Courses in London & Online

Both commercial strategy and critical concept, genre provides critics and audiences with a way of distinguishing between types of films and narrative patterns, while affording filmmakers the opportunity to exploit successful formulas. Drawing on key theories of the concept, this course looks at a range of genres, and sub-genres, and the way in which they have evolved through cinema's history.

The pursuit of happiness is ongoing. In the ancient Greek world this gave rise to several ‘philosophies of life’ that remain the cornerstone of contemporary attitudes. Join this course to explore their key sources.

This critical studies course for developing artists and makers explores the concept of creativity and what it means to be an artist, drawing on a range of cultural theories and work by creative practitioners to help inspire and enhance creative and critical thinking.

Why have so many British authors set stories in and around an important house? How does the structure, history and atmosphere of a great house affect plot and narrative? And where do authors derive their inspiration to build fictional houses that capture readers’ imaginations so fully? The novels on this course all focus on one finely imagined house and demonstrate the author’s own personal concerns of the time.

The oldest profession as practised among the Romans - not for the squeamish.

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This course will introduce and discuss two novels by eminent author, Muriel Spark- Memento Mori (1959) and The Ballad of Peckham Rye (1960). Her writing wilfully upends notions of conformity and acts as a disrupter to accepted conventions. Instead, ‘Spark beckons us to encounter the stranger’ (Marilyn Reizbaum). Playfully disrupting passive readers and stretching comfort zones, Spark’s work provides a space to access unaccustomed outlooks that make us rethink our relationship with ourselves, others, and the world. Instead of unconsciously going with the flow, she awakens us to life’s stranger things.

Does the amount of data coming into your inbox and folders threaten to overwhelm you? Do you need to develop a system for managing information, tasks and meetings? MS Outlook and OneNote can be part of this system but for many people they feel part of the problem rather than the solution. This course will enable them to work for you not the other way round. You will focus on how to think about problems, solve them and what you are trying to achieve. You will work on developing an email routine that allows you to concentrate on tasks at hand and not be distracted by incoming messages. You will focus on how to create a folder system on Outlook and process using quick steps, rules, categories and colour-coding so you can keep a trace of emails, tasks and appointments. You will learn simple and efficient ways to schedule your work and use notes and task and the flagging system to keep track of your priorities. In addition you will focus on how you can integrate OneNote and Outlook to save you time.

This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

How do you cope with different Spanish accents? Do you find some easier to understand than others? This series of short courses will help you understand the specificities and intricacies of a variety of Spanish and South American accents, so you can spot their speakers more easily and understand them better to keep the conversation going.

Mahama Gandhi’s messages are profound and based both on his lived experience and intellectual power. His views on truth seeking and non-violent action have inspired many, particularly in the civil rights movements. Join this one-day course to find out more about his philosophy and consider its continued relevance in the 21st century.