WEA courses

This course will introduce a fascinating period of English history, during which poetry, prose and the arts produced some of the touchstones of British culture. We will explore a range of poetry including Thomas Wyatt’s, love poetry, Ralegh’s verse, Edmund Spenser’s homage to Elizabeth I, John Donne’s astonishing poems of love and divinity, and Milton’s early poems; playwrights, Shakespeare and Marlowe, and prose writers such as Tyndale and his translations from the Bible, Cranmer’s Book of Common Prayer and extracts from the King James’ Bible. Additional context for the period will be provided from paintings, contemporary documents and letters. All texts will be provided on Canvas.

This is an introductory course to the country of Ukraine through its Arts, Literature, and Music, led by the experienced university lecturer, who used to visit Ukraine. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, the world has admired the Ukrainian people, wondering what the sources of their valour and resilience are. This course will help you understand Ukraine and its people, put their culture in a historical perspective and provide some background to the current conflict in the region. The course is suitable for people of all abilities.

In this term, we begin by considering the later reign of King Eadgar and his efforts to achieve a kind of unified England, but also how English practices and texts became unique. This will involve examining the peculiarities of the English Benedictine Reform Movement, the impact it made among the clergy and also social and cultural consequences, as well as for the English monarchy itself. After that, we will address the feuds, administrative and executive failures of the monarchy in the years after Eadgar’s death, and why these errors would finally cause the downfall of the House of Wessex.

Would you like to start learning how to speak in Ukrainian? Would you like to communicate with your friends or colleagues who speak the language? Then this is the course for you. This is the basic course which runs for 8 weeks so you can learn the basics of the language. You do not have to do any assessments to join the course as this is for beginners. You will be taught by a qualified tutor who was born in Ukraine and has lived in the UK teaching English for a number of years.

Want to take on a new challenge and learn a new language? Like to holiday in Spain or Spanish speaking countries or just want a new hobby, then this is the course for you. This can be used as a continuing course after the prior introduction course or feel free to join at this stage. The course will be run by a fully qualified tutor who has experience teaching Spanish online. The course will be 12 weeks long and take a break for half term. Start your journey to speaking Spanish today!

Build up your knowledge of everyday Spanish and gain confidence communicating on your next trip. These intermediate Spanish lessons will boost your language skills so you feel comfortable communicating in everyday situations. Order food and drink, ask for directions, and understand basic instructions. After this intermediate Spanish language course, you'll feel confident expressing yourself in Spanish.

Explore the rich diversity of world cinema with our comprehensive course. Analyse films from various cultures and countries, understanding their historical, social, and artistic significance. Ideal for film enthusiasts and those interested in global cinema.

This course aims to introduce students to the art of portraiture in a relaxed and supportive environment. You will learn how to draw the face, neck and features correctly and then move on to painting. The class is ideal for beginners who would like to learn new skills or improve old ones. Using a simplified, structured, and step-by-step approach, students will learn the skills and techniques necessary to be able to paint portraits. Creating portraits that have a convincing sense of shape, form and colour is difficult to do, and this course looks at various techniques used to do this. By learning to interpret the human head into its abstract elements (shape, tone & colour), you will gain confidence in how to paint portraits in a structured and methodical manner.

This course is perfect for anyone interested in home decor, crafting, or floral design. No prior experience is necessary, as our experienced tutor will give you a step-by-step guidance that will help you create a beautiful wreath that you can be proud of. By the end of this course, you'll have a completed late summer wreath to take home, along with the skills and inspiration to create stunning wreaths for any occasion throughout the year. Whether you choose to use faux or fresh flowers, you'll be equipped to make beautiful, lasting decorations for your home.

All our Care2 courses are completely free for unpaid carers (or those who have previously been carers). You do not need to receive a carer's allowance to qualify. If you are unsure, please contact our call centre advisors who will be able to assist you. Join me on this relaxed and informative course where we will look at the intriguing world of Chakras. Week by week we will explore the crown, third eye, throat, heart, solar plexus, sacral and root chakra. This course is designed to elevate your awareness and knowledge of how you can use holistic therapy to enhance your life and wellbeing. We will cover both the practical and theoretical application of how to work with these amazing energy centres. Chakra centres correspond to each nerve bundle and the major organs of the body. With a deeper understanding of how each one relates to our emotions, health and general wellbeing it is possible to live a more balanced and happier lifestyle. Each chakra has its own unique profile, including the right food to eat, mantra to use, emotional expression, vibration and colour. You will learn a range of ways of how we can help balance the chakras through a deeper understanding of this fascinating subject. You will not need to purchase anything for this course and no prior knowledge is needed. We will also cover aromatherapy oils, crystals, the sound mantras and the associated body part that links in with this subject.