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 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.

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  1. More Free than Enslaved? An in-depth study of Old Doll’s Family, Barbados 1754-1838
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 15 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Join us for an in-depth study of this incredible, and possibly unique, family. What can their story tell us about the impact of race, social class and gender upon the lives of enslaved women in Barbados?
    Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £38.00
  2. The New Wave, realism and genre: British Cinema in the 1960s
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 16 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Jon Wisbey
    During the 1960s British cinema re-established itself as a leading producer of films, including realist, contemporary dramas such as Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960), and action and adventure fantasies with the popular James Bond films. This course explores these developments through a number of lines of approach and the way in which they contributed to a revitalised British cinema.



    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 £38.00
  3. Gaslighters, Grifters and Gangsters: Psycho-thrillers of the 40s and 50s
    Course start date:  Thu 27 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  William Brady
    Join us to explore the rise of a dark, psychologically complex strain of Crime Fiction in the 1940s and 50s. Often termed the ‘psycho-thriller’, these novels put the criminal mind centre-stage, delving into murkier recesses of the human psyche than had previously been entertained. Focusing on two key examples of the genre, Patrick Hamilton’s Hangover Square and Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, we will analyse and contextualise the psycho-thriller as it evolved in Britain and America.
    Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £64.00
  4. Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £35.00
  5. Writing for blogs
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 7 Jul 2024 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Terry Freedman
    Got a passion, a journey or an obsession to share? Blogging is the perfect medium through which to share your interests with the world. This workshop teaches the essential skills required to write blogposts that will resonate.



    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 £35.00
  6. Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £50.00
  7. Writing for children: getting started
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 9 Jul 2024 (and 2 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Andrew Weale
    Develop your ideas for children's stories in this practical and interactive short course. Topics will include plot, characterisation and viewpoint, and how to approach the children's publishing industry today.



    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 £35.00
  8. Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £35.00
  9. British Hitchcock double bill: The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 21 Sep 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Jon Wisbey
    Hitchcock was first recognised as a gifted filmmaker in the 1920s but the films he made between 1934 and 1938, the six 'chase thrillers', established his reputation and associated him with a particular type of film, one marked by a varying mix of suspense, comedy and romance. This course explores the two most celebrated of these, looking at their production, structure and critical reception.



    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 £55.00 Concession £45.00
  10. American Hitchcock double bill: Shadow of a Doubt and Notorious
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 6 Oct 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Jon Wisbey
    During the 1940s Hitchcock found himself working with a range of Hollywood studios and producers on projects suited to his particular storytelling interests, with perhaps the two most successful and striking of these being the focus of this course. We will explore their production, structure and critical reception, while also noting significant differences between the two in terms of their tone.



    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 £55.00 Concession £45.00
  11. An artistic history of Jerusalem
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 16 Nov 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Roberta Marin
    Jerusalem is considered the holy city for the three monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) and is one of the most iconic cities in the world.
    Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00
  12. The ghost story on the television and the big screen
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 23 Nov 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Jon Wisbey
    Explore and enjoy the ghost story through big screen classics such as The Uninvited (1944), The Innocents (1961) and The Haunting (1963), and small screen dramas such as The Stone Tape (1972) and the BBC's Ghost Story for Christmas tradition - for example, The Signalman (1976). We will also consider the genre's key themes and storytelling styles along with its relationship with horror generally.



    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 £55.00 Concession £45.00
  13. An introduction to European decorative arts at the V&A
    Course start date:  Thu 18 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Andreas Petzold
    The Victoria and Albert Museum has one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of European decorative arts in the world. This course aims to provide an introduction to these rich collections. It will focus on the period 1500 to 1900, but references later developments. The main media will be explored including textiles, ceramics, glass, metalwork, and silver.
    Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £58.00
  14. Farms to finance: an introduction to political economy
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 20 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Ingrid Aguiar Schlindwein
    Human economies have many foundations, from agriculture to banking. Some are unstable, yet we often feel powerless to change them - even when they threaten our survival. Are there alternatives? Join ud online to learn more.



    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 £55.00 Concession £45.00
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