Medieval & Renaissance Studies

Student community and study in Glasgow

The GCMRS students have their own VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) website where course materials and announcements are posted.  The site includes its own virtual café (or, in GCMRS terms, gemothus) to help students get to know each other and arrange social activities.  GCMRS students also form part of the wider Glasgow University Arts and Humanities Graduate School (GSAH) community, comprising around 600 students.  GSAH offers outstanding Faculty-wide research training opportunities. 

Student initiatives include eSharp, the University’s own open-access online journal for postgraduates in the arts, humanities and social sciences, and frequent postgraduate conferences.  The University has a dedicated graduate study space open 24 hours a day with a suite of computers.

Further afield

In addition to the University collections described under Resources, the greater Glasgow/Edinburgh area is rich in important collections of medieval and renaissance art and architecture. Paramount among these in Glasgow are the Glasgow Museums Burrell Collection situated in nearby Pollok Country Park, which includes one of the world’s finest collections of medieval stained glass and tapestries, and with which our History of Art subject area enjoys collaborative research arrangements. The Kelvingrove Museum is home to one of the most important collections in the UK of medieval and renaissance arms and armour; and located a short distance from the University is the thirteenth-century (with later additions) Glasgow Cathedral.  Edinburgh has its famous Castle and St Giles Cathedral as well as important collections of medieval and renaissance illuminated manuscripts in the National Library of Scotland and in the University Library, as well as medieval and renaissance works of art in the Museums of Scotland and the National Galleries of Scotland.  

For study breaks, Glasgow is a lively and cosmopolitan city with every imaginable cultural offering, from music (pop, classical, jazz, traditional Scottish and Celtic), theatre, cinema and sports to clubbing, fine dining and chic shopping. The picturesque landscape and wildlife of Scotland, from the unspoilt countryside of the lowlands to the majestic mountains and beautiful lochs f the highlands, begin just twenty minutes from the city. Across Scotland you will also find a wealth of medieval and renaissance monuments and archaeological sites, such as the rich collection of Pictish symbol stones in Meigle, Stirling Castle and the majestic ruins of St Andrews Cathedral. With two international airports, Glasgow is one hour’s flight from London and is well-connected to the rest of the UK, Europe and North America.