Early Modern Studies
Early Modern Studies at Washington University boasts a distinguished past and a vigorous present, with over thirty faculty members in English, History, Art History, Philosophy, Romance Languages and Literatures, German, East Asian Languages and Literature, Music, Performing Arts, and Jewish, Islamic, and Near Eastern Studies. For well over a decade, the Early Modern Reading Group and the Eighteenth-Century Interdisciplinary Salon have provided opportunities for faculty and graduate students to present and discuss work in progress, and the Mellon-funded Early Modern Dissertation Seminar, which takes place every other summer, enjoys a permanent endowment. Our membership in the consortium of the Folger Shakespeare Library opens up remarkable resources for early modern students and faculty, from rich archival materials to financial support for research and conference travel. Digital Humanities at Washington University has made early modern studies central, in part because its director is an early modern scholar and two of the largest digital archives of primary sources in the humanities are from our field: Early English Books Online and Eighteenth Century Collections Online.
The Certificate takes advantage of two long-standing strengths in Early Modern Studies at Washington University: a long tradition of interdisciplinary work and a commitment to cross national and geo-linguistic boundaries. In particular Comparative Literature, where the Certificate is housed, has created strong cross-departmental links between eastern and western departments and programs.
In addition to individual courses, another means of interdisciplinary study for current Arts & Sciences PhD students is the addition of a graduate certificate. PhD students may pursue only one certificate. Tuition remission will be granted for required units for a program of study to which a student has been admitted, including an approved Arts & Sciences graduate certificate program. Earning a certificate should not increase a student's expected time to degree or the amount of support from the School of Arts & Sciences.
Graduate students interested in a Graduate Certificate should first apply for admission to the Washington University PhD program in which they wish to obtain an advanced degree. Once admitted to a PhD program, students should notify their primary advisor, the Director of Graduate Studies for their PhD program, and the Certificate Program director of plans to obtain the Certificate. Students must fill out an application for admission to a certificate program on the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, Forms page and receive the approval of their PhD program, the certificate program's director, and the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.
contact: complit@wustl.edu
