Masters Degrees (Shakespeare)

Overview

As a Global Shakespeare Masters student you will be at the centre of a unique initiative to engage with, critique, and develop ideas of globalisation, interdisciplinarity and translation that inform a new approach to the study of Shakespeare. Global Shakespeare is committed to the idea of the ‘student as producer’ and you will be invited to work with leading Shakespearians in the production of new knowledge in the field. Scholars such as David Schalkywk, Tony Howard, Jonothan Neelands, Carol Rutter, Jerry Brotton, and Paul Prescott will contribute to the MA as well as internationally recognised Fulbright Fellows. They will work with you through a variety of modules and activities that allow you to form a critical perspective on Shakespeare as a global cultural phenomenon, from Elizabethan England through his transformations and translations to the twenty-first century, and to understand Shakespeare as a catalyst and as a site of resistance to globalisation. You will consider Shakespeare in online media and in films by internationally-acclaimed directors. The course will investigate theoretical, historical, performance and pedagogical approaches to Shakespeare’s global afterlives and provide a rich mix of intellectual activity that will support you in your emergence as a Shakespearean without borders.

The Global Shakespeare MA provides a unique opportunity to experience postgraduate life with two world-leading institutions with strong expertise in the fields of Shakespeare, Renaissance studies, performance and Modern Languages- Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and The University of Warwick. QMUL’s campus, minutes from the heart of London, will enable you to access a wide variety of theatrical performances in venues such as the Globe, Donmar Warehouse, National Theatre and visiting the unrivaled museums, libraries and archives of the capital such as The British Library and the National Archives at Kew. The University of Warwick, will see you in close proximity to Stratford-upon-Avon with access to performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and the outstanding research facilities and international collection of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
This programme is ideal for graduates wishing to enter careers in academia, research, cultural organisations, theatres, teaching, publishing, journalism, film and new media.
For more info visit: http://www.globalshakespeare.ac.uk

On this programme you will:

*Gain a joint Masters degree from University of Warwick and Queen Mary University of London- and have access to support and facilities at both these world leading institutions

*Attend performances of Shakespeare and engage with actors and directors in London and Stratford-upon-Avon

*Be taught by scholars and practitioners from around the world including journalists, directors, actors and translators

*Have the opportunity to gain editorial and reviewing experience by contributing to the new electronic journal – Global Shakespeare and to ReviewingShakespeare.com

*Be part of an emerging research area in the field of Shakespeare study

Structure

You will spend semester one at Queen Mary University of London and semester two at Warwick. You can choose at which institution you spend your dissertation period.

You will take four assessed modules before proceeding to a 15,000-word dissertation.

Compulsory modules

At Queen Mary University of London:

Global Shakespeare: History and Theory and Performance

This module introduces you to historical, methodological and material dimensions of studying Shakespeare in a global context by a generic study and close reading of Shakespeare and his writing in a historical context, and an examination of the afterlife of his plays as they have been read, performed, adapted and translated both linguistically and through various media in a global context.

At the University of Warwick:

Practices of Translation: Or How to Do Things with Shakespeare

This module focuses on the transformations of Shakespeare’s texts by a range of translational practices, in the broadest sense of the word. Offering you the chance to experiment with different models of translation it will allow you to develop your own models and practice as a “translator” of Shakespeare in relation to performance criticism, literary translation and active pedagogy, especially in relation to the ways in which Shakespeare has been 'translated' into languages, performance practices, cultural contexts and in the new media across the world.

Optional modules

You will choose two modules from a full list of options across varied disciplines such as English, Drama and Theatre, Modern Languages, History and Geography.

At QMUL options may include:

*Global Interests in the Shakespearian World
*Public and Private Cultures in Renaissance England
*Post-colonialism Language and Identity
*Early Modern Drama

At Warwick options may include:

*Reviewing Shakespeare
*Shakespeare in Performance
*Translation Studies in Theory and Practice
*The Legacies of Caliban in Latin America and the Caribbean

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This programme offers a unique approach to the study of Shakespeare’s life and work, fusing traditional scholarly approaches with the thrill of being involved in new creative work.

It makes the most of the unrivalled resources of Shakespeare’s Stratford and involves expert tuition from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and the Library of Birmingham. The programme is particularly enhanced by the Institute's collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), offering unique and extensive opportunities to work on its premises with RSC artists.

This programme will attract aspiring academics, actors, writers, directors, arts administrators, as well as anyone with a lively interest in Shakespeare.

This programme brings together academic, theatrical and civic interests in Shakespeare and creativity, generating a comprehensive and forward-looking conversation about what Shakespeare is and can be in today's world.

You will produce traditional academic essays as well as creative work, all of which will explore Shakespeare’s potential in the modern world. You will make new creative work with and at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and benefit from unique and exciting access to the RSC's studio theatre, The Other Place.

You will study four core modules:

Shakespearience
Shakespeare and Theatre Practice (formerly Shakespeare and Creative Practice)
The Shakespeare Ensemble
Shakespeare and Society

You will also choose two optional modules from a range of Shakespeare Institute modules, and complete the MA with a 15,000-word dissertation. For your dissertation, you will have the chance to work intensively on an RSC project at The Other Place theatre.

Shakespearience and optional modules are each assessed by one 4,000-word essay; Shakespeare and Theatre Practice is assessed by either two performance assignments and a 2,000-word research paper, or a 4,000-word research paper; Shakespeare Ensemble and Shakespeare and Society both combine shorter written assignments with creative work.

You will also attend weekly Thursday Seminars at the Shakespeare Institute (term-time only), which feature papers presented by a range of established visiting scholars as well as Institute and University of Birmingham staff.

About the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies

"Welcome to the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies, in the College of Arts and Law. This is one of the largest Schools in the College, and variety is our watchword. We offer one of the most extensive ranges of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the country. Our research expertise is equally diverse, and we welcome students and researchers from all over the world." - Professor Andrzej Gasiorek, Head of School.

We particularly encourage creative thinking, with a range of pioneering programmes including Masters opportunities in Creative Writing, Film and Television and Shakespeare and Creativity. Our creative offerings are also strengthened by the development of our Department of Film and Creative Writing – established in 2015 – which has opened up exciting new opportunities for postgraduates to benefit from synergies between the two fields.

Our well-established Departments also provide an excellent environment for postgraduate study. The Department of Drama and Theatre Arts has a highly respected national and international reputation for excellence in teaching and research. We are also one of the leading centres for the postgraduate study of English in the UK, spanning language and literature. The Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics is a world-leading centre of excellence for both teaching and research in this field.

We are also proud to be home to the world-renowned Shakespeare Institute, based in Stratford-upon-Avon. Situated within walking distance of Shakespeare’s birthplace, school and grave, and the theatres of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), the Shakespeare Institute offers postgraduate students and scholars an academic experience unrivalled by any other university.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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This programme, delivered by and taught at the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon, offers an unrivalled opportunity for the study of Shakespeare.

It develops a critical but appreciative understanding of Shakespeare’s contribution to literary and theatrical history, and the place his works occupy in today’s cultural landscape. The programme has gained a strong reputation both in Britain and abroad. It has proved invaluable for students heading towards a variety of careers, and it provides a solid foundation for research at a higher level.

The dynamism of Shakespeare studies owes much to the sheer diversity of critical, theatrical, and historical approaches.

It offers sustained study in a variety of fields, drawing on the special interests of a dedicated team of Shakespeare scholars.

You will study five core modules:

Plays and Poems of Shakespeare A
Plays and Poems of Shakespeare B
Textual Studies in Shakespeare
Research Skills in Shakespeare
History of Shakespeare in Performance OR Shakespeare’s Legacy

You will also choose one optional module from a range of Shakespeare Institute modules.

Each module is assessed by one 4,000-word essay with the exception of the optional module in Shakespeare and Theatre Practice which is assessed by either two performance assignments and a 2,000-word research paper, or by one 4,000-word research paper. You will also submit a 15,000-word dissertation at the end of the programme. The dissertation will focus on a relevant topic of your choice, agreed with the programme convenor earlier in the year.

You will also attend Thursday Seminars held once a week during term-time at the Shakespeare Institute which feature papers presented by a range of established visiting scholars as well as fellows of the Shakespeare Institute and other University of Birmingham academic staff.

About the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies

"Welcome to the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies, in the College of Arts and Law. This is one of the largest Schools in the College, and variety is our watchword. We offer one of the most extensive ranges of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the country. Our research expertise is equally diverse, and we welcome students and researchers from all over the world." - Professor Andrzej Gasiorek, Head of School.

We particularly encourage creative thinking, with a range of pioneering programmes including Masters opportunities in Creative Writing, Film and Television and Shakespeare and Creativity. Our creative offerings are also strengthened by the development of our Department of Film and Creative Writing – established in 2015 – which has opened up exciting new opportunities for postgraduates to benefit from synergies between the two fields.

Our well-established Departments also provide an excellent environment for postgraduate study. The Department of Drama and Theatre Arts has a highly respected national and international reputation for excellence in teaching and research. We are also one of the leading centres for the postgraduate study of English in the UK, spanning language and literature. The Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics is a world-leading centre of excellence for both teaching and research in this field.

We are also proud to be home to the world-renowned Shakespeare Institute, based in Stratford-upon-Avon. Situated within walking distance of Shakespeare’s birthplace, school and grave, and the theatres of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), the Shakespeare Institute offers postgraduate students and scholars an academic experience unrivalled by any other university.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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Are you interested in learning the ways in which Shakespeare has been used in the classroom at different historical and cultural moments?

Do you want to immerse yourself in the works and plays of Shakespeare?

The Shakespeare Institute's MA in Shakespeare and Education is a unique, modular programme that is particularly appropriate for practicing teachers, offering the opportunity to enhance expertise in different aspects of Shakespeare’s work. Throughout the programme you will be incorporating the study of Shakespeare's plays in performance and adaptation. You can study this programme on campus or by distance learning.

This programme offers you the opportunity to enhance your expertise in different aspects of Shakespeare's work, while maintaining a pedagogical focus.

You will study three core modules:

Shakespeare and Pedagogy
Shakespeare’s Theatre
Research Skills

The flexible structure of this course allows study in a wide variety of ways, on a full- or part-time basis. Modules are available to study through a variety of routes that may include:

Three long weekends at the Shakespeare Institute at approximately monthly intervals
One day a week throughout a semester at the Shakespeare Institute (ten days).
Distance-learning option via online study
One intensive week for the Shakespeare and Pedagogy module, delivered before the Easter holidays

Full-time study is on site in Stratford-upon-Avon and part-time students can choose to study the whole programme either on-site, primarily by online distance learning or a combination of the two. The schedule of delivery allows access to all modules through a range of modes over any three-year period, although some are not available to study via distance learning. The compulsory Pedagogy module, which is co-taught with the Royal Shakespeare Company, must be studied on-site due to its interactive nature.

About the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies

"Welcome to the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies, in the College of Arts and Law. This is one of the largest Schools in the College, and variety is our watchword. We offer one of the most extensive ranges of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the country. Our research expertise is equally diverse, and we welcome students and researchers from all over the world." - Professor Andrzej Gasiorek, Head of School.

We particularly encourage creative thinking, with a range of pioneering programmes including Masters opportunities in Creative Writing, Film and Television and Shakespeare and Creativity. Our creative offerings are also strengthened by the development of our Department of Film and Creative Writing – established in 2015 – which has opened up exciting new opportunities for postgraduates to benefit from synergies between the two fields.

Our well-established Departments also provide an excellent environment for postgraduate study. The Department of Drama and Theatre Arts has a highly respected national and international reputation for excellence in teaching and research. We are also one of the leading centres for the postgraduate study of English in the UK, spanning language and literature. The Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics is a world-leading centre of excellence for both teaching and research in this field.

We are also proud to be home to the world-renowned Shakespeare Institute, based in Stratford-upon-Avon. Situated within walking distance of Shakespeare’s birthplace, school and grave, and the theatres of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), the Shakespeare Institute offers postgraduate students and scholars an academic experience unrivalled by any other university.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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Do you want to immerse yourself in the works of Shakespeare? Are you interested in understanding how Shakespeare’s plays work in performance?

This innovative Shakespeare Institute programme allows you to study the performance history but also the way in which Shakespeare’s plays have been performed through history, up to the modern moment. It encourages a historical approach to interpretation and styles of presentation and it promotes the value of close reading as the basis for evaluating the plays on the page, stage, and screen. You will have the opportunity to look at different productions and adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays in their historical, political, and cultural contexts and to think about the performance choices actors and directors make when approaching Shakespeare’s texts. You can also study how the textual history of Shakespeare’s plays influences performance today.

You can study on campus (full-time or part-time) or by distance learning (part-time only).

You will study two core modules:

Shakespeare’s Theatre
Research Skills

You will also choose four optional modules. Each module is assessed by one 4,000-word essay with the exception of: Research Skills which is assessed by 2 shorter assignments; and Shakespeare and Theatre Practice which is assessed by either two performance assignments and a 2,000-word research paper, or by one 4,000-word research paper. While completing all six taught modules will lead to a Diploma-level qualification, MA students will also complete a 15,000-word dissertation.

The flexible structure of this course allows study in a wide variety of ways, on a full- or part-time basis.

Modules are available to study through a variety of routes that may include:

Three long weekends at the Shakespeare Institute at approximately monthly intervals
One day a week throughout a semester at the Shakespeare Institute (ten days).
Distance-learning option via online study.

Full-time study is on site in Stratford-upon-Avon and part-time students can choose to study the whole programme either on site, via online distance learning or a combination of the two. You are also encouraged to visit the theatre and cinema to benefit from the excitement of Shakespeare's plays in performance.

About the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies

"Welcome to the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies, in the College of Arts and Law. This is one of the largest Schools in the College, and variety is our watchword. We offer one of the most extensive ranges of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the country. Our research expertise is equally diverse, and we welcome students and researchers from all over the world." - Professor Andrzej Gasiorek, Head of School.

We particularly encourage creative thinking, with a range of pioneering programmes including Masters opportunities in Creative Writing, Film and Television and Shakespeare and Creativity. Our creative offerings are also strengthened by the development of our Department of Film and Creative Writing – established in 2015 – which has opened up exciting new opportunities for postgraduates to benefit from synergies between the two fields.

Our well-established Departments also provide an excellent environment for postgraduate study. The Department of Drama and Theatre Arts has a highly respected national and international reputation for excellence in teaching and research. We are also one of the leading centres for the postgraduate study of English in the UK, spanning language and literature. The Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics is a world-leading centre of excellence for both teaching and research in this field.

We are also proud to be home to the world-renowned Shakespeare Institute, based in Stratford-upon-Avon. Situated within walking distance of Shakespeare’s birthplace, school and grave, and the theatres of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), the Shakespeare Institute offers postgraduate students and scholars an academic experience unrivalled by any other university.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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The principal aim of this course is to study the full range of Shakespeare’s dramatic and poetic works more closely and comprehensively than is possible at undergraduate level, while also allowing you to focus in depth on a single major play.

A distinctive feature of the course is its close engagement with the works themselves and with what they say now about our world as well as what they reveal about Shakespeare’s.The critical, historical and theoretical issues raised by his plays and poetry are allowed to emerge out of your direct encounter with them, rather than being prescribed in advance as avenues of approach.

The MA is designed to provide you with both breadth of coverage and depth of focus, and the course is ideal whether you wish to pursue research at PhD level or simply wish to develop your knowledge of Shakespeare and your critical skills.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/english/coursefinder/mashakespeare.aspx

Why choose this course?

- The MA Shakespeare is unique in its detailed engagement with the full range of Shakespeare’s works.

- All members of staff are actively engaged in major research projects: the Department was awarded a 4* rating in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). This commitment to scholarly research means all our postgraduate courses are informed by the latest developments in literary studies.

- Our excellent library resources span the full range of English studies and you will also have access to the University of London Library at Senate House as well as the British Library and the many specialist libraries located in central London.

Department research and industry highlights

In the most recent RAE (2008), 90% of the work submitted by the Department was judged to be of international standard with 30% assessed as world-leading (4*), 35% as internationally excellent (3*) and 25% as internationally recognised (2*). The Department’s performance, in terms of 4* and 3* results, was ranked 11th equal. Overall, the Department was ranked one of the top three English Departments in London.

We have particular strengths in the following research areas:
- Medieval Studies
- Shakespeare and the Renaissance
- 17th and 18th Century Literature and Culture
- 19th Century Literature
- 20th Century Literature and Theory
- Postcolonialism
- Creative Writing and Practice-based Research.

Course content and structure

You will study the two core course units and complete a dissertation under the supervision of one of the course tutors.

Core course units:
The Works: Plays & Poetry
This unit spans Shakespeare’s entire career as a dramatist and poet. You will explore in detail, through close reading and class discussion, every kind of play he wrote and his greatest poetry, engaging throughout with the most important recent critical accounts of them. After focusing on the romantic comedies, the key history plays and the Sonnets, you will go on to explore the problem plays, the major tragedies and the haunting romances Shakespeare wrote at the end of his career.

King Lear: Critical Debate & Creative Response
This is an intensive study of Shakespeare’s supreme tragic masterpiece, the critical controversies it has provoked, and the diverse ways in which it has been adapted and transformed since Shakespeare’s time, on stage and on screen as well as in later fiction, poetry and drama.

Dissertation
The dissertation (12,000—15,000 words) is designed to test your ability to handle a complex topic and to display research skills at greater length than the course essays allow. It may develop work done for any part of either course unit, or be on any Shakespearean topic approved by your dissertation supervisor.

On completion of the course graduates will have:
- a detailed, critical understanding of a wide range of works written by Shakespeare

- an advanced understanding of the critical controversies produced by King Lear from the eighteenth century to the present day; and its creative afterlife in fiction, poetry, drama and film

- evaluated relevant critical, theoretical and contextual research at the forefront of Shakespeare studies

- experience of independent literary research at an advanced level using traditional and electronic resources

- confidence in deploying the appropriate critical and technological skills required in this field of study.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by essays and a dissertation.

Employability & career opportunities

The Department has an impressive record for placing graduates in academic jobs and in prominent positions outside academia. In the field of Shakespeare and Renaissance studies alone, our postgraduates have recently secured positions at the Universities of Edinburgh, Sussex and Leeds, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the National University of Ireland. The English Department also prepares postgraduates for successful careers in a variety of other areas, such as teaching, writing and journalism, administration and marketing.

How to apply

Applications for entry to all our full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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Taugtht jointly between King's and Shakespeare's Globe, this unique MA programme offers you the opportunity to study the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries.

You will be able to draw on expertise at both King's and Shakespeare's Globe, studying Shakespeare close to the types of theatres for which he wrote and just a stone's throw from where his plays were originally performed.

At the Globe you will learn about early modern playhouses, audiences, performance practices and get to play on the stage and at King's you will cover early modern drama and other literary genres, examining Shakespeare alongside his contemporaries.

Key benefits

- Unique collaboration between Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and the Department of English, King's College London.

- Ideal opportunity to study the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries in a theatrical context in the heart of London.

- Graduates of the degree have gone on to study for the PhD both at King's and at other major universities both in the UK and the US or to work in the creative industries, arts administration and publishing.

Visit the website: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-courses/shakespeare-studies-ma.aspx

Course detail

- Description -

The degree is offered jointly by King’s and Globe Education. From 2015-16 teaching will be divided equally, capitalising on the academic and practical expertise of both of these institutions. At the Globe you will take two compulsory modules: ‘Early Modern Playhouse Practice: The Spaces, the Companies, the Business’ and ‘Staging Shakespeare in Early Modern Playhouses: Actors, Audiences and the Experience of Theatre-Going’. At King’s you will take a critical methodologies module (‘Working with Early Modern Literary Texts’), which includes training in palaeography and bibliography, and one optional module. Teaching across the degree is delivered by academics from King’s and Globe Education, complemented by visiting experts.

- Course purpose -

Advanced study of the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries in the context of the facilities and opportunities provided by Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and by King's. To provide a thorough knowledge of early modern drama, particularly Shakespearean drama, in its material and institutional contexts. Ideal grounding for further academic work and for work in arts administration, theatre, education, publishing.

- Course format and assessment -

Taught compulsory and optional courses assessed by coursework and/or examination plus a dissertation.

Career Prospects:

Recent graduates have gone on to PhDs at King’s and at the Universities of Cambridge, Columbia, New York, CUNY and Massachusetts, and subsequently to jobs at Cambridge, the Shakespeare Institute, Newcastle, and in North Carolina; to work in arts administration at eg Globe Education, National Theatre, Barbican, English National Opera; to edit for publishers in the US and UK.

How to apply: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/taught-courses.aspx

About Postgraduate Study at King’s College London:

To study for a postgraduate degree at King’s College London is to study at the city’s most central university and at one of the top 21 universities worldwide (2016/17 QS World University Rankings). Graduates will benefit from close connections with the UK’s professional, political, legal, commercial, scientific and cultural life, while the excellent reputation of our MA and MRes programmes ensures our postgraduate alumni are highly sought after by some of the world’s most prestigious employers. We provide graduates with skills that are highly valued in business, government, academia and the professions.

Scholarships & Funding:

All current PGT offer-holders and new PGT applicants are welcome to apply for the scholarships. For more information and to learn how to apply visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/funding/sources

Free language tuition with the Modern Language Centre:

If you are studying for any postgraduate taught degree at King’s you can take a module from a choice of over 25 languages without any additional cost. Visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/mlc

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The Shakespeare Institute offers promising candidates the opportunity to carry out their research in Stratford-Upon-Avon, as members of a closely-knit research community.

Situated within walking distance of Shakespeare’s birthplace, school and grave, and the theatres of the Royal Shakespeare Company, with access to extraordinarily rich libraries and archives, the Shakespeare Institute offers postgraduate students and scholars an academic experience unrivalled by any other university.

At the Institute, you are able to study for full-time and part-time research degrees at all postgraduate levels (MA by Research, MLitt, and PhD).

You will work towards writing a thesis on a topic of your own choice, agreed with the Institute at the time of admission, and are supervised by a member of the Institute's teaching staff. There is also the opportunity for split location registration.

The PhD - the most advanced research degree – leads to a dissertation of up to 80,000 words. If you have not already completed a research Masters, you will normally register for an MA by Research in the first instance, and apply to upgrade your registration to a PhD on the basis of progress made.

The MLitt involves undertaking research on a chosen topic leading to the preparation of a thesis of 60,000 words.

The MA by Research programme requires you to prepare a dissertation of up to 40,000 words.

All research students take a course on the Methods and Materials of Research. The aim is to provide an initial training in the methodologies of research in the various fields associated with Shakespeare Studies. There are no other compulsory courses, but research students are expected to attend Thursday Seminars and the Research Seminars; they are also given the opportunity of undertaking specialist training in palaeography.

Distance learning

You can study an MA by Research or PhD programme on campus or by distance learning. Please note that if you are studying with us by distance learning, the programme includes a fully-funded annual visit to campus for each full year of your programme (every two years for part-time students).

About the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies

"Welcome to the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies, in the College of Arts and Law. This is one of the largest Schools in the College, and variety is our watchword. We offer one of the most extensive ranges of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the country. Our research expertise is equally diverse, and we welcome students and researchers from all over the world." - Professor Andrzej Gasiorek, Head of School.

We particularly encourage creative thinking, with a range of pioneering programmes including Masters opportunities in Creative Writing, Film and Television and Shakespeare and Creativity. Our creative offerings are also strengthened by the development of our Department of Film and Creative Writing – established in 2015 – which has opened up exciting new opportunities for postgraduates to benefit from synergies between the two fields.

Our well-established Departments also provide an excellent environment for postgraduate study. The Department of Drama and Theatre Arts has a highly respected national and international reputation for excellence in teaching and research. We are also one of the leading centres for the postgraduate study of English in the UK, spanning language and literature. The Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics is a world-leading centre of excellence for both teaching and research in this field.

We are also proud to be home to the world-renowned Shakespeare Institute, based in Stratford-upon-Avon. Situated within walking distance of Shakespeare’s birthplace, school and grave, and the theatres of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), the Shakespeare Institute offers postgraduate students and scholars an academic experience unrivalled by any other university.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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Delivered in partnership with Queen Mary University of London, the course provides a unique opportunity to experience postgraduate life with two world-leading institutions with strong expertise in the fields of Shakespeare, Renaissance studies, performance and modern languages.

On this course you’ll find yourself at the centre of a unique initiative to engage with, critique, and develop ideas of globalisation, interdisciplinarity and translation that inform a new approach to the study of Shakespeare.

You will form a critical perspective on Shakespeare as a global cultural phenomenon — from Elizabethan England through his transformations and translations to the 21st century — as a catalyst and as a site of resistance to globalisation. You’ll also consider Shakespeare in online media and in films by internationally-acclaimed directors. The course investigates theoretical, historical, performance and pedagogical approaches to Shakespeare’s global afterlives and provides a rich mix of intellectual activity that will support you to become a Shakespearean without borders.

Your first term will be spent at London’s Queen Mary University accessing a variety of theatrical performances at venues such as Shakespeare’s Globe, Donmar Warehouse and the National Theatre, as well as visiting the many museums, libraries and archives of the capital. The second term is spent at Warwick, located close to Stratford-upon-Avon, where you can access performances at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and the research facilities of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

This is a joint degree with Queen Mary University of London, see: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/coursefinder/courses/125726.html for further module details.

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Note that this course is delivered by the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education.

This blended learning (online and face-to-face) 30-credit Postgraduate Award in Educational Studies course takes as its starting point the power of the performance in developing understanding of Shakespeare in pupils. It uses a practical, workshop and classroom-based approach, which is supported by a foundation of deepening theoretical knowledge about Shakespeare in context, with a particular focus on developing a critical and analytical awareness of the theatricality of specific Shakespeare plays.

Visit the website: http://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/component/courses/?view=course&cid=16002

Course detail

Aims of the programme:

- To explore with The Globe Theatre the opportunities offered for the effective teaching of Shakespeare through practical and applied classroom strategies;
- To resource and to generate research-based debate regarding teaching Shakespeare through performance;
- To encourage sharing of ideas and approaches within different groups of the English and drama teaching community, all of whom have a distinctive contribution to make to the debate and particular training needs;
- To impact positively on planning and teaching of Shakespeare;
- To contribute, via web or paper-based published outcomes, to the understanding of effective teaching of Shakespeare through performance strategies and The Globe Theatre's resources.

Format

Using resources developed by The Globe Theatre and the Faculty and located in a Virtual Learning Environment, you will be required to reflect analytically and critically on the assumptions which documented production choices embody and to show an understanding of the implications various critical approaches may generate for production choices. You will also be asked to evaluate your own teaching of Shakespeare using the ideas developed through the course.

You will be asked to attend an introductory session at the Faculty of Education at the beginning of the course. You will then meet at The Globe Theatre for a Saturday workshop. The theoretical foundation of the course is designed as an online component and will require you to undertake some small classroom-focused research tasks. The course ends with a further workshop at The Globe Theatre and attendance at the matinee on that day of one of the Globe's productions.

Please note: you are required to attend two Saturday workshops at The Globe Theatre, as well as completing the online component of the course.

Contact time

- Supervision: 3 hours per year
- Face-to-face conferences: 6-12 hours per year
- Small group teaching: 2 hours per week during terms (online)

Assessment

Essays, projects and written papers
4,000 words

Students receive written comments on their assignments and informal feedback throughout the course.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding

Sources of government funding and financial support (including Professional and Career Development Loans): https://www.gov.uk/browse/education/student-finance

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If you’re interested in the performance of Shakespeare and want to study the original and contemporary practices, then this MA is for you. You’ll take part in actor training and research seminars, leading to presentations and performances using our indoor and outdoor theatres on campus and in Bath city centre.

You’ll develop production and networking skills, building a theatre company and a professional profile. We’ll give you opportunities to take your work to external venues as part of your studies. With opportunities to work with BA Acting and Drama students, you’ll get the experience as an actor to lead workshops and as a researcher who can work in productions.

COURSE STRUCTURE

We place emphasis on practice-based work. You’ll take part in workshops on voice, text, movement and directing in our state-of-the-art studios. In addition, you’ll explore current research methods at Masters level and examine Shakespeare’s theatre through theoretical, historical, and cultural contexts.

MODULES

From the start of the course you’ll be immersed in a practical training, leading to performances of monologues, duologues, and scenes. You’ll also get a grounding in current research methods, completing practical or scholarly research. This leads to a presentation and an essay.

In the second trimester, we’ll give you the opportunity to train at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. You’ll develop your training into a professional portfolio. Alongside this you’ll develop a theatre company with fellow students for public performances.

In the third trimester, you can choose to undertake a more traditional written dissertation, a performance based dissertation or a mixture of the two. Previous students have undertaken productions, workshops, and research into stage and screen productions as part of their dissertation. You can choose to work on your dissertation on-campus or by distance learning. You’ll benefit from one-to-one tutorials which can take place in person or online.

For more information on modules, please go to: https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/courses/pg-performing-shakespeare/

TEACHING METHODS

The degree is delivered through a variety of workshops, lectures, seminars, master classes, off-site visits, performance and production work, and through the Virtual Learning Environment, Minerva. We get professional actors and directors in to work with you; we have ever-expanding list of lecturers, specialists, artists and guest scholars.

ASSESSMENT

Assessments could include performances, essays, literature reviews, written documentation of work, presentations, portfolios, leading workshops, written evaluations, reviews, rehearsal and practice blogs, written dissertations, practical dissertation projects, and critical play reviews.

For more information on assessment methods, please view our course handbook: https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/media/bathspaacuk/course-handbooks/course-handbooks/PG-Performing-Shakespeare-2016-17.pdf

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Our graduates have become producers; actors; teachers; and PhD students. Other students have set up their own theatre companies.

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MLitt in Shakespeare and Renaissance Literary Culture

The Shakespeare and Renaissance Literary Culture MLitt offers an all-round introduction to the literature of the sixteenth and seventeenth-centuries. It covers both elite and popular writing, the influence of other continental vernaculars, and the importance of print and manuscript media. Students who choose to study at St Andrews will be taught by expert scholars in small groups. The School of English prides itself on its support of student work through detailed feedback and commentary.
Our aim is that students should leave the programme more fluent and accomplished writers than they entered it, better informed about the literature of the English Renaissance, and capable of producing interpretative prose of the highest quality.

• Fully explore the literature and culture of the English Renaissance (c. 1500-1700).
• A particular focus on the work of William Shakespeare.
• A range of critical and interpretative perspectives, selecting from a range of available module options.
• Manuscript, print, speech, and the editing of Renaissance texts.
• All foreign language texts will be taught in translation.

Teaching methods: Seminar.
Assessment: Coursework essays, Dissertation.
Contact hours: Weekly seminars for core modules, each lasting 90 minutes; for Special Topics, six hour-long meetings over the course of one semester.

Features

* Research excellence in all periods of English literature from Old English to the present day.

* Members of the School include winners of the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry, Whitbread Prize, T S Eliot Prize for Poetry, the Forward Poetry Prize, the Geoffrey Faber Prize, the Somerset Maugham Award, the Canongate Prize, the Petrarca Preis, the Prix Zepter Prize and a Commonwealth Writers Prize for fiction.

* St Andrews is one of only three universities outside the USA in the Folger Institute consortium.

Postgraduate community

The School has a vibrant postgraduate community of around 80 students (full and part time) with a dedicated administrator who manages and advises on all postgraduate matters from admissions queries to PhD vivas, ensuring continuity for both postgraduates and staff.

Postgraduates meet regularly at the School’s Postgraduate Forum and at various voluntary seminar series organised by English or other Schools within the Faculty of Arts. The crossfertilisation of ideas between traditional literary / theoretical research and creative writing provides a uniquely stimulating environment supporting the usual individual meetings between postgraduate students and their supervisors. All taught postgraduates have access to research funds to help offset the costs of attending conferences or other research libraries.

Students are part of a welcoming and lively academic community. There is an active student-run Literary Society and the Postgraduate Forum, where postgraduates meet to present and discuss their ongoing work. Each semester, the School invites distinguished visiting academics and creative writers to lead seminars, lectures and workshops as part of our regular research events.

Facilities

The teaching rooms and staff offices of the School of English are housed in two nineteenth-century stone buildings, Castle House
and Kennedy Hall, opposite St Andrews Castle and overlooking the sea. 66 North Street, the School’s dedicated Centre for research students, is only a few minutes’ walk away. It offers bench rooms with PC workstations for all postgraduates, both taught and research. This lovely nineteenth-century building also has a well-used kitchen, common room and sunny garden. The encouragement of postgraduate study is a special concern of ours, and the number of postgraduate students has grown markedly in recent years.

The University Library has outstanding resources for research in English. The Copyright Deposit Collection contains approximately 40,000 volumes, covering the whole subject area from 1709 to 1837, and approximately 5,000 volumes of periodicals which ceased publication before 1841. Some of this material is not held in the National Library of Scotland. The print collection therefore offers an impressive range of opportunities for research in eighteenth-century literature, the Scottish Enlightenment and Romanticism.

The University Library also subscribes to a wide variety of online databases, including JISC Historic Books for access to almost all printed books to 1800, and Defining Gender 1450- 1910 for material supporting the School’s work in gender and sexuality studies. Manuscript collections extend from mediaeval archives through some of the world’s most detailed records of eighteenth and nineteenth-century reading to the papers of the contemporary poet Douglas Dunn. Postgraduates have the opportunity to work with expert Library staff in areas ranging from palaeography to digital humanities.

Additional application information

All MLitt applicants should submit a sample of written work of around 2,000 words. This must be a critical academic essay (or extract) related to the proposed field of study. Applicants for the MLitt programme in Creative Writing should also include a typed portfolio of original verse, prose or play/ screenwriting (around 10 poems or 10-15 pages of prose or play/screenwriting). In addition, all applicants should submit a Supplementary Application Form in place of a personal statement. The form may be downloaded from the website at: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/english/postgraduate/applying/documents/

Funding: investing in your future

The School of English normally offers a small number of its own awards for suitably qualified applicants who have been accepted for an MLitt. These are open to both home/EU and overseas students. Up-to-date information can be found at: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/english/postgraduate/funding/

Recent School of English taught postgraduate students have also succeeded in obtaining funding from a variety of external sources in order to study here, including the Marshall Scholarship, the Ransome Trust and Scotland’s Saltire Scholarship fund.

Details of these and other scholarship opportunities and initiatives can be found on the University’s scholarships webpages: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/pg/fees-and-funding/scholarships/taught/

Careers

Following a taught postgraduate course in English at the University, students go on to pursue careers in a range of sectors including journalism, marketing, publishing and teaching. Others continue in academia, moving on to a PhD. The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students on a taught postgraduate course and offers a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.

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Shakespeare and Renaissance Studies (one year full-time or two years part-time) provides students with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of English Renaissance literature and culture from an interdisciplinary perspective. All students are introduced to the methodologies and theories underpinning Renaissance studies today, and choose from a wide range of specialist modules. The course is suited to English Literature graduates who wish to pursue advanced-level study either as an end in itself or as preparation for a PhD. Funding is available to the best students from various sources, including AHRC, DEL and the School of English at Queen’s.

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We offer the opportunity to undertake research in English Literature, delivered on campus or through distance learning.

You will have access to a range of world-class resources in the University’s Main Library and the Cadbury Research Library where a host of rare manuscripts and archives are available. The department also fosters a range of connections with local partners such as the Library of Birmingham, the largest municipal library in Europe, and the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon, itself part of the wider School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies.

Our principal areas of expertise include Medieval English (for example, Old English, Chaucer, Langland, Lollard writing, Reformation writing and medievalist writers such as Tolkien ); Early Modern English (for example, Daniel, Donne, Jonson, Marlowe, Middleton, Shakespeare, Spenser, Milton); Restoration, 18th century and the Romantics (for example, Swift, Goldsmith, Pope, Johnson, Macpherson, and Wordsworth,); and 19th-century, 20th- century and contemporary research (for example, Hardy, Wilde, James, Conrad, Woolf, T. S. Eliot, Ballard, DeLillo, and Coetzee).

The MA by Research programme requires you to prepare a dissertation of up to 40,000 words on a topic of your choice, for which an academic staff member will provide expert supervision.

The PhD – the most advanced research degree – leads to a dissertation of up to 80,000 words on a subject of your choice and under the expert supervision of an academic member of staff.

Distance learning

You can study an MA by Research or PhD programme on campus or by distance learning. Please note that if you are studying with us by distance learning, the programme includes a fully-funded annual visit to campus for each full year of your programme (every two years for part-time students).

For more information on distance learning including answers to frequently asked questions, student experiences and funding opportunities, please see our distance learning website.

About the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies

"Welcome to the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies, in the College of Arts and Law. This is one of the largest Schools in the College, and variety is our watchword. We offer one of the most extensive ranges of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the country. Our research expertise is equally diverse, and we welcome students and researchers from all over the world." - Professor Andrzej Gasiorek, Head of School

We particularly encourage creative thinking, with a range of pioneering programmes including Masters opportunities in Creative Writing, Film and Television and Shakespeare and Creativity. Our creative offerings are also strengthened by the development of our Department of Film and Creative Writing – established in 2015 – which has opened up exciting new opportunities for postgraduates to benefit from synergies between the two fields.

Our well-established Departments also provide an excellent environment for postgraduate study. The Department of Drama and Theatre Arts has a highly respected national and international reputation for excellence in teaching and research. We are also one of the leading centres for the postgraduate study of English in the UK, spanning language and literature. The Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics is a world-leading centre of excellence for both teaching and research in this field.

We are also proud to be home to the world-renowned Shakespeare Institute, based in Stratford-upon-Avon. Situated within walking distance of Shakespeare’s birthplace, school and grave, and the theatres of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), the Shakespeare Institute offers postgraduate students and scholars an academic experience unrivalled by any other university.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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This is a unique professional course that has been designed specifically for overseas students. MA Acting (International) offers the full spectrum of acting skills, including voice, movement and singing and approaches to rehearsal and public performances. The course focuses on advanced practical acting skills and also takes in the study of Shakespeare and other classical traditions.

Example structure

We offer dynamic and unique course for actors, directors, technical theatre specialists and students of theatre practice. Training at East 15 draws upon 50 years of tradition combined with a keen sense of the world of stage and screen today.

First Term
The first term includes the module Acting Technique based on the Stanislavsky approach, which addresses the key physical and vocal skills for acting, enabling students who are coming from a variety of training traditions to identify and achieve the required level of preparation for the subsequent modules.

It also allows tutors to make a diagnostic assessment of your skills and potential, and identify and implement any additional work in these core areas.

The module on Shakespeare enables you to develop your understanding of the meaning and mechanics of Shakespeare’s text. It introduces you to specific vocal techniques for the performance of Renaissance text and allow you to consider how a range of archaic and contemporary performance settings influence the actor’s and director’s approaches to Shakespeare in performance.

In addition, you study a range of analytical and experimental approaches to script that are useful to the actor and there are opportunities to develop your clarity, accuracy, and expressiveness in speaking Renaissance text. The Shakespeare module normally includes a two-week workshop at Shakespeare’s Globe, where you have an opportunity to perform on the Globe stage.

Second Term
The second term includes the Character and Scene Study module which extends the work begun in Acting Technique. It uses a Realist approach to acting as its base, allowing you to pursue longer and more challenging acting explorations. Scene work is undertaken on scripts by, for example, Ibsen, Strindberg, and Realist texts from the last 50 years. The module extends and applies Realist acting techniques, and includes a study of theories and assumptions underlying Realism.

A module on Contemporary UK Texts introduces you to key contemporary texts from the UK theatre, and to scripts from the twentieth-century that continue to have a place in and to influence contemporary UK theatre. It allows you to extend your vocal, physical, and analytical skills in the creation of roles that reflect a current cultural context and offers an opportunity to create and perform a complete role in the context of a fully staged play.

Third Term
You work on a written dissertation or a practical project. The year usually culminates in a full length production in a London venue.

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