1550 - 1700

The course convenors are Dr Margaret Kean (St Hugh’s College) and Dr John Pitcher (St John's College). The Faculty includes a large number of scholars and teachers working in the period 1550-1700, including: Professor Sharon Achinstein, Professor Ros Ballaster, Professor Katherine Duncan-Jones, Dr Christine Gerrard, Dr Paulina Kewes, Dr Rhodri Lewis, Professor Richard McCabe, Professor Peter McCullough, Professor Laurie E. Maguire, Dr Helen Moore, Dr Kathryn Murphy, Professor David Norbrook, Professor Simon Palfrey, Dr Diane Purkiss, Dr Emma Smith, Professor Tiffany Stern, Dr Bart van Es, Dr Philip West, Dr Abigail Williams, Professor David Womersley.

In addition to the courses provided specifically for the M.St. there are many other classes and seminars including two research seminars which feature visiting speakers, Early Modern Literature and Restoration to Reform. The Bodleian Library, founded in 1602, offers immense holdings in early modern printed books and manuscripts, and also has the particular interest of representing in its architecture a key moment of early modern cultural history. The Taylorian Library offers extensive holdings in Continental printed books and in modern secondary literature. Many college libraries contain unique holdings of early modern books. The period is also very well represented in the Faculties of History and Modern Languages and graduate students are able to attend lectures and seminars in related disciplines. There is active interdisciplinary collaboration with Classics and with Women's Studies. Beginners' classes in a wide range of ancient and modern languages are available through other Faculties.

The Oxford-Robin Geffen Keble Graduate Scholarship in Early Modern English Literature

Mr Robin Geffen, a distinguished Keble Old Member, has generously funded an annual scholarship for UK/EU students undertaking a M.St at Keble in Early Modern English Literature (1550-1700).

English Faculty and Keble representatives will award the scholarship after assessing all applicants for the M.St in each year’s admissions round.  Those wishing to be considered should apply to the University by the January deadline for entry to this degree.

Further details may be found on the Keble College website.

A. Literature, Contexts and Approaches (Core Course).

The general classes on ‘Literature, Contexts and Approaches' introduce representative key texts and current debates on the literature and cultural history of the period.

The A Course is taught as weekly seminar over eight weeks in Michaelmas Term, and is designed to provide a solid foundation for advanced literary study.

B. Bibliography, Theories of Text, History of the Book, Manuscript Studies.

This is a range of lectures and seminars in each of the first two terms designed to train students for research in English. Within this strand, there will be classes on palaeography, offering students the skills essential to exploring the enormous riches of Oxford 's manuscript collections, and on book history, bibliography, and textual criticism.

C. Special Options.

Special Option courses are one-term courses on specialist themes usually relating to the current research interests of the teacher(s).

C options for this strand over the past few years have included: 'Shakespeare and the Book'; ‘The Sidneys'; 'Literature and Religion, c.1550-1642'; 'The New Milton Studies'; 'Early Modern Women and the Book'; 'Imagining Early Modern London, 1558-1640'; 'Women's Writing in English Literature 1660-1789'; ‘Early Modern Writing and the New Philosophy'.

Students normally take one Special Option in each of the first two terms, but may take up to four if they decide to opt out of the B course.

The special option courses present an excellent opportunity for you to develop your research interests. You are not constrained to follow option courses within your designated period, and indeed, option courses often traverse the boundaries of the broad periods.

D. Dissertation.

All students write a 10,000 word dissertation on a subject of their choice, but related to the work they have been doing over the year. You will be assigned to a member of Faculty who will act as your supervisor.

Assessment

In addition to the dissertation, you will submit three essays of 5-7,000 words – one at the end of the first term, and two at the end of the second term – relating to the B and C courses that you have taken.

Students normally take all four components to fulfil the requirements of the degree. All course work will be completed by the end of the second term (Hilary Term), leaving the summer term (Trinity Term) for the writing of the dissertation, which is submitted in early June.