History, Culture & Writing
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 writing creative non-fiction and American history and politics.
Study online from the comfort of home, with interactive classes that allow you to participate in discussions with fellow adult students. We offer daytime, evening and weekend courses, both short and long. For more information, please see our guide to online learning.
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 online now.
Filters
- Writing fiction
Course start date: Wed 22 Sep 2021 (and 3 other dates)Location on this date: Online (other locations are available)
Lovers of fiction can develop their creative writing skills on this practical intermediate course. You'll explore the fundamentals of fiction writing craft such as character and structure, and unlock your imagination to produce compelling prose. Suitable for those with some creative writing experience.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £209.00 Concession £84.00 - Colonial America: European Settlement 1560 – 1815Course start date: Wed 29 Sep 2021
Location on this date: Online
The 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 £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £70.00 - The Complete Ishiguro, Part 1: 1980-1999Course start date: Wed 29 Sep 2021
Location on this date: Online
Take a deep dive into the world of Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro, from his early short stories and TV screenplays to the first four novels, including The Remains of the Day (1989). Discover the influences, themes and context that led to the author’s development and explore the styles and techniques through which he expresses his unique vision.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £97.00 - The 60 minute writerCourse start date: Wed 22 Sep 2021 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street (other locations are available)
Fit creative writing into your busy day: a relaxed, informal rolling programme for writers of all levels of experience who enjoy being thrown new ideas and experimenting with poetry and prose.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £40.00 - Creative non-fictionCourse start date: Wed 13 Oct 2021 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Explore practical and imaginative approaches to creative non fiction, including travel writing, life writing and the essay. Analyse published work, produce your own pieces, and benefit from detailed feedback.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £80.00 - Making the American World: US foreign policy from the Cold War to BidenCourse start date: Wed 13 Oct 2021
Location on this date: Online
Follow the ascendancy of American power, from 1945 up to the Biden administration, through a history of wars, foreign interventions and “soft power”. Tutor: Jack Gain.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £57.00 - Japan at the PicturesCourse start date: Wed 20 Oct 2021
Location on this date: Online
This course will introduce you to the cinema of Japan, one of the world’s most important national cinemas. It will introduce you to films by major Japanese directors, such as Kurosawa, Ozu, Mizoguchi and Kitano. It will also explore the aesthetics of these films, situating them within their broader historical, cultural, critical and industrial contexts. It will also look at the functioning of genre and the peculiarities of the star system within Japanese filmmaking.
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 £91.00 - Writing for magazinesCourse start date: Wed 22 Sep 2021 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Get inspired to write on this practical course for freelance journalists and bloggers. Learn to carry out research, interview people, pitch and publish stories, and build your presence on social media.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £52.00 - Ways into creative writing: an introductionCourse start date: Wed 22 Sep 2021 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Not sure whether creative writing is for you? Give it a try on one of these fun and supportive short courses covering the basics of fiction and poetry. Increase your confidence and produce work through guided exercises and discussion.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £52.00 - Advanced Literary Study: approaching fiction, poetry and dramaCourse start date: Wed 3 Nov 2021
Location on this date: Online
Explore the rewards of close reading analysis, focusing on the three main literary genres of fiction,
poetry and drama. Read, analyse and debate works from different periods of time, including
The Awakening(1899) by Kate Chopin], drama [The Cherry Orchard (1903) by Anton Chekhov, and poetry
by William Shakespeare, Robert Browning, Alfred Tennyson and Edward Thomas.
This course gives you a taste of our longer course offered in term two, Ways into Advanced Literary Study (HLT120), running from Jan – April 2022.
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 £60.00 - Writing romanceCourse start date: Wed 3 Nov 2021
Location on this date: Online
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a writer in possession of a single pen can compose an unforgettable romance novel. This interactive course will chaperone students through the plotting of modern romance stories.
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 £69.00 Concession £28.00 - The Reformation: reassessing the reign of Henry VIIICourse start date: Wed 3 Nov 2021
Location on this date: Online
Portrayed as both an icon and a tyrant in portraits, cartoons, novels films and on television, Henry VIII is one of
England’s most instantly recognisable kings. However, fictitious portraits have in many ways obscured the more
serious side of Henry, particularly his own religious beliefs and his Reformation legacies.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £39.00 - Mystery religionsCourse start date: Wed 3 Nov 2021
Location on this date: Online
Mystery religions were very popular in the ancient world and were organised as voluntary associations. Their popularity is attested in writings and in material culture of the Greco-Roman world. They offered intense religious experiences outside the official, civic religions. The participants were initiated into the mysteries: whilst there is considerable variety in form and content, a belief in a form of salvation was a common denominator of many of these mystery religions. The question of the relationship between the mystery cults and Christianity will also be broached.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £36.00 - History of Scandinavia: modern and contemporaryCourse start date: Wed 3 Nov 2021
Location on this date: Online
This course is the second in a two-part programme on the history and culture of Scandinavia and its diaspora from time immemorial to the present. This second course builds on the foundations laid in the first course to show how deep foundations laid before (and unexpected events during) modernity led to the Scandinavia we know today.
Please note there will be no class on 17/11/21. This missed session will be made up on 15/12/21.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £57.00 - Micropoetry: small poems, big ideasCourse start date: Wed 10 Nov 2021
Location on this date: Online
Explore the emerging art form of micropoetry in this fun but informative short course. Compose your own poetry and learn how to make every word on the page count.
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 £69.00 Concession £28.00
Can't see a course you want?
Add this category to your waiting list to set up alerts and we will update you when new courses are released online.
Add to your waiting list