• University of Glasgow

Robert Burns: Poems, Songs and Legacy

Dig deeper into the life and works of Robert Burns, with this free University of Glasgow course.

30,013 enrolled on this course

Robert Burns

Robert Burns: Poems, Songs and Legacy

30,013 enrolled on this course

  • 3 weeks

  • 4 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Open level

Find out more about how to join this course

Celebrate Robert Burns with this free online course.

This free course from the Centre for Robert Burns Studies, University of Glasgow, will introduce you to the life, works and global celebrity of Robert Burns.

You’ll examine poems, songs, manuscripts, and objects used to commemorate the poet. You’ll also develop your understanding of Robert Burns’s posthumous reputation - from Burns Suppers and Burns Night through to Hogmanay.

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What topics will you cover?

  • The cultural reputation of Robert Burns as patriot, lover, and man of the people
  • Robert Burns as poet and songwriter
  • Major works such as ‘Scots Wha Hae’, ‘Ae Fond Kiss’, ‘A Man’s a Man’, ‘The Vision’, and ‘Auld Lang Syne’
  • The commemoration of Burns in material culture
  • The international celebrity and legacy of Burns

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explore the poems, songs and legacy of Robert Burns
  • Discuss the reputation of Burns as a national and international poet
  • Collaborate with other learners in researching and mapping examples of Burns's global reach
  • Develop an understanding of Burns's place in Scottish literary tradition
  • Engage with diverse media related to the study of Burns, including poems, song recordings, videos, images, maps, and manuscripts

Who is the course for?

No previous experience or qualifications are required for this course - just an interest in Robert Burns, Scottish history and culture, or poetry and song in general.

It is ideal for anyone considering further study in the field, such the courses offered by the Centre for Robert Burns Studies at the University of Glasgow.

What do people say about this course?

"Thank you for these three weeks and all these fascinating insights in the literary work and life of Robert Burns! The material provided by the educators and the comments by the fellow students were really helpful!"

"Thank you very much for your hard work, and for introducing many of us to this amazing figure as Robert Burns was. I really loved it and learned a lot about not only his work but his life, and a little more about Scottish culture. I'm looking forward to learning more and to follow this amazing bard, Robert Burns."

Who will you learn with?

I am a Lecturer in Scottish Literature and educator on/co-ordinator of the 'Robert Burns: Poems, Songs and Legacy' course with Futurelearn.

Professor Gerard Carruthers FRSE is Francis Hutcheson Chair of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow.

Lecturer in Robert Burns Studies at the University of Glasgow's Centre for Robert Burns Studies

Lecturer in Scottish Studies, with expertise in eighteenth-century literature, cultural memory theory, and writing about the city. I am also involved in editing scholarly texts.

I'm Reader in Late Modern Scottish History at the University of Glasgow. I'm also leading a research project on political poetry in the 19th and 20th centuries... hence the interest in Burns.

My name is Carol Baraniuk. I've been working in Burns Studies since 2005. Currently I'm researching Burns's correspondence and enjoying getting to know something more of the man through his letters.

I teach colleagues to develop pedagogy-informed, tech-enhanced curricula and courses. I provide guidance and insight, while promoting good practices, and creativity and innovation in education.

My name is Carlos Llaza and I am a Peruvian fan of Robert Burns. I am currently translating a selection of his work into Spanish and researching his reception in the Spanish-speaking world.

Who developed the course?

The University of Glasgow

Founded in 1451, the University of Glasgow is the fourth oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is a member of the prestigious Russell Group of leading UK research universities.

  • Established

    1451
  • Location

    Glasgow, Scotland, UK
  • World ranking

    Top 70Source: QS World University Rankings 2020

Ways to learn

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$27.99

For the first two months. Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$109/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 9 Apr 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

T&Cs apply.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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