Love to learn with the WEA

Our languages and culture courses span the length and breadth of England and Scotland, with the option to study online or in person at a time that suits you. Whether you’re looking to learn a new language and immerse yourself in another country, or you simply wish to indulge in your love and fascination of film, we have the course for you. 

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Our creative writing courses will nourish your inner writer, providing you with a platform to develop your love of poetry, non-fiction or script development. If literature courses are more your kind of thing, then you’re in luck too, as there are a wide range of topics to choose from.  

Literary greats and great periods in history

Our language courses offer you the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in a completely new culture, developing your skills so that you can speak confidently in countries right across the world. German, Italian and Greek are just a few examples of the language courses we have to offer, with many others taking place throughout the year.  

As you’d expect, literary greats such as Agatha Christie and Shakespeare feature regularly. There’s also the option to examine other time periods in English literature too, helping you develop your critical reading and analysis skills - perfect whether you’re a beginner or more experienced in the subject.  

If you prefer history then you’ve got a choice too, from courses on subjects you’d expect such as the first world war, or art history and studying the works of iconic painters such as Salvador Dali. 

Support and guidance

Whatever course you choose, you'll learn in a supportive environment where the class sizes are small, ensuring you get the attention you deserve, with an experienced and qualified tutor on-hand to guide you through your learning too.  

A lot of our cultural learning is delivered by our branch network: learn more here.

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Creative Writing: Writers’ Online Retreat: Write, Feedback, Progress!

Over 5 consecutive days, you’ll set an achievable goal, immerse yourself in 45 minutes of writing and get feedback from the tutor and peers when you share. Imagine the amount of work and momentum you’ll build over 5 days.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 05/08/2024 -
Fri 09/08/2024
Times:
10:00am - 11:30am
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00017740
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
4 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £27.75

Literature: Twentieth Century Irish Poetry

This course will examine Ireland’s unique contribution to twentieth century poetry in English. We will explore the work of two Nobel Prize winners, W.B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney, plus the work of Patrick Kavanagh, Louis MacNeice and Michael Longley. Additionally, we will refer in passing to poems by numerous other poets such as Paul Muldoon and Derek Mahon. We will analyse those elements which have contributed to Ireland’s distinctive contribution to world literature in the last 100 years, and discuss the relationship between a politically troubled history and creativity. There will be ample opportunities for discussion in what will be lively sessions.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 20/09/2024 -
Fri 29/11/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00017458
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
8 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Literature: 20th Century British Women's Short Stories

This course will range from the beginning of the twentieth century until its end, and explore the wealth of short stories written during this period by women. We will encounter the usual suspects such as Katherine Mansfield, Virginia Woolf, Elizabeth Bowen and Doris Lessing, but the course will also assess the stories of less well-known writers, many of whom are worthy of much deeper study. These writers will emerge from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. As all our texts are by women, we will discover the importance of these voices, often disappeared in a patriarchal society, and recognise how vital these women’s voices were and are.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 20/09/2024 -
Fri 29/11/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00017460
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Art Appreciation: The Century that changed the World-Renaissance and Reformation

A new way of seeing human beings and their environment; the end of the middle ages and the birth of modern Europe, the discovery of the ‘New World’; fresh insights into faith and the upheaval that created; and a new way of doing art. This study day investigates Renaissance art in Southern and Northern Europe and traces the birth and development of the Reformation. The art of Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael and van Eyck and the thought of Luther and Calvin together with the reforms of Henry VIII all feature in this extensively illustrated study day.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 20/09/2024 -
Fri 20/09/2024
Times:
10:00am - 3:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
St Lawrence Parish Rooms (Winchester)
Colebrook Street
Winchester
SO23 9LH
Tutor:
David Brindley
Course code:
Q00016855
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £23.10

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
  • Access an archive of over 100 past lectures,
  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
  • Receive our Highway magazine and access back issues,
  • Attend our members’ annual conference.

Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Film & Media: 5 Forgotten Classics from Ealing & Gainsborough

Exploring five arguably lesser known classics produced by British film studios Ealing and would be ‘rivals’ Gainsborough, both stalwarts of 1940s and early 1950s cinema. Ealing Studios are still renown for their many now classic comedies produced throughout the 1940s and into the 50s but perhaps the repeated focus on the same films has lead to other equally remarkable classics from their own studio becoming overshadowed. Likewise, a repeated focus on Ealing Studios has perhaps stolen praise from other British studio of the era Gainsborough. This course aims to reinvestigate some of these ‘forgotten’ classics.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 20/09/2024 -
Fri 18/10/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00017778
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Art Appreciation: How to See and Interpret Paintings

Have you ever wondered how to look at a painting and how to figure out what it means? This course will give you keys to develop your understanding and appreciation of paintings and their history. Based on the study of many concrete examples, taken from a variety of historical periods and styles, we will study all the aspects of a painting, from its format and technique, to its subject matter. As we do so, you will have many occasions to apply this knowledge and techniques for yourself.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 20/09/2024 -
Fri 06/12/2024
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00017464
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
3 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £88.00

Creative Writing: Creating Characters

Practice techniques for creating short stories, true or untrue. We'll apply the principles of short fiction to our writing, with the focus this term on character creation. There will be writing exercises, discussions, an optional weekly homework task and feedback. Guidance on feedback techniques will be provided. The course content has flexibility, and will be adapted to suit the needs of the group. Suitable for improvers.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 27/09/2024 -
Fri 01/11/2024
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Catherine Humphris
Course code:
Q00009209
How you'll learn:
Online
Status:
Waiting list
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Foreign Languages: Reading Latin for Beginners

Would you like to take your Latin beyond GCSE level and develop your ability to read and enjoy Latin literature? You will use the Latin you have already learnt to translate, discuss and analyse original Latin literature, both verse and prose. Through online activities such as quizzes and assignments and group work in the online sessions, you will discover the enduring fascination and importance of some of the greatest literature ever written whilst consolidating and extending your knowledge and understanding of Latin grammar.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 27/09/2024 -
Fri 07/02/2025
Times:
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Duration:
15 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Penelope Fewster
Course code:
Q00012454
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
3 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £111.00

Literature: Book of the Month

In this course we will read a specified book each month and come together to share our reactions to the writing. We will examine amongst other features the plots, the characters, the context and the over all message intended by the authors. The books chosen for the course will offer a rage of genres and styles. Students will be required to purchase one book on the reading list, the others will be provided free of charge by Arnold Library. All views are valid in this course and you will not need to have any prior experience of discussing writing

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 27/09/2024 -
Fri 28/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
23 sessions
Location:
Arnold Library (Nottingham)
Front Street
Arnold
Nottingham
NG5 7EE
Tutor:
Alastair Clark
Course code:
Q00016274
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £58.80

Foreign Languages: Modern Greek for Improvers (lower intermediate Term 4)

Can you take part in short conversations in Greek in a wide range of situations? This online course will expand the Greek you have already learnt and increase your confidence in using the language to communicate with the locals when in Greece or Cyprus. It will also give you a further insight into the Greek lifestyle and culture. The course is taught by a well-qualified and experienced native speaker with many years’ teaching experience. Learning a foreign language for holiday or leisure is a great way to keep your brain active, explore a different culture, meet people with a common interest, increase your confidence and enhance your wellbeing. Take advantage of this unique opportunity today.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 27/09/2024 -
Wed 04/12/2024
Times:
2:15pm - 4:15pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Eleni Vezyri
Course code:
Q00018355
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00