University of Birmingham: Shakespeare
| Institution | University of Birmingham View institution profile |
|---|---|
| Department | School of English, Drama, and Creative Studies View department profile |
| Web | www.birmingham.ac.uk |
| Study type | Taught |
MA
Summary
Immerse yourself in the world of Shakespeare in his beautiful hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon. Our dedicated Shakespeare Institute research centre means you’ll benefit from the expertise of our academics and join a community of staff and students who share your love of Shakespeare.
The University has a unique collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), offering you opportunities outside the MA to enhance your studies and see Shakespeare’s works brought to life on-stage.
Pursue your passion for Shakespeare and discover new ways to approach his works. Study Shakespeare through different lenses based on the latest research of our Shakespeare academics. If you work in education, or you’re interested in working in education, our Shakespeare and Education pathway offers insights into teaching Shakespeare.
Course highlights
Whether you choose to study on-site at the Shakespeare Institute or by distance learning, you’ll benefit from our dedicated research activity and wide ranging expertise in the study of Shakespeare. You'll explore critical, historical and theatrical approaches to Shakespeare, deepening your understanding of his impact on literature and theatre.
What’s more, you can specialise with our Shakespeare and Education pathway. This pathway blends the expertise of our academics at the Shakespeare Institute with practical insights from the RSC on the ‘Teaching Shakespeare’ module taught in collaboration with the RSC.
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Stratford-upon-Avon is the perfect place to study Shakespeare, with RSC theatres and Shakespeare’s birthplace on your doorstep.
-
The Shakespeare Institute is home to many resources, academic expertise and a dedicated Shakespeare Library to enhance your studies.
-
Join a welcoming postgraduate community at the Shakespeare Institute: take part in student theatre or seminars and conferences.
-
If you can't come to Stratford, learn from anywhere in the world with our distance learning options.
-
The University of Birmingham is ranked in the Top 50 for English Literature and Linguistics (QS World University Rankings 2025).
| Level | RQF Level 7 |
|---|---|
| Entry requirements | 2:1 Honours Degree (or international equivalent) in English or a related subject. If you don't have the required academic background, you can study our Fall in with Shakespeare or Spring into Shakespeare short course before applying for the MA. Completing one of the short courses can be used instead of a 2:1 Honours degree as entry onto the MA Shakespeare or MA Shakespeare with Education pathway. We may also require you to submit a writing sample of approximately 2000 words on Shakespeare or a similar topic related to Early Modern drama, but this will be decided on a case-by-case basis. |
| Location | Shakespeare Institute Mason Croft Church Street Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6HP |
Summary
Immerse yourself in the world of Shakespeare in his beautiful hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon. Our dedicated Shakespeare Institute research centre means you’ll benefit from the expertise of our academics and join a community of staff and students who share your love of Shakespeare.
The University has a unique collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), offering you opportunities outside the MA to enhance your studies and see Shakespeare’s works brought to life on-stage.
Pursue your passion for Shakespeare and discover new ways to approach his works. Study Shakespeare through different lenses based on the latest research of our Shakespeare academics. If you work in education, or you’re interested in working in education, our Shakespeare and Education pathway offers insights into teaching Shakespeare.
Course highlights
Whether you choose to study on-site at the Shakespeare Institute or by distance learning, you’ll benefit from our dedicated research activity and wide ranging expertise in the study of Shakespeare. You'll explore critical, historical and theatrical approaches to Shakespeare, deepening your understanding of his impact on literature and theatre.
What’s more, you can specialise with our Shakespeare and Education pathway. This pathway blends the expertise of our academics at the Shakespeare Institute with practical insights from the RSC on the ‘Teaching Shakespeare’ module taught in collaboration with the RSC.
-
Stratford-upon-Avon is the perfect place to study Shakespeare, with RSC theatres and Shakespeare’s birthplace on your doorstep.
-
The Shakespeare Institute is home to many resources, academic expertise and a dedicated Shakespeare Library to enhance your studies.
-
Join a welcoming postgraduate community at the Shakespeare Institute: take part in student theatre or seminars and conferences.
-
If you can't come to Stratford, learn from anywhere in the world with our distance learning options.
-
The University of Birmingham is ranked in the Top 30 for English Literature and Linguistics (QS World University Rankings 2024).
| Level | RQF Level 7 |
|---|---|
| Entry requirements | 2:1 Honours Degree (or international equivalent) in English or a related subject. If you don't have the required academic background, you can study our Fall in with Shakespeare or Spring into Shakespeare short course before applying for the MA. Completing one of the short courses can be used instead of a 2:1 Honours degree as entry onto the MA Shakespeare or MA Shakespeare with Education pathway. As part of your application, you’ll need to provide an essay of approx. 2,000 words on Shakespeare or a similar topic related to Early Modern drama. If you don’t have an essay about Shakespeare to submit, we can accept an essay on another literary topic if necessary. Please contact the programme lead, Dr Abigail Rokison-Woodall, if you have any queries about the writing sample. |
| Location | Shakespeare Institute Mason Croft Church Street Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6HP |
Why you should choose the School of English, Drama and Creative Studies at the University of Birmingham
Join a community of writers, filmmakers, performers and creatives at a world top 100 university for arts and humanities (QS World University Rankings 2025).
We’re home to students across English Literature, Linguistics and Communication, Shakespeare Studies, Film, Creative Writing, Digital Media and Drama.
Our postgraduate taught courses
- MA English Literature
- MA Applied Linguistics (including distance learning and PGCert options)
- MA Applied Linguistics with TESOL
- MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (including distance …
