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Culture, history & humanities - Off Site - Online

Explore Culture, History & Humanities Courses

Explore our extraordinary range of History, Culture and Writing courses and lectures. We offer both introductory and specialist in-depth courses to suit all levels of interest and experience, from ‘How to read a film’ and World literature, to Creative non-fiction writing courses and American history and Politics courses.

Our tutors are experts in their fields and experienced educators; many have published, teach in universities or share their expertise in the media. Tutors share their knowledge and passion through presentations, readings, interactive discussion and exercises, analysis, and other activities.

Many students return to take more courses, telling us they enjoy being part of our City Lit Learning community.

Our popular courses often sell out quickly, so we invite you to browse and book your place now.

Courses available both in-person and online

Join us in the heart of London for in-person classes. Our modern campus in Covent Garden is easy to reach and buzzing with creativity. With modern purpose-built facilities and state-of-the-art equipment, it’s the perfect space to support your learning journey. Explore our facilities >

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Whether you choose to study in-person or online, all our courses are live, interactive, and taught by expert tutors. Wherever and however you want to learn, we’re here for you.

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. Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00
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  2. Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00
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  3. The Courtauld: an introduction
    Last Few Places
    Course start date:  Mon 12 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Julie Barlow
    The Courtauld collection includes paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture and decorative arts, ranging from the medieval period to the present day. This two-part course is an opportunity to explore an outstanding collection which includes one of the richest holdings of early Italian art in Britain alongside Impressionist and Post-Impressionist gems such as Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear.
    Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00
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  4. Ruling Russia: Tsars, Revolutions, Civil War , and the Triumph of Lenin (1860-1924)
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 13 May 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Zoe Quinn
    This course explores the transformative period of Russian history from 1860 to 1924, encompassing the autocratic rule of the Tsars, the revolutionary upheavals of 1905 and 1917, the chaos of the civil war, and the consolidation of the Bolshevik regime. Students will examine key events, figures, and ideologies that shaped modern Russia, delving into the complexities of political, social, and economic changes during this era.



    Please note: this course includes much of the material covered in previous Russian Revolution courses at the City Lit. Moreover this course is taught at an introductory level. Tutor: Zoe Quinn.
    Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 Concession £110.00
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  5. Renaissance art at the National Gallery
    Course start date:  Wed 14 May 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Emma Rose Barber
    This course explores the Making, the Locating and the Viewing of Renaissance paintings in the collection of the National Gallery. This course takes place at the National Gallery.
    Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £103.00 Concession £84.00
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  6. The Miracle of Prose Poetry: Baudelaire and beyond
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 17 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Suzannah V. Evans
    What is prose poetry? What makes prose poetry different from line-broken poetry? Why might poets choose to write in this form? Come and explore the complexities and possibilities of this provocative form in a supportive group context.
    Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00
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  7. The British Horror film beyond Hammer
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 17 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Jon Wisbey
    Night of the Demon (1957), The Wicker Man (1973) and Frightmare (1974) form part of a less familiar, though equally striking, horror tradition than that of Hammer, and often in very different terms. Explore chillers from the 1930s and 40s, the proliferation of horror in 1950s, 60s and 70s along with more recent examples, while assessing a range of critical accounts of British horror beyond Hammer.
    Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00
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  8. Keats and eternity
    Last Few Places, Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 18 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Laurie Smith
    In the house where many of them were written, we will explore why Keats’s poems are regarded as exceptionally beautiful. How did he achieve this? We will see that it wasn’t luck or simply inspiration, but the result of choices which reflect important aspects of Keats’ personality. Includes ‘Ode to a Nightingale’, Ode to a Grecian Urn’ and ‘To Autumn’.







    This course will take place at Keats House, 10 Keats Grove, Hampstead, London NW3 2RR.
    Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00
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  9. Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00
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  10. Introduction to Islam: historical emergence, current issues
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 31 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Farid Panjwani
    The course is about exploring Muslim history: What is Islam? Who is a Muslim? This course explores these questions through a study of the Quran, the Prophet and the socio-political and religious developments in the early history of Muslims. You may discover that there is more than meets the eye.
    Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00
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  11. Mews, monuments and museums
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 1 Jun 2025

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Marilyn Greene
    This circular walk explores the alleys lanes, squares and delightful mews houses and passes a disused tube station in the mainly in the Knightsbridge conservation area and contrasts with the grand museums, institutions and monuments built in South Kensington (Albertopolis) developed with profits of the Great Exhibition held in Hyde Park in 1851. Meets outside the main entrance to the V&A ends outside the Natural History Museum. Meets outside the main entrance to the V&A ends outside the Natural History Museum.
    Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00
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  12. Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00
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  13. Looking at contemporary art
    Course start date:  Wed 4 Jun 2025

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Francesca Cavallo

    Explore and discuss contemporary art on show in London. Each week we’ll visit 1-2 commercial galleries or a public gallery and examine specific exhibitions of contemporary art across a range of media including painting, works on paper, photography, new media and sculpture.

    Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00
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  14. Origins of the Italian Renaissance: the Primitivi
    Course start date:  Fri 6 Jun 2025

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Simone Chisena
    Discover the history, politics and intellectualism that fuelled the Italian Renaissance. Explore the art of Giotto and his peers from a new perspective.
    Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00
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  15. Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00
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