Literature Courses

Improve your literary understanding and analysis for free, or get to know the literary greats with our literature online courses on Austen, Shakespeare, Burns, Wordsworth, Wilde and more.
Improve your writing skills or learn more about the literary greats, with our writing and literature online courses.

Degrees
1 Degree

Discover online degrees from leading universities. Develop your knowledge with an undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

The University of Newcastle Australia

Bachelor of Arts

Enrich your mind, diversify your skills and safeguard your future with our new work-ready arts degree at the University of Newcastle (UON).

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Courses
25 Courses

Learn new skills, pursue your interests or advance your career with our short online courses.

UEA (University of East Anglia)

An Introduction to Screenwriting

4.8 (242 reviews)

This online course explores the key concepts and fundamental principles involved in the process of screenwriting.

2 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

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The University of Newcastle Australia

Fairy Tales: Meanings, Messages, and Morals

Build your skills in literary analysis and creative writing by exploring the meaning of fairy tales.

3 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

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The University of Edinburgh

How to Read a Novel

4.8 (6 reviews)

Get underneath the skin of a novel by understanding some of the main building blocks of modern fiction.

4 weeks

2 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

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The University of Sheffield

Literature of the English Country House

4.7 (78 reviews)

Take a journey through the literature of English country houses from the time of Thomas More to Oscar Wilde.

6 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

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The University of Newcastle Australia

What Does It Mean to Be Human? An Introduction to the Humanities

Answer some of the big questions about being human, and get an introduction to the skills needed in the humanities.

3 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

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The University of Glasgow

Robert Burns: Poems, Songs and Legacy

4.6 (25 reviews)

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

3 weeks

4 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

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University of York
New

Poetry: How to Read a Poem

Discover what poetry can tell us about human emotion and learn key ideas and techniques for understanding and interpreting verse.

4 weeks

4 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

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The Open University

Start Writing Fiction

4.7 (181 reviews)

Get started with your own fiction writing, focusing on the central skill of creating characters, with this hands-on course.

8 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

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Show more Literature courses 

Learn flexibly online, for free

Explore the works of some of the world’s greatest writers and improve your own writing skills with short online literature courses, in-depth programs, or full postgraduate degrees. Start learning for free on desktop, tablet, or mobile.

Upgrade or buy Unlimited for extra benefits

Upgrade your course for ongoing access to the course content, tests, and the chance to gain a Certificate of Achievement. Buy Unlimited for access to hundreds of short courses in a year and the ability to keep access to courses you gain a certificate on.

Boost your career

Get ahead in your literary career with educators and experts from leading universities and organisations. Network with and learn from others all over the world.

Meet the people who love FutureLearn

"It was a fantastic course to do. I learnt new things that I wanted to know. It also helped me in understanding Shakespeare a lot and also in my studies."

Monika

"A clear, concise and beautifully structured course. The video content is informative and lively, and the screenwriters are refreshingly down to earth in the way they talk about their processes. I am going to write a beat sheet, plough through a first draft without spending hours polishing each scene and I'm going to use some of the resources the course suggests. Thanks very much."

Mychaela