UCLA Travel Study
English: Shakespeare
*Program not offered for Summer 2023*
Experience Shakespeare’s plays as they were meant to be experienced, on the stage as well as the page, and in the company of his fellow dramatists, during a summer session spent in Stratford-upon-Avon and London, England. Â
During this intensive program, students will be immersed in the study of multiple plays in performance, as mounted both on the two stages of the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, and the reconstructed Globe Theater in Southwark, London. Â
Classroom work will include analysis of literary and historical approaches to the plays led by UCLA Shakespearean Professor Claire McEachern, as well as visits from actors, directors and other production staff of these two world-famous theater companies. Beyond the classroom, students will be introduced to the major historical sites and museums of Shakespeare’s hometown as well as the cultural offerings of London.
Curriculum
Program Courses
All students will enroll in two required courses while attending the program:
English Majors –
- ENGL 150A (5 units)
- ENGL 150B (5 units)
(English 150C may be substituted for either course)
Non-English Majors –
- ENGL 90 (5 units)
- ENGL 129 (5 units)
Course Descriptions
ENGL 150A*: Shakespeare (5 units)
ENGL 150B*: Shakespeare (5 units)
ENGL 90**: Shakespeare for Non-English Majors (5 units)
ENGL 129: Topics in Genre Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Critical Theory (5 units)
Prerequisites – English majors must have previously taken English 10A & English 10B or equivalent, or get instructor consent.
*English majors may substitute ENGL 150C: Shakespeare for English 150A or 150B.
This program explores and examines Shakespeare’s plays and poems as written and performed. Students will read plays being performed in the current season at Stratford-Upon-Avon, possibly including some non-Shakespearean drama, and at the International Globe Theater in London. Attention will be given to understanding Shakespeare’s drama and poetry through visits to specific historical sites in the surrounding area. We are also planning to attend special sessions with members of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre cast.
**ENGL 90 Fulfills UCLA GE requirement in Literary & Cultural Analysis
Optional Course
ENGL 199: Directed Research (4 quarter units; requires instructor consent)
English 199 is an independent research project, which is academically rigorous and requires a research paper. All projects require the instructor’s approval on subject and format.
Students can enroll in optional courses by submitting the Optional Course Registration Form, as well as proof of instructor consent, to info@ieo.ucla.edu. You can enroll up until the Friday of the second week of your program.
Grading
Grades are based on attendance, class participation, journals, a mid-term examination and a final examination. The instructor reserves the right to vary this format.
Textbooks and Course Materials
The cost of theater tickets is included in your program fee. You are responsible for purchasing your textbooks. We recommend that you wait until you are in Stratford-upon-Avon to do so. Books will be available in paperback editions at the Shakespeare bookshop across from the Shakespeare Center. Expect to spend about $100. Enrolled students will receive detailed information on performances and required readings.
Budget and Financial Aid
| Budget | UC Undergrads | UC Grad Students | Visiting Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Program Fee | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Textbooks (estimate) | $100 | $100 | $100 |
| Airfare (estimate) | $1700 | $1700 | $1700 |
| Meals (estimate) | $1100 | $1100 | $1100 |
| Spending Money (estimate) | $500 | $500 | $500 |
Program fee includes registration and course fees, accommodations, program excursions and health insurance.
The program provides daily breakfast as well as dinner Monday through Friday while in Stratford-upon-Avon. Students will have a £10 cafeteria allowance in London. Group transfers between Stratford-upon-Avon and London, during the program, and theater tickets for required performances are also included in the program fee.
Airfare, textbooks, optional courses, other meals, optional excursions, and any COVID-19 testing required for travel are additional.
Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents. View full fee disclaimer.
Document Fee
Non-UCLA students will be charged a $50 Document Fee. Â This is a one-time document fee which covers fees for first-class mailing of official transcripts, diploma and much more. Please visit the Registrar’s Office Website for more information. Â Matriculated UCLA Students: Please visit the Registrar’s Office Website for document fee information.
IEI Fee
All undergraduate students will be charged a $61 IEI fee per summer. The IEI (Instructional Enhancement Initiative) fee is a course materials fee that is charged in order to support the use of technology in undergraduate education at UCLA. For more information please click here.
Budgeting
We recommend that you budget accordingly to cover optional sightseeing, laundry, internet cafes, emergencies, etc. Â How much to budget depends on your travel, entertainment, and souvenir choices. It is always best to overestimate your spending. Take the time to research the cost of living in your destination and the activities you want to participate in while abroad.
Purchasing Airfare
We typically advise students to wait until late March to purchase airplane tickets for summer programs.
Financial Aid
Financial aid for Travel Study programs is available to qualified UCLA students. All other students should inquire about financial aid at their home institution. For details about the financial aid application process, please visit the Financial Aid section of this web site.
On Location
Accommodations
Participants will reside in a hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon and dormitory residences in London. Rooms in both locations are twin occupancy.
UCLA Travel Study reserves the right to change housing locations. Should this become necessary, we will arrange comparable accommodations elsewhere.
Meals
In Stratford-upon-Avon, a buffet breakfast is provided daily and dinner is provided Monday through Friday. In London, students will receive a £10 cafeteria allowance daily. There are also a number of restaurants and fast food places near the accommodations in Stratford-upon-Avon and London.
Vegetarian options are available. However, if you have strict dietary requirements this program may not be able to accommodate your needs. Please let us know when you apply for this program if you have any special dietary needs. We will advise you accordingly.
Excursions
This program includes 5-6 theatrical performances as part of its curriculum. A complete schedule of performances will be available at a later date. In addition to performances, students will be required to visit select sites on their own while in London.
Free time is built into this program for independent sightseeing. If you plan on traveling extensively, we recommend that you budget additional spending money.
On Location
The program is centered in Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. From its early history as a market town to the present day, Stratford-upon-Avon has remained one of England’s most picturesque towns. A good many of its buildings date back to Shakespeare’s day, including Anne Hathaway’s cottage and Mary Arden’s home, as well as the house in which John Harvard (founder of Harvard College) was born. Trinity Church, where Shakespeare is buried, is beautifully situated on the banks of the Avon. Only a stone’s throw from Stratford is Warwick, with its magnificent castle, and, in the other direction, lies the Cotswolds, with its many beautiful villages, rolling landscape, and houses cut from the golden stone found in the area. But it is the three theaters that still form the center of action in Stratford. These are located only a short walk from the Moat House; down the street from the Swan theater lies the notorious Dirty Duck, a tavern still regularly frequented by thirsty actors after the evening’s performance. Hikes around the hills of Stratford offer beautiful vistas, and in the past students have made daytrips to Oxford and Bath and on the weekend have traveled as far away as the Lake District, Edinburgh, and Dublin.
Learn more about Stratford-upon-Avon!
In order to see theater at the New International Globe on the Thames, we will spend about 10 days in London. Samuel Johnson, in the eighteenth century, remarked that when a person tires of London, he or she tires of life, and the sentiment remains as true today as then.  To find out more about London visit LondonTown or Time Out London.