Humanities Quadrangle, Rooms 431 and 436, 203.432.0672
http://earlymodern.yale.edu
M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D.

Chair 
Marisa Bass

Director of Graduate Studies 
Erika Valdivieso

Affiliated Faculty Marisa Bass, Lauren Benton, Paola Bertucci, Dominique Brancher, Paul Bushkovitch, Rudiger Campe, Allison Caplan, Edward Cooke, Ivano Dal Prete, Michael Della Rocca, Fabian Drixler, Claudia Dumitru, Maura Dykstra, Carlos Eire, Paul Freedman, Supriya Gandhi, Alessandro Giammei, Bruce Gordon, Samuel Hodgkin, K. David Jackson, Nicholas Jones, Christina Kraus, Noel Lenski, Volker Leppin, Tina Lu, Alan Mikhail, Jane Mikkelson, Feisal Mohammed, Isaac Nakhimovsky, Morgan Ng, Catherine Nicholson, Catalina Ospina, Jessica Peritz, Mark Peterson, Ayesha Ramachandran, Kishwar Rizvi, Pierre Saint-Amand, Stuart Schwartz, Nicole Sheriko, Nicola Suthor, Shawkat Toorawa, Katie Trumpener, Jane Tylus, Erika Valdivieso, Jesús Velasco, Lisa Voigt, Mimi Yiengpruksawan

Fields of Study

Early Modern Studies offers a combined Ph.D. degree that integrates concentration in a partner department with interdisciplinary study of the historical period between 1350 and 1800, a temporal range that recognizes “early modernity” as manifested differently and at different times across the world. The program’s scope is global, transnational, transcultural, and committed to a vision of an interlinked world with many, varied, locally-inflected transitions to modernity. Inclusive in scholarship and teaching, the combined degree encourages students to forge connections to diverse disciplinary frameworks, geographic conjunctures, and institutional structures. Current partner departments are: Classics, Comparative Literature, English Language and Literature, French, Germanic Languages and Literatures, History, History of Science and Medicine, History of Art, Music, Italian Studies, Near Eastern Languages and Literatures, and Spanish and Portuguese.

Admissions This is a combined degree program. Students must first apply to the doctoral program of one of the partner departments; if accepted, they can then apply to the Program in Early Modern Studies during their second term of graduate study at Yale. Admission to the combined degree in early modern studies thus occurs after the student has already matriculated in the graduate school. Upon acceptance to the combined degree, students are normally enrolled as such from their second year of graduate study. 

Special Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree

Students are subject to the combined Ph.D. supervision of the Early Modern Studies program and the relevant partner department. The student’s course of study is decided in consultation with an adviser, the director of graduate studies (DGS) in early modern studies, and the DGS in the partner department. 

As detailed below, requirements for the combined degree vary slightly to accommodate the requirements of the individual partner departments, but all candidates for the combined degree are expected to meet the following requirements:

Timing and Completion of Courses The total number of courses for the combined degree in Early Modern Studies remains the same as that of the partner department’s Ph.D. program. Students in the combined degree have the option of taking some of their coursework in their third year in the program. Within that scope, students must incorporate the courses listed below:

1. EMST 7000, Workshop in Early Modern Studies: This one-semester seminar, taken in the first term of the combined degree, provides an introduction to key questions in the field of early modern studies. The workshop includes extensive discussion of revising writing for publication, peer review, and a series of guest presentations from faculty affiliated with the program.
2. EMST 8000, EMST 8001, Early Modern Colloquium: Taken as two half-credit courses in the second and third term of the combined degree. Students attend regular research presentations by scholars within and beyond Yale. This course does not count towards the total number of courses required for the Ph.D. by the partner department.
3. Three elective courses in early modern studies of which at least one course must be taken outside the student’s primary department. One of the courses may be an interdisciplinary course (i.e. a relevant course in the sciences, social sciences, or other relevant topic outside the traditional humanities).
4. EMST 9000, Professional Skills Workshop for Early Modern Studies: This course is taken in the student’s fourth term of the combined degree as a one-semester course designed to support students as they begin to form their dissertation projects. Skills covered include abstract writing, preparing fellowship applications, interviewing, and presenting, with a focus on how to communicate the contribution of an interdisciplinary dissertation project to a range of audiences. This funded workshop also culminates in a conference and offers each student the opportunity to invite one scholar to campus from outside Yale for one-on-one mentoring on their developing research and career goals.

In general, it is expected that courses in early modern studies constitute about one-third of the student’s doctoral coursework. We expect that most students in the combined degree will take more courses in the field as relevant to their specific area of research specialization. 

Language Requirement The language requirement follows the student’s primary department requirements. However, students in the combined degree have flexibility with regard to the completion of language requirements, in negotiation with the partner department.

Qualifying Exams Qualifying exams will follow the student’s primary department; however, a significant portion of the student’s exam lists must be on early modern topics. See guidelines for individual partner departments below.

Prospectus and Admission to Candidacy Procedures for the submission and approval of prospectuses follow the student’s primary department; at least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the committee. Upon completion of all predissertation requirements, including the prospectus, students are admitted to candidacy for the combined Ph.D. degree. Admission to candidacy must be completed by the beginning of the fourth year.

Dissertation The parameters for the dissertation will follow the student’s primary department. At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the committee. Students in the joint degree are also generally encouraged to have at least one faculty adviser outside their home department. 

Teaching Student’s teaching assignments will primarily be determined by the home department. However, all students in the combined degree will be permitted additional flexibility in the completion of teaching requirements: students may complete their required four terms of teaching in years two, three, or four of their graduate program. In addition, students will typically assist in the teaching of at least one course in early modern studies. A Graduate Professional Development Opportunity in a relevant area (museums, libraries, collections, etc.) may be substituted for this requirement.

Specific Requirements by Partner Department

Details for the combined degree with specific affiliate departments are listed below.

Classics

Students are admitted to the Classics department first, and then apply during the second term of graduate study to participate in the Combined Program in Classics and Early Modern Studies.

Requirements for the Ph.D. in Classics and Early Modern Studies

1. Practice translation tests in Greek and Latin on texts assigned from the classical philology reading lists; these are taken before the beginning of the first and third terms and are meant to help students prepare for the qualifying translation exams to be taken before the beginning of the fifth term in the program (7. below).
2. A proseminar offering an introduction to the discipline of classics and its various subdisciplines, to be taken in the first year in residence (not for credit).
3. Departmental reading examinations in French (or Italian) and German, or approved Yale courses or examinations that demonstrate reading proficiency in these languages (e.g., by achieving a grade of A in French/German/Italian for Reading Knowledge or by passing proficiency exams administered by Yale’s modern language departments). The department will also accept certain certificates of proficiency in French, German, or Italian in lieu of these exams, as listed in the Classics Graduate Handbook. The first (in either language) is to be passed by the end of the first year; the other may be passed at any time before submission of the dissertation; students are, however, encouraged to complete this requirement as early in the program as possible. 
4. A minimum of twelve term courses, with the following stipulations:
   (a) two yearlong survey courses in the history of Greek and Latin literature (four courses in total);
   (b) four courses prescribed by Early Modern Studies, including EMST 7000 which counts for a single course;
   (c) four other graduate courses in CLSS. In addition, EMST 8000 (Early Modern Colloquium) must be taken in the second and third terms in the program and EMST 9000 (the prospectus workshop) in the fourth term in the program. Neither of these two courses (EMST 8000 and EMST 9000) count towards the minimum course requirement; and
   (d) one course from a selection of philologically oriented options, e.g., Greek and/or Latin language (currently GREK 5995 and LATN 5995), palaeography, papyrology, epigraphy, historical linguistics; (e) one further course at the 6000, 7000, or 8000 level.
5. Oral examinations in Greek and Latin literature, based on the syllabus covered by the survey courses, drawn from the classical philology Ph.D. reading list. These are to be taken closely following the surveys in the respective literatures, as follows: the first, at the end of the second term (May of the first year), the second at the end of the fourth term (May of the second year).
6. Translation examinations in Greek and Latin, based on the classical philology Ph.D. reading list, by the beginning of the fifth term in residence.
7. Four special field exams to be taken in the fall of the third year (fifth term in residence); two of these must be at least partly in a classical field and two must be at least partly in an early modern field. 
8. A dissertation prospectus by the end of the sixth term in residence. The procedures for approval of the prospectus are as for the philology program, but at least one member of the EMST faculty, as approved by the DGS in Early Modern Studies, must be on the prospectus approval committee (which is a committee of the whole in Classics); the prospective thesis committee, the DGS, and the EMST faculty member must approve of the prospectus.
9. A dissertation. Once dissertation writing has begun, students will present work in progress from the dissertation at least once per academic year. Research presentations will normally take the form of pre-circulation of a selection of work from the dissertation and a discussion of it with interested faculty, or some other research presentation experience approved by the DGS. This is a requirement for remaining in good standing; exemptions from it require the support of the dissertation adviser and the approval of the graduate committee.

Comparative Literature

Coursework Students are required to complete fourteen term courses, at least seven of these (including CPLT 5150, Proseminar in Comparative Literature) in the Department of Comparative Literature. Students must take at least four courses in early modern studies (offered in several departments), including the core seminar (EMST 7000); at least one of these courses must be taken outside Comparative Literature. At least three of a student’s overall list of courses must be in literary theory, criticism, or methodology; at least one course each in poetry, narrative fiction, and drama; and at least one course each in ancient or medieval literature and Enlightenment or modern literature. These requirements can overlap with the requirements of the Early Modern Studies program. At least two courses must be completed with the grade of Honors. In general, students should take a wide range of courses with a focus on one or two national or language-based literatures.

Languages Students must demonstrate proficiency in three languages apart from English, one of which must fulfill the philological requirement in Comparative Literature. The languages chosen should be relevance to the student’s chosen area of research and should be determined in consultation with the DGSs in Comparative Literature and Early Modern Studies. 

Orals Qualifying exams follow the format in Comparative Literature; however, a significant portion of the student’s exam lists must be on early modern topics. The exact number will be determined in consultation with the DGSs in Comparative Literature and Early Modern Studies. 

Prospectus and Dissertation The prospectus should be completed in September of the fourth year. Procedures regarding the dissertation will follow departmental practice, however at least one member of the dissertation committee must be an affiliate of the Program in Early Modern Studies.

English Language and Literature

Doctoral students in English Language and Literature may apply in the second term of graduate study to the Program in Early Modern Studies, to pursue a combined Ph.D. degree in English and early modern studies. All requirements for the Ph.D. in English apply, with the following adjustments.

Coursework In years one and two, a student in the combined program will complete ten seminars in English, including ENGL 9090, The Teaching of English, two courses on early modern texts and/or topics, one course in each of two out of three additional historical periods (medieval, eighteenth- and/or nineteenth- century, twentieth- and/or twenty-first century), and two seminars in early modern studies, including EMST 7000, Workshop in Early Modern Studies, and one seminar outside of English. Students also participate in EMST 8000/EMST 8001, Early Modern Studies Colloquium.

Qualifying Examination Students will follow the usual procedures for oral qualifying exams in English, with the additional requirement that at least two of their four lists must concentrate on early modern texts and topics. 

Prospectus In addition to enrolling in ENGL 9093, the English Department Prospectus Workshop, in fall, third-year students in the combined program will enroll in EMST 9000.

Dissertation Committee At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the committee. The chair of the committee will be from the English Department, but students in the combined program are encouraged to include at least one faculty member from outside of English on their committees. 

French

Students are admitted to the Department of French first and then apply during the second term of the first year to participate in the combined program.

Coursework Fourteen courses at the graduate level are required. These correspond to the requirements of the Department of French and those of the Early Modern Studies Program. Of the courses taken in French, one must be FREN 6100, Introduction to Old French. Three others (elective) must fall within early modern periods (1350 to 1800) including one course outside of the department (History, History of Art, Music, Religious Studies, Philosophy, etc.). There are three required early modern studies courses: EMST 7000, Workshop in Early Modern Studies; EMST 8000/EMST 8001, Early Modern Colloquium; and EMST 9000, a professional skills workshop to be taken in the third year. 

Languages Two languages appropriate to the field are required and can be satisfied in the variety of ways presented in the Department of French Rules and Regulations and following the timeline outlined in the document.

Qualifying Examination An oral qualifying examination must take place as early as possible in the third year of study, before spring recess at the latest. The examination will consist of five topics; at least three must be in the early modern field.

Dissertation A formal prospectus is to be presented by the end of the sixth term (third year) of study. The prospectus committee will consist of three faculty members, including the dissertation director(s) and at least one member in the field outside of French. Once approved by the committee, the prospectus will be submitted to the graduate faculty of the Department of French for a vote on final approval and advancement to candidacy. More than one dissertation adviser is permitted and indeed encouraged, but the principal adviser will normally be in the Department of French. The official readers of the finished dissertation need not be members of the original prospectus committee but will include at least one member of the Department of French and one member of EMST.

Germanic Languages and Literatures

Coursework The required number of courses and timeline for coursework follows the Department of Germanic Languages and Literature guidelines. Students also enroll in EMST 7000 and EMST 8000/EMST 8001, and they enroll in EMST 9000 during the spring of year three. These courses do not count towards the total number of courses required for the Ph.D. in Germanic languages and literature.

Language Requirement The language requirement follows the Germanic Languages and Literature department requirements. 

Qualifying Examination Qualifying exams follow the Department of Germanic Languages and Literature requirements with the added requirement that two out of the four exam fields must be on early modern topics. 

Dissertation At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the dissertation committee.

Teaching A student’s teaching assignments are determined by the Department of Germanic Languages and Literature, with every effort made to assign a student to at least one course (or course equivalent) in early modern studies.

History

Coursework The required number of courses and timeline for coursework follows the Department of History guidelines for history students in the combined program. In general, it is expected that courses in early modern studies constitute about one-third of the student’s doctoral coursework, and at least one course with an early modern focus must be taken outside the student’s primary department. Students will also enroll in EMST 7000 and EMST 8000/EMST 8001, neither of which count towards the total number of courses required for the Ph.D. in history. In the spring of third year, students in the Department of History are also encouraged, but not required, to enroll in EMST 9000.

Advising A student’s academic adviser is a member in the Department of History. A student may also choose to have as co-adviser a faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies who is not affiliated with History. 

Language Requirement The language requirement follows the Department of History requirements. 

Qualifying Exams Qualifying exams will follow the Department of History requirements with one added requirement that at least half the exam content must be about early modern subjects (the equivalent of one and a half fields if the student completes three fields, two fields if the student completes four fields).

Prospectus and Admission to Candidacy Procedures for the prospectus follow Department of History guidelines. At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the committee. Upon completion of all predissertation requirements, including the prospectus, students are admitted to candidacy for the combined Ph.D. degree. 

Dissertation At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the dissertation committee. 

Teaching A student’s teaching assignments are determined by the Department of History, with every effort made to assign a student to at least one course (or course equivalent) in early modern studies.

History of Art

Doctoral students in the history of art may apply in the second term of graduate study to the Program in Early Modern Studies to pursue a combined Ph.D. degree in the history of art and early modern studies. All requirements for the Ph.D. in the history of art apply, with the following adjustments.

Coursework History of art students in the combined program take the same number of courses as those on the regular history of art track. In years one and two, a student in the combined program completes ten seminars in the history of art, including HSAR 5500, the First Year Colloquium, and three seminars on early modern topics, as well as EMST 7000, Workshop in Early Modern Studies. Students also participate in EMST 8000/EMST 8001, Early Modern Studies Colloquium.

Second-Year Paper Requirement The qualifying paper is to be submitted for consideration according to the policies of the Department of the History of Art, typically in the second term of the second year.

Languages The language requirement will follow the Department of History of Art requirements.

Qualifying Examination Students will follow the usual procedures for oral qualifying exams in history of art, with the additional requirement that three of their four lists must concentrate on early modern texts and topics (between 1350 and 1800). 

Prospectus Students in the combined program enroll in EMST 9000, the Early Modern Studies Professional Skills Workshop, during the spring of their third year in support of their development of the dissertation prospectus.

Dissertation Committee At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the committee. The chair of the committee will be in the History of Art, but students in the combined program are encouraged to include at least one faculty member from outside of History of Art on their committees. 

History of Science and Medicine

Admission to the HSHM/EMST is a competitive process. HSHM Ph.D. students who wish to enroll in the Program in Early Modern Studies apply during their second term at Yale. They need their adviser’s approval and a letter of support from the HSHM DGS.

Requirements for the HSHM/EMST Ph.D. Degree

1. In addition to fulfilling the HSHM requirements as specified in this bulletin, students in the combined program will take:
   1. EMST 7000, Workshop in Early Modern Studies
   2. EMST 8000/EMST 8001, Early Modern Colloquium
   3. Three elective courses in early modern studies, of which at least one course must be taken outside the student’s primary department. One of the courses may be an interdisciplinary course (i.e., a relevant course in the sciences or social sciences or other relevant topic outside the traditional humanities). These three courses can count toward the HSHM requirements, whether as electives or HSHM seminars.
   4. EMST 9000, Professional Skills Workshop for Early Modern Studies
2. Other EMST Requirements:
   a. Language Requirement: same as HSHM language requirements
   b. Qualifying Exams: Qualifying exams will follow the student’s primary department. A significant portion of the student’s exam lists must be on early modern topics.
   c. Prospectus and Admission to Candidacy: At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the committee
   d. Dissertation: At least one faculty member affiliated with the EMST Program must be on the committee.
   e. Teaching: Student’s teaching assignments will primarily be determined by the home department. However, all students in the combined degree will be permitted additional flexibility in the completion of teaching requirements: students may complete their required four terms of teaching in years two, three, or four of their graduate program. In addition, students will typically assist in the teaching of at least one course in early modern studies.

Italian Studies

Coursework The required number of courses and timeline for coursework follows the Department of Italian Studies guidelines. Of the required courses taking for Italian studies, two must fall within the early modern period (1350–1800), and students are also encouraged to take an additional course toward the departmental requirements in another field (e.g history, history of art, music, religious studies, philosophy, etc.). Students also enroll in EMST 7000 and EMST 8000/EMST 8001, neither of which count towards the total number of courses required for the Ph.D. in Italian studies. In the spring of year three, Italian studies students are strongly encouraged to participate in EMST 9000.

Language Requirement The language requirement follows the Department of Italian Studies requirements. 

Qualifying Examination Qualifying exams follow the Department of Italian Studies requirements with one added requirement that two out of the three exam fields must be on early modern topics. 

Dissertation At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the dissertation committee.

Teaching A student’s teaching assignments are determined by the Department of Italian Studies, with every effort made to assign a student to at least one course (or course equivalent) in early modern studies.

Music

Coursework The required number of courses and timeline for coursework follows Department of Music guidelines for students in the combined program. In general, it is expected that courses in early modern studies constitute about one-third of the student’s doctoral coursework, and at least one course with an early modern focus must be taken outside the student’s primary department.

Students will also enroll in the following three courses: EMST 7000 (Workshop in Early Modern Studies), EMST 8000/EMST 8001 (Early Modern Colloquium), and EMST 9000 (Professional Skills Workshop). These courses are all graded SAT/UNSAT and do not count toward the total number of courses required for the Ph.D. in music.

Advising A student’s academic adviser will be a member in the Department of Music. A student may also choose to have as coadviser a faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies who is not affiliated with Music.

Qualifying Exams One of the two qualifying exams required by the department must be on an early modern topic. 

Prospectus and Admission to Candidacy Procedures for the prospectus will follow Department of Music guidelines. At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the committee. Upon completion of all predissertation requirements, including the prospectus, students are admitted to candidacy for the combined Ph.D. degree.

Dissertation At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the dissertation committee. 

Teaching A student’s teaching assignments will be determined by Music, with every effort made to assign a student to at least one course (or course equivalent) in early modern studies.

Near Eastern Languages and Literatures

Coursework The required number of courses and timeline for coursework follows the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (NELC) guidelines. Students also enroll in EMST 7000 and EMST 8000/EMST 8001 and in EMST 9000. These courses do not count towards the total number of courses required for the Ph.D. in NELC.

Advising A student’s academic adviser will be a member in NELC. A student may also choose to have as coadviser a faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies who is not affiliated with NELC. 

Language Requirement The language requirement follows the NELC department requirements. 

Qualifying Examination Qualifying exams follow the NELC department requirements for the Arabic humanities track, with the added requirement that one of the fields be focused on an early modern topic.

Dissertation At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the dissertation committee.

Teaching A student’s teaching assignments are determined by NELC, with every effort made to assign a student to at least one course (or course equivalent) in early modern studies. 

Philosophy

Coursework The required number of courses and timeline for course work follows Department of Philosophy guidelines for students in the philosophy Ph.D. program. Out of those twelve required courses, it is expected that students in the combined program take four early modern courses, and at least one of those four courses must be taken outside the student’s primary department. 

Students will enroll in the following three EMST courses, none of which count towards the total number of courses required for the Ph.D. in philosophy: EMST 7000 (Workshop in Early Modern Studies), EMST 8000/EMST 8001 (Early Modern Colloquium), and EMST 9000 (Professional Skills Workshop). 

Advising A student’s academic adviser will be a member in the Department of Philosophy.

Qualifying Papers Students in the Department of Philosophy are required to write their “history” QP on an early modern topic.

Prospectus and Admission to Candidacy Procedures for the prospectus will follow Department of Philosophy guidelines. At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the committee. Upon completion of all predissertation requirements, including the prospectus, students are admitted to candidacy for the combined Ph.D. degree.

Dissertation At least one faculty member affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies must be on the dissertation committee. 

Teaching A student’s teaching assignments will be determined by the Department of Philosophy, with every effort made to assign a student to at least one course (or course equivalent) in early modern studies.

Spanish and Portuguese

Coursework Students must take fourteen elective seminars at the graduate level, with up to four outside the department. Of the courses taken in Spanish and Portuguese, one must be SPAN 5000, Principles of Language Teaching and Learning. Four others (electives) must fall within the early modern period, and at least one of those four electives must be a course outside the department. 

Students will also enroll in the following three EMST courses, none of which count towards the total number of courses required for the Ph.D. in Spanish and Portuguese: EMST 7000 (Workshop in Early Modern Studies), EMST 8000/EMST 8001 (Early Modern Colloquium), and EMST 9000 (Professional Skills Workshop).

Language Requirement The language requirement will follow that of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

Qualifying Examination The qualifying exams will follow the Department of Spanish and Portuguese requirements with one added requirement that two out of the three exams fields must be on early modern topics. 

Dissertation A formal prospectus is to be presented at the end of year three to the DGS by Monday of the final full week of spring semester classes. A prospectus defense is held the following week with the student’s Prospectus Guidance Committee. At least one member of the dissertation committee should be affiliated with the Program in Early Modern Studies.

Master’s Degrees

M.Phil. The combined M.Phil. degree may be requested after all requirements but the dissertation are met.

M.A. Students who withdraw from the Ph.D. program may be eligible for the M.A. degree if they have met the following requirements: successful completion of eight term courses, at least two of which must be in early modern studies, and with at least three grades of Honors. Candidates in combined programs will be awarded the M.A. only when the master’s degree requirements for both programs have been met.

Courses