Victoria Coefield Post-Medieval Written Assignment September 12, 2016

The Post-Medieval reform aligned the very educational methods and missions we use in

universities today. This time in history allowed for higher education to take an ethical and

philosophical stance on the value of the people; better known as Humanism. The focus of

athletics and arts were now paired with systematic instruction of history, literary arts, ethics,

composition and grammar. This new era brought an appreciation of classical studies in the very

places that did not see its purpose during the medieval period.

New schools were created seeking the rationalism that humanism stood for, but now all

countries were prepared to embark of the new standards set in the Renaissance. It wasnt until

King Henry VIII gave his support for a literary revival that practicing humanism increase.

Although some disagreed, the majority sought education to increase literary skills to find work in

administration and government. It took time for universities to change into institutions that

prepared future leaders of the communities.

Universities began to change their structure in every way. While classroom instruction

and curriculum became focused on the humanistic thought, the university itself began to function

in ways we still see today. Admissions geared higher education to those who wanted to advance

professionally. Although schools aimed their focus to produce leaders a few saw the

Renaissance as a time to unite religious and political

Confessionalism spread as Lutherans criticized universities for not using their platform to

promote the church. Rapidly the idea spread and the scope of the university changed once again.

This movement led to the private non-secular institutions we have today. The counter-

reformation of the church didnt overshadow the critical need for the evolution of science.
Victoria Coefield Post-Medieval Written Assignment September 12, 2016

To explain the natural phenomena and search for a better explanation of the universe,

Europeans had to strengthen their study of the sciences. The seventeenth century brought many

scientific breakthroughs. The scientific inquiry era revived the thoughts of Descartes, checked

the work of Newton and basked in the research of Galileo. The definition of the term science

even changed to exact and certain knowledge of a subject.

Post-Medieval academe set up the framework for education as we know it today.

Humanism has changed the view point of the purpose of higher education. Confessionalism

allows religion and politics a place in higher education. Scientific inquiry grants diversity in

finding a solution and holds the information learned at an institution accountable with proper

evidence of truth. Although higher education has evolved, especially in America, it is important

to know where most of modern higher educational structure originated.