WEA courses

Enhance your artistic abilities with our Art Practical: Drawing and Painting course. Learn fundamental techniques and explore various styles to create expressive and detailed artworks. Ideal for both beginners and intermediate artists looking to refine their skills.

Dante’s Inferno, one of the masterpieces of Western literature, is structured as a journey Dante takes through the different levels of Hell, observing the souls damned for various kinds of self-centred actions (sins) while alive, providing us with a series of insightful images and dramas, taking us deep into the psychological depths of humanity. The course takes us through the 34 cantos of Dante’s Inferno, progressing slowly so we can question, discuss and savour the literary features and the vision of human nature presented in the poem.

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.

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.

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.

Explore the rich history of the River Thames and other London waterways with our comprehensive course. Learn about the historical, cultural, and economic significance of these iconic waterways. Ideal for history enthusiasts and those interested in London's heritage.

This intriguing course delves into the history of epidemics, focusing on the cultural, social, and scientific responses to diseases spread through coughing and sneezing. From the bubonic plague to the flu pandemics and COVID-19, students will explore how societies have understood and managed infectious diseases over time. Through historical case studies, primary sources, and discussions, participants will gain insight into the development of public health measures, the impact of epidemics on societies, and the lessons learned from past outbreaks.

Explore the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte and the complicated legacy he still holds: villain to some, hero to others, and architect of the French state. This course takes you on a journey through Napoleon’s rapid rise to power, his dramatic military campaigns, and the changes he brought to Europe. We’ll look at his leadership, his impact on society, and the lasting effects of his rule. By examining different perspectives and historical evidence, you’ll get a balanced view of one of history’s most fascinating and controversial figures.

Why was Britain's genetic make-up radically changed between 500 and 800 AD/CE? Were the newcomers environmental refugees, pagan plunderes, invaders or missionaries? Who were these new arrivals and what were they doing over here? This course will use recent information on sites, finds and their interpretation to shed new light on Anglo-Saxon Age archaeology in Britain. How and why the migrations took place will be illustrated using new (since 1980) excavation evidence, metal detecting finds, scientific analysis and aeriel remote sensing data.

A look at the history of three important capital cities in Europe in the 19th century. In Paris, we’ll look at the aftermath of the Revolution of 1789, beginning with Napoleon's influence, and see how the restoration of the monarchy failed to eradicate discontent, leading to more revolutions and rebellions in the city in the 19th century. We’ll also examine Haussmann’s massive town-planning project that made Paris what it is today, the lives of some of the notorious Courtesans, and works by great artists who documented the events and scenes of the time. Moving to Vienna, we’ll see how the monarchy there was much more stable but that its reliance on tradition and conservative values seemed in conflict with modernising influences. We’ll see how Vienna began the 19th century as arguably the most important European capital, where the peace conference for the whole of Europe was held following the Napoleonic wars, but also how it found its position increasingly under threat from Berlin, which sought to replace it as capital of the German nation. Both cities saw revolutions in 1848 which brought them together in common cause, as their political leaderships tried to placate the people by bringing in more liberal constitutions, only to backtrack and return to more traditional forms of government. We’ll also look at the development of the Ringstrasse, influenced in part by Haussmann’s redesign of Paris, and the massive migration to the city as a result of large-scale industrialisation