History, Culture & Writing Courses Online & in London
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 writing creative non-fiction and American history and politics.
Study 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, 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 online now.
-
Anthropology of art, ethnographic film and photography
Course Date: Mon 25 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineThis introductory course aims to critically explore the role and symbolic meaning of art from a cross-cultural perspective, ranging from the concept of beauty, the beliefs and rituals associated with material objects, to the human body as canvas and the role of museums.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee: £199.00Senior fee: £159.00Concession: £88.00 -
The Bible between Old and New Testament
Course Date: Tue 26 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineDiscover the new ideas that emerged between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament. Examine the historical, sociological and religious background of a variety of texts.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee: £99.00Senior fee: £79.00Concession: £60.00 -
Sex, gender roles and sexuality in Ancient Israel
Course Date: Tue 26 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineThe 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: £119.00Senior fee: £119.00Concession: £73.00 -
The State of the Union: What to expect from the next four years in the US
Course Date: Tue 26 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineEvery year the President of the United States addresses a joint session of Congress and proposes a legislative agenda and national priorities - the State of the Union. After an unprecedented election year, we are entering a new chapter and we will reflect on what has gone on during the last Presidential term and what we have in store during the next four years.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee: £19.00Senior fee: £19.00Concession: £10.00 -
Writing over the classics: postmodernist interventions
Course Date: Tue 26 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineThis course covers some of the most exciting literary texts of the past half-century: texts that have revisited and adapted canonical works of literature including Jane Eyre, Robinson Crusoe and Hamlet. Along the way, we’ll be confronting some of the biggest questions out there, including the biggest of them all: what is literature?
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee: £129.00Senior fee: £129.00Concession: £79.00 -
Christians, Muslims and Jews in Medieval Spain
Course Date: Thu 28 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineThrough interactive lectures and discussions the course explores the idea of tolerant coexistence of religious groups under Islamic rule and after Christian re-conquest; how, by 1525, Catholic supremacy led to the Inquisition, expulsion of the Jews and banning of Islam.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee: £79.00Senior fee: £63.00Concession: £35.00 -
Exploring Women Crime Writers and the Female Sleuth
Course Date: Thu 28 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineThis course looks at the relationship between women and detective fiction, both as writers and characters. Detective fiction has always featured female writers and an increasing number of female investigators (professional and non-professional). This course explores selected examples, with some background on the emergence of the ‘lady detective’ and an opportunity to discuss the attractions of crime fiction.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee: £159.00Senior fee: £127.00Concession: £97.00 -
Creative writing for social media
Course Date: Fri 29 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineIn this new course we will playfully scroll through short-form creative writing approaches, and bring together words, images, found sounds, mixed-media, cut-up and other processual techniques to publish our writing on social media. This course is open to both new and experienced writers.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee: £69.00Senior fee: £69.00Concession: £28.00 -
Writing for children: a taster
Course Date: Sat 30 Jan 2021 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: OnlineDevelop 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: £69.00Senior fee: £69.00Concession: £28.00 -
Flash fiction
Course Date: Sat 30 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineFlash fiction is the art of telling small stories that make a big impact. Learn how to harness the power of economy in this practical short course. 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: £99.00Senior fee: £99.00Concession: £40.00 -
The art of writing the personal essay
Course Date: Sat 30 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineFollow in the footsteps of Dorothy Parker, George Orwell and Zadie Smith with this taster course on the personal essay, a continuously thriving genre of autobiographical writing.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee: £69.00Senior fee: £69.00Concession: £28.00 -
Eating and drinking in the Middle Ages
Course Date: Sat 30 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineArchaeology, household accounts and recipe books from the 14th century allow us to visualise the medieval diet of men and women from all levels of society. We can read menus used at coronation banquets and view food illustrations in manuscripts. Recipes will be supplied for you to try out at home.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee: £59.00Senior fee: £47.00Concession: £30.00 -
US controversies: The war on terror
Course Date: Sat 30 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineThis is a one-day course which will provide an overview of the War on Terror, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee: £39.00Senior fee: £31.00Concession: £20.00 -
US Controversies: Poverty
Course Date: Sun 31 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineIn this course we’ll examine the historical changes to poverty in the US and begin to unpick the causes and effects of poverty in one of the world’s wealthiest nations.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee: £29.00Senior fee: £23.00Concession: £15.00 -
American crime cinema of the 1940s
Course Date: Sun 31 Jan 2021
Location on this date: OnlineView and discuss American crime cinema of the 1940s through examples from a wide range of sub-genres (see course outline), and explore their approach to genre, narrative, style and theme. We will also consider the concept of 'film noir', the principal critical framework for thinking about these films, and the context of classical Hollywood film style and mode of production in which they emerged.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee: £59.00Senior fee: £47.00Concession: £36.00
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 to your waiting list