Immerse yourself in the world of Shakespeare in his beautiful hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon. By studying at our dedicated Shakespeare Institute research centre, you’ll learn from our academic experts and join a community who share your love of Shakespeare.
Pursue your passion for Shakespeare and discover new ways to approach his works.
Our MA Shakespeare includes the optional pathway MA Shakespeare with Education. This pathway is suitable if you work in education, or you're interested in working in education.
Study Shakespeare through different lenses based on the latest research of our Shakespeare academics.
The full-time programme runs from September to September on-site at The Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
If you'd like to study part-time you can study the online MA Shakespeare by distance learning.
September - December (11 weeks)
Full-time students take three modules per term in the first two terms.
There are two hours of seminar time per module per week, and an emphasis on guided independent learning.
One-third of your degree is your dissertation. You begin planning and submit a proposal for your dissertation during term one.
January - April (12 weeks)
Full-time students take three modules per term in the first two terms.
During term two you are assigned a supervisor for your dissertation and carry out research for your chosen topic.
May – August
There are no taught modules during term three. You’ll continue your research and writing ready to submit your dissertation at the end of August.
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To gain a place at Birmingham you will need to meet our general entry requirements, as well as those specific to your course. Your application will be reviewed by the course’s Admissions Tutor, who will decide whether your application should receive an offer.
You should have, or expect to get, a 2:1 Honours degree 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.
English language requirements If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification or a Presessional English course.
For this course we require IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band, which is equivalent to:
If you have a conditional offer for Birmingham where English is a requirement, you can take a Presessional English course as an alternative to retaking IELTS or a similar qualification. We offer on-campus courses all year round starting from September including additional online courses in the summer term. Teaching takes place in small classes with no more than 18 students to maximise class participation.