Short courses
Our courses aim to support, inspire and create new opportunities.
These adult part-time learning courses are open to the public. No qualifications required for most of these courses. Please check individual course listings for entry requirements. Click here to view for the full short course catalogue.
Bookings are made using the University secure online shop. Places are given on a first come basis. Click here to read more about our booking process.
Spring 2025 Short Courses
Courses start January 2025.
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Detective and Crime Fiction
This course aims to be an enjoyable exploration of detective and crime fiction. Each year, we pick a different theme and gather together experts from across the University to explore a range of novels and short stories with you.
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Writing and Reading Environmental Challenge
This new short course will trace a history of Environmental writing through exploring a range of international fiction, poetry and literary non-fiction.
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Memoir & Life Writing
How can we write about our lived experience? This course aims to encourage, support, and excite participants in engaging with creative writing in a safe and informal space.
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Nature Writing
This eight-week course will help you develop a writing practice centred on the natural world, whether you are a seasoned writer or just starting out.
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Introduction to freelance journalism
This course will introduce you to the nuts and bolts of journalistic writing.
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Black History: Revisited
This course will provide you with historical knowledge and critical skills to understand contemporary debates around black history.
Pathway programmes
Courses start January 2025.
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Reading English Literature
This course aims to be enjoyable introduction to the study of classic and modern literature. Share your ideas, explore poetry and gain a greater understanding of Shakespeare.
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Mastering English Literature
This course is for graduates in any discipline from any university who want to return to study and sharpen their study skills or prepare for the MA in English Literature at Bristol.
Community Courses
Next course starts February 2025.
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Represent Your World
This 8-week course will introduce you to the basics of creative writing. Learn how your experiences can be applied to writing stories.
Summer 2025 Short Courses
Courses start May 2025.
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Life-writing, Fragmentary and Experimental Memoir
How can we write about our lived experience? This course aims to encourage, support, and excite participants in engaging with creative writing in a safe and informal space. During this course we will undertake exercises to provoke experimental and exploratory writing for those who have some writing experience. We will read published literary examples and begin to critique styles, structure and techniques.
Mentoring Scheme
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Creative Writing Mentoring Scheme for intermediate writers
Our mentoring programme is designed to provide intermediate writers with focussed support to help address specific issues they are facing in their writing. You will be matched with a mentor who has expertise in a genre/genres of your choice.
Short Course Catalogue
Pathway Programmes |
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| Reading English Literature | This course aims to be enjoyable introduction to the study of classic and modern literature. Share your ideas, explore poetry and gain a greater understanding of Shakespeare. |
| This course is for graduates in any discipline from any university who want to return to study and sharpen their study skills or prepare for the MA in English Literature at Bristol. | |
| Black History Revisited is a short course designed primarily to help mature students progress to a degree in the History Department. This course will provide you with historical knowledge and critical skills to understand contemporary debates around black history. | |
Literature and Fiction |
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| Interpreting Shakespeare | Deepen your understanding of a selected Shakespeare play with a leading Shakespeare director using theatrical and academic techniques of interpretation. |
| Writing and Reading Environmental Challenge | This short course will trace a history of Environmental writing through exploring a range of international fiction, poetry and literary non-fiction. |
| Detective and Crime Fiction | This course aims to be an enjoyable exploration of detective and crime fiction. Each year, we pick a different theme and gather together experts from across the University to explore a range of novels and short stories with you. |
Creative Writing |
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| Travel and Nature Writing | This exciting new 8-week short course will introduce you to the genre of travel and nature writing |
| Memoir and Life Writing | How can we write about our lived experience? This course aims to encourage, support, and excite participants in engaging with creative writing in a safe and informal space. |
| Poetry Now | Poetry Now combines the study of contemporary poetry and group discussion with the opportunity to develop your own writing. |
| Introduction to freelance journalism | This course will introduce you to the nuts and bolts of journalistic writing. |
| Nature Writing | This short course provides a rich and supportive forum for students to develop their nature/environmental writing (non-fiction). |
| Writing your World | This course enables students to use life writing techniques to write their own short story over eight weeks. |
| Creative Writing Mentoring Scheme | Our mentoring programme is designed to provide intermediate writers with focussed support to help address specific issues they are facing in their writing. You will be matched with a mentor who has expertise in a genre/genres of your choice. |
Community Courses |
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| A Look at Literature | This free 8-week taster course for adults will introduce you to the subject of English Literature. You will read and discuss a range of texts, including short stories and poetry, guided by a university tutor. |
Are these courses for me?
Our short courses provide a variety of avenues for adult learners. Some simply aim to reconnect people with the pleasures of reading and discussing literature in a group. Some offer a bridge into Higher Education, a degree or a post graduate qualification.
Our students often start their journey back into education after a break from study. They range in age from 19 to 80 and our student community crosses all barriers of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, social class and educational achievement. These courses offer a bridge into higher education.
Perhaps you have been busy raising a family or holding down a career and would like to do something new in your extra time. Did you leave education before you achieved the qualifications you would now like to gain?
We have workshops in 'Creative Writing' and a specialist workshop in 'Interpreting Shakespeare'. These workshops can help you progress creative projects you may already be engaged in. They can help you get started with projects you dream of creating!
If you would like course information, please email: english-lifelong@bristol.ac.uk
Contacts
Please address any enquiries about the courses to:
Department of English Part-time Courses
School of Humanities
3-5 Woodland Road
Bristol BS8 1TB
Email: english-lifelong@bristol.ac.uk
Telephone: 0117 455 8271
Register your interest
Register your interest in our short course programme here
Community courses
We also run part-time taster courses for adults in collaboration with community groups. If you run a community group and would like to find out more, please get in touch.