Education:
B.A., The State University of New York at Geneseo
M.A., The State University of New York at Albany
Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University
Contact Information:
Professor of English
Areas of Expertise: Old English language and literature; Medieval Studies
Todd Preston specializes in the language and literature of Anglo-Saxon England (c. 500-1066), but he also teaches the high and late Middle Ages (c. 1066-1500). He was the recipient of the 2009 Junior Faculty Teaching Award at Lycoming College.
Courses taught include:
- Introduction to Literature: Arthurian Literature
- Medieval Monsters: Modern Mayhem (first-year seminar)
- Introduction to Medieval Studies
- History of the English Language
- British Literature I (c. 500-1500AD)
- Medieval Literature
- Chaucer
- Advanced Topics in Literature: The Medieval Bestiary
His book, King Alfred’s Book of Laws (McFarland, 2011), focuses on the impact of Alfred’s law code on early English identity. He has also published on Chaucer, the Old English Riddles, and Sir Walter Scott, among others. His current research project focuses on the representation of the animal in Old English literature.
Preston regularly engages his students in the study of the Middle Ages both in the classroom and through extra-curricular experiences. He involves students in off-campus excursions to museums, conferences, and overseas study.