Medievalism in Popular Culture (with Travel to Ireland)

This interdisciplinary course examines the resurgence and reinvention of medieval themes in contemporary popular culture, with a special international travel component in Ireland. Students will explore how the imagery, narratives, and cultural frameworks of the medieval world are reimagined in modern art, architecture, entertainment, religion, education, politics, and economic life. From neo Gothic aesthetics and fantasy literature to gaming cultures, Christian mysticism, New Age practices, and medieval motifs in film and music, the course investigates how the Middle Ages continue to inspire the modern imagination.

A highlight of the course is a faculty led study tour in Ireland, where students will encounter medieval history and heritage firsthand. Visits may include monastic sites, castles, cathedrals, manuscripts, museums, and sacred landscapes that have shaped Irish identity from the Middle Ages to the present. In Ireland, students will consider how medieval narratives are preserved, interpreted, commercialized, and mythologized through tourism, cultural memory, and national storytelling. On site learning will deepen our exploration of topics such as Celtic Christianity, medieval mysticism, the Gothic revival, and the endurance of legendary figures in contemporary media.

Through critical readings, media analysis, immersive travel, classroom discussion, and creative or research based projects, students will develop a nuanced understanding of how neo medievalism both reflects and influences current cultural values and aspirations. Ultimately, the course asks what our continued fascination with the medieval reveals about spirituality, identity, power, and belonging in the world we are shaping today.

Medievalism in Dublin

Dublin Castle
National Gallery
Trinity College & Book of Kells
Chester Beatty Library
Newgrange & Hill of Tara

Medievalism in Belfast

Game of thrones Tour
Derry Walking Tour & Bogside Murals Tour
Queen’s University
Giant’s Causeway & Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

Medievalism in Killarney

Killarney National Park
Innisfallen Island
Torc Waterfall
Ross Castle
McShain Legacy & Killarney House & Gardens

Experiential Education

The UC Core Curriculum and Professional Studies Core Curriculum General Education curriculum contains an experiential education requirement for all students. To comply with this requirement, the Office of Career Services coordinates internships, service learning, undergraduate research, and study abroad experiences to assist students in their learning activities. The office is a resource for students in securing internships during the academic year and the summer. Further, the office participates with faculty in the evaluation of internship goals and learning outcomes. The office also helps faculty incorporate Service Learning into their classes by developing contacts with outside community organizations. Service Learning relies on a pedagogy which involves cooperation between faculty, students and community organizations in an interactive learning experience. In an increasingly interdependent world, studying abroad is an important and vital component of any educational experience. With the assistance of this office, students can explore a large variety of study abroad options.