Dig a little deeper with our 11-week certificate courses.
These certificate courses are designed for students who wish to develop their historical skills at a higher education level.
After week one, each session will begin with a class discussion of the key issues raised in the reading for that week. These certificate courses will be assessed by the submission of one 2,000 word essay, one week after the end of the course. However, students who just wish to join the courses for learning for pleasure do not need to complete the essays.
All courses take place from 7pm to 9pm GMT via zoom.
Students joining our online courses would need access to a computer, laptop or tablet with a microphone (essential) and a webcam (desirable) as well as a reliable broadband connection. Please note that online classes will not be recorded.
Price: £165 for an 11 week online course
To find out more details about the courses & to book your place click on the links below.
Autumn Certificate Courses
Starts Wednesday 24 September 2025: The British Civil Wars & Interregnum
(7pm-9pm GMT, 11 weeks, £165)
The British Civil Wars, or the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, plunged England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales into an uncertain period of war, revolt and rebellion, resulting in the execution of an anointed monarch, and experiments in republican government.
These wars were ostensibly an argument about who rules and by what right. However, long term political, social and religious tensions contributed to the outbreak of war in 1642. This course will examine the steps to war, and the short and long term impact of the revolutionary ideas unleashed during this period.
Spring Certificate Courses
Starts Monday 12 January 2026: The Industrial History of Yorkshire
(7pm-9pm GMT, 11 weeks, £165)
From the 18th century to the 19th century, Yorkshire was transformed by the agrarian and industrial revolutions. This course explores how changes in social structure, farming practices and population growth in the eighteenth century enabled the county of Yorkshire to industrialise and exploit its natural assets. Enclosures, crop rotation, canals and turnpike roads, the introduction of steam power, and the development of major industries had significant demographic and social consequences for Yorkshire. This course will examine the impact of these changes on the county of Yorkshire.
Summer Certificate Courses
Starts Thursday 23 April 2026:The Lancastrian Kings: Henry IV, Henry V & Henry VI
(7pm-9pm BST, 11 weeks, £165)
In 1399 Henry Bolingbroke seized the throne from his cousin Richard II and founded the line of Lancastrian kings. Was Henry IV’s usurpation ultimately responsible for the Wars of the Roses, or did he rid England of the “tyrannical” Richard II? Was Henry V an undefeated military genius who conquered France, or did he create financial problems for his successor? Was Henry VI a saintly king, or did his periodic bouts of “madness” trigger the Wars of the Roses? This course examines the careers and legacies of these three Lancastrian kings.