Art history

Art History courses online and in London

Looking to build your confidence in discussing and interpreting art? Or are you interested in taking your established knowledge of art in new directions? Then come and join City Lit’s Art History learning community!

Our exceptional range of courses, both introductory and in-depth, are designed for all learning levels. Our programme approaches art history from a variety of perspectives including social and cultural context, art theory and philosophy, curation and collecting, general art appreciation and so much more.

Choosing the right class for you

Our courses are open to all. Our students come from all backgrounds and learning experiences, from the absolute beginner to those refining their knowledge and understanding. We aim to give you the confidence to engage meaningfully with art, whatever level you are working from. Our students use our courses for personal fulfilment as well as professional and educational development. Many of our students go on to advanced degree and certificate programmes and many are able to use their knowledge in art making and gallery work.

Learn from expert tutors

At City Lit we are proud of the expertise of our tutors who are all professional art historians working actively in museums, galleries, research and writing, universities and auction houses. As experts in the field, they are able to provide you with the support and guidance you need to develop your art historical knowledge. As teachers they provide student-focused education, helping students achieve their art historical goals, both the personal and the professional.

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Courses available both in-person and online

We offer a range of long and short courses allowing you to choose between in-person and online learning.

Learn in the centre of London with our in-person courses. Our purpose-built facilities in Covent Garden mean we are ideally located and easy to get to. 

See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online courses.

All our courses are live, interactive, and taught by expert tutors. No matter how you prefer to learn, we've got the class for you.

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  1. 20th Century Britain: The Thatcher Age 1975-1997
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 24 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  David Fowler
    The fourth in a new cycle of modern British history courses, this course examines the transformative social and cultural change in Britain during the Thatcher Decade; probing how far the Thatcher Governments were responsible for social and cultural change. Or was this largely the work of provincial cultural entrepreneurs like Tony Wilson (“Mr Manchester”)?



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £116.00
  2. Colonial America: European settlement 1560 – 1815
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 24 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Dafydd Townley
    The online course explores European settlement (British, French, Spanish, Russian, Swedish) of North America. It examines the differences between English colonies; the American Revolution; the formation of the United States; and the War of 1812.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £116.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  3. The Portuguese Empire; establishment, world-making, demise and legacies
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 24 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Ingrid Aguiar Schlindwein
    A journey through the rise and fall of the Portuguese Empire. Uncover pioneering navigation, understand colonial societies in Brazil, Africa, and Asia through their economies, culture, independence struggles, and legacies.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00
  4. Post-war German history: 1961 to reunification and beyond
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 1 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Rudolf Muhs
    This course offers a broad survey of German history from the sealing of the country’s division by the Berlin Wall to its unforeseen reunification in 1989-90 and its aftermath.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £116.00
  5. Introduction to Charles Booths’ London
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 7 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Sarah Wise
    During this six-week course, we will explore aspects of Charles Booth’s landmark survey ‘Life & Labour of the People in London’, published in 17 volumes between 1889 and 1903.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00
    Rating:
    97% of 100
  6. Sweet Thames, run softly: a cultural exploration
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 8 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Eleanor Jackson
    The Thames runs like a silver thread through London’s history. It has been a muse & inspiration for centuries. This course examines its impact on our city, how it’s enriched & influenced our lives, both upstream & down.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £77.00
    Rating:
    95% of 100
  7. The Soviet Union: a history in film, 1922-1991
    Evening
    Course start date:  Mon 13 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Nick Morgan
    This is an advanced course intended to use film as a primary source in exploring the history and culture of the Soviet Union in greater detail.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £116.00
  8. "From Birth to Battle: The RAF, 1914-1945"
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 14 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online





    This course will explore how air power developed in Britain between 1914 and 1945.







    Taught by:



    Dr. Powell a Teaching Fellow in Air Power and Strategic Studies at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell as part of the Portsmouth Military Education Team. He holds a PhD in Modern History from the University of Birmingham. His first book The Development of British Tactical Air Power, 1940-1943: A History of Army Co-operation Command was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2016. He has published in a wide range of peer-reviewed journals and is a regular TVP World (Poland) and British Forces TV. His current research investigates the relationship between the Air Ministry and the British aircraft industry in the inter-war period.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £64.00
  9. Medieval pilgrimage
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 14 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Vanessa King
    Take a virtual tour of the ‘must see’ pilgrimage sites of medieval Europe. Pick up tips from William Wey, a seasoned pilgrim of the fifteenth century, as you plan your trip to Jerusalem.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £64.00
  10. Terrific Tudors: Act Three: Social life
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 15 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Vanessa King
    Explore the everyday life of men and women during the closing years of the Tudors as revealed in the works of local historians and other contemporary material.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00
  11. Modern African history: understanding the state and economy since independence
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 4 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Ingrid Aguiar Schlindwein
    Explore post-colonial Africa's political, economic, and social journey since independence. Gain insights into state building, governance, development, and identity, fostering a holistic understanding of Africa's historical evolution.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £64.00
  12. The Watergate crisis
    Evening
    Course start date:  Mon 17 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Dafydd Townley
    This course will examine the short and long-term causes of the Watergate crisis and the Nixon administration’s cover-up and the crisis impact on American politics and society.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £77.00
  13. Oral Storytelling and Historical Narratives
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 17 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Maame Blue
    Using Afro-Caribbean oral storytelling techniques, Black British history and contemporary literature, develop your creative writing and narrative storytelling abilities with this 6-week online course.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £66.00
  14. Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00
  15. An introduction to African and diaspora studies
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 16 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Gabriel Olumide Apata
    The course explores the many ways by which Africans came to be dispersed across the world and their political, socio-cultural experiences in their new societies.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £64.00
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