Shakespeare

Entry requirements

Our usual entry requirement for this programme is a 2:1 Honours degree, or equivalent, in English or a related subject.

If you do not have a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in English or a related subject, you may be interested in our short courses in Shakespeare: Spring into Shakespeare or Fall in with Shakespeare. Completion of either one of these short courses can be used in place of the Honours degree entry requirements for our MA programmes in Shakespeare, Shakespeare and Education, and Shakespeare and Creativity.

Please note that all applications are treated on their merits, and we will review your references, personal statement and past experience alongside your qualifications when considering your application.

Months of entry

September

Course content

This programme offers an unrivalled opportunity to study Shakespeare in the heart of his hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Delivered by and taught at The Shakespeare Institute, 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.

It provides you with a rigorous and wide-ranging knowledge of approaches to the study of Shakespeare, with emphasis on criticism, textual studies, the plays in performance, and the history of Shakespeare's reception.

The programme has two pathways – the MA Shakespeare pathway, and the MA Shakespeare and Education pathway. Students wishing to graduate with an MA in Shakespeare and Education must take the module ‘Teaching Shakespeare’ and undertake and Education-focussed dissertation.

The dynamism of the programme 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.

It has proved invaluable for students heading towards a variety of careers, and it provides a solid foundation for research at a higher level.

Students have the opportunity to study this programme on-site at The Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon or by online, distance learning. Studying via distance learning, means you can continue in employment alongside studying for your Masters.

Fees and funding