PRE-MODERN AND EARLY MODERN HISTORY

Advanced study in the fields of ancient, classical, early Christian, late antique, Byzantine, medieval, and early modern history is a strength of the history department, and is directed by faculty with international stature. The “pre-modern and early modern” cluster of graduate faculty is especially oriented around  research into the relationships between religion, culture, and law. Daniel Gargola works on Roman law and religion; Gretchen Starr-LeBeau works on what we sometimes call Inquisition Studies and early modern Spain; our endowed Chair of Catholic Studies, David Hunter, works on the nexus of patristic writings and social practices; David Olster studies the place of religious rhetoric within the socio-political discourse of late antiquity; Abigail Firey studies medieval legal history (especially canon law)  and its relation to cultural and intellectual developments. 

We encourage interdisciplinary investigations, and most graduate committees include faculty from other departments (see list of other pre-modern faculty at the University of Kentucky).  It is possible to study classical, post-classical, and spoken Latin, Greek, manuscript cultures and paleography, art history, musicology, philosophy, Old English and other vernacular languages, Judaica, and a number of individually-tailored topics; we also work with colleagues at Lexington Theological Seminary and other institutions to enrich graduate study in the pre-modern fields at the University of Kentucky. Library holdings are excellent in the pre-modern fields, and include some manuscript, archival, and early printed materials in Special Collections. 

Faculty in the Pre-Modern fields accept applicants for graduate study only after careful consideration of their prior preparation, likelihood of success, and proper dovetailing of their interests and faculty competencies. Because of the special needs for adequate preparation in foreign languages in order to conduct research in the pre-modern and early modern fields, we expect applicants to enter the program with some preparation already completed, and expect them to continue their language studies while in the graduate program (see Program Requirements). Plans for language study are best discussed on a case-by-case basis with supervising faculty. For other information regarding applications for admission, please visit the Graduate Studies in the History Department site.  Potential applicants are also welcome to contact faculty members to learn more about degree requirements, prospective fields of study, course offerings, and other aspects of graduate training in the pre-modern and early modern fields.