Lori Meadows
The medieval university was a corporation organised during the Middle Ages for the purposes of higher education. The first Western European institutions generally considered to be universities were established in present-day Italy, including the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples, and the Kingdoms of England, France, Spain, Portugal, and Scotland between the 11th and 15th centuries. The curriculum of medieval universities was predominantly based on ancient Greek and Roman ideas of education. Students began their studies with the seven liberal arts, divided into the Trivium (grammar, rhetoric, and logic) and the Quadrivium (arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, and music). This typically required 8 or 9 years to complete. Students of all ages attended medieval universities, with some as young as 14 and others in their 30s.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main purpose | Higher education |
| Student age | 12-15, though students could be as young as 14 or as old as their 30s |
| Student background | Majority were clerics |
| Student accommodation | Sparse and minimal comfort |
| Curriculum | The seven liberal arts, Aristotelian philosophy, theology, law, and medicine |
| Curriculum breakdown | Trivium (grammar, rhetoric, logic) and Quadrivium (arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, music) |
| Curriculum duration | 6-9 years |
| Teaching language | Latin |
| Teaching method | Reading and explaining texts, oral disputations |
| Examinations | Oral disputations |
| Degrees | Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts |
| Teaching staff | Masters who had passed the course themselves |
| Student conduct | Excessive drinking, rowdy behaviour, gambling, prostitution |
| Student mobility | High |
| Teacher mobility | High |
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What You'll Learn
The Trivium: Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic
The Trivium, comprising grammar, rhetoric, and logic, was a key part of the curriculum at medieval universities. These three subjects were taught first, before the four subjects of the Quadrivium: arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. The Trivium subjects were considered a foundation course, and they were applicable to the reading and writing of Latin.
The medieval study of grammar was concerned with how words create meaning, and the goal was to be an effective master of language and to understand the subtleties of language. This was different from the study of grammar today, which focuses more on the construction of speech. Students would spend a year studying grammar, learning the arts of speaking, writing, and pronunciation. They would also analyse, memorise, and write their own texts.
Rhetoric was the study of persuasion, particularly in written communication. The arrangement of words and the presentation of information were key to a good persuasive argument. This was a useful skill for clergymen, who were expected to deliver clear sermons. However, rhetoric was not a key part of the curriculum and was often only taught on festival days.
Logic, or dialectic, was founded on the theory that debate was integral to the learning process. It was common for both students and teachers to participate in debates. The study of logic was based on the writings of Aristotle and Boethius, such as Aristotle's idea of topical logic—that something can be commonly known to be true, despite there being no evidence to explain why.
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The Quadrivium: Arithmetic, Astronomy, Geometry, Music
The Quadrivium, meaning 'four ways' in Latin, is a grouping of four subjects or arts: arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. Together with the trivium—grammar, logic, and rhetoric—these subjects formed the seven liberal arts, which were taught in monasteries, cathedral schools, and universities from the 12th century onwards. The seven classical arts were considered "thinking skills" and were distinguished from practical arts such as medicine and architecture.
The study of arithmetic was concerned with the philosophy of numbers rather than the basics of computation. Ratios and relationships were more important than sums and products. In the context of the quadrivium, music was an abstract system of proportions that was studied at a distance from actual musical practice. It was effectively a branch of music theory, more tightly bound to arithmetic than to musical performance. Geometry was concerned with number in space, and astronomy with number in space and time. The study of astronomy in medieval universities focused on Plato's model of the universe and the relationships between planets and their movements in space.
The order in which the subjects of the quadrivium were studied was thought to be important. In his work on arithmetic, Boethius explains that the order of the quadrivium he offers (music, astronomy, geometry, arithmetic) reflects the true nature of the universe and is the proper pedagogical order for the study of mathematics as a preparation for philosophy. Progression through each of the arts was believed to train the mind to move from sense perception to intelligible reality.
The quadrivium was the upper division of medieval educational provision in the liberal arts. It was considered the foundation for the study of philosophy and theology. Students would first study the trivium, followed by the quadrivium, which led to the degree of Master of Arts. After the MA, the student could enter for bachelor's degrees of the higher faculties (Theology, Medicine or Law).
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Theology, Philosophy, Medicine, Law
The first Western European institutions generally considered to be universities were established in present-day Italy, including the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples, and the Kingdoms of England, France, Spain, Portugal, and Scotland between the 11th and 15th centuries. These universities were primarily dedicated to the study of the arts and the higher disciplines of theology, law, and medicine.
Theology
Theology was the main subject of study at the University of Paris, where teachers ran the school. As a result, Paris became the premier destination for teachers from all over Europe. Qualifications were controlled by an external authority—the chancellor of the diocese. Scholasticism was a popular method of teaching theology, and much of medieval thought in this field can be found in scholastic textual commentary. The works of Cicero, for example, were used for the study of rhetoric. The popularity of theology at medieval universities contributed to the prestige of the subject, with theology degrees considered the most prestigious of all. However, only a few universities had a faculty of theology because the popes wanted to control theological studies.
Philosophy
The curriculum at medieval universities included the three Aristotelian philosophies: physics, metaphysics, and moral philosophy. Scholasticism was also a popular method of teaching philosophy, and medieval thought in this field can also be found in scholastic textual commentary. Aelius Donatus' Ars grammatica was the standard textbook for grammar, and other studied works included those of Priscian and Eberhard de Béthune.
Medicine
Medicine was one of the higher faculties that students could pursue after obtaining a Master of Arts degree.
Law
Law was the main subject of study at the University of Bologna, where students chose more secular studies. Students could pursue law after obtaining a Master of Arts degree. Students attending the University of Bologna to study law were typically in their thirties, while those studying the arts in Oxford or Paris might have been as young as fourteen.
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Masters and Bachelors
The medieval university was a corporation organised during the Middle Ages for the purposes of higher education. The first Western European institutions generally considered to be universities were established in present-day Italy, as well as the Kingdoms of England, France, Spain, Portugal, and Scotland, between the 11th and 15th centuries.
Students at these universities would have studied the seven liberal arts, which were divided into the Trivium and the Quadrivium. The Trivium consisted of grammar, rhetoric, and logic, while the Quadrivium consisted of arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy.
Students would typically begin their university studies between the ages of 12 and 15, and they would live far from home and unsupervised, developing a reputation for drunken debauchery and neglecting their studies for drinking, gambling, and sleeping with prostitutes.
The curriculum for a Bachelor of Arts degree could be completed in three or four years, while a Master of Arts degree typically took six years. The masters were responsible for teaching the bachelors' programme. Masters, but not all, could go on to advanced studies in divinity, canon and civil law, and, more rarely, medicine.
The medieval university curriculum was predominantly based on ancient Greek and Roman ideas of education. The study of rhetoric, for example, was an exploration of persuasion, especially in written communication. Logic was founded on the theory that debate is integral to the learning process, and it was common for both students and masters to participate in debates.
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Student life and reputation
Student life at medieval universities was quite different from what we know of modern university life. The university itself was the professor and the lessons he taught, rather than a place. Students often lived far from home and unsupervised, which led to a reputation for drunken debauchery. Students were frequently criticised for neglecting their studies in favour of drinking, gambling, and sleeping with prostitutes. However, despite this tomfoolery, much of their lives were consumed with scholarly pursuits.
Most students began their university studies between the ages of twelve and fifteen, although some attended from as young as fourteen if they were at Oxford or Paris to study the arts, or in their thirties if they were studying law in Bologna. Students often travelled far and wide to hear professors teach, and professors were also very mobile, moving between institutions in their careers.
The curriculum was based on ancient Greek and Roman ideas of education, and was predominantly taught through Latin, which was the language of monks and the texts of the time. Students were expected to converse in Latin. The curriculum was made up of the seven liberal arts, which were divided into the Trivium and the Quadrivium. The Trivium consisted of grammar, rhetoric, and logic, while the Quadrivium was made up of arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, and music. The Trivium was more popular than the Quadrivium, as it led to further study in theology, philosophy, medicine, and law.
Medieval universities did not have the same physical facilities as modern universities, and student accommodations were sparse and offered minimal comfort. Students often experienced a scarcity of money, and wrote home begging for more. Most colleges allowed pastimes such as gambling, music, and chess, and religious holidays were granted, but few others.
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Frequently asked questions
The main purpose of medieval universities was to train young students for future jobs, specifically roles within the church.
Students studied the seven liberal arts, which were divided into the Trivium and the Quadrivium. The Trivium consisted of grammar, rhetoric, and logic, while the Quadrivium consisted of arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy. Students could then go on to study more advanced topics such as theology, law, medicine, and philosophy.
The Trivium was the study of grammar, rhetoric, and logic. Grammar focused on how words create meaning, rhetoric on the art of persuasion, and logic on the principle of debate as an integral part of the learning process.
The Quadrivium was concerned with mathematical concepts. Arithmetic focused on the philosophy of numbers rather than basic computation. Music theory relied on arithmetic, as melodies were believed to utilise both numbers and proportions to be pleasant to listen to. Geometry and astronomy taught students about the precision and logic of the earth and the heavens.
The curriculum of medieval universities was based on ancient Greek and Roman ideas of education. It was also influenced by the works of philosophers such as Aristotle, Boethius, Avicenna, Galen, and Hippocrates.
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