Courses - Online & in London

The 1950s was the beginning of the end for the Hollywood studio era, a golden age in place since the 1920s. The fifties are more difficult to pin down than the 1930/40s due to explosive diversity in both subject matter and cinematic technology, the profound influence of WWII, the development of European neorealism and the first signs of the French New Wave. An emphasis on teen culture emerged, represented by the brief career of James Dean. Film stars became anti-heroes. The moguls who founded Hollywood began to disappear. The studio business model was doomed. Hollywood reacted both defensively and creatively, going for broke—and producing some of the finest and most enduring films in its history, films that transformed the culture, from Sunset Blvd. (1950) to Some Like It Hot (1959)—both by Billy Wilder. From The Asphalt Jungle (1950) to The Misfits (1961)— Marilyn Monroe’s first and final films, both directed by John Huston. From Here To Eternity (1953 Fred Zinnemann) to A Place in the Sun (1951 George Stevens, part of his American trilogy). Fifties’ films reflected a darkening America. (See related courses on Fifties Musicals, Melodrama and Film Noir).

Learn Chinese Mandarin on this lively online course.







This course is designed for beginners who have little or no prior knowledge of Chinese.



Whether you're a student, professional, or simply curious about the language and culture, this course will equip you with the essential skills to communicate confidently in Mandarin.



Our emphasis on speaking ensures that you'll be able to engage in meaningful conversations from the very first lesson. You'll learn useful phrases, expressions, and idioms, enabling you to communicate effectively in various social and everyday situations.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

Learn to speak Japanese, with the emphasis on developing your listening and speaking skills.Suitable for complete beginners.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

Learn Korean on this lively online course.







Learn to speak Korean and develop your speaking and listening skills in these communicative classes, which emphasise the practical use of the language. Suitable for complete beginners.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

Learn to speak Hungarian and develop your speaking and listening skills in these communicative classes, which emphasise the practical use of the language. Suitable for complete beginners.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

With a population of 214 million, Brazil is the sixth largest country in the world by population size. This course aims to introduce you to Portuguese mainly as spoken in Brazil, and is taught by a native Brazilian, though you'll cover other varieties of Portuguese as well. You'll learn how to introduce yourself, talk about yourself and your family, and begin building your speaking, listening, reading and writing skills so that you can build a solid base for future study.

Want to learn Spanish but worried that you might not be able to keep up? Spanish beginners at a gentle pace is designed to cover the same material as our standard Spanish beginners course, but at a slightly slower pace, and with more opportunities for revision built in.

Explore the history and legacy of Akhenaten.

Note that we are running a taster in September if you would like to experience learning Swedish online, the course code is LSVT1.







Learn basic Swedish in a fun and interactive way.



Suitable for complete beginners.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

The Western Mediterranean, known as ‘Greater Greece’, preserves some of the loveliest art anywhere in the Greek world. Come and discover the role of these colonies in politics & warfare in the Mediterranean.