Cultural Studies Short Courses in London and Online
Enjoy examining and discussing some of the most pressing concerns that face humanity as we head further into the 21st century. Whether considering what it means to be human in a world that is grappling with the development of Artificial Intelligence or understanding the impact of social media on the way that we think about and live our lives.
Our innovative interdisciplinary Cultural studies courses offer a way into exploring a range of burning contemporary issues that are represented and investigated by thinkers, writers, filmmakers and artists in a range of thoughtful and creative ways.
Study in-person, or online from the comfort of home, with classes that allow you to participate in discussions with fellow adult students and share your passion for Culture as part of a learning community. We offer daytime, evening and weekend courses, both short and long.
Our tutors are experts in their fields and experienced educators. Tutors share their knowledge and passion for Culture through presentations, screenings, interactive discussion, analysis, and other activities. Many students return to take more courses, telling us they enjoy being part of our City Lit community. Our popular courses often sell out quickly, so we invite you to browse and book your place now.
32 courses available
Women’s studies: a tasterHow do the concepts of sex, gender, and power shape our everyday reality, and how have feminist movements evolved to challenge these structures? This 2-hour taster session introduces the core debates within gender studies, examining how historical struggles connect to contemporary digital resistance.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00- Sociology taster: Society beyond the Textbook
Are you trying to make sense of a world that feels increasingly unfamiliar and fractured in 2026?
This 2-hour taster sociology session invites you to look beyond traditional, historical sociology to examine the urgent intersections of belief systems, ideology, violence and power as we see it play out in global politics.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Women’s Studies: a brief introduction
This course focuses on contemporary current affairs and political issues, examining how they intersect with gender, women, and masculinity. It invites students to critically explore power, media, and global inequalities through a gendered lens.
Keeley Street
Fri 25 Sep 2026Michele ScottFull fee £139.00 Senior fee £111.00 Concession £90.00 - The Humanities in Crisis? The State of the Humanities Today
The humanities - academic disciplines that study human society and culture, including literature, visual and performing arts, philosophy and history - are under threat of funding cuts across all sectors of education. Their “cultural capital” is waning alongside. The focus, instead, is on subjects that promise immediate gain in the form of guaranteed employment and economic growth for the investing state. But does such an approach pay off in the long run? As many theorists argue, the humanities teach vital skills of how to be a responsible citizen in a globalised world.
Keeley Street
Sat 26 Sep 2026Catherine BergerFull fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - Criminology taster: Crime in Context
This taster session introduces the tools needed to decode and analyse the modern justice system, who the law protects, widespread social, environmental and corporate harm.
Keeley Street
Wed 30 Sep 2026Michele ScottFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Society beyond the Textbook
Question what you know, explore what shapes society, and see the world beyond the textbook.
Keeley Street
Tue 13 Oct 2026Michele ScottFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - Mind and Code: Crime in Context
Look beyond the individual offender and uncover the social, political, and economic forces behind crime and harm.
Keeley Street
Wed 14 Oct 2026Michele ScottFull fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - Women: Power, Culture and daily Resistance
From glass ceilings to quiet revolutions-how far have we really come? Explore feminist thought through everyday life, resistance, and identity across work, family, media, and education.
Keeley Street
Fri 30 Oct 2026Michele ScottFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - Criminology taster: Murder in Our Midst
Why are we so fascinated by murder? What draws us to stories of violence-and what do they reveal about our society, our fears, and ourselves? Join us to learn more!
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Protesting to the Beat: music and revolution in Latin AmericaExplore how sound shapes resistance in Latin America, engaging with race, class, gender, and more. Analyse sound as a form of power contestation present in performance, literature, and politics.
Keeley Street
Sat 12 Dec 2026Pilar Villanueva MartinezFull fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - Contemporary Life and its Discontents: Paradoxes of the Present
Twenty-first century culture is becoming increasingly strange: from conspiracy theories and climate anxiety to the well-ness industrial complex and compulsive doom-scrolling. This course will explore these and other phenomenon endemic to the present, analysing and exploring their significance through psychoanalytic theory and a variety of texts, films, artworks and cultural objects.
Keeley Street
Wed 6 Jan 2027Katie GossFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - Beyond the Textbook: Society in Transition
Are you trying to make sense of a world that feels increasingly fractured in 2026? Join this course to develop your intellectual toolbox to this end!
Keeley Street
Tue 26 Jan 2027Michele ScottFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - Criminal Mind: Criminal Psychology
Explore the fascinating world of criminal psychology and discover how psychological factors can influence criminal behaviour. Through contemporary research, real-world examples and case studies, this course examines the different ways psychologists seek to understand why people commit crime and how this knowledge is applied within the criminal justice system.
Keeley Street
Wed 27 Jan 2027Michele ScottFull fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - AI, Power and Politics: Who Controls the Future?
Who controls the future of AI? Explore the politics, power and global inequalities behind artificial intelligence and debate what’s at stake for democracy, human rights and society in a rapidly changing world.
Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - Women studies: Unpacking sex and gender
Examine the social construction of sex and gender, exploring feminist perspectives and the debates shaping contemporary society.
Keeley Street
Fri 29 Jan 2027Michele ScottFull fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00
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