Culture, history & humanities

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 >

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. Village London
    Course start date:  Wed 30 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Hazel Baker
    London is made up of a series of villages, each with its own individual characteristics. Explore Spitalfields



    Shoreditch, Finsbury, Clerkenwell, Islington, Soho, Fitzrovia and Mayfair on these 8 guided walks.
    Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
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  2. Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00
    Rating:
    93% of 100
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  3. Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00
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  4. Ways of reading: aspects of narrative theory
    Course start date:  Fri 16 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Jenny Stevens
    What do we mean by ‘literary fiction’? What expectations do we bring to the novels we read? Do we really ‘escape’ when we enter fictional worlds? These are just some of the questions addressed in a course which focuses on the analysis of prose fiction. Reading texts as short as one-sentence ‘flash fiction’ to complete short stories, it engages with writing from a wide range of periods and authors, paying close attention to narrative techniques and their effects.
    Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00
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  5. Philosophy and cinema
    Course start date:  Fri 30 May 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    We explore the intersection of film and philosophy, engaging with the works of influential thinkers and film makers. Together, we discover how cinema opens new possibilities to examine enduring philosophical questions concerning the mind, reality, identity, and ideology.
    Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00
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  6. 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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  7. Film and Philosophy: Thinking through Cinema
    Evening
    Course start date:  Fri 26 Sep 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Is The Matrix a science-fiction movie starring Keanu Reeves, or the most influential work of philosophy of the last fifty years? Who is more nihilistic, Humphrey Bogart or Frederic Nietszche? In this course, we will examine the relationship between film and philosophy, engaging with current debates in film theory and in wider society. We will consider whether it is appropriate to label film as a form of philosophy, how film acts as philosophy, and the ways in which our experiences of watching film helps up to think through ideas about the human experience that have received attention amongst centuries of philosophical literature. Is film merely entertainment, or is it our most important form of philosophy?
    Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £116.00
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  8. Global arts of Africa
    Course start date:  Fri 24 Oct 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Thomas Balfe
    This course introduces major forms of African art in their regional and global contexts. It studies classical traditions of carving, metal casting, architecture and textile arts as well as twentieth-century and contemporary developments, including the work of photographers and conceptual artists.
    Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00
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