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Birkbeck History Short Courses: bringing London's history to life in 2018

Two new short courses, run in partnership with the Charterhouse and the London Metropolitan Archives, offer deep insight into London’s history and the forces which have shaped the city.

The Charterhouse, London: an aerial view. Engraving by W. H. Toms, 1739. Credit: Wellcome Images

Birkbeck’s Department of History, Classics and Archaeology will be offering a series of new daytime short courses run in association with some of London’s most important archives and historic venues.

Beginning in January, several new non-accredited modules will be open to students at all levels of study, run in partnership with the Charterhouse and the London Metropolitan Archives and designed to allow open-ended learning during the day. As non-accredited modules, there will be no coursework or qualification requirement – all you need is a passion for history.

One of the new courses will be launched with London’s historic Charterhouse with the exciting module, Flower of Cities All, which examines the role of London in the great transformations of the sixteenth century; the establishment of the Tudor Court, the cultural impact of the European Renaissance and the onset of the Protestant Reformation. Students will look at original sources and use the built environment of the Charterhouse and its surrounding area to try to understand how Londoners shaped these events and were in turn shaped by them. Students on this module will have the opportunity to study at the newly created learning centre at the Charterhouse, set deep within medieval stone walls in the heart of Clerkenwell. Future courses will, it is anticipated, include other aspects of London’s history, including the impact of bubonic plague, the medieval conception of heaven and hell and the history of almshouses and schools.

Mike Berlin, Course Director of the Certificate of Higher Education, Birkbeck said: “I am delighted that Charterhouse is opening its doors to Birkbeck students, and we look forward to bringing its history alive to new audiences.”

Berlin recently visited the Charterhouse to learn more about the historic building and how it's used today. Watch the video below to find out more:

The other new daytime short course available from January is Exploring London’s Past:  Archives and Local History, which will be held at the London Metropolitan Archives. This module will enable students to gain hands-on experience of working with the key historical archive for the history of London, using original documents to explore key themes such as crime, housing and public health. This module is being run in collaboration with a new initiative, Layers of London, which will introduce students to new digital mapping resources for London’s history.

These new non-certificated modules sit alongside our full existing range of certificated modules, which offer seamless pathways of study in history, archaeology and classics.

For further information about these courses, . 

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