Study

If you want to study the medieval period with our researchers, there are a number of options, from undergraduate modules to research degrees. Follow the links below to find out more:

BA in History and click on the ‘Modules’ tab to see the medieval options

MA in Medieval Studies

MPhil/PhD in History

MPhil/PhD in Medieval Studies

For details of our current PhD students and their projects, follow this link

Our Former Students

The Medieval Studies Research Group at Lincoln is proud of the achievements of our past and present postgraduate students. Here are some testimonials from our past MA in Medieval Studies students:

Hannah MacKenzie

A photograph of Hannah MacKenzie.

I am currently undertaking a PhD in Medieval Studies funded by the AHRC through the White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities (WRoCAH) at the University of Leeds. My doctoral thesis examines episodes of cannibalism in eleventh- to thirteenth-century travel literature and aims to highlight the use of anthropophagical rhetoric as a conceptual tool in medieval discussions of cross-cultural encounters. I am particularly interested in situating depictions of survival and staged cannibalism within the thematic context of ‘hunger’ – a factor that inspires man to consume man – as a means to more fully understand the implications of consuming human flesh in high-medieval writing on travel.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the University of Lincoln and I believe that being a part of the close-knit group of medievalists in the School of History and Heritage stood me in good stead for undertaking a PhD in medieval history. The range of module options available to MA Medieval Studies students allowed me to tailor my course to complement my research interests in eleventh- and twelfth-century social and cultural history. Similarly, having the chance to develop skills in Latin and palaeography as well as learning how to use archives at Lincoln Cathedral proved invaluable when I started my doctoral research in 2019.

During my MA, with support and encouragement from the history department, a small committee and I were also afforded the opportunity to organise and host a medieval symposium entitled ‘Writing Medieval History’. This was the first symposium of its kind run entirely by MA students in the School of History and Heritage and aimed to provide a space for individuals to share and develop academic works in progress. The process of organising and running an event of this nature was a brilliant experience that drastically increased my confidence in sharing ideas in an academic forum.

I am extremely grateful to both Dr Antonella Luizzo Scorpo and Dr Jamie Wood who continued to support and encourage me as I applied for my PhD and doctoral funding two years after I had graduated and I look forward to sharing my research with the medievalists at the University of Lincoln in the near future.

Chris Rollinson

A photograph of Chris Rollinson.

I completed my MA in Medieval Studies in 2016 after graduating in BA History the year before. While at undergraduate level I was enticed with the grand tour of history, studying a diverse range of topics from various periods, my MA taught me the skills needed to more satisfying pursue my historical interests.

The main component of MA is, of course, your dissertation. I felt at the start of the year pretty overwhelmed by mine – so many potential topics floating around my mind, too few dissertations I could write. My tutors, however, offered me a guiding hand, encouraging me to pursue these ideas while also being the voice of reason, supporting me with their expertise on how to conduct my research effectively. Their advice led me to somehow forge a dissertation that bound all my interests into one, making a truly unique topic.

Along with my independent research was the ‘core’ Latin module. Here I immersed myself with the primary sources which, naturally, involved learning basic Latin – an opportunity I could not pass up! Using some original manuscripts taken from the Lincolnshire Archives as examples, I familiarised myself with the writing styles and habits of medieval calligraphy from different periods, which complemented the quality of my independent research nicely. It gave me the confidence to engage the primary source material with new insight on how to “read between the lines”.

I feel that the greatest benefit I received from this course is a newfound sense of confidence, that I can complete grand projects such as my dissertation, learn new skills and incorporate them effectively into my professional life. A major obstacle for my dissertation was the lack of translated source material. All my sources were in Castilian Spanish, but an indirect consequence of this was that it planted an interest within me to learn the language.

Having started Spanish in my MA, I have continued to learn right through graduation and up to the present day. My original intention was to, eventually, become fluent in order to pursue my interests further at PhD level (something which is still very much on my bucket list, by the way!). However, my pursuit has had the unintentional benefit of complimenting my current career in the civil service. Language learners receive frequent opportunities in my department to work temporarily abroad. My department has supported my language learning journey – even encouraging me to broaden my interests to fit in basic Mandarin Chinese and study there for 3 months. None of this would have been possible, however, if my Medieval Studies tutors did not encourage me to maximise my potential.

Laura Smith

A photograph of Laura Smith.

Deciding to go back to university as a mature student was a huge decision for me, I had completed a degree in Theology at the University of Kent at Canterbury and then become a teacher, working in special schools and mainstream primary.  I had a successful job as an Assistant Head Teacher as well as a family to consider but had always wanted to continue my academic studies.  I eventually took the plunge and began studying for the Masters in Medieval Studies at the University of Lincoln in 2017.

I chose Medieval Studies because I had studied both early church history and Reformation and Enlightenment theology during my degree, but felt that I had a really big gap in historical knowledge between these two time periods.  As I had been out of academia for a long time, I felt that a taught course would improve my subject knowledge as well as help me to develop the necessary skills for further research. Lincoln was an excellent choice, the modules enabled me to learn about a really broad time period and wide geographical area.  Being able to study Latin and Palaeography were also a deciding factor.

Towards the end of my Masters, I knew that I wanted to continue my research and to undertake a PhD.  One of the best parts of going to Lincoln was how supportive and helpful the lecturers were, I was able to discuss with them how postgraduate study worked (I had not got a clue!) and was able to talk through my ideas for subsequent research.

I am now in the first year of a PhD in Theology at the University of Birmingham and am working with Candida Moss, a leading scholar in ideas about martyrdom, death and suffering in Early Christianity.  My project is entitled Daily Martyrdom and the Suffering Female Body:  Discourses of Female Asceticism in Late Antique and Early Medieval Christianity and my research focuses on a diverse range of topics such as gender and identity, suffering, ancient medicine, disability, asceticism and hagiography.

I have also been incredibly lucky to have been awarded a three-year full time M4C studentship starting in September 2020 which not only provides funding for my PhD, but which also offers an extensive and customised training and support package to develop skills and attributes for research.