Medieval and Renaissance Studies Essay Prize

The University of Pittsburgh Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program is pleased to announce our annual award for
THE BEST UNDERGRADUATE ESSAY
in
MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE STUDIES
$500 in prize money will be awarded!
Eligibility:
Papers written for an undergraduate course in any discipline are eligible as long as they meet the following four criteria: 1) Papers should be at least eight pages long; 2) Papers must focus on a topic concerning the medieval and/or early modern periods—depending on the topic, relevant dates might extend from the seventh century through the seventeenth century; 3) Papers must have been written for a Pitt course taken between fall 2009 and spring 2011; 4) Papers must not already have won another prize, although they may be submitted simultaneously for other awards.
Submission:
Please turn in three copies before 4 p.m. on Friday, April 15 to the mailbox of Matt Carulli, which is located in the Department of French and Italian, CL 1328. Include a cover sheet with the following information: 1) Your name, 2) Title of paper 3) Course name and semester taken, and 4) Instructor’s name. Note that only the title of your paper (not your name or the course name) should appear in the body of the paper.
Questions? Please contact Professor Jennifer Waldron (jwaldron@pitt.edu)
Pitt’s Certificate in
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Have you taken a course on Shakespeare, Dante, Galileo or Michelangelo? On classical or medieval history, literature, or art? If so you have already completed some of the requirements for this certificate . . .
The Certificate is designed to give students the freedom to undertake interdisciplinary work in several departments. It is an added credential (similar to a minor) that demonstrates a student’s substantive grasp of complex cultural formations as well as a student’s willingness to undertake a specialized intellectual challenge in addition to the major.
Aside from the resume boost, why might you complete this certificate?
An intellectual interest in a time period far removed from our own can bring many rewards: the pleasures of understanding some of the key historical developments that underpin modern life, of seeing how people in earlier time periods came up with different answers to some of the same questions we have now, and, perhaps most importantly, of gaining the ability to project oneself imaginatively into another person’s way of life.
Undergraduate Certificate Requirements
At least five courses:
 Three of these five courses must be at the level of 1000 or above.
 One of these five must be focused on the medieval period.
 One of these five must be focused on the Renaissance period.
 No more than two courses from any given department may count toward the total. In practice this means that your work for the certificate must include courses from at least three different departments.
How to Enroll in the Certificate Program
Students are invited to enroll for the Certificate at any point in their academic studies, but we encourage you to sign up as early as possible. To enroll, complete the “Add/Change Program” form in 140 Thackeray or in the Department of French and Italian (CL 1328). Please contact us for additional information about enrolling in the program:
Dr. Jennifer Waldron, Director or Mr. Matt Carulli, Assistant
Cathedral of Learning 617G Cathedral of Learning 1328
Phone: 412-624-3246 Phone: 412-624-5220
Email: jwaldron@pitt.edu Email: mdc24@pitt.edu
For more details, including a listing of the many courses that count towards the Certificate, check out our website: http://www.medren.pitt.edu/