McGill is a vibrant place in which to encounter the history and culture of the global Middle Ages. Teaching and research on the medieval millennium is carried out by historians, literary scholars, musicologists, art historians, and philosophers; moreover, McGill’s unique constellation of programs in Islamic Studies, Jewish Studies, East Asian Studies and Religious Studies extend the coverage well beyond the domain of Europe. Bridging these centres of academic activity is the Global Pasts Research Group -- an umbrella organization that brings together faculty and students from across the university for regular seminars and special events on topics pertaining to the ancient and medieval worlds, including hands-on workshops featuring McGill’s holdings in medieval manuscripts and other artifacts. Faculty members affiliated with the Medieval Studies program supervise Honours and graduate-level theses. In addition, the Minor Concentration in Medieval Studies offers students the opportunity to gain a broad interdisciplinary and intercultural grounding in this complex, diverse, and deeply significant epoque.
Scenes from a late fifteenth-century Breviary in McGill’s Rare Books and Special Collections (MS 102)