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鈥檙e 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鈥檙e 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 台湾swag 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鈥檇 expect, literary greats such as Agatha Christie and Shakespeare feature regularly. There鈥檚 also the option to examine other time periods in English literature too, helping you develop your critical reading and analysis 台湾swag - perfect whether you鈥檙e a beginner or more experienced in the subject.  

If you prefer history then you鈥檝e got a choice too, from courses on subjects you鈥檇 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: Creative Writing Workshop 鈥 Fiction, Poetry and Memoirs

This course will cover all forms of writing 鈥 fiction, including novels, short stories and plays, also poetry and autobiography and memoirs. The aim is to help develop and channel your writing ability, whether as a hobby or for publication with discussion of many aspects of writing, projects and readings of your work in a constructive and friendly setting. The emphasis is on individual development. For improvers and beginners, who are welcome. All that is needed is an int.erest in developing and enjoying your writing 台湾swag

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 08/01/2025 -
Wed 12/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stella Stocker
Course code:
Q00018502
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢74.00

Intermediate Spanish

Ready to take your Spanish language 台湾swag to the next level? If you have completed a previous beginners course then this is the next step in your journey to fluency. Like to holiday in Spain or Spanish speaking countries or just want a new hobby, then this is the course for you. This is the introductory course which will run for 6 weeks, if you would like to carry on with your classes then the full 12 week course will be following this one. This can be used as a continuing course after the prior beginners course or feel free to join at this stage.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 08/01/2025 -
Wed 12/02/2025
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Andrea Ostapski
Course code:
Q00019153
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢44.40

Literature: The Fables of Robert Louis Stevenson

The course presents all twenty-two 鈥渇ables鈥 of Robert Louis Stevenson, some as short as a few lines, others running to several pages, all of them challenging the reader with unexpected approaches to human life. We will read all the fables in six weeks, coming together on Zoom to share responses and questions, examine the literary merits and explore the ways the fables might enhance our understanding of ourselves and others we come into contact with day by day. There are podcasts for each fable to supplement our discussions, as well as space on the Canvas site to continue the Zoom discussions.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 08/01/2025 -
Wed 12/02/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Robert-Louis Abrahamson
Course code:
Q00019254
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢33.00

Creative Writing: Show and Tell: Taster Workshop

This workshop will re-examine the golden rule in creative writing 鈥淪how don鈥檛 tell.鈥 With published extracts from a variety of genres, both fiction and creative non- fiction, you will see what is meant by effective showing. How emotions, thoughts, reactions are described rather than explained to make the story so much more engaging. You鈥檒l learn how to apply this to your work with great effect. Rather than 鈥榙on鈥檛 tell鈥 you鈥檒l learn where telling and summary are essential for pace and plot. This course is intended for those who have some experience of creative writing.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 08/01/2025 -
Wed 08/01/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 5:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00019618
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢11.10

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
拢15

Literature: Gissing and Zola 鈥 further studies in 19th century naturalist fiction

This course will look at a range of novels by late 19th century naturalist writers George Gissing and Emile Zola. Zola is seen as the leading exponent of French naturalist fiction and Gissing is often classified as an English naturalist writer. Naturalism is a literary genre that considers human character as being determined by environment, social conditions and evolution. Naturalism is similar to realism in that both genres focus on social commentary, they reject romanticism, but naturalism emphasises scientific objectivism. The novels we will study are Zola鈥檚: The Earth (1887); La B锚te Humaine (1890); L鈥橝ssommoir (1877) and Gissing鈥檚: The Odd Women (1893); The Nether World (1889); The Whirlpool (1897).

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 09/01/2025 -
Thu 03/04/2025
Times:
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Duration:
13 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Greta Depledge
Course code:
Q00017844
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢81.60

Literature: A Tour of Dante's Inferno

Dante鈥檚 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鈥檚 Inferno, progressing slowly so we can question, discuss and savour the literary features and the vision of human nature presented in the poem.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 10/01/2025 -
Fri 04/04/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Duration:
12 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Robert-Louis Abrahamson
Course code:
Q00019292
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢66.60

Art Appreciation: British Modern Art: from the Newlyn School to the Festival of Britain

In this course, we will focus on a century of artistic creation in Britain. From the artists in Cornwall to the war artists during the Second World War, we will study a varied mix of artists and art movements. We will proceed chronologically, but will keep in mind several transversal themes, especially that of the dialogue with artistic centres abroad, such as Paris and New York. Doing so, we will wonder whether modern British art followed a similar path as elsewhere or if some singular traits can be identified.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 10/01/2025 -
Fri 04/04/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
12 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00019200
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
2 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢88.80

World Cinema

We will consider a range of films, from classics to contemporary cinema. We will discuss the style and meaning of diverse extracts drawing on key ideas from Film Studies. We will consider films from diverse countries, comparing and contrasting these with American and British cinema. The class will be organised around discussion of selected extracts, with guidance on points to look for, including different aspects of film such as the screenplay and cinematography. Students will be encouraged to develop their responses in small groups. Case studies will be included on Alfred Hitchcock and British cinema.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 13/01/2025 -
Mon 24/03/2025
Times:
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Daniel Williams
Course code:
Q00017612
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢74.00

Film & Media: Cinema of the Surreal

One of the revolutionary art movements of the early 20th century, surrealism was made for the movies. Artists keen on challenging the boundaries of form, genre and art itself, quickly made use of the possibilities of the moving image. Beyond that, early filmmakers discovered film鈥檚 potential for the 鈥榰nreal鈥. In surrealist cinema, questions about identity and reality, challenges to social norms, the subconscious, dreams and the fantastic meet.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 13/01/2025 -
Mon 17/02/2025
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Ruth Mulandi
Course code:
Q00017443
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢44.40

Art Appreciation: Women in Renaissance

This course will cover a discussion of the importance of the social and sexual mores of the times in history. There will be four weeks to look at the life and work of these remarkable women, Sofonisba Anguissola, Artemisia Gentileschi and Lavinia Fontana. We will cover the problems that faced them because of their place that their sex ensured they were kept in. Then at the ways they employed to get round these societal problems. Then we shall study their body of work under the context of the moment of history that they lived in.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 13/01/2025 -
Mon 03/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kate Phillips
Course code:
Q00018049
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢29.60