Courses in London & Online

The history of the cinema is a rich, rewarding and dynamic area of study. Cinema, because it is both an art form and an industrial product, can be studied from several different historical perspectives. These have included investigations into the history of technological development associated with cinema’s origins and its subsequent development, but historians have also explored its evolution into an art form. They have written about important individual figures or influential groups and have examined specific films in great detail. Historians have also examined the national, cultural, political and social contexts that might offer insight into the cinema at a given historical moment. They have examined the changing demographic and viewing habits of spectators and explored the mutability of cinemas themselves. With so much to consider and so many different approaches to take, the history of cinema continues to evolve. As such this advanced level film studies course will explore what it means to study film history, examine the various methodologies that one might take, while at the same time looking at relevant filmic and cinematic examples.

Michael Tippett was a British composer like no other, with interests in everything from Purcell and Beethoven to rock music and American spirituals. Come and discover the life and works of this unusual, brilliant, witty and beautiful musician.

This intermediate course is focused on studying the sounds and rhythms of Standard English in connected speech. What are the rules when putting sounds together when speaking fluently? How do these sounds create the accent and its rhythm?
This course is not for speakers of other languages who should take English Pronunciation courses instead. Although it is a follow-on course, it is also a complete course in itself.

In 1947, British colonial rule came to an end over the subcontinent leading to the birth of two independent countries of India and Pakistan. Independence however was accompanied by Partition, communal violence and chaos. It also witnessed one of the greatest migrations in human history as families/communities moved across borders. Partition and its associated memories remain part of the collective consciousness and shared trauma of this region. The course aims to not only explore the historical causes and harsh consequences of Partition but also its continuous role in shaping this region’s identities, inherited memories and enduring legacies.

Florence Price is one of the most important African-American composers of the early twentieth century. Come and explore the extraordinary life and musical legacy of this brilliant musician whose works are only just being ‘rediscovered’, 70 years after her death.

The Bangladesh War of Independence of 1971 is a defining moment for both Bangladesh and South Asia. The course aims to examine the multiple causes and varied consequences of the liberation war along with its overall lasting impact on the region and its politics.

Explore the music of Eric Satie and find out how he influenced other composers