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 Origins of the Second World War

The second world war shaped the world for years to come and still resonates today. How did it come to take place so soon after "the war to end all wars" (the Great War 1914-18) , with a world wide agency (the League of Nations ) commissioned to keep the peace. This course attempts to explain this and more
Dates:
Thu 16/01/2025 -
Thu 13/02/2025
Times:
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
British Legion Hall (Felsted)
Bury Chase
Felsted
CM6 3HA
Tutor:
Roger Cooke
Course code:
Q00020842
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £42.00

History: Silence in Court: four 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 four famous trials from British history, with a view to understanding their political, social and legal significance.
Dates:
Fri 17/01/2025 -
Fri 07/02/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Caterham United Reformed Church (Caterha
Harestone Hill
Caterham
CR3 6SX
Tutor:
Peter Blood
Course code:
Q00017735
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

History: Leisure and Entertainment in Twentieth Century London: A Social History

The course will examine the varied opportunities for leisure and entertainment in twentieth century London. Shorter working days, two day weekends, paid holidays and higher living standards all created opportunities for more leisure. Leisure activities constantly evolved throughout the century. Cinema replaced the music hall. Radio survived but was overtaken by television, which in turn became a form of home cinema. The public house, the public park, the public library and professional football remained popular throughout the century, as did the West End theatre, but other activities like grey hound racing and speedway faded away. The course will outline the social history of many of these activities.
Dates:
Fri 17/01/2025 -
Fri 14/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Enfield Baptist Church (Enfield) (Enfiel
Cecil Road
Enfield
EN2 6TG
Tutor:
George O'Reilly
Course code:
Q00019999
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £60.00

History: Cleethorpes' Theatre History from the Victorian Era to the Present Day

See images and hear about the history of three of Cleethorpes’ entertainment venues. The Empire Theatre is now an amusement arcade, so does anything of its former life exist today? The Coliseum Cinema building is now a Wetherspoons public house on Cleethorpes High Street, but what was its history prior to this? The Theatre Royal is sadly an eyesore and the site is awaiting further development, but what was this site used for before and after its theatre days? Join us on an adventure through time and discover local treasures from a bygone age. Suitable for anyone with a little curiosity.
Dates:
Sat 18/01/2025 -
Sat 18/01/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
The Minster (Grimsby)
St James Square
Grimsby
DN31 1EP
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00017919
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £10.50

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

History: The Decline of the 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.
Dates:
Mon 20/01/2025 -
Mon 07/04/2025
Times:
2:15pm - 4:15pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
The Drive Methodist Church (Redbridge)
Eastern Avenue
Redbridge
IG4 5AB
Tutor:
Laurie Johnston
Course code:
Q00019982
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £100.00

An Introduction to Twentieth Century History: International Relations in the 1930s and World War 2

By the 1930s there were three competing ideologies: Liberal Democracy, Soviet Communism and Fascism.. the latter in various national forms. Broadly the first two accepted the status quo and the latter in Japan, Germany and Italy were determined on revision. This set the scene for the ensuing conflicts in the Pacific and Europe. The course will examine how and why the world went to war during the 1930s. We will look at the role of individuals and consider how much difference it made that it was Hitler or Mussolini in charge rather than someone else. We will examine how it took time for the USA to emerge from isolation and how that tipped the balance when she did.
Dates:
Mon 20/01/2025 -
Mon 03/03/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
The White house (Hampton)
45 The Avenue
Hampton
TW12 3RN
Tutor:
Julian Roberts
Course code:
Q00017583
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £60.00

History: The Big Questions

One of the most fascinating aspects of the history of ideas is learning how ideas have a life of their own, influencing society and culture through successive generations in different ways. In this 10-week course we’ll focus on an different important and influential question each week. We cover philosophy, literature, science and history. We’ll read and discuss selected extracts which will be circulated beforehand. The course covers a sweep of over 2000 years, from the ancient Greeks to modern times. This course is funded by Greater London Combined Authority.
Dates:
Thu 23/01/2025 -
Thu 03/04/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
The Drive Methodist Church (Redbridge)
Eastern Avenue
Redbridge
IG4 5AB
Tutor:
Brandon Robshaw
Course code:
Q00019811
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £100.00

History: Highlights Of British Archaeology: Viking (800 AD) To High Middle Ages

Recent fieldwork allows us to define three distinct phases of Anglo-Scandinavian occupation: raiding, conquest and settlement. Sites at Repton and Torksey provide evidence of Viking Age winter camps from the Conquest Period, whereas spatial analysis of both artefact scatters and place names vividly demonstrate the areas of Norse settlement. We shall be looking at major developments in shipping technology from the Saxon through to the High Middle Ages, without which none of these invasions, including 1066, would have been possible. As part of our Medieval studies we shall examine the eclectic Medieval “Voynich Manuscript”. Using the illustrations we shall try to make some sense of it.
Dates:
Mon 27/01/2025 -
Mon 31/03/2025
Times:
1:45pm - 3:45pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Grimsby Central Hall & Arts Community Ce
Duncombe Street
Grimsby
DN32 7EG
Tutor:
Simon Tomson
Course code:
Q00018374
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

Nature, Ecology & Permaculture: Does Nature Exist? Introduction to Ecocritical Philosophy and Theory

We will look at some thinkers who propose Nature as a concept should be abandoned.
Dates:
Mon 27/01/2025 -
Mon 10/02/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
3 sessions
Location:
Jubilee Hall Loddon (Loddon)
George Lane
Loddon
NR14 6NB
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00020844
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

Art Appreciation: The Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is indeed a jewel box of great painting. With works by Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Perugino and Michelangelo, some of the greatest works of the Italian Renaissance are to be found there. But this is more than just a collection of great works. It is also the pope’s private chapel and so these works were created not just for display but to relay a greater message to the world, But how many of the thousands of visitors really understand that message or what these works are about? In this study day we shall seek to decode the 'messages' contained in these great works and see what Sixtus IV and Julius II and their artists were really saying to us.
Dates:
Tue 04/02/2025 -
Tue 04/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
3 sessions
Location:
The Cornerstone (Wokingham)
Norreys Avenue
Wokingham
RG40 1UE
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00017593
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
0 places remaining
Status:
Waiting list
Fee:
£30.00