Master of Arts/PhD in History - Medieval Studies in Santa Barbara United States | University of California, Santa Barbara

The Medieval Studies program offers an interdisciplinary approach to examining European and Middle Eastern cultures during the Middle Ages through historical, literary, religious, artistic, and musical perspectives. UCSB features three tenured experts in medieval European history (Blumenthal, Farmer, Lansing), one tenured scholar specializing in the pre-modern Middle East (Sabra), along with consistent course offerings in medieval Latin, paleography, and diplomatics led by the Executive Director of Medieval Studies (English). This makes UCSB's graduate program among the nation's most robust for medieval history. Specializations cover regions like France, Italy, Iberia, and Egypt, as well as topics including medieval women, gender studies, Mediterranean cultural exchange, and elite societal structures. Graduate students have earned distinguished external funding from organizations such as Fulbright, Chateaubriand, Borchard Foundations, and the Huntington Library. Alumni have secured notable academic positions (Smith College, UC Irvine, University of Northern Colorado, Purdue University Calumet) and prestigious postdoctoral awards from the ACLS, Mellon Foundations, and the Rome Prize.