These classes allow you to experience the liberal arts, with a focus on London. Our classes range from the study of Shakespeare to an exploration of contemporary culture.
Classes run in both session one and session two: you can choose to study one class in each session or combine a liberal arts class with a different subject area.
Module details
4HIST008X: Jack the Ripper’s London: Myth, Reality, and the London Victorian Metropolis – Session 1
Level 4
The module explores the Ripper murders, social history of the East End, London in the late Victorian era, the representation of the killings in the media, in film and literature, the historiography of the Ripper murders.
Site visits: students will visit the Museum of London, Tate Britain, The Royal London Hospital, The Metropolitan Police Heritage Centre, Sir John Soane’s Museum, The Bishopsgate Institute, the Museum of London Docklands. The students will also go on a walking tour to ‘map’ the Ripper murders and get to grips with the geography of the East End.
Note: these visits are subject to change.
4HIST009X: Londinium to the Blitz: London through its Museums – Session 1
Level 4
This class aims to offer an introduction to a new history of London and to the specialism of ‘public history’, based in part on recent archaeological research and visits to London museums. The class thus aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills to evaluate how and how well the history of London is presented to audiences of non-historians. The class will examine inter alia: Roman London, London in the Middle Ages, Georgian and Victorian London, London at War, theory and methodology of historical presentation and representation, representation of historical London in museums and galleries.
Site visits: the field trips include visits to the Roman Amphitheatre and the London Wall Walk, the British Museum, Museum of London, National Portrait Gallery, National Gallery, Museum of London in Docklands, British Library, the museums of South Kensington, Greenwich, Westminster as well as Medieval and Tudor London Walk.
Note: these visits are subject to change.
4HIST007X: Monarchy: A Royal History of London – Session 1
Level 4
This course examines London as the historical setting for monarchy and national ceremonial. As such the course considers Royalty’s central place in British life and examines how its purpose and function have changed over the centuries. It also investigates Royalty’s influence on British history and society and its impact on government, culture and science. Finally the course will consider how the monarchy has adapted – and continues to adapt – to changing times and how critics react to it.
Site visits: as a part of the module, students will be visiting the British Museum, The British Library, National Portrait Gallery, The Museum of London, Imperial War Museum. The students will also tour important royal sites in London.
Note: these visits are subject to change.
4PSYC001X: Myth and Method in Psychology – Session 1
Level 4
This module explores the scientific evidence for phenomena widely accepted by the public, but whose scientific validity remains open to challenge including, for example, astrology and near death experiences. It will examine the methods used in the investigation of such popular myths and examine, from a psychological perspective, the factors which underlie how they grow and are sustained. The module involves a critical review of the scientific evidence for these phenomena, and general consideration of the application of scientific method.
Site visits: the students will visit the famous Freud Museum.
Note: site visits are subject to change.
4LLAW016X: Cinematic Justice – Sessions 1 and 2
Level 4
This module analyses films illustrating the criminal justice system of the UK and abroad to discover what these portrayals tell the viewer about criminal justice. The module uses the films themselves as the primary source of material coupled with academic commentary.
4ELIT007X: Art and Society – Session 2
Level 4
This module is an introduction to the visual culture of London, including painting, architecture, photography and contemporary media. Students will visit the major art galleries to examine how art works, exhibitions and cultural organisations can be understood within wider social contexts. The sessions also include museums and historical sites. The classes will explore how these institutions reveal the complex cultural identity and history of London.
Site visits: typical visits include the British Museum, Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum, Museum of London, National Portrait Gallery, Wallace Collection, Tate Britain, Whitechapel Gallery, Serpentine Galleries, Wellcome Collection.
Note: these visits are subject to change.
4CLST001X: Working across Cultures in a Global World – Session 2
Level 4
The course provides a student-centred understanding of the intercultural competencies needed in the professional world of the 21st century. It starts by supporting students in analysing their chosen career, identifying the challenges inherent in performing in a professional multicultural environment. It continues by developing, through interactive activities, skills such as recognising, acknowledging, mediating and reacting to a variety of cultural expectations and norms of behaviour. The course contains throughout a reflective strand, which encourages students to reflect on their internalised culture, unconscious bias and preferred social positioning, and how this might impact their work relations.
5PSYC001X: Psychology of City Life – Session 2
Level 4
This module aims to provide students with the opportunity to engage with a range of topics and issues in psychology that relate to growing up and living in or visiting a large global city such as London, England. It will bring together research and theory from a number of areas of psychology including social psychology, health psychology, cognitive psychology and forensic psychology. Topics include: Stress & Wellbeing; Crime & Aggression; Loneliness, Pro-social Behaviour and Resilience. Lectures will discuss recent research and seminars will provide students with practical activities, visualisation through documentaries and guided discussions related to each topic.
Site visits: student will visit the Museum of London.
Note: site visits are subject to change.
Please note: occasionally we may be unable to offer some of the classes listed above, so please select a first and second choice for each session you are applying for. It is your responsibility to ensure both choices are pre-approved for credit by your home institution before applying.
In the event that your first choice is not available, we will automatically register you for your alternative choice. In the unlikely event that your alternative module choice should be cancelled due to an unforeseen circumstance, we will contact you directly via email to notify you of the cancellation and to request a further module choice.