Arts and Humanities
short courses

Our arts and humanities short courses are designed to fit around your life. They’re entirely online and, over six to 10 weeks, you could learn about topics ranging from computer audio to travel writing. All in only a few hours each week.

Choose from our range of flexible short courses in Creative writing, Film, media and photography, and Music.

Creative writing

Whether you want to develop your writing skills professionally or just for fun, our creative writing short courses will support and inspire you on your creative journey. We also have a short course if you enjoy reading crime fiction and have an interest in authors from different European countries. 

Introduction to creative writing

Develop your creative writing skills as you explore poetry, fiction and scriptwriting.

 

Travel writing

Learn how travel writers bring their journeys to life and begin writing about a journey of your own.

 

Introduction to European crime fiction

Discover new ways of looking at crime fiction texts by European authors.

Film, media and photography

Delve into the fascinating world of film, media and photography with a short course, including some exciting new courses written in partnership with the British Film Institute (BFI).

A story of documentary film

Trace the history of documentary film in Britain using the collection held by the BFI National Archive.

 

Film and the environment

Explore film’s fascinating relationship with the environment, from its fossil-fuel reliant past to potentially, eco-friendlier future.

 

Media, politics and society

Discover how the relationship between media, politics and society impacts your everyday life.

 

Reading the screen: an introduction to the art of film

Learn how a filmmakers’ choices help create their characters, narratives and ‘story-worlds’.

Music

Broaden your understanding and appreciation of music, from how it is created, the equipment used, to the impact in our everyday lives and on society as a whole.

Computer audio: sound and music in the digital world

Discover the history of computer audio and music from the earliest computers to modern technology.

 

Dolly Parton: music, identity and culture

Explore the relationship between music, identity, and culture through the work of the country musician and songwriter Dolly Parton.

 

Sound systems in popular music: from Jamaican dub to stadium rock

Learn about the cultural context and diversity of a variety of different sound systems.