Doane University

What you'll study

This programme is built on a core foundation in historical methods, research skills and writing, then allows concentrated study of medieval and early modern Europe. You will study political, social and cultural developments across the period typically defined from late Antiquity through the Renaissance and Reformation and into the early Enlightenment.

• Core history skills: historiography, historical research methods, archival work, and craft of historical writing.
• Medieval Europe: topics such as feudalism and lordship, Church and society, crusading movements, medieval law, and urban life.
• Early modern Europe: the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, the rise of early modern states, religious conflict, and cultural transformations in art, science and print culture.
• Cultural sources and skills: study of chronicles, legal records, letters, visual sources and material culture; introductions to palaeography and codicology where available.
• Regional and thematic seminars: focused modules on topics such as medieval gender and family, intellectual history, the history of science, or Atlantic exchanges in the early modern period.
• Capstone and research projects: senior seminars and independent research projects that require primary-source analysis and sustained argumentation.
• Related study: opportunities to take complementary courses in literature, art history, religious studies, modern languages, and classics to support linguistic and contextual competence.

Entry requirements

Applicants to Doane University are expected to have completed an accredited secondary education. Typical materials for admission include an application form, official high school transcripts, and a personal statement or essay that demonstrates interest in the humanities. Recommendations from teachers or counsellors and a résumé of extracurricular activities are usually required.

Doane operates with a holistic review process; standardised tests may be optional or considered as one part of the application depending on current institutional policy. Transfer applicants should submit college transcripts and may receive credit for prior coursework. Prospective students interested in the medieval/early modern concentration will benefit from evidence of strong written work, a demonstrated interest in history or related subjects, and any language study (for example Latin, French, German or Spanish) or coursework in humanities.

Career prospects

Graduates with a specialism in Medieval and Early Modern European Cultural History pursue a range of career paths. The programme emphasises research, critical thinking, and communication—skills valued across many sectors.

• Education: secondary teaching, museum education, or further postgraduate study leading to academic careers.
• Heritage and museums: roles in curation, collections management, interpretation, and public programming.
• Archives and libraries: archival assistant, records management, or digitisation projects, often supported by internships during study.
• Public history and cultural policy: community heritage projects, historic preservation, and cultural resource management.
• Professional sectors: law, government, non-profits, publishing, and communications—areas that value strong analytical writing and research proficiency.
• Graduate study: many students move on to master's or doctoral programmes in history, medieval studies, museum studies or library and information science.

Why study at Doane University

Doane's liberal arts environment means students benefit from small class sizes, close faculty mentoring and early access to research opportunities. History students work directly with professors on primary-source projects and can undertake independent research in Doane's collections or through partner institutions.

The university supports experiential learning: internships with local museums and archives, community-engaged history projects, and organised study-abroad options that allow immersive study in European contexts. Doane also emphasises career preparation through advising, alumni networks and placements that help translate historical skills into professional roles. For students drawn to a focused study of medieval and early modern Europe within a broader liberal-arts education, Doane offers a personalised curriculum, practical experience and clear pathways to both careers and further study.