• University of Leeds

WW1 Heroism: Through Art and Film

Discover just some of the ways that heroism and the First World War is portrayed through art and film.

37,089 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    2 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours

The centenary of the First World War is a time for reflection and exploration. In this short course you will discover just some of the ways that heroism is portrayed through art and film.

You will explore recruitment posters and the messages they portrayed for both those going to war and those staying at home, as well as researching WW1 art and curating your own online exhibition of paintings. You will then move on to explore contemporary German film consolidating your learning by reviewing a recent book, film, or TV programme about the First World War.

Note for students

This course is part of a collection from the University of Leeds which have been specifically designed for those studying at school or college. All of the courses will help to enrich and extend your knowledge in a specific topic and develop your transferable skills. These courses will help you with making decisions about which subject to study at university and will give you examples and evidence when developing your university application.

Throughout the course you will join a community of online learners, providing an opportunity for interactive learning with other students both in the UK and internationally.

Each course is designed to complement your existing studies and aims to:

  • provide evidence for UCAS applications and prepare you for university
  • help you to gain new skills, think critically and learn independently
  • encourage online / social learning
  • develop collaboration and analytical skills
  • embed current research into your online learning

For information about degrees available at the University of Leeds, please visit our course finder website.

Note for teachers

Aimed at prospective Undergraduate students both in the UK and internationally, our online courses provide a ‘taster’ of Undergraduate study at the University of Leeds.

Our courses benefit from being shaped by the latest research from the University of Leeds and are presented by leading academics who are actively engaged in pioneering research. They will inspire your students to think critically and develop their knowledge and analytical skills.

The course can be used as a wider classroom or enrichment resource or can be used independently by students to discover more about the subject area. Each course provides flexible study and benefits from online discussions with other learners.

If you would like to know more about this course or the range of courses from the University of Leeds designed specifically for schools and colleges, please visit our teachers’ pages for further information and resources.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 7 seconds If you are interested in history, the recent centenary commemorations of World War I won’t have passed you by. We have all seen images and heard stories of those on the front line, as well as learning about those left to manage at home.

Skip to 0 minutes and 24 seconds Through videos, activities, and quizzes, this course will look at just some of the ways in which art and film have been used to tell these stories. We start by exploring recruitment posters, and consider how the words and images changed as the war progressed. We look at war art, and you have the opportunity to curate your own online exhibition. In the second week, we move on to look at film– specifically, contemporary German film. And you are encouraged to review a film, book, or TV programme. Along the way, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to research and discuss topics with learners from around the world.

Skip to 1 minute and 5 seconds Sign up now to World War I Heroism: Through Art and Film.

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.

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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.

Who is the course for?

No previous knowledge is required, just an interest in history, art or film specifically related to the First World War . If you are new to learning online you will find it helpful to join Learning online: learning and collaborating prior to joining this course.

Who will you learn with?

A Professor of French Cultural History, my research focuses on French and British women and WW1. I lead a WW1 Centenary project called Legacies of War: arts.leeds.ac.uk/legaciesofwar

Who developed the course?

University of Leeds

As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.

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