholasticism and devotional practices
• Renaissance and Reformation in Europe—political, cultural and religious transformation in the early modern period
• Material Culture and Everyday Life—objects, architecture and visual sources as historical evidence
• Reading History: Palaeography and Archival Methods—practical training in reading pre-modern scripts and using archival sources
• Language study relevant to the field—Latin and modern languages such as French, German or Italian, often taken in partnership with language departments
• Historiography and Research Methods—critical approaches to sources, theory and research design
• Seminar and Senior Capstone/Thesis—original research project supervised by faculty, often drawing on local archives and museum collections

Students combine major requirements with general education and electives across the university. Opportunities include independent study, archive-based research, and study abroad in Europe to work directly with primary sources.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to show a strong academic record in secondary education and to demonstrate readiness for rigorous reading, writing and research. Typical successful applicants present coursework in history and related humanities subjects; competence in academic writing is important. International applicants should meet the university's English-language proficiency requirements as part of their application.

Admissions decisions consider the whole application: transcripts, personal statement, letters of recommendation and any relevant supplementary materials. Prospective students interested in the medieval and early modern concentration are encouraged to highlight prior language study, independent research, or relevant extracurricular experience such as museum volunteering or archival internships.

Career prospects

Graduates develop analytical, research and communication skills valued across many sectors. Common career paths include:

• Further academic study (MA/PhD) in history, medieval studies or related fields
• Museum and curatorial work, conservation and collection management, making use of close familiarity with material culture
• Archival work and records management in public and private institutions
• Public history, heritage and cultural resource management, including work with historical societies and cultural organisations
• Education, publishing, journalism, and roles in nonprofits, government or the legal sector that value research, writing and critical thinking

Internships with local museums, archives and cultural institutions in Cleveland provide practical experience that supports these career trajectories.

Why study at Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve offers a strong History department with faculty who specialise in medieval and early modern Europe, enabling close supervision for undergraduate research. The university’s location gives students access to significant cultural and archival resources—such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Western Reserve Historical Society and extensive university libraries—which are frequently used in teaching and student projects.

Small seminar classes encourage discussion and original research, and the university supports undergraduate work through research funding, internships and study-abroad opportunities. Interdisciplinary connections with departments in languages, art history, religious studies and classics let students craft a programme tailored to cultural, textual and material approaches to the medieval and early modern worlds.