Explore 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 Creative non-fiction writing courses and American history and Politics courses.
Study in-person at City Lit or offsite, or 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 on our online courses, 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 now.
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- Creating your author platform online
Course start date: Sun 31 Oct 2021Location on this date: Online
Increasingly publishers are looking for an author with an impressive online presence, as well as a sparkling manuscript. On this practical and interactive course, you'll learn how to start and grow your author brand, gain a following and build a readership for your future titles.
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 - Masters of cinema: "The movie brats"Course start date: Sun 31 Oct 2021
Location on this date: Online
A restless generation took Hollywood by storm in the 1970s, reflecting the climate of the country. The freewheeling styles of Coppola, Scorsese, Spielberg, De Palma and Lucas would have a lasting impact on American filmmaking. These ‘movie brats’ were the first directors to come straight from college. Join us to investigate the 'New Hollywood'.
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 - Ways into creative writing: an introductionCourse start date: Sun 16 Jan 2022 (and 6 other dates)
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street (other locations are available)
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 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 £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £52.00 - A taste of creative writingCourse start date: Sun 9 Jan 2022 (and 6 other dates)
Location on this date: Online (other locations are available)
Give creative writing a try on this fun and supportive online short course. Ideal if you want to express yourself but need help in getting started. Guided exercises will encourage you to experiment and unlock your imagination.
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 EtruscansCourse start date: Sun 5 Dec 2021
Location on this date: Online
Discover the mysterious people who lived in Central Italy and ended up being enveloped by the Romans.
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 - Craft focus: how to edit your story (fiction and non-fiction)Course start date: Sun 5 Dec 2021
Location on this date: Online
Editing is an essential skill for any writer. Learn the different types of editing process and how to polish your own prose in this workshop for writers who are ready to find a readership for their work. Suitable for those with some experience of creative writing.
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 - Literature tasterCourse start date: Sun 12 Dec 2021 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Come and join this taster session to find out what makes a literature class at City Lit so special. The course includes an overview of our literature courses for next term (January-March 2022).
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £0.00 Senior fee £0.00 Concession £0.00 - A taste of filmCourse start date: Sun 12 Dec 2021
Location on this date: Online
This taster of forthcoming film courses at City Lit in 2022 offers you the chance to think about which ones to take while also providing an opportunity to explore some of the key areas in film studies more generally.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £0.00 Senior fee £0.00 Concession £0.00 - Ways into screenwriting: a tasterCourse start date: Sun 9 Jan 2022 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Want to write scripts but don't know how to start? Discover the basics of screenwriting - character, conflict and more - on this short course that's designed to help you shape your ideas and get your story going.
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 - Ways into creative writingCourse start date: Sun 26 Sep 2021 (and 10 other dates)
Location on this date: Online (other locations are available)
Want to have a go at creative writing in a supportive environment? Join one of these introductory courses. Guided exercises will give you the tools to explore language creatively and find your own writing voice.
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 - Starting your novelCourse start date: Tue 21 Sep 2021 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Online (other locations are available)
Got a great idea for a novel? Jump start your project in this supportive course that covers craft basics such as character and plot. Ideal for writers of fiction with some experience who have an idea for a novel.
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 - Russian poets: Anna Akhmatova and Osip MandelstamCourse start date: Sun 23 Jan 2022
Location on this date: Online
An evaluation, through close reading and discussion, of some of the most celebrated verse of the Silver Age, the Soviet Revolutionary period and the decades of Stalinism. What is it about the individual poems that cast a spell over so many of their contemporaries and the generations that followed? What do they tell us about the human spirit and the value of art in a time of catastrophic upheaval?
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 - An introduction to poetry: Blake and KeatsCourse start date: Sun 23 Jan 2022
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Come and join an introduction and exploration of the poetry of William Blake and John Keats. We will read, discuss and enjoy a selection of their poetry and consider how the poets shape our responses.
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 £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £18.00 - Heist Movies: crime thrillersCourse start date: Sun 23 Jan 2022
Location on this date: Online
1950’s Hollywood began with The Asphalt Jungle (1950) just as The Maltese Falcon (1941) had kickstarted the forties. John Huston directed both — the first film noir and then the first heist film. Did he pull it off? Kubrick thought so, and made The Killing (1956), a rock-hard-boiled thriller built around Asphalt’s mastermind star, Sterling Hayden. Emerging from the shadow of film noir with thrilling action scenes, heist suspense films continue to be one of cinema’s most exciting genres.
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 - Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window: scene by sceneCourse start date: Sun 30 Jan 2022
Location on this date: Online
Though a sophisticated entertainment mixing suspense, comedy and romance, Rear Window is also a sustained master class in Hitchcock's film style. This course will look at the film in its entirety, pausing to discuss key scenes and the array of techniques that Hitchcock employs to engage us in its action, while also considering its production, critical reputation and significance for film studies.
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
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