Philosophy, religion, & ideas

Explore Philosophy, Religion & Belief

From the meaning of life to moral dilemmas: explore the questions philosophers and thinkers have pondered for centuries. Our daytime, evening and weekend courses cover a wide range of subjects. Join a class to encounter ethics and existentialism, memory and the mind, or discover the paradoxes and politics of the modern world.

Expert tutors

Our classes are taught by experienced, professional tutors with a wide range of specialisms in philosophy, from ethics to political philosophy, and from Eastern philosophies to psychoanalysis to name just a few. Many of our tutors also teach at London universities and bring their expertise from other academic disciplines, for example art, literature and politics. Please refer to specific course outlines for individual tutor biographies.

Studying at City Lit

Philosophy courses are offered in a range of formats and lengths - from a single day to a twelve-week course, during the day, in the evening and at weekends. Courses can be studied singly or in combination with other courses as your interests and learning develop in new directions. A number of our past philosophy students have gone on to study philosophy at university at degree and masters level.

Find a course

Browse our range of philosophy courses in London and online below to choose your perfect option: both complete beginners and returning students are equally welcome at City Lit.

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 >

Prefer learning online? Our live online courses bring expert teaching to you, wherever you are.

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.

 

We're delighted to share with you part of our upcoming Autumn term Culture and Humanities programme; please note that we expect the full Autumn Term programme to be on the website by the middle of May so check back soon!

 

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  1. History of ideas: human rights - from John Locke to John Rawls
    Course start date:  Tue 29 Apr 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Cristina Paterno
    Join us on a captivating exploration of human rights history! In our sessions, we'll explore pivotal debates and innovative ideas across different epochs and cultures. Don't miss out on this enlightening journey!
    Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00
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  2. Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 Concession £110.00
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  3. The power of wellbeing from Aristotle to Buddha: a journey of self-discovery
    Course start date:  Wed 30 Apr 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Cristina Paterno
    Join us on an incredible journey of self-discovery as we explore the concept of well-being, from Aristotle's ancient wisdom to Buddha's enlightening perspectives. We will connect these ideas with today's world, giving you plenty of chances to debate and reflect on your own thoughts.
    Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00
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  4. Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00
    Rating:
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  5. Philosophy Reading Group: Aristotle's poetics
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 6 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Anita Kasabova
    In the Poetics, Aristotle outlines his theory of poetry and drama. His views on Greek tragedy have marked literary studies to date. We discuss the main themes of the Poetics and consider its relevance today.
    Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £45.00
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  6. Philosophy of medicine
    Course start date:  Tue 6 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Annamaria Carusi
    We have all had contact with medicine in one way or another: through being ill ourselves, or through taking care of somebody else who is ill. Medicine is not only about the science and evidence for medical practices. It is also political, social, cultural and personal. This course is about the kind of knowledge and value system that makes up medicine in its current form, and explores how it has evolved, what its main features are, what its strong and weak points are, and, potentially, how it is changing.
    Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £95.00 Concession £77.00
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  7. Ubuntu, communitarianism and personhood: key concepts in African philosophy
    Course start date:  Wed 7 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Ovett Nwosimiri
    This course is an introduction to the key concepts in African philosophy. We will analyse the various positions and contestations regarding the nature, and trends in African philosophy, debate on communitarianism and personhood, and ubuntu.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00
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  8. Philosophy and cultural theory
    Course start date:  Fri 9 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Barrie Selwyn
    Merleau Ponty’s concept of embodied subjectivity continues to shape our views in cultural theory and theories of knowledge in general. We will explore his ideas and their applications as well as the general context from which they emerge.
    Full fee £289.00 Senior fee £231.00 Concession £188.00
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  9. Philosophy and the meaning of life
    Evening
    Course start date:  Mon 12 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Karl White

    Some philosophers have insisted that philosophy should explain the meaning of our existence. What does it mean for us to be? And how then should we live? This course examines some seriously philosophical answers.
     

    Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £168.00
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  10. Japanese philosophy
    Course start date:  Mon 12 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  John Goff
    Japanese philosophy extends well beyond Zen, with several philosophical traditions including that of the modern Kyoto School. Developing distinct cultural, aesthetic and political concepts, Japanese philosophers offer a rich field of thought.
    Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00
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  11. The death of God
    Course start date:  Mon 12 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  John Holroyd
    Over the past five hundred years in the West belief in God has declined. This course will examine why this has happened and consider the meaning and significance of what has taken place.
    Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00
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  12. Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £129.00
    Rating:
    93% of 100
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  13. Heaven and hell in world religions
    Course start date:  Tue 13 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Vanessa King
    Compare and contrast the afterlife beliefs of the five major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Explore how these ideas developed and influenced each other.
    Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £129.00
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  14. Philosophy and the self
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 13 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Ariel Kernberg

    Who am I? Is there such a thing as “my true self”? These and related questions will be looked at from various philosophical perspectives.
    NB There will be no class on 26/05/26.

    Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £168.00
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  15. Philosophy and near-death experience: what can we know?
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 17 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Edgar Ter-Danielyan
    This course will present the phenomenon of Near Death Experiences (NDEs) from the philosophical perspective and will discuss what, if anything, we can learn from them.
    Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00
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