Adult Courses

From the career of William Marshal in the late 12th century until just after the reign of Edward III and the career of his famous son the Black Prince in the late 14th century, the Age of Chivalry spans a notable period of English history. It sees the development of the knight and chivalry and the emergence of Parliament and Gothic cathedrals....

This non-technical course explores the ways in which the building, spread and operation of the railway between 1830 and 1945 affected people, places and wider society. It will also consider the railway's impact on the Arts and popular culture, together with its role in both World Wars. Aspects covered include the origins of the railway, the life of navvies and those who...

Philippa Foot, Elizabeth Anscombe, Iris Murdoch, Mary Midgley and Mary Warnock all studied at Oxford in the 1940s. The war gave them the opportunity to take academic roles hitherto dominated by men. They would all become influential philosophers linked both by friendship and a concern, then unfashionable in British Philosophy, with what constitutes a good human life. This course will explore their key...

For centuries, Europe accepted war as the normal state of affairs but after every major conflict her leading statesmen met looking for ways future warfare could be, if not avoided, at least limited. This course will examine the four major wars of the Thirty Years War, the Napoleonic Wars, the First and Second World Wars plus four attempts to prevent further conflict,...

Beginning with an overview of the American polity, this course examines a variety of controversial political, social and economic issues that have significant societal impacts in the age of the Donald J. Trump presidency. These range from domestic matters like the social issues forming part of the 'culture wars' between the liberal and conservative views of America, such as abortion, gay rights...

In our modern age, do we spend enough time looking and considering our art? In a fast-paced world where we are bombarded by multiple pictures twenty-four seven, are we in fear of losing the ability to stop and think about what we see? Perhaps a slower pace will reveal more. Great works of art can say so much. Iconic images often display...

This is the first in a series of courses looking at the Second World War 80 years on. The structure of sessions will consist of a lecture, followed by a discussion based on an up-to-date bibliography. The course aims to look at the causes of the war, the various campaigns in the opening 12 months and political changes during this period. One...

After the Republic failed to solve the political and religious problems that had led to civil war in England, Scotland and Ireland in the 1640s, it was hoped that the restored Monarchy of Charles II might do better. On this course, you will explore its failure to do so and the subsequent overthrow of another Stuart monarch in 1688. You will go...

A revised version of a successful course, this edition takes a post 2015 focus and explores current themes and issues within the British political landscape. Your tutor will begin by setting British politics within its current Brexit context. The course will then progress to constitutional change, modern leadership and whether Brexit is obscuring other issues. Does Boris Johnson's premiership indicate a step-change in...

For over 50 years, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, two giants of European art, worked with an ever-increasing knowledge of each other's creations. On this course, you will explore how their relationship fluctuated between rivalry and friendship. You will also consider how that relationship produced the unique artistic contributions that both men made to the 20th century.

Following Richard II's deposition by Henry IV in 1399, the Lancastrian kings were to rule England for the next 60 years. After the great successes of Henry V in the Hundred Years War, the failures of his son, Henry VI, precipitated the Wars of the Roses, the fall of the House of Lancaster and the successive reigns of the Yorkist Kings, Edward...

The life and writings of J.S. Mill, 1806 to 1873, are full of interest in their own right, yet also for the insight they give into the world of the Victorians. One aim of this course will be to outline the key moments of his life and to provide a context for the development of his ideas, which ranged over politics,...