Gain insights into the lives of people in the past and the learn about the impact of major events and ideas on society with online social history courses.

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

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

The History of Protest in Aotearoa New Zealand

6 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

Lancaster University & Royal Institution

Humphry Davy: Laughing Gas, Literature, and the Lamp

4 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

New Zealand History, Culture and Conflict: A Museum Perspective

3 weeks

2 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

University of York

Discover the Hidden History of York

3 weeks

4 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

University of Strathclyde

Genealogy: Researching Your Family Tree

6 weeks

4 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

Keio University & British Library

Travelling Books: History in Europe and Japan

3 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

University of Reading

Anarchy in the UK: A History of Punk from 1976-78

2 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

Keio University

Japanese Culture Through Rare Books

3 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

As a field of study, social history focuses on the effect of experiences and events on people. It looks at how major issues, themes and ideologies have influenced society. Become more familiar with the lived experiences of the public with online social history courses.

FutureLearn’s social history courses will offer you new perspectives on a variety of cultures, events and debates. You will understand how different groups of society lived during times of change.

You will also investigate the impact the arts and popular culture have had on society throughout different eras. Develop a passion for the past with online social history courses on a broad range of topics.

Explore social history online