Shakespeare Studies

Course detail Description

This degree is offered jointly by King’s and Globe Education, allowing you to capitalise on the academic and practical expertise of both of these institutions. At the Globe, you will take two compulsory modules, and at King’s you will take a critical methodologies module (‘Working with Early Modern Literary Texts’), which includes training in palaeography (the study of ancient writing systems and the deciphering and dating of manuscripts) and bibliography, along with one optional module. Through this degree you will pursue advanced study of the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries, making use of the facilities and opportunities provided by Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and by King’s. You will develop a detailed knowledge of early modern drama, particularly Shakespearean drama.

Between May and September you will write a dissertation, which will be supervised by academics either at King’s or at the Globe, depending on your chosen subject.

Teaching
Teaching across the degree is delivered by academics from King’s and Globe Education, complemented by visiting experts.

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

If you are a full-time student, we will give you four to six hours of teaching each week through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 26 hours of self-study.

If you are a part-time student, we will give you two to three hours of teaching each week through lectures and seminars in your first year and two to four hours in your second, and we will expect you to undertake 13 hours of self study in your first and second years.

Assessment
Our modules are assessed entirely through coursework, typically a 4,000-word essay for 20-credit modules and 8,000 to 10,000 words for a 40-credit module. There will also be a dissertation.

Regulating body
King’s College London is regulated by the Office for Students.

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Structure

Year 1

Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 180 credits.

You are required to take:

• Working with Early Modern Literary Texts (30 credits)
• Early Modern Playhouse Practice (20 credits)
• Staging Shakespeare in Early Modern Playhouses (20 credits)
• Dissertation Shakespeare English (90 credits)

You will also write a 15,000-word Dissertation and 4,000-word Critical survey module which includes training in research and writing skills on a related topic.

Please note that if you are a part-time student, you will take ‘Early Modern Playhouse Practice’ in your first year. You will take the rest of the required modules in your second year.

In addition, you are required to take 20 credits from a range of optional modules which may typically include those listed below.

If you are a part-time student, you will take these 20 credits in your first year. There will be no optional modules in your second year.

• Global/Local Shakespeares (20 credits)
• Professing Writing in Early Modern England (20 credits)
• Theatre, Gender & Culture in Jacobean London (20 credits)
• Premodern Dialogues: Medieval & Early Modern Literatures in Conversation (20 credits)
• Poetic Movements, Poetic Moods 1660–1800 (20 credits)
• Flatter & Fawn: Early Modern Drama & the Court (20 credits)
• Up to 20 credits from Graduate Language modules offered by King’s Modern Language Centre

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.