Early Modern English Literature: Books That Matter MA
A King’s College London course taught in partnership with the Library.
This Early Modern English Literature MA is an innovative and exciting partnership between the Department of English at King’s College London and the British Library. The course focuses on the transmission of key early modern literary texts, investigating both the circulation of literary texts in manuscript and print form and the way they were received. You will learn to read early modern handwriting, to transcribe neglected literary manuscripts and rare printed texts, and to edit them for the modern reader.
In focusing on transmission alongside more traditional literary approaches, the course explores the impact of the materiality of the text and of the material conditions of its (re)production on the way it is interpreted.
A core component of this MA is the module The Life of the Book: Constructing Knowledge at the British Library, which is taught by our expert curators. This module allows access to our collection of early modern print and manuscript material with a focus on the factors and people involved in their production, transmission and preservation in libraries and private collections.
Hear from staff and students
Previous students and staff discuss the Kings College London and British Library MA, Early Modern English Literature: Books That Matter, and take a closer look at some of the extraordinary items from our collection.
Key benefits include
- A strong tradition of Shakespeare studies, textual editing and early modern literary studies at King’s
- Unique access to our unparalleled collections and the expertise of world-class curators, who will teach a core module and supervise some dissertations
- Explicit engagement with non-canonical, minority and dissident voices from the early modern period
- Workshops held at the Library and other relevant special collections in London
- Close links with the Shakespeare Centre London, the London Shakespeare Seminar, the London Renaissance Seminar and the Institute of English Studies
- Located in the heart of literary London.
Essential information
- In-person course
- Full-time for one year or part-time for two years
- Runs September – September
- Applications close in March.
Find out more about course essentials and how to apply on the King’s College website.
