UCL Medieval and Renaissance Studies

UCL Medieval and Renaissance Studies

• Home
• Medieval and Renaissance Studies Staff
• MA in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MARS)
  • An overview of the degree
  • Students' views
  • Admissions
  • Scholarships
  • Courses
    • Course options
      • Early Modern Latin Literature
      • MDVLGE14
    • Preparatory Reading
    • Submission of course work
  • Personal tutoring
  • Dissertation
  • Assessment
  • Staff / Student consultative committee
  • Start of year
  • Meetings
  • Coursework Guidelines
• PhD Research in Medieval and Renaissance Studies
• Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MARS) Centre
• Seminars and Lectures
• Libraries and Resources
• News

Medieval and Renaissance Latin (Intermediate)

Code: MDVLGL05 (30 credits), MDVLGL06 (additional 15 credit Medieval component)

Course tutor: Dr Ed Sanders (core classes); Dr John Sabapathy (Medieval Latin classes)

Time and location: Core classes, Tuesdays and Fridays 4-5.30 at RHUL 11 Bedford Square; additional class for Medievallists, Mondays 2-3, room G01, 16-18 Gordon Sq.

This course is taught in the Department of Classics at Royal Holloway and is intended for students who have already completed a beginners’ course in Latin. It extends their knowledge of the language to the point where they are ready to read substantial texts. Students who already have a solid formation in Latin are strongly advised take Medieval Latin Literature instead, especially if they are also taking Manuscripts and Documents.

In addition to the teaching provided by the Department of Classics, MARS students take additional weekly Latin classes with a MARS course tutor. Each week these additional classes illustrate a specific genre of source and students are required to translate passages prepared in advance. This part of the course teaches students how to translate medieval sources, with an emphasis on the basic skills: using a standard classical Latin dictionary; using medieval or Renaissance Latin dictionaries; individuating the first things to look for when translating a sentence; the importance of knowing how to tune the effort to the needs (sometimes understanding the sense is enough, at other times a carefully articulated translation is essential).

Note: If you wish to take this course, you will need to complete an intercollegiate registration form and return it to Helen Matthews (via her pigeonhole in the History Department Reception). She will obtain the necessary approval signatures and forward it to Royal Holloway.

Assessment: a combination of assessed coursework (25%) and a three-hour unseen examination paper including passages from the medieval texts studied through the year (75%).

Preparatory reading: The National Archives has a very helpful Latin course corresponding (despite its title) of intermediate level: Advanced Latin.