Autumn

Cezanne

Cezanne is a complex artist who was dismissed for the first 20 years of his long working life. However, in the 1880s and 1890s he emerged as an icon for the younger generations of artists. He then paved the way for the Cubist revolution. The day will be spent exploring his development of startling ways of reworking the prevailing genres of painting, his relationships with Impressionism and his re-evaluation by Post Impressionist painters. It is anticipated that this course will be held at the King’s Manor.

Fiona FitzGerald BA MA PGCE

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 13 October 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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The Knights Templar in Britain

Cancelled 

The Knights Templar Order was founded around 1120 to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land and disbanded in 1312 amid allegations of heresy and black magic. These warrior monks have featured in fiction from Ivanhoe to the Da Vinci Code. This course will look at the Order in Britain and try to separate fact from fiction, looking at documents, buildings, and place names. ‘Temple’ place names for example, indicate Templar sites, such as Temple Newsam and Temple Hirst in Yorkshire.

John Lee BA MA PhD

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 13 October 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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You and Your Story - An Introduction to Memoir Writing

Life is rich and fascinating, full of poetry and drama, twists of fate, highs and lows. In this course, we will explore how to share experiences in a unique and personal way and add warmth and readability. During this highly practical session, we will examine ways to ‘mine’ your memory, learn the basic elements of all good stories and discover ways to bring writing alive. Along the way, we’ll also start the drafting process, write some great opening lines, and consider the place poetry may - or may not - have in a memoir!

Rachel Kerr BA MA PGCE

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 13 October 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Media Mania: How to Critically Assess Media Content

Cancelled 

The media machine is powerful and pervasive, but you, the audience, need not be passive. This course provides ways to critically assess visual and verbal media content. It equips you with techniques to approach the media with caution and a critical eye, based on the theories and research done around critical discourse analysis.

Ebtihal Mahadeen BA MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 20 October 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Chaucer’s Knights

Cancelled 

Chaucer was intimately connected with the one of the most chivalrous medieval kings, Edward III. He was brother-in-law to John of Gaunt, Edward’s son, and even gave evidence in a famous court trial over who should have the right to bear coats of arms. This course examines Chaucer’s Knight’s Tale, and the stories of brave knightly deeds at home and abroad, in wars and tournaments, that inspired it. How chivalrous were Chaucer’s Knights?

Gillian Waters BA MA PGDip PGCE

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 27 October 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Seurat

Seurat exploded on the independent art world of Paris in 1884 with a highly resolved response to major issues in Impressionist painting. Seven years later he was dead. Within that span of time he developed his core ideas and opened up ways for other artists to reprise themselves. Focusing on La Grande Jatte, exhibited1886, we will explore his relationship to other Neo Impressionist painters, politics and nascent symbolist art and its theories.

Fiona FitzGerald BA MA PGCE

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 03 November 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Through the Eyes of the Audience

Together we will consider the needs and interests of potential audiences, in order to think about how to direct and hone writing. The session will ask students to think about what the markers are looking for when they read work, beyond the obvious elements of the marking criteria, as well as the wider potential readership. Discussions will consider the need to explain some ideas to someone with no prior knowledge of a subject or if some understanding can be assumed; the stylistic manners to adopt and to avoid; and how to present work most appropriately to make the best impression.

Pragya Vohra PhD

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 03 November 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-12.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £20.00

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Verismo Opera

The great success of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci makes us think of verismo operas as a purely Italian phenomenon, and composers such as Giordano, Puccini, Cilea and Leoni all wrote operas which portrayed the gritty realism which is the hallmark of the verismo style. But composers in other countries wrote verismo operas too, including France, Spain and Germany. This one-day course examines the origins of verismo and explores the style with many extracts from DVDs and CDs.

Roger Witts BA

 

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 03 November 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Ancient Egypt (3000-1000BC): the Land, the Art, the Architecture of the Pharaohs

Some of the world’s most beautiful works of art and artefacts, and the most grandiose architecture, were created by the Ancient Egyptians which they did with only a basic range of implements. The Nile’s extraordinary fertility created a huge reserve of population available to execute these works.
This illustrated course will describe the river and the population; pyramids, temples and tombs; and treasure stored in the tombs, including Tutankhamen’s.

Ivison Wheatley MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 10 November 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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The Thin Red Line and Being-Towards-Death

This course analyses The Thin Red Line (1998) in terms of Martin Heidegger’s phenomenology, particularly his conception of authenticity as a type of comportment towards one’s own death. Director Terrence Malick was a student of Heidegger and we will also look at clips from The New World (2005) and The Tree of Life (2011) as we explore Heidegger’s articulation of the authentic life in terms of the attitude human beings should adopt to their non-existence.

Rafe McGregor BA MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 10 November 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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The Writing of Poetry with Antony Dunn

Antony’s masterclass will feature a lively, conversational mix of reading and writing exercises to equip you with new ideas, techniques and inspirations. You are also invited to bring one of your own poems-in-progress (maximum 40 lines). The class will offer a rigorous but supportive guided critique of your work. Suitable for writers with any level of experience.

We are pleased to be offering the first of what we hope will be a series of annual weekend workshops that will incorporate the teaching of recognised and respected guest writers alongside award winning tutor, Elizabeth Linklater. Each will run from 10am-4pm on Saturday with the guest writer, then from 10am-1pm on Sunday when the previous day’s learning will be consolidated.

Taught on University campus, the price does not include any food or accommodation, but for those travelling from further afield, the Centre will seek to provide a list of local hotels and B&Bs upon request.

These weekends are an ideal way to meet fellow writers for a concentrated writing experience, share ideas, and develop your writing skills in a supported environment with input from published authors.

About Antony:
Antony is the winner of the Newdigate Prize (1995) and Eric Gregory Award (2000). He has published three collections of poems: Pilots and Navigators (Oxford Poets 1998), Flying Fish and Bugs (Carcanet Oxford Poets 2002 and 2009). He is working towards completion of a fourth. Antony was also Poet in Residence at the University of York for 2006 and for the Ilkley Literature Festival in 2010. He is a frequent tutor for the Arvon Foundation, teaches for The Poetry School in York and Leeds, and is Director of The Bridlington Poetry Festival.

• Day: Saturday and Sunday
• Start date: 17/18 November 2012
• Time: 10am-4pm on Saturday, 10am-1pm on Sunday
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £99

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How Art Became Modern

The artists who emerged from Impressionism and created Expressionism were so radical in their departure from established norms that some were nicknamed Wild Animals (Fauves). Many of their names are famous (Manet, Matisse, Toulouse-Lautrec, van Gogh) but others are not (Vlaminck, Derain, van Dongen). This course will enable students to refresh their acquaintance with those artists whose names are household currency, and discover others who are less well-known, but tremendously exciting. It is anticipated that this course will be held at the King’s Manor.

Antony Peck MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 17 November 2012 
• Time: 1-4pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £20.00

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The Men and Women of the Arab Spring

This course maps the activism performed by Arab men and women during the string of revolutions and political upheavals known as the ‘Arab Spring’. It covers the roles of male and female activists, bloggers, campaigners, and citizens who have been at the forefront of political agitation and dissent in the Arab world. As a multimedia course, it relies on real examples drawn from the works of these revolutionaries.

Ebtihal Mahadeen BA MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 17 November 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Marketing for Groups

As part of a special interest group, you want it to be successful! That could mean anything from getting your group noticed, to sustaining an active membership, or ensuring that there are funds for it to function. This course covers a range of techniques and includes topics such as increasing the value of membership benefits, increasing membership through raising the group’s visibility and making it an attractive proposition for fundraising.

Charlotte Martins IPR DIP BA MBA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 24 November 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Roman Britain: a History through Coins

This fascinating course will provide an introduction to the coins used during the four centuries of Roman rule in Britain, together with the events, emperors, and usurpers that shaped them. Together, we will examine how coins were used and how we can decipher and identify them, together with a small handling collection allowing access to a variety of interesting genuine Roman coins.

Barry Crump BA BSc

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 24 November 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Writing Short Stories

What exactly is a short story? Aimed at beginners, this day course will use creative exercises to examine the themes and characteristics that differentiate the short story from other kinds of writing. We will focus upon style, pace, characters and scene setting, with the aim of producing a short story of your own.

Rob O’Connor BA MA CTLLS

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 24 November 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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A Day with Lord Byron

Byron was not only one of the greatest Romantic poets, but also a delightful scribbler of light verse and intriguing and entertaining letters. This course takes an appreciative look at his life and times, his letters to friend and foe, and the exhilarating poetry. No previous knowledge required but the desire to be both revolutionary and romantic in one day is an asset.

Helen Bullock BA MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 01 December 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Russian Avant-Garde (1910-1920)

The first decades of the 20th century in Russia saw a radical departure of pictorial expression from the academic tradition, and ultimately from the concept of the figurative. This course aims to identify the sources which inspired the exponents of the fundamentally new art, trace the rapid succession of its various movements, and look at them in the context of the relevant socio-political developments in Russia and Europe. We will also explore notions of futurism, constructivism, and suprematism.

Elena Kashina MPhil Dphil

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 01 December 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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King Arthur - the Development of the Myth

Who was Arthur and did he really exist at all? Of the many 6th century Arthurs, which one is the Arthur? This course will examine the evidence for an historical Arthur, the different contenders, and how the story was transmitted and changed into a tale for all times. We will look at how the stories of Arthur were used by successive monarchs to give support to their rule, and how modern genres have reinterpreted the stories.

Gillian Waters BA MA PGDip PGCE

• Day: 2 consecutive Saturdays
• Start date: 08 December 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 2
• Full fee: £70.00

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Christmas Past: Christmas Tradition in English literature

Get in the festive mood with this day workshop, which takes you through the history of the English Christmas. Moving from medieval lyrics through to the Victorian celebration of all things yuletide, this course examines a range of Christmas customs through ages, as represented in contemporary literature. Through a variety of literary works and extracts, this course offers a glimpse of Christmas past and how it shaped the Christmas present.

Alice Bennett BA MA MPhil

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 15 December 2012 
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Spring

Health and Education Research in the Media: Separating Fact from Fiction

Would you like to be able to see beyond the face value of stories in the press? This session offers an introduction to how to understand education and health research as it is reported. How do you know whether the original research is ‘good’? Is the story biased? How can you find out more? The session will include a basic introduction to experimental research, and a practical look at topical stories from national newspapers.

Colleagues from the Institute for Effective Education and the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 26 January 2013
• Time: 9.30am-12.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: Free

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The Adventures of Robin Hood

This course will examine the history of one of England’s most enduring legends, Robin Hood. Beginning with the nature of medieval English outlawry and the historical context of the story, we will consider how and why Robin Hood has become a folk hero. The course will look at the retelling and reworking of the legend, investigating the ways in which it has been used and why it remains so popular today.

Alice Bennett BA MA MPhil

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 26 January 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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From Spark to Page

Ever thought of writing a novel? Ideas for stories can come from a variety of sources and a moment of imagination could spark an idea for the next blockbuster. But what’s the next stage? How do you get your ideas down on paper? This day course, designed for beginners, will take you step-by-step through the process of beginning your story, looking at outlining plots and characters, and how you can turn one great idea into a piece of creative writing.

Rob O’Connor BA MA CTLLS

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 02 February 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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La Nouvelle Vague

I demand that a film express either the joy of making cinema or the agony of making cinema. I am not at all interested in anything in between
(Truffaut, 1994)

Beginning with Francois Truffaut’s The 400 Blows in 1959, La Nouvelle Vague captured a spirit of experimentation and rebelliousness which was ignited by various factors in post-war France. Though never a formal organisation, the French New Wave directors were linked by an intellectualist approach to film-making along with a playful self-consciousness which influenced the film-making process. Such a methodology rejected the conventional traditions of the classical form, instead favouring personal expression, location shooting, lightweight cameras and fast film stocks along with discontinuous editing. 

James Ballands BA MA PhD

• Venue: City Screen, York
• Day: 4 consecutive Saturdays
• Start date: 02 February 2013
• Time: 9.15am-12pm 
• No. of weeks: 4
• Full fee: £40.00

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The Tumultuous Black Sea

The Black Sea has an odd name and unusual features such as complex currents and undercurrents in its course to the Mediterranean. The Ancient Greeks founded colonies along the coast, to exploit the fisheries and to trade for grain. During the last 1000 years the colonies were taken over by Genoa and Venice, then by the Turks and later by the Russians. This illustrated course will end by considering the ways in which the coastline has now come to be shared.

Ivison Wheatley MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 02 February 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Prophecy, Propaganda and Portraits: How to Rule a Nation?

The idea of a spin doctor is nothing new. Many Tudor and Stuart monarchs were adept at using the media channels they possessed to enforce their control and create a positive image. This course explores the ways in which prophecy, propaganda and portraits were used by monarchs, and how the people fought back with their own propaganda in the 17th century.

Gillian Waters BA MA PGDip PGCE

 

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 09 February 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Writing Skills

This session will discuss the key elements of structure and planning when constructing a solid piece of work and making your argument persuasive and logical. With guiding activities, we will explore how to balance the different sections of a written piece of work, balance differing sides of a debate, incorporate evidence and ensure smooth transitions from point to point. The session will be useful to first-time students wanting to clarify expectation, as well as experienced students seeking to hone their skills.

Pragya Vohra PhD

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 09 February 2013
• Time: 9.30am-12.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £20.00

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Sexuality: Nature or Nurture?

Sexuality holds great importance in modern culture, being intrinsically linked to contemporary understanding of the individual. Whether human sexuality is formed as the result of nature or nurture is a highly contentious question. Taking an historical perspective, the course will consider changes in attitude and understanding regarding human sexuality in order to evaluate the claims of nature and nurture. Key theoretical arguments shall be explored and debated through textual analysis and discussion.

Abigail Tazzyman BA MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 16 February 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Van Gogh

Van Gogh’s working life as an artist was short lived but intense. He moved from a heavy social Realist idiom through Impressionist territory to opening up new approaches to paint, colour and meaning in painting in a matter of ten years. His influence has been profound. We will investigate the ideas that run through his work, their translation into visual forms, his connections with other artists and metropolitan Paris, the relationship between his writing and his painting, and his impact on the art world.

Fiona FitzGerald BA MA PGCE

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 16 February 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Medieval and Elizabethan Worldviews

How many angels can you fit on the point of a needle? Do stones have souls? And what is the influence of the planets on every hour of the day? This course explores medieval and Elizabethan views of the world, looking at alchemy, astrology, poems, prose and chronicles to understand the period.

Gillian Waters BA MA PGDip PGCE

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 23 February 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Writing for Publication

Whatever you want to write, learning how to report the news will make your prose focused, sharp and instantly engaging. This crash course in ‘writing the news’ teaches the basics of concise reporting - how to identify the story, write a grabbing intro and deliver essential information in short, snappy prose. Whether you want to publish in newspapers, magazines or just write your own blog, this course on news, features and blogging will introduce you to the world of journalism.

Sue Cooper MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 23 February 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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A Day with William Wordsworth

Wordsworth, often seen as a poet of rural nature, is as much a poet of human nature and ‘a man speaking to men’. Students will have the opportunity to read the poet's work and discuss his developing relationship with both the world of nature and men. We will attempt to relate Wordsworth's philosophical ideas to our own world and see where they offer comfort, enlightenment and pleasure: a spring tonic!

Helen Bullock BA MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 02 March 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Geology of the Yorkshire Coast

Though Dorset tries to monopolise the headlines, Yorkshire's own Dinosaur Coast preserves the same succession of spectacular rocks. From the Triassic of Teesside to the Cretaceous of the Humber, we can wander through the entire Mesozoic Era. Deep seas, coal swamps, lakes, deltas, beaches and rivers - rocks of almost every terrestrial environment can be found, along with some fabulous fossils. Introducing you to the geological stories to be found along the length of the coast, your seaside holidays may never be the same again!

Liam Herringshaw BSc PhD

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 02 March 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Marketing Yourself

Cancelled 

This course is focused on ‘getting yourself out there’ and is ideal for anyone looking to enter the work
environment after a change in circumstances. We’ll explore key topics such as developing your specialisms, maintaining confidence, and getting the right mindset for success, alongside building and maintaining a plan of action, and generating opportunities for yourself through social networking initiatives.

Charlotte Martins IPR DIP BA MBA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 02 March 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Markets and Fairs over Eight Centuries

Markets and fairs have formed part of English life for centuries but how much do we know about their development? Using extracts from historical documents, we will explore markets and fairs from early written records such as market charters into the modern period of agricultural shows and farmers’ markets. We will examine buyers and sellers, goods traded and regulated, and changes in agriculture and transport. We will explore markets and fairs across England but focus particularly on examples from Yorkshire.

John Lee BA MA PhD

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 09 March 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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The Whirligig of Time: Introducing Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night

Cancelled

Spend a day exploring this bitter-sweet tale of unrequited love, mistaken identity and the comical pricking of pomposity. We’ll look at how poetry and pauses work together, how farce exploits dramatic timing, and watch as this most musical of plays finds harmony in the threat of discord. Extracts from the text will be provided, and our Illyrian adventure will be enriched with illustrations of actors’ and directors’ choices, and performance images and designs.

Gillian Day PhD

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 09 March 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes: Life in Art

Serge Pavlovich Diaghilev’s most highly regarded achievement has been his dance company, The Ballets Russes. This course shall examine how Diaghilev’s visionary integration of story, music, choreography and design was key to bringing forth spectacles which transformed dance, dazzled audiences and led to a reawakening of interest in ballet across Europe and America. Diaghilev's principal themes - Russia's folk culture and history, the Classical world and the Orient - shall be considered in the context of contemporary aesthetic and political developments in Russia and Europe.

Elena Kashina MPhil Dphil

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 16 March 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Fossils of the Yorkshire Dales

When fossil hunting in Yorkshire, most people head to the coast.  The Yorkshire Dales, however, are a place where a great many interesting specimens can be found. In this one day class, we will examine the geology of the Dales and see some of the characteristic fossils, including corals, sea lilies, and giant ferns.  From tropical reefs to swamp forests, the tales of life in the Dales are more surprising and diverse (and ancient) than you might ever have thought.

Liam Herringshaw BSc PhD

• Start date: 16 March 2013
• Time: 10am-4pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00
• Day: Saturday
• Venue: Yorkshire Museum

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Novel Writing with Kate North 

With Kate, you will learn the basic principles of writing fiction in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere. Through writing exercises, we will explore the fundamentals of form, description, characterisation, imagery and voice.  You will also analyse examples of good writing and engage in writing workshops to enable you to strengthen your own style. Suitable for those who may just be starting out in writing, as well as the more experienced seeking stimulation.

We are pleased to be offering the first of what we hope will be a series of annual weekend workshops that will incorporate the teaching of recognised and respected guest writers alongside award winning tutor, Elizabeth Linklater. Each will run from 10am-4pm on Saturday with the guest writer, then from 10am-1pm on Sunday when the previous day’s learning will be consolidated.

Taught on University campus, the price does not include any food or accommodation, but for those travelling from further afield, the Centre will seek to provide a list of local hotels and B&Bs upon request.

These weekends are an ideal way to meet fellow writers for a concentrated writing experience, share ideas, and develop your writing skills in a supported environment with input from published authors.

About Kate:
Dr Kate North is a Lecturer in Creative Writing at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She has taught at the University of Gloucestershire, The University of York, York St John University and Cardiff University. Her novel, Eva Shell, was published in 2008 and her poetry collection, Bistro, will be published in 2012. She was poetry editor for Aesthetica Magazine (2006/7) and currently edits for Iota poetry magazine. She writes reviews, articles and interviews for a variety of magazines and journals.

• Day: Saturday and Sunday
• Start date: 16/17 March 2013 
• Time: 10am-4pm on Saturday, 10am-1pm on Sunday
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £99

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Summer

Airy Nothing: Introducing A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Cancelled

Nightmares, changed states of being, workmen in fairyland, donkeys in love, autocratic father-figures and eloping teenage lovers - come and discover Shakespeare’s fantastic riff on love, jealousy, desire and amateur theatricals all set within a royal wedding celebration. Extracts from the text will be provided, and the play-worlds which different stage and film productions have found within it will be illustrated through clips, performance images and designs.

Gillian Day PhD

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 27 April 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Newton's Apple Tree: a Story of Magic, Science and Historical Detectives

Cancelled

We have all heard the story of Newton discovering gravity by being hit on the head with an apple - but is it true? How exactly did he make the connection between an apple falling and gravity? Does the apple tree still exist, and if so - where is it? This course will explore Newton’s ideas of gravity, the magical connections and the historical quest to find Newton’s apple trees, uncovering the historical stories of Newton and his circle of friends and family.

Gillian Waters BA MA PGDip PGCE

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 27 April 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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The Films of Shane Meadows

Postponed until next academic year - keep me posted

Insightful and inspirational, Shane Meadows reminds us that it's possible to make extraordinary movies about apparently ordinary people.
(Kermode, 1999)

Since his emergence in the mid-1990s, Shane Meadows has become an increasingly significant British film-maker. From this early short films produced with dole money to the fruitful production relationships with Channel 4 and Warp Films, the director’s work has progressed in both interesting and innovative ways. This season will focus on four films that chart the key steps in Meadows’ development as a contemporary British film-maker.

Emma Sutton BA MA

• Day: 4 consecutive Saturdays
• Start date: 27 April 2013
• Time: 9.15am-12pm 
• No. of weeks: 4
• Full fee: £40.00
• Venue: City Screen, York

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Dive In: Introducing Marine Biology

Cancelled

This two-day introductory course is an excellent way to experience hands-on marine biology and explore UK sea life. Including a trip to the Yorkshire coast and a laboratory session, students will learn about the range of techniques marine biologists employ. Open to all, the course is suitable for anyone keen to get their feet wet! Participants will need to be of a reasonable fitness level and able to make their own way to/from the coast. Strong walking shoes/boots, sunscreen and wet weather gear are essential.

Steve Rocliffe MSc

• Day: 2 consecutive Saturdays
• Start date: 11 May 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 2
• Full fee: £70.00

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The Byzantine Empire

 Fully Booked
After the western part of the Roman Empire collapsed, the eastern part (now known as the Byzantine Empire) continued on for over 1000 years. Its boundaries did however gradually contract as a result of onslaughts by Arabs, Slavs and Turks, and even by Venice and the Crusaders. By 1453, when it was overwhelmed by the Ottoman Turks, virtually only Constantinople itself was left. This introductory course will review the Empire’s history, illustrated by magnificent works of art and architecture.

Ivison Wheatley MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 11 May 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Gauguin

Course cancelled

Gauguin moved from painting as a latecomer in the Impressionist group to pioneering a radically different way of conceiving of the relationship between art and reality in 1880s and 1890s. He challenged preconceptions about the artist’s role in society, how artists work with different media and the nature of their relationship to cultures. We will investigate the challenges he made through his art and the impact he had on his contemporaries.

Fiona FitzGerald BA MA PGCE

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 18 May 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Preparing Perfect Presentations

Ever found yourself coming out in a cold sweat at the thought of standing in front of an audience? No idea of the power of PowerPoint? Even if you feel confident presenting your thoughts and addressing a class, this session should stimulate new ideas on what makes for an effective presentation and tips on every stage of the process from planning to delivery and review. Individual and group exercises will offer you the opportunity to share ideas with others and to think about what makes for a perfect presentation in the classroom or beyond.

Pragya Vohra PhD

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 18 May 2013
• Time: 9.30am-12.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £20.00

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Discovering Medieval Towns

Many of our present-day towns were established or developed during the Middle Ages. A rich variety of documents survive which reveal many aspects of medieval urban life in Britain. Using extracts from some of these documents, together with evidence from archaeology and surviving buildings, we will examine how townspeople lived, how they earned their livings, how they governed themselves, and how they worshipped. While taking an overview of towns across Britain, we will focus particularly on towns in Yorkshire.

John Lee BA MA PhD

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 01 June 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Saving Private Ryan and Normative Ethics

This class explores the three main normative ethical theories by means of Saving Private Ryan (1998). We will examine Kant’s deontology, Mill’s utilitarianism, and Aristotle’s virtues with reference to questions posed by the film, and evaluate the answers each of the theories provides. We will also consider the film as a study in sacrifice - soldiers for citizens, Miller’s men for Ryan’s mother, Miller for Ryan - and consider the extent to which sacrifice is a component of morality.

Rafe McGregor BA MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 01 June 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Defending York

York, as the most important northern outpost of medieval government, was a strategic military base. This course will examine the development of York’s medieval defences. What would it have been like inside a besieged medieval city and how were men mustered to defend the town? Using contemporary sources we will also consider how to effectively attack a castle using siege machines and trebuchets, and how the city of York withstood such sieges.

Gillian Waters BA MA PGDip PGCE

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 08 June 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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Health and Education Research in the Media: Separating Fact from Fiction

Would you like to be able to see beyond the face value of stories in the press? This session offers an introduction to how to understand education and health research as it is reported. How do you know whether the original research is ‘good’? Is the story biased? How can you find out more? The session will include a basic introduction to experimental research, and a practical look at topical stories from national newspapers.

Colleagues from the Institute for Effective Education and the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 15 June 2013
• Time: 9.30am-12.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: Free

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The Sound of Hollywood

Sound and music have a powerful effect on film, and are essential storytelling tools. This course introduces the key aspects related to sound and music, providing students with an understanding of how these elements are used in filmmaking. We will focus on exploring sound in film history and through different genres, analysing and discussing the changes which have taken place in the use of atmospheres, voice, sound effects and music. Classes will include screenings of films as well as class discussion and analysis.

Mariana Lopez BA MA

• Day: 2 consecutive Saturdays
• Start date: 15 June 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 2
• Full fee: £70.00

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An Introduction to Fossils

Why do fossils matter? What do palaeontologists do? How can shells and bones tell us the history of life on Earth? All these topics and more will be examined, uncovering the pioneers of the subject, the fossils you're most likely to discover and the best places to find them. Participants will study the common fossil groups, learn how to identify fossil tracks and traces, and learn how to identify ancient environments based on key fossil types. No previous experience of the subject is necessary.

Liam Herringshaw BSc PhD

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 22 June 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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A Day with Dorothy L Sayers

Sayers became a queen of detective fiction, reigning alongside Christie, Allingham, Tey and others with her creation of the elegant amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey. She created a brilliant cast of detecting characters but her novels also tackled social issues ranging from women's education to the class system. Students will read her letters and extracts from the novels in the context of her time and spend the day with two fascinating and enquiring minds - hers and Lord Peter's.

Helen Bullock BA MA

• Day: Saturday
• Start date: 29 June 2013
• Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 
• No. of weeks: 1
• Full fee: £35.00

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