Learning about the world around us

Here at the WEA we offer a huge range of humanities and science courses, with something for everyone.  

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If you’re interested in the natural world, our geography and environment courses are the perfect choice. Our packed curriculum explores some of the biggest issues facing society, such as climate change and the fight against the destruction of some of Earth’s most precious resources. The option to learn in person or online means that our geography courses can whisk you away to a far-flung corner of the globe, all without you ever having to leave your own home. 

Studying a science

If you choose to take one of our psychology courses you’ll be immersed in the study of the human mind. With options to learn about memory and identity, you’ll get the chance to explore and debate some of the most famous psychological experiments.  

There’s also Sociology too, a subject that focuses on human behaviour, interaction, and relationships. If you’d like to explore some of the biggest questions in life, then our philosophy courses are for you. Small class sizes mean that you’ll get to discuss and debate in a supportive environment, all with an experienced tutor on hand.  

Attend a Humanities and Science course near you  

Whether you choose to learn from the comfort of your own home or opted for face-to-face learning at a local community venue, you’ll be taught by a talented tutor who is an expert in their subject. Our learning experience sets us apart from other providers, with learners regularly highlighting the difference that an encouraging environment makes. 

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History: The Middle East 1860 onwards

This is a 7 week lecture style course. The Middle East is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term may have originated in the 1850s in the British India Office. However, it became more widely known when American naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan used the term in 1902 to designate the area between Arabia and India. Themes to be discussed will include : Long term Great Power involvement; Economic factors; Internal religious differences; Internal political rivalries; and Population movements. By the end of the course, you will be able to : Understand the factors which led to the present situation: Assess the position of individual states in the area; Discuss the attitudes of neighbouring states; Understand the differing positions of the Great Powers; and Assess the ongoing problems.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 06/11/2024 -
Wed 18/12/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
7 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Aubrey Newman
Course code:
Q00017668
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
5 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £38.85

History: Role of political cartoons in the 20th century

Join us for this course which will review historical events, from long ago up until recent years and link them with how newspaper and magazine cartoons reflected attitudes and controversies of that time. This beginner course will primarily focus on the historical context and political impacts of their cartoons rather than the artistic techniques but through that analysis students will gain a deeper understanding of the role of political cartoons in the 20th century.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 06/11/2024 -
Wed 20/11/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
3 sessions
Location:
Billericay Reading Rooms (Billericay)
73 High Street
Billericay
CM12 9AS
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00019508
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

History: Smuggling in Essex: The Romance & Reality

How do the popular representations of smuggling in novels, songs, poems, paintings and film match up to the reality? We will look at some of the enduring romantic depictions alongside official records to consider the reality of life for people up and down the Essex coast in the 18th century engaged in smuggling or the fight against it.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 07/11/2024 -
Thu 05/12/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
British Legion Hall (Felsted)
Bury Chase
Felsted
CM6 3HA
Tutor:
Claire Parker
Course code:
Q00018323
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
9 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £42.00

History: The American Revolution and the Glorious Cause: America 1763 to 1815

The American Revolution was a remarkable event. This course will outline how the United States of America came into being. It will consider the implications of the ‘Glorious Cause’ for the inhabitants of the British colonies in North America and look at some of the issues that remained unresolved until another war and another time.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 07/11/2024 -
Thu 21/11/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
3 sessions
Location:
St John the Baptist Church Meeting Room
55 Main Road
Danbury
CM3 4NG
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00018515
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
8 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

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For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
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Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

History: A Moving Story

This course explores the evolution of road, water, and rail transport in East Anglia from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. We examine how these developments reshaped the landscape and impacted the lives of transport workers and travellers. Through historical analysis and personal stories, participants will gain insights into the region's rich transport heritage and its influence on East Anglia's social and economic fabric.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 07/11/2024 -
Thu 05/12/2024
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Poringland Community Centre (Poringland)
Overtons Way
Poringland
NR14 7WB
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00019038
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

History: Silence in court: five famous trials from British history

Every famous trial is a snapshot of history in the making. We see the cast of characters strutting on the stage that is the court room, acting out their roles against the backdrop of forces that are often beyond their control - the letter of the law, the power of the state, the force of prejudice, the facts of the case. Their focus is the outcome of 'their' trial, but ours is more than that; why is this trial famous, how did it change things, what lessons does it teach us? Join Peter Blood to study the people, issues and outcomes in five famous trials from British history, with a view to understanding their political, social and legal significance.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 08/11/2024 -
Fri 06/12/2024
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Bourne Hall (Epsom)
Spring Street
Ewell
Epsom
KT17 1UF
Tutor:
Peter Blood
Course code:
Q00017737
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
0 places remaining
Status:
Waiting list
Fee range
Free to £42.00

History: Queer History - An Introduction

This short course will take you through a whistlestop tour of places ranging from Victorian Britain to ancient Greece to give a snapshot of just a few of the attitudes to sex, sexuality and gender that have existed across centuries and cultures. We will see how such issues relate to power, politics and religion and how they are affected by social change. You will be able to explore the lives and ideas of queer people in past centuries through diaries, newspaper reports and court records. Throughout the course, we will explore what it means to “queer” history – and how a queer approach to history can affect our attitudes today.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 11/11/2024 -
Mon 09/12/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Symon Hill
Course code:
Q00017285
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
4 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

History: How Renaissance Art Interpreted Christmas

This five week course will explore the art of the Renaissance and its depiction of the Nativity and Epiphany. We will explore a number of artists but our principal focus will be on works by Giotto, Fra Angelico, Botticelli, Breughal and Caravaggio. Each artist’s work will be well illustrated by reproductions on Canvas, allowing you to view the works under discussion. The course will appeal to all those with an interest in the Renaissance and art more generally, and will provide context and interpretations of each major work under discussion. There will be ample opportunity for you to exercise your own interpretations and views in what will be lively and informative sessions.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 12/11/2024 -
Tue 10/12/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00019615
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

History: Nottingham's Inner Suburbs

Nottingham became a City in 1877. It was a hugely significant milestone in its development but how did the city’s growth impact surrounding areas, the Inner Suburbs? This course will explore how once green fields and tiny hamlets were transformed into industrial suburbs that grew into their own bustling communities, with distinctive characters and personalities. How did Forest Fields come into existence? What was the impact of the 20th century on Hyson Green? How did Radford evolve into an industrial community? What created these new communities and how do their landscapes reflect their histories?

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 13/11/2024 -
Wed 04/12/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
The Grange Community Centre (Radcliffe-o
Vicarage Lane
Radcliffe-on-Trent
NG12 2FB
Tutor:
Christopher Weir
Course code:
Q00016046
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

History: How we used to Live – Social Housing

This course will give you an outline of the history of social housing in Britain over the last 200 years. Housing became a huge issue as a result of the Industrial Revolution as Britain’s industrial cities expanded and thousands of low-paid workers looked for somewhere to live. We will look at a range of ‘answers’ to this problem from cheap housing that rapidly turned into overcrowded slums to model villages built by some factory owners to house their workforce. Then we will explore the development of slum clearance and council housing schemes in the 20th century, before looking at possible causes and solutions for the current housing shortages.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 13/11/2024 -
Wed 04/12/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
St Olave's Church Hall (York)
Marygate Lane
York
YO30 7BJ
Tutor:
Katherine Croft
Course code:
Q00018368
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60