Fall in with Shakespeare is a short course designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to study Shakespeare at postgraduate level.
You will develop a strong understanding of key concepts relating to the study of Shakespeare, such as genre, language, performance, Shakespeare in Education, and Global Shakespeare.
Successful completion of this course may be used as an alternative qualification to those listed as entry requirements for the Shakespeare Institute MA programmes in Shakespeare Studies, Shakespeare and Education, and Shakespeare and Creativity.
This short course is also an opportunity for those who wish to study Shakespeare for pleasure. If you do not intend to continue onto a Masters programme, you will still acquire significant knowledge of Shakespeare, which can be applied in a variety of educational, outreach, and cultural settings.
What will you study?
This course is delivered by the Shakespeare Institute and features lecture content from leading scholars in Shakespeare Studies. Drawing on the University of Birmingham’s collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Fall in with Shakespeare also provides multiple opportunities for students to discuss productions with RSC theatre practitioners.
Each week will focus on a particular approach to studying Shakespeare:
Weeks 1 to 4
- Language, metre, and genre
- Shakespeare’s contemporaries in their early modern context
- Shakespeare in Education
- Global Shakespeare
Weeks 5 and 6
- Shakespeare in contemporary performance (seminars held in collaboration with Royal Shakespeare Company theatre practitioners)
Weeks 7 and 8 (Optional)
- Research Skills A: Using digital and physical resources to conduct research
- Research Skills B: Academic writing and referencing
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Discuss key areas of Shakespeare Studies, including genre, text, Shakespeare in performance, Shakespeare’s language, characters, plot, and themes.
- Demonstrate a strong understanding of Shakespeare’s writing in the broad context of the early modern period.
- Write in an academic style appropriate for MA-level study in Shakespeare.
- Use an academic referencing system (such as MLA or MHRA) with confidence.
- Undertake research at the level required for MA-level study, using online databases, academic books, and journals.
The course content will include weekly lectures, optional virtual seminars, discussion boards, Q&A sessions with RSC practitioners, and access to a wide range of resources. For more information on how the course will be delivered, please see the ‘What you will receive’ tab.
The course compliments the ‘Spring into Shakespeare’ short course, which ran in Spring 2023. Weeks 1–6 feature all-new content. Weeks 7 and 8 (Research Skills A and B) repeat the final two weeks of ‘Spring into Shakespeare’, and are optional. Those who have already studied Research Skills as part of ‘Spring into Shakespeare’ are not required to do so again. However, Weeks 7 and 8 of Fall in with Shakespeare must be completed by those who are using the course to transition onto a Shakespeare Institute MA programme. You do not need to have completed ‘Spring into Shakespeare’ before taking Fall in with Shakespeare: these are separate, standalone courses that can be taken individually (or consecutively in either order).
Fees
The tuition fee for this course is £400.
You can decide to register for the two optional 'Research Skills' weeks after the start of the programme. Should you chose to study the two Research Skills weeks, there will be no additional fees.
How to apply
When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for Fall in with Shakespeare. You will create an account with the University application system and complete a short form to apply. The deadline for applications is Monday 02 October 2023.
Entry requirements
An Honours degree in any subject OR professional experience of working with Shakespeare. Further details can be found on the Requirements tab.
You should have a high level of proficiency in the English Language across all language learning areas (reading, writing, speaking and listening). It is your responsibility to ensure that you can cope with the language demands of this short course.