Courses in London & Online

Do you want to improve your communication skills and become more confident speaking, listening, reading and writing English? This course will help you develop all your English language skills so you can act confidently in the most important everyday situations inside and outside work. You will become a skilled communicator when writing, using digital resources and in face-to-face interactions. You will develop your active listening skills so you can understand and empathise better. You will work on how to express yourself when speaking in different situations. You will practise your reading so you can see the whole picture and find details, make effective decisions about what you read, and prioritise matters. By the end of this three-term programme, you will be a competent speaker, listener, reader and writer both at work and home and ready to do exams such as Functional Skills Level 2.



You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).

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

Develop your creative writing skills on this practical intermediate course. You'll explore the fundamentals of fiction-writing craft, such as character and structure, and unlock your imagination to produce compelling prose. Suitable for those with some creative writing experience.

Develop your skills in composing. Analyse selected techniques and apply them to your own composition project. Good music theory knowledge needed (grade 7 or equivalent).



*break week: 27 May 2025.

Explore practical and imaginative approaches to creative non fiction, including travel writing, life writing and the essay. Analyse published work, produce your own pieces, and benefit from detailed feedback.

Discover the secrets of successful portraiture, from the studio-lit portrait to street and documentary photography, or those special moments for the family album. Gain confidence in photographing people through practical work indoors and out, teaching you invaluable skills in lighting, composition and poses, to produce a beautiful portrait portfolio.

Can you have short conversations in English, and read and write simple emails, but want to do more? This course will help you talk, read and write about more interesting subjects and make fewer mistakes so people can understand you, you can understand them and you can read and write important messages, emails, forms and news stories. You will improve your vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. By the end of this three-term programme you will able to interact confidently with English speakers in your daily life. You can join the course at any time.



You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).

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

Continue your screenwriting journey in this practical intermediate course. Writing exercises, presentations and screenings will teach you key skills, and you’ll begin to produce work and an outline for a full-length project.

Masterclass sessions packed with ways to develop an advanced skillset, to write persuasive and informative emails, reports and proposals. Learn about the elements of language, style and structure that you need to write to a sophisticated level in the workplace.

Continue to explore the key elements of dramatic writing, and benefit from supportive and detailed feedback on your own work. New students with some playwriting experience are welcome to join.

For those familiar with the basics of poetic form, this intermediate course explores craft and content through reading exercises, writing exercises and constructive feedback. Ideal if you have already attended 'Ways into poetry'.

Always wanted to write a children's book? This practical course will develop your ability to write for different age groups and genres of contemporary children's fiction.