MA in Shakespeare Studies

Celebrating 10 years in 2010 ...

The MA in Shakespeare Studies offers students the opportunity to study the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries in their critical, textual and theatrical contexts. Students on the programme examine the output of the London theatres in the period 1590-1640, analyzing the play texts, companies, repertories, buildings, cultural contexts and the urban locations of the theatres.

The programme provides training in research methodologies, equipping students with the skills necessary to pursue doctoral study or a professional career in the cultural sector or arts education, drawing on the established strengths of the Department of English at King's and the unique experience of the Globe’s academic, educational and artistic teams in the analysis and performance of early modern theatre.

The MA in Shakespeare Studies will serve both as a self-contained experience and as ideal grounding for postgraduate research or for a career in theatre and the arts. A good number of our graduates have gone on to do doctoral work, not only at King's but at other UK universities, including Cambridge, and at several major US universities, including Columbia, NYU, Massachusetts at Amherst, and CUNY: in these latter cases, the MA has served as a valuable bridge from American undergraduate work to acceptance onto a high-level doctoral programme.

What is offered:

• a strong tradition of Shakespeare and early modern literary studies at King’s;
• a unique theatrical and leading educational environment at Shakespeare’s Globe;
• unprecedented and unique access to all resources at Shakespeare’s Globe, including the opportunity to work on the Globe stage conducting research-led experiments with professional theatre artists;
• world-leading expertise in the study of Shakespeare;
• two research internship placements at Shakespeare’s Globe;
• opportunity to attend research seminars at the London Shakespeare Centre, King’s College London, and seminars and conferences at Shakespeare’s Globe.

This MA, taught jointly with King's College London, offers the chance to study Shakespeare's works in the context of the theatre industry of his time, using surviving artefacts (including playhouse documents) of the period and exploiting the unique learning facilities of the reconstructed Globe.

Faculty will include Dr Farah Karim-Cooper (Globe), Professor Gordon McMullan (King's), Dr Sonia Massai (King's) and Professor Ann Thompson (King's). The Globe has regular visiting fellows who also contribute to the MA. Past guest lecturers have included Professor Andrew Gurr (University of Reading), Professor Susan Cerasano (Colgate University) and Jenny Tiramani (Director of Theatre Design, 2003-2006).

For further information, please contact Joanne Luck by email or on telephone at +44 (0)20 7902 1436,  or visit the King's College London website.

Globe Research Internships

At the end of the first semester, MA students are invited to apply for two placements in the research team at Shakespeare’s Globe. Interns will be expected to be able to conduct high-level research at a relatively fast pace and will provide dramaturgical support for the theatre companies in rehearsal at the Globe.
 
Interns may also have the opportunity to help the Globe with its large-scale research project to develop a theory about performance practices in the Globe playhouse by interviewing actors and directors and documenting the findings. There is also a wide variety of research projects and queries that range from assisting directors of ‘Read Not Dead’ staged readings as they come to grips with the content of an early modern play to conducting research for Globe Education productions, documentaries and AHRC-funded projects.

Interns also have the opportunity to assist with the running of conferences and seminars which frequently involve internationally-renowned scholars and authors.

Postgraduate Courses for Teachers

For postgraduate opportunities for teachers, including the MA in Creative Arts in the Classroom, please see the Teacher Training section of the website