EdX

Western Civilization: Ancient and Medieval Europe (edX)

Western Civilization: Ancient and Medieval Europe (edX)

Learn about the origins and development of Western societies and institutions from the ancient world through the Middle Ages in this credit-eligible course. This course will provide a general outline of European history from Ancient times through 1500 AD, covering a variety of European historical periods and cultures, including Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Celtic, Frankish and others.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see EdX's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

This course satisfies the Social-Behavioral Sciences (SB) and Historical Awareness (H) general studies requirements at Arizona State University. This course may satisfy a general education requirement at other institutions; however, it is strongly encouraged that you consult with your institution of choice to determine how these credits will be applied to their degree requirements prior to transferring the credit.

What you'll learn:

  • Think critically about the development of people politically, socially, and economically
  • Evaluate evolution of political systems and their contribution to western society
  • Understand the changing social role of religion in European society
  • Explore the changing relations between Ancient and Medieval Europe and the world beyond
Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Cosmopolitan Tang: Aristocratic Culture in China (edX) EdX
HarvardX,Harvard University

Cosmopolitan Tang: Aristocratic Culture in China (edX)

Explore the reunification of China under the Tang with a focus on aristocratic culture — from poetry to calligraphy to literature. By the Tang period, China was divided into northern and southern dynasties with different rulers and political systems. The north was conquered by relatively unsophisticated barbarians, but in the south, the aristocratic families established a refined appreciation of writing and literature.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Histoire des sciences : une introduction (FUN) FUN
Université de Montpellier

Histoire des sciences : une introduction (FUN)

L'histoire des sciences, qu'est-ce que c'est et à quoi ça sert ? Comprendre les dynamiques qui ont permis aux sciences de se constituer, explorer ses évolutions, son organisation et ses démarches, telle est l'ambition de ce MOOC qui propose une initiation à une histoire critique des sciences. Se repérer dans l'histoire des sciences en abordant les grandes étapes de la science. Comparer les méthodes développées. La place de la mathématisation, le statut de l'observation et de l'expérience seront particulièrement examinés. Aborder à l'aide d'études de cas la question de la construction sociale des sciences et celle des communautés scientifiques (statut, institution, etc.)

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Medieval Women Writers (saylor.org) Saylor Academy
Saylor.org

Medieval Women Writers (saylor.org)

Scholarship on medieval women writers is a somewhat recent phenomenon, in part because we know relatively little about men of the Middle Ages—and what we know about women from the period is even more limited. In this course, we will engage this new frontier in literary studies by examining the writings of a diverse group of medieval women—from reclusive anchoresses to aristocratic women of the court—and analyzing the perceptions of reality, both secular and religious, that they present.

Legacy Course
Self-Paced
Enlightening the Dark Ages: Early Medieval Archaeology in Italy (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Padova

Enlightening the Dark Ages: Early Medieval Archaeology in Italy (FutureLearn)

Learn what innovative methods and tools applied to the material culture of the past can tell us about the Early Middle Ages. Discovering the cultural heritage of Medieval Europe through archaeology On this archaeology course, you will explore what we can learn about the past through material culture. It focuses on the history of Medieval Europe, from the end of the Roman Empire in the West.

Self Paced
4 Weeks
Deciphering Secrets: The Illuminated Manuscripts of Medieval Europe (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado System

Deciphering Secrets: The Illuminated Manuscripts of Medieval Europe (Coursera)

Perhaps no other relic of the European Middle Ages captures our imagination more than illuminated medieval manuscripts, or those documents decorated with images and colored pigments. Serving as windows unto a lost world of kings, ladies, faith, war, and culture, they communicate complex visual and textual narratives of Europe’s collective cultural heritage and patrimony. In this fashion, illuminated manuscripts are dynamic messages from our communal past that are still relevant today in fields like graphic design and typography.

Jul 8th 2024
5-12 Weeks
Age of Cathedrals (Coursera) Coursera
Yale University

Age of Cathedrals (Coursera)

An introduction to some of the most astonishing architectural monuments the world has ever known—Gothic cathedrals. We shall study the art, literature, intellectual life, economics, and new social arrangements that arose in the shadow of the cathedrals and that were such an important part of the revival of cities in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The goal of the course is a better appreciation of the High Middle Ages, a world that is still recognizably our own.

Oct 26th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Contemporary China: The People's Republic, Taiwan, and Hong Kong (edX) EdX
HarvardX,Harvard University

Contemporary China: The People's Republic, Taiwan, and Hong Kong (edX)

Use the case study method to study China from the rise of Deng Xiaoping to the present. Using case studies from the Harvard Business School, this course will cover the contemporary Chinese scene by focusing on five main themes in China’s development: agriculture, entrepreneurship, education, environment, and literature.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Unlocking Your Employability (edX) EdX
Queensland University of Technology,UQx

Unlocking Your Employability (edX)

Learn how to unlock your personal and professional development and market your skills to potential employers to maximise your career success. A degree is necessary to secure a graduate role, but employers are looking for much more. The key is showing a potential employer what you can offer BEYOND your credentials.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Tangible Things: Discovering History Through Artworks, Artifacts, Scientific Specimens, and the Stuff Around You (edX) EdX
HarvardX,Harvard University

Tangible Things: Discovering History Through Artworks, Artifacts, Scientific Specimens, and the Stuff Around You (edX)

Gain an understanding of history, museum studies, and curation by looking at, organizing, and interpreting art, artifacts, scientific curiosities, and the stuff of everyday life. Have you ever wondered about how museum, library, and other kinds of historical or scientific collections all come together? Or how and why curators, historians, archivists, and preservationists do what they do?

Self Paced
Self-Paced
International Law (edX) EdX
LouvainX,Université Catholique de Louvain - UCL

International Law (edX)

Learn about the Law of the International Community, including how International Law is created, applied and upheld in today's world. International law can be considered as the law of the international community, the law that governs relations between States. But it also relates to what international organizations do and, increasingly, it concerns individuals, corporations, NGO’s and other non-state actors.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Chinese History From Warring States to the Tang Dynasty | 资治通鉴 (edX) EdX
Tsinghua University,TsinghuaX

Chinese History From Warring States to the Tang Dynasty | 资治通鉴 (edX)

Guides you through the Chinese masterpiece _Zizhi Tongjian, _an unprecedented work of governance and philosophical thinking spanning from the Warring States Period to the Tang Dynasty. Through the teacher's guided reading, students can go deep into the interior of this classic text, gain an overview of thousands of years of history, and improve their literacy in Chinese studies.

Self Paced
Self-Paced