History, culture & writing

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.

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

We offer a range of long and short courses allowing you to choose between online and in-person learning. 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. See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online courses.

Filters

Items 1-15 of 35

Page
per page
Set Descending Direction
  1. Write a short story in a week
    Evening
    Course start date:  Mon 11 Dec 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Vicky Grut
    Turn your great idea into a short story on this fun practical course. Through a series of inspiring exercises, you'll be introduced to some key fiction writing techniques and encouraged to draft a short story from beginning to end. Suitable for beginners who are comfortable learning at a fast pace.



    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 £50.00
    Rating:
    93% of 100
  2. Full fee £109.00 Senior fee £109.00 Concession £55.00
    Rating:
    96% of 100
  3. Exploring film noir
    Course start date:  Tue 9 Jan 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Jon Wisbey
    The term film noir has been used to describe visual style, themes and narratives in a range of American genres, particularly crime films of the 1940s and 1950s, but it has also been used to describe areas of British, French, and, as part of the giallo tradition, Italian cinema. Explore film noir through a range of critical concepts and historical periods, while assessing its enduring appeal.



    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 £64.00
  4. Reading images: exploring film studies
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 10 Jan 2024 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Cristina Massaccesi
    This comprehensive introductory course provides an overview of the main historical, technical and theoretical aspects of filmmaking and film analysis.
    Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £64.00
  5. Greek philosophy: the late ancient period
    Evening
    Course start date:  Thu 11 Jan 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  John Goff
    The ‘mystical’ philosophy of Plotinus was key to the transition from ancient Greek to early Christian thought. This period gave rise to both modern esotericism and Christian theology. What ideas connect them?



    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 £64.00
  6. Art and architecture of ancient India - part 1
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 16 Jan 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Arjmand Ahmad
    India's three indigenous religions - Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism - have given rise to one of the oldest artistic civilisations in the world. Learn more about the art and architecture of Ancient India in this part 1 of the course.
    Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £64.00
  7. Picture book writing
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 29 Oct 2023 (and 7 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Andrew Weale
    Would you like to write a picture book text for young children? This course is designed for children's writers and for illustrators wishing to write their own stories, develop their ideas and technique.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £139.00 Concession £70.00
    Rating:
    98% of 100
  8. The art of the essay: from Michel de Montaigne to Audre Lorde
    Evening
    Course start date:  Mon 22 Jan 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Dalia Neis
    We will go on a journey to investigate the art and form of the essay through collectively reading a variety of essayists from the early 20th century to the present day. We will explore the essay’s hazy boundaries between diary, literary criticism, nature writing, elegy, aphorism, political tract, and mystical/religious experiences through key essayists including Walter Benjamin, Virginia Woolf, Clarice Lispector, Audre Lorde, Etel Adnan, James Baldwin, David Rattray, and Claudia Rankine.



    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 £64.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  9. Sex, gender roles and sexuality in Ancient Israel
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 23 Jan 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Ann Jeffers
    The role of ancient Israelite women has been at the forefront of discussions about gender and sexuality as the biblical stories have been formative in mapping out subsequent understanding of women’s sexuality. This course will explore gender roles and sexuality in ancient Israel through biblical stories and laws about women in ancient Israel. We will explore a range of texts from myths, to laws, love poetry and texts portraying graphic violence against women while asking questions about the implications of gender constructions for the status of women in ancient Israel.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £89.00
  10. Japanese novellas and short stories
    Course start date:  Fri 26 Jan 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Lewis Ward
    Short stories offer a brief window into a variety of other lives, places, and situations. This literary form has remained popular in Japan over several centuries, with topics as diverse as natural disasters, the beauty of everyday life, hellish curses and the consequences of fame. We’ll explore the history of this medium through a selection of short stories by some of Japan’s most popular short story authors.



    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 £64.00
  11. The French Revolution
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 30 Jan 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Zoe Quinn
    In 1789 ordinary French people successfully rebelled against the absolute monarchy and privileged nobility. Find out how the struggle over the social and political system which would replace the Ancien Regime would divide both France and Europe. Tutor: Zoe Quinn.



    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 £58.00
  12. Cold Wars, old and new
    Course start date:  Tue 30 Jan 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Francesca Granelli
    In this course we will explore more than just the Cold War between the USA and USSR. We will explore the meaning of Cold Wars, where they were (and are) fought, how and by who.



    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 £58.00
  13. Revolution in the 21st Century
    Evening
    Course start date:  Thu 1 Feb 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Francesca Granelli
    Revolutions are not only a thing of the past. Join Dr. Granelli to discuss revolutions in the 21st century!



    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 £58.00
  14. The Global Economy unpacked: Latin America in the Global Economy from 1800 onwards
    Evening
    Course start date:  Mon 5 Feb 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    South America's economic journey: colonization, industrialization, neoliberal reforms, regional integration, challenges, sustainability, and emerging opportunities for inclusive growth.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £99.00
Page
per page
Set Descending Direction

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 me to waiting list