History of science courses
In ancient societies, sacred astronomy and alchemy were the sciences of their day, showcasing power, knowledge and ambition. Later, societies saw the emergence of metallurgy, herbal medicine and combat engineering.
Today, we speak of much broader fields of science, technology and medicine, linking the universe to the smallest parts of our bodies.
Shared across the ages, are the links between knowledge, application and society.
In our history of science courses, you will therefore explore and contextualise knowledge, discoveries, innovations across different epochs and regions and unpack the implications for society or humanity more broadly.
Browse our history of science courses below and enrol today.
- Medicine in the Middle AgesCourse start date: Sat 28 Mar 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vanessa KingTo treat an excess of phlegm make a steam inhaler from boiled ants. For burns and scalds apply snail slime. If you would like more useful medical and cosmetic tips with no guarantees of success, this course is for you.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - The Global History of InnovationCourse start date: Tue 28 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vina TheodorakopoulouExplore and contribute on how cultures across the globe have shaped innovation. Discover overlooked contributions, challenge dominant narratives, and reflect on the social and political forces behind technological progress — past and present.
Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £116.00 - 'Everybody Hurts': The History of Emotions, Mindsets and MentalitiesCourse start date: Tue 28 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Linsey HunterThis course explores the tantalising history of how people in the past thought and felt about the triumphs and losses they experienced, seeking to view the world through their eyes.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £51.00 - Healers, health care and hospitals from the Romans to the late 20th CenturyCourse start date: Sat 9 May 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David IngledewThe course examines the development of healers (doctors, nurses, midwives, and others), health care and hospitals in Britain between the early medieval period and the late 20th Century.
Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - South Asian Heritage Month: South Asia’s Contribution to Mathematics and ScienceCourse start date: Wed 1 Jul 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Ketan VariaExplore how several key ideas underpinning modern mathematics and science first emerged in South Asia during this one-off lecture. These ideas often developed within philosophical, religious, and practical settings, and were later rediscovered or formalized independently in the West, sometimes centuries afterwards.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Bodysnatching & Anatomy in London, c.1780-c.1845
Course start date: Sat 31 Oct 2026Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sarah WiseJoin Sarah Wise to explore the clandestine world of 'resurrection men,' the bodysnatchers who supplied human bodies to anatomy schools and the impact of the 1832 Anatomy Act on the trade.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - Sanity & Insanity: A brief history of mental health and its treatments before the 19th century Course start date: Sat 28 Nov 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Kathleen ChaterWe will look at the way mental health was understood and treated in the medieval period, then under the Tudors & Stuarts, and during the long eighteenth century, up to 1815. Tutor: Dr. Kathleen Chater.
Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00
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