Online History Courses
Take a closer look at the events, people and ideas that have shaped our world with City Lit’s online history courses. Whether you're fascinated by ancient civilisations, medieval Europe, modern politics or global history, our expert-led courses offer flexible and engaging learning — all from the comfort of your own home.
Explore key historical periods, movements and cultural changes, and gain insight into the social, political and economic forces that have influenced the course of history. With live interactive sessions, group discussion and guidance from experienced tutors, you'll build knowledge, develop critical thinking and share your passion for the past with fellow learners.
Our online history courses are open to adults of all ages — no prior experience required. Whether you're returning to study or exploring history for the first time, you'll find a welcoming, supportive environment to feed your curiosity and expand your understanding.
Explore our online history courses today and connect with the stories that continue to shape the world we live in.
112 courses available
Mexico: an introductory historyExplore how colonial Mexico transformed into an independent nation and how its early political struggles shaped the country we know today.
Online
Tue 8 Sep 2026Anna GrimaldiFull fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £58.00- History taster: mapping the Silk Road
Spices, Silks and Stories from Samarkand to Beijing!
Online
Tue 8 Sep 2026Vanessa KingFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Emerging languages and cultures
Learn how humans invent entirely new languages and how these new forms of communication become powerful symbols of identity.
Online
Tue 8 Sep 2026Florence Marfo, Jack Pulman-SlaterFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00 - History taster: Genghis Khan on Trial
Step into the courtroom of history and put one of the world’s most legendary-and controversial-figures under the spotlight. Was Genghis Khan a ruthless conqueror or a visionary leader who reshaped the world? In this lively taster course, you’ll take on the role of historical detective, weighing evidence and forming your own verdict on the founder of the Mongol Empire.
Online
Tue 8 Sep 2026Vanessa KingFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Blood, pain and infection: how surgery was transformed from 1840 to the present day
The course examines key developments in surgery, as a critical aspect of modern medicine, between 1840 and the present day.
Online
Tue 15 Sep 2026David IngledewFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00 - Global encounters: the Silk RoadsTravel nearly 2000 years of history along the Silk Roads across Eurasia and China and explore the cross-cultural impact generated through the expansion of trade.
Online
Tue 15 Sep 2026Vanessa KingFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - Global encounters: meet the MongolsAt its height the Mongol empire stretched from the Sea of Japan to eastern Europe. We explore how the Mongols interacted with the nations they conquered.
Online
Tue 15 Sep 2026Vanessa KingFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - 19th Century Britain and Ireland: Parliament, People and Protest 1812-1832Explore the main developments in British political history between 1812-1832 from the formation of Lord Liverpool’s government to the Great Reform Act.
Online
Wed 16 Sep 2026David IngledewFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00 - Remodelling Europe after the Great War: the fate of the vanquished
The defeat of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria in 1918 had profound territorial, political and economic consequences on the future of these countries, some of which are still felt today.
Online
Thu 17 Sep 2026Sebastien ArdouinFull fee £329.00 Senior fee £329.00 Concession £214.00 - Colonial America 1492-1776On this interactive lecture introductory course we will explore the political, social, and cultural development of colonial America in the period 1492-1776.
Online
Thu 17 Sep 2026Dafydd TownleyFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £189.00 Concession £123.00 - Europe in the Age of Discovery 1400-1500
Explore the growth and expansion of post-plague Europe thatwitnessednot onlythe splendour of Burgundy,the rise of printing,unification of Spainandthe Renaissance,butalsothe Age of Explorationthat led tocolonialism and slavery
Online
Fri 18 Sep 2026Vanessa KingFull fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00 - The life and times of King George I
From being the ruler of an obscure German electorate George I suddenly became king of on the most powerful nations in the world in his fifties. He was never popular in his new kingdom but established a constitutional monarchy which has survived to today. Explore his life and world on this interactive lecture course
Online
Fri 18 Sep 2026William SterlingFull fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £58.00 - European history: from Pen to Print 600-1650
From medieval manuscripts to explosive print culture, this course uncovers censorship, book markets, pamphlets, and changing readerships between 600 and 1650-revealing how texts shaped belief, authority, and society.
Online
Fri 18 Sep 2026Vanessa KingFull fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00 - Myths and realities of the First World War
The First World War is a contested topic within British popular memory and has led to the emergence of many myths that cloud the reality of Britain during this conflict.
Online
Tue 22 Sep 2026Matthew PowellFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £189.00 Concession £123.00 - Latin American History Late: Authoritarian Regimes
In the context of the Global Cold War, Latin America experienced a wave of military and authoritarian regimes, some of which lasted decades. As the twentieth century came to a close, most countries had returned to democratic rule. Join Anna Grimaldi to explore how memories of violence and state repression remain strong in Latin America.
Online
Tue 22 Sep 2026Anna GrimaldiFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00
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