The study of the medieval past brings many rewards on its own terms:

• the intellectual challenge of investigating cultural difference
• the ability to trace the origins of familiar modern ideas, whether on the level of the  individual (love, marriage) or the institutional (political beliefs, religious stereotypes)
• the ability to imagine new answers to questions that our contemporary society may answer in radically different ways

The Certificate in Medieval Studies rewards students for undertaking interdisciplinary work across several departments. This endeavor provides the necessary tools for viewing clearly not only a distant society, but also, in its reflection, our own. Like a minor, the Certificate documents a rigorous course of study in addition to the major(s). It attests ambitious intellectual goals as well as the ability to imagine historical problems in a transnational perspective. As a credential, it demonstrates a capacity for comparative critical thinking and analysis, skills that appeal to a wide range of potential employers.