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: Be Inspired

The aim is to help develop and channel students' writing ability, whether as a hobby or for publication with discussion of many aspects of writing, projects and readings of their work in a constructive and friendly setting. All levels are welcome.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 18/09/2024 -
Wed 19/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
23 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stella Stocker
Course code:
Q00009413
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £148.00

Literature: Nordic Noir

This course will examine the publishing phenomenon of Nordic Noir, locating its roots in the early twentieth century, before exploring four contemporary novels from the genre. Our texts will be Doctor Glas by Hjalmar Soderberg; Smilla’s Sense of Snow by Peter Hoeg; The Bird Tribunal - Agnes Ravatn; The Flatey Enigma - Viktor Arnor Ingolfson and Missing - Karin Alvtegen. These texts will take us inside the mind of Nordic Noir and we will evaluate the common features of the genre and its relationship with crime-fiction, horror and recent forms of Gothic literature. There will be ample scope for lively discussion in our sessions

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 19/09/2024 -
Thu 28/11/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00017459
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Literature: Twentieth Century Irish Poetry

Spanning the twentieth century as it does this course will witness women’s voices interacting with the history of political change, both domestically and internationally. Therefore, we will be able to trace themes such as enfranchisement and cultural emancipation in our texts. Set against a backdrop of political and cultural change, our texts will discuss women’s rights, gender and sexuality, and the woman’s right to imaginative emancipation also. Interacting with the political and socio-cultural aspect of the course, we will also discuss how our writers are affected by and interact with literary/political movements such as feminism, nationalism, modernism and postmodernism, all of which have allowed women’s distinctive voices to emerge. To support consideration of these issues, we will allude to aspects of the general culture in Britain during the century such as class and consumerism, and our stories will form a commentary on the shifting perception of women of themselves. Along with these aspects of the course, we will also observe how women’s voice have helped to reshape the technical and structural possibilities of the short story form, as the short story form has experimented with new modes of relating narrative.

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:
10+ 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

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:
WEA Membership

Intermediate Latin

Did you know that learning Latin can enrich your knowledge in all sorts of other areas? Far from being “dead”, Latin is all around us. This intermediate Latin course can give you essential background knowledge to understand terminology in law, medicine, family history, and many other subjects. Latin has hundreds of applications in contemporary contexts. This course is ideal for you if you’re interested in learning Latin, or gaining general knowledge to help you learn modern languages or other disciplines.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 24/09/2024 -
Tue 04/02/2025
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
15 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Penelope Fewster
Course code:
Q00017595
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £111.00

Film & Media: 5 Wonders of the Czech New Wave

Discover the five film wonders of the Czech New Wave. A friendly exploration and introduction to five cinematic works from Czechoslovakia. Join us as we unravel the beauty and significance of these cinematic gems, deepening your love for the world of film.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 24/09/2024 -
Tue 22/10/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00009771
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Art Appreciation: Art and Society in 18th Century Britain

Discuss a range of works of art from the eighteenth century, linking them to their social, political and historical contexts, and investigating their role in recording and shaping contemporary debates.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 25/09/2024 -
Wed 11/12/2024
Times:
9:30am - 11:30am
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Prasannajit De Silva
Course code:
Q00009792
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Creative Writing: Creating and Developing 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 creating and developing character. 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:
Thu 26/09/2024 -
Thu 05/12/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Catherine Humphris
Course code:
Q00009200
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Beginners Latin

Latin is more alive than ever. It is often called a “dead” language, yet it is all around us. This online Latin course is ideal for language and history enthusiasts alike. Whether you are interested in language learning, botany, law, medicine, or even family history, you will find Latin everywhere. This beginner’s Latin course will teach you the essential grammar and syntax to start reading and understanding Latin. Learn to translate basic sentences into English. Learning Latin will give you transferable knowledge to apply to any language learning. This fascinating language is considered the blueprint for modern languages. Understand the etymology of various European languages, including French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 26/09/2024 -
Thu 06/02/2025
Times:
9:30am - 11:30am
Duration:
15 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Penelope Fewster
Course code:
Q00017596
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £111.00

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
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40