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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This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

History: China 1796 to the present – Fall of the Qing – 1796-1912 (Part 1)

From the zenith of the Qing Empire in 1796 we trace the decline of China’s imperial reach through the 19th century. Western incursions and humiliations, the role of religion and opium, wars, reforms and rebellions will all be covered up to the fall of the dynasty in 1912 and the formation of China’s first republic. Major personalities such as the Empress Dowager Cixi, Sun-Yat-Sen, the Last Emperor and many more will be considered. We will consider the nature of court rule, the development of society and the economy as well as art, literature and philosophy.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 07/10/2024 -
Mon 25/11/2024
Times:
10:15am - 12:15pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Petts Wood Memorial Hall (Petts Wood)
200 Petts Wood Road
Petts Wood
BR5 1LA
Tutor:
Laurie Johnston
Course code:
Q00017270
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £80.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Carbon Literacy

To attend this partnership course, you will have to register via EVENTBRITE (Carbon Literacy - October 2024 Tickets | Eventbrite) as well as via WEA. You will have to make a payment via EVENTBRITE and cannot proceed with the course if you have not done both. Carbon Literacy is a term used to describe an awareness of climate change, and the climate impacts of humankind’s everyday actions. This course is designed specifically for charities and social enterprises working in public leisure and culture and gives you the knowledge and tools available to take impactful climate action.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 09/10/2024 -
Wed 16/10/2024
Location:
Online
Course code:
Q00015293
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

History: The Decline Ottoman Empire 1800-1892

The once mighty Ottoman Empire lost some of its lustre during the 18th Century. After its armies reached the walls of Vienna in 1683 the boundaries of the Sublime Porte contracted in a series of military, diplomatic and economic reverses. This course considers the ways in which the Ottomans responded to a changing world in the 19th century, seeking to preserve their position within it. We examine questions of politics, religion, language, culture and economics whilst all the while having an eye towards the consequences for the region, Europe and the world then and now

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 09/10/2024 -
Wed 27/11/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Ripley Arts Centre (Bromley)
24 Sundridge Avenue
Bromley
BR1 2PX
Tutor:
Laurie Johnston
Course code:
Q00017441
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £80.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

History: America from Reconstruction to Roosevelt

The course will examine American history from the ending of the Civil War to America’s entry into the Second World War.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 11/10/2024 -
Fri 15/11/2024
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Bourne Hall (Epsom)
Spring Street
Ewell
Epsom
KT17 1UF
Tutor:
Julian Roberts
Course code:
Q00009440
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £42.00

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Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
WEA Membership

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Architecture: The Architecture of the Greenhouse

We will look into the design of greenhouses and glasshouses – a diverse subject that embraces the Crystal Palace in London, the Eden Project in Cornwall and a recently completed spectacular project in Singapore. The development will take us from Oxford’s Botanic Garden to Paxton’s “Great Stove” at Chatsworth and the Temperate and Palm Houses of Kew.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 17/10/2024 -
Thu 17/10/2024
Times:
10:00am - 4:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
The Christ Church Centre (Henley-on-Tham
46 Reading Road
Henley-on-Thames
RG9 1AG
Tutor:
Keith Hasted
Course code:
Q00017601
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
£25.20

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Nature, Ecology & Permaculture: West Norfolk’s wonderful peatlands

We will start off by examining how the peatlands in west Norfolk have formed, the differences between different types of peatland habitat (fens and mires) and the wonderful wealth of species that they support, before considering the factors that have caused their degradation and loss and the restoration techniques that are returning them to their former glory. Suitable for both beginners and those with an existing knowledge of peatland conservation and restoration.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 19/10/2024 -
Sat 19/10/2024
Times:
10:30am - 5:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Friends Meeting House (King's Lynn)
38 Bridge Street
King's Lynn
PE30 5AB
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00017665
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £30.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

History: A Cultural Tour of Istanbul

Settled by the Greeks in the 7th century BC, the city which is now called Istanbul, became Emperor Constantine’s ‘New Rome’ in AD 330 and it was named Constantinople. In 1453 the city was overrun by Mehmed II and it became the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The study day explores the rich architectural and artistic legacy left by both Byzantine and Ottoman rulers in a city which was shaped by being for centuries the meeting point of Europe and Asia.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 19/10/2024 -
Sat 19/10/2024
Times:
10:00am - 4:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
The Cornerstone (Wokingham)
Norreys Avenue
Wokingham
RG40 1UE
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00017281
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

History: USA: 1940 - 1972 A Divided Union

This is a course about people and their relationship to the Motte and Bailey castle in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. Some of them have names, and their stories are well documented; others are anonymous and left no mark on the written record on the fortress that was Berkhamsted Castle, but their legacy lives on the physical remains of the castle. It is the story of five centuries of powerful men and women: Kings, Queens, and members of the Blood Royal. There is rivalry, controversy, tragedy, brutal murder, destruction, invasion and tender affection. The constant is Berkhamsted Castle, the stone motte and bailey structure dating from a time after the Norman Conquest that has been the witness to these events that shaped our national past

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 04/11/2024 -
Mon 09/12/2024
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Friends Meeting House (Berkhamsted)
289 High Street
Berkhamsted
HP4 1AJ
Tutor:
Michael Long
Course code:
Q00017704
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.40

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Architecture: Modern Architecture: In Tune with the Past?

It is arguably a greater challenge for a modern architect to sympathetically expand the use of historic buildings, than to create new free-standing architecture. We will critically assess what a range of architects have achieved – including Norman Foster at the British Museum, Rick Mather at the Ashmolean in Oxford, and Herzog and de Meuron in creating and then expanding Tate Modern.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 05/11/2024 -
Tue 03/12/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
The Cornerstone (Wokingham)
Norreys Avenue
Wokingham
RG40 1UE
Tutor:
Keith Hasted
Course code:
Q00017591
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

History: Roman Gardens

‘Ancient Roman Gardens’ examines the crucial role played by gardens and gardening in the Roman world. They supplied food for the poor and were the scenes of specular display for the rich. They would also set the style and tone for many later European gardens, and this course will therefore be of interest to all those who wish to explore this formative phase in garden history. Through discussion and self directed study we will study the primary elements of the classic Roman garden and how it has impacted on more contempora

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 06/11/2024 -
Wed 04/12/2024
Times:
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Mark Faulkner
Course code:
Q00016184
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00