Douglas Olsen
Students in medieval universities were characterised by their pursuit of higher education in a time when universities were a new concept in Europe, evolving from Christian cathedral schools and monastic schools. Students attended university at varying ages, with some as young as 14, and others in their 30s. They studied a range of subjects, including the liberal arts, theology, law, and medicine, with instruction given in Latin. The curriculum was structured around the trivium and quadrivium, with the former comprising grammar, logic, and rhetoric, and the latter including arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. Students were known to engage in debates and were often mobile, following popular teachers to different locations. They also had a reputation for drunken debauchery and quarrels with townspeople.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Age | Students attended medieval universities from the age of 14 to their 30s. |
| Accommodation | Student accommodations were sparse and offered minimal comfort. |
| Finances | Students often had little money and had to ask their parents for more. |
| Drinking and behaviour | Students had a reputation for drunken debauchery and rowdy behaviour. |
| Pastimes | Students enjoyed gambling, music, and chess. |
| Holidays | Religious holidays were the only holidays granted. |
| Language | Instruction was given in Latin and students were expected to converse in that language. |
| Curriculum | The curriculum included grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy. |
| Degree | A Bachelor of Arts degree was awarded after three or four years, and a Master of Arts degree after six years. |
| Teaching style | Scholasticism, or textual commentary, was a popular method of teaching. |
| Teaching location | Classes were taught in churches and homes, or wherever space was available. |
| Teaching staff | Teachers and scholars moved around frequently, and universities competed to secure the best ones. |
| Student-teacher relationship | Students often followed popular teachers to different locations. |
| Student-townspeople relationship | Students often quarrelled with townspeople. |
| Student-student relationship | Students also quarrelled with each other. |
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What You'll Learn
Students of varying ages
Students of medieval universities were of varying ages, with some sources stating that most students began their university studies between the ages of twelve and fifteen, while others note that students could attend from as young as fourteen if they were studying the arts in Oxford or Paris, or in their thirties if they were studying law in Bologna.
The medieval university emerged from much older Christian cathedral schools and monastic schools, with the first Western European institutions generally considered to be universities established in present-day Italy, including the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples. The word "university" comes from the Latin word "universitas," which originally referred to the scholastic guilds or corporations of students and masters within the "studium."
Universities did not initially have physical campuses, and classes were taught wherever space was available, such as in churches and homes. Soon, however, universities began to acquire or construct their own buildings. The structure of a university often depended on who paid the teachers, with some universities, like Bologna, being student-led, and others, like Paris, having teachers paid by the church.
The curriculum of medieval universities included the seven liberal arts: grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy. These subjects were taught with the ultimate goal of preparing students for careers with the church. Instruction was given in Latin, and students were expected to converse in that language. The medieval university, therefore, attracted students of varying ages and backgrounds who were united in their pursuit of higher education and preparation for their future roles within the church.
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Student-led institutions
The medieval university was a corporation that emerged in Western Europe between the 11th and 15th centuries for the purposes of higher education. Evolving from Christian cathedral schools and monastic schools, these universities were a collection of individuals known as a "universitas". The word "university" comes from the Latin word for corporation or guild.
Some medieval universities were student-led institutions, with students hiring and paying teachers. One notable example is a school of law in Bologna, Italy, which was run by a guild of students who were in charge of hiring professors and observing their lessons. This guild would freely fine professors for even minor mistakes. While not all universities had such intense student leadership, this structure was common throughout Europe in the ninth century, and higher learning was largely student-driven.
The curriculum at these universities included the seven liberal arts: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music theory, grammar, logic, and rhetoric. All instruction was given in Latin, and students were expected to converse in that language. The trivium—grammar, logic, and rhetoric—was taught first, followed by the quadrivium—arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. The curriculum also included the three Aristotelian philosophies: physics, metaphysics, and moral philosophy.
Students at medieval universities often lived far from home and unsupervised, which led to a reputation for drunken debauchery and quarrels with townspeople. They attended university at different ages, ranging from as young as 14 at Oxford or Paris for the arts, to their 30s if studying law in Bologna. Despite their newfound freedom, these students' lives were largely consumed by scholarly pursuits, with few holidays granted outside of religious observances.
Student accommodations, such as those at Oxford, were sparse and offered minimal comfort. Money was often scarce, and students frequently wrote home requesting more funds, ostensibly for books but likely needed for food or other pastimes.
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Excessive drinking and rowdy behaviour
Medieval university students had a reputation for drunken debauchery, with students frequently criticised for neglecting their studies in favour of drinking, gambling, and sleeping with prostitutes. Medieval pubs were hubs for such activities, with alcohol acting as a vital part of medieval society. Students often lived far from home and without supervision, allowing them to indulge in these activities.
The link between pubs, alcohol, and other vices was a common trope for moralists, who encouraged people to avoid pubs due to their association with criminality and violence. Despite this, students continued to frequent pubs, and the expectation of trouble within these establishments became so normalised that people stopped questioning the motives behind violent acts.
An example of the connection between pubs and violence can be seen in Arras, northern France, in the late thirteenth century. An argument between a bar-keeper and his neighbour, Karon de Bairy, ended with the bar-keeper committing arson on the neighbour's house. While the arsonist was initially arrested, he was later released due to lobbying from his associates, which included the local priest and mayor.
The negative perception of student behaviour was not limited to moralists and authorities. Contemporaries and modern historians alike have criticised the excessive drinking and neglect of studies among medieval university students. This is reflected in the poem by Oswald von Wolkenstein, a contemporary of Katharina Tucher, which classifies the twelve types of drunks. One type is the well-educated drunk who, despite their high social standing, loses self-control and causes noticeable damage to their reputation, body, and property.
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Lack of physical facilities
Medieval universities lacked the physical facilities that are typically associated with modern universities. Initially, these institutions of higher learning did not have dedicated campuses or buildings. Instead, classes were held wherever space was available, including churches and private residences. The concept of a "university" during this period referred not to a physical space, but rather to a collective of individuals united as a "
The absence of physical facilities in medieval universities can be attributed to their historical context and evolution. These universities emerged from much older Christian cathedral schools and monastic schools, which gradually evolved into centres of higher learning. As student numbers increased, the need for dedicated spaces became more pressing. Over time, universities began to rent, purchase, or construct their own buildings specifically for educational purposes.
The development of physical infrastructure in medieval universities was influenced by various factors, including the migration of scholars and students. For example, tensions between students of cathedral schools and burghers in smaller towns led to the relocation of these schools to larger cities like Bologna, Rome, and Paris. The reputation and popularity of teachers also played a role, as universities competed to secure the most sought-after instructors, and students followed their preferred teachers to different locations.
The structure and funding of medieval universities also impacted the development of physical facilities. Universities were generally categorized into three types based on who paid the teachers. In Bologna, students hired and paid their teachers, while in Paris, the church provided compensation. Oxford and Cambridge, on the other hand, received support from the crown and the state, which helped them establish themselves and acquire resources.
While medieval universities lacked the physical infrastructure of modern campuses, they laid the foundation for higher education in Europe. The legacy of these institutions can be seen in the academic gowns, commencement processions, and gothic architecture that still characterise many contemporary colleges and universities. Despite the differences in physical facilities, the medieval universities of Paris and Bologna are recognised as influential predecessors to modern educational institutions.
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Latin as the language of instruction
Latin was the primary language of instruction in medieval universities, which were established in Western Europe between the 11th and 15th centuries. It was the language of teaching and disputation in these universities, and students were expected to converse in Latin.
Medieval Latin was a continuation of Classical Latin and Late Latin, with some enhancements to accommodate new concepts and the increasing integration of Christianity. It was heavily influenced by the language of the Vulgate, which resulted from a direct translation from Greek and Hebrew. Medieval Latin had an enlarged vocabulary, borrowing from various sources, including the various Germanic languages spoken by the Germanic tribes that invaded southern Europe.
Latin was the language of erudition and learning in the West, and it served as the gateway to Western thought and humanistic learning. It was the language of the Roman Catholic Church and its administration, and it maintained its role as the primary language of the liberal arts and sciences throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The literate and educated classes of the time had to learn Latin in schools, and it was necessary for virtually all of them.
Training in Latin varied from region to region and changed over time. While expressing oneself in Latin was a primary goal of education, the very beginning stages of learning the language usually did not involve total immersion. Instead, students were first instructed in grammar, which was then a much simpler science. Medieval and early modern teachers often used their vernacular languages to help students grasp the fundamentals.
The use of Latin in universities was structured in lectures and debates, and students were encouraged to use it in conversation. However, Latin was not frequently used in casual conversation by the educated class, and it served little purpose for the regular population.
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Frequently asked questions
Students attended medieval universities from the age of 14 if they were studying the arts, to their 30s if they were studying law.
Students could study a Bachelor of Arts or a Master of Arts. The seven liberal arts were taught: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music theory, grammar, logic, and rhetoric.
Students had a reputation for drunken debauchery and often quarrelled with each other and townspeople. They also enjoyed pastimes such as gambling, music, and chess. Student accommodation was sparse and offered little comfort.
Teachers were often hired and paid by the students, who would follow popular teachers to different cities.
