Choose a starting date
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
- Start Date: 08 May 2025End Date: 26 Jun 2025Last Spaces LeftThu (Daytime): 12:00 - 14:00OnlineFull fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00
- Start Date: 07 Oct 2025End Date: 25 Nov 2025Tue (Evening): 17:30 - 19:30OnlineFull fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £142.00
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
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What will we cover?
- Key linguistic aspects of Old English such as vocabulary, cases, inflections, word classes
- An introduction to the grammar of Old English.
- Translation of Old English literature, from relatively simple prose sentences to the poetry of Beowulf.
- What to do if you get stuck during a translation task!
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Adopt certain techniques and methods to translate texts.
- Describe the key characteristics of Old English.
- Parse Old English (we will discuss ‘parsing’ as part of the course)
- Be familiar with significant vocabulary.
- Be familiar with the similarities between Old English and Modern English texts.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
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How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
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Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Bring writing material. All the resources will be provided by the tutor.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
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Stephen is a freelance researcher, tutor, presenter and author specialising in the Old English language and the history of Anglo-Saxon England. He has worked with a wide range of organisations from the BBC, major universities and museums to local history and poetry groups in several countries, bringing history to life through a combination of written texts, readings and artefacts. He has written for publications as varied as ‘The Reader’ and ‘The Oxford Companion to Military History’. Stephen is the author of more than a dozen books on aspects of early mediaeval culture including social institutions, medical manuscripts, military life, the applied arts, death and the afterlife, writing systems, pre-Christian religion and the Sutton Hoo treasure. He has provided Old English and Old Norse dialogue for television, and both visual and audio content for museums. His voice-over in Old English for television documentaries and CDs of readings have been widely appreciated.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.