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 Thursday 24 September 2026: Knights, Tournaments and Chivalry- from the Normans to Victorians
(7pm-9pm BST, 11 weeks, £165)
The term “knight” has been used for over a millennium to describe a particular elite, their behaviour and ethics, yet knighthood was not static and it altered to reflect political and cultural realities. This course examines contemporary literature and images to reconstruct the changing nature of knighthood, chivalry and tournaments, from the Normans to the Victorian era.
Spring Certificate Courses
Starts Monday 11 January 2027: The Three Edwards (1272-1377): Edward I “the bully”, Edward II “the lazy and indecisive” and Edward III “the bankrupt”
(7pm-9pm GMT, 11 weeks, £165)
Does Edward I (1272-1307) deserve the epithet the “English Justinian”, and was his reign important in the development of Parliament? Or was he just a “self-interested bully” intent on subjugating Wales, Scotland and Ireland? Edward II (1307-26) was defeated in battle, faced internal divisions and was ultimately deposed by his wife Isabella and her lover, but did his very ineffectiveness ultimately result in significant constitutional change? Was Edward III (1327-77) really a “new Arthur” whose continental victories increased England ’s trade and wealth? Or did his many wars plunge England into bankruptcy, resulting in higher taxation and revolts?
This course explores the reigns of the three Edwards, and assesses their relative importance in the consolidation of royal power, legal and administrative reform, the rise of Parliament and taxation. and the shaping of England’s identity.
Summer Certificate Courses
Starts Tuesday 20 April 2027: Alfred’s World: Alfred, Offa and Charlemagne
(7pm-9pm BST, 11 weeks, £165)
Alfred of Wessex halted the Danish invasions of England, and his reign is often considered to be pivotal in laying the foundations for Anglo-Saxon unity and the eventual development of “Angle-land”. Alfred is often called “great” in recognition of his legal, educational, and military reforms, yet does he alone deserve this nickname?
This course examines Alfred’s reign, and compares his achievements with those of Offa of Mercia (730-796), and Charles the Great (Charlemagne), king of the Franks (768–814), in order to understand the nature of early medieval kingship.