Welcome to SPACE, our adult continuing education program which offers interactive monthly courses for personal enrichment! Learn more here.
Discussion-based
•
Low intensity
This class needs 3 more votes by May 1 to get confirmed.
This module is a standing candidate which means it will be ready to launch as soon as it gets enough interest. Token holders can set aside a Token to reserve their seat for this candidate and help it get confirmed.
Why are the works of J.R.R. Tolkien still so relevant to us in the 21st century? In this course, we will look at some of the central themes of his novels, including Family, Home, Good vs. Evil, and Loss, exploring how Tolkien is still speaking to us almost fifty years after his death.
There are no required texts for this course, however, you may find having a copy of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings very useful (any edition).
The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:
There are no required texts for this course, however, you may find having a copy of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings very useful (any edition).
The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:
| Outline | 8-Session Structure |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Lecture 1: War and Home |
| Discussion 1: Why is Tolkien still relevant? | |
| Week 2 | Lecture 2: Family, friendship, and fellowship |
| Discussion 2: Hope and Heroes | |
| Week 3 | Lecture 3: Good and Evil |
| Discussion 3: Fantasy: Recovery, Escape, and Consolation | |
| Week 4 | Lecture 4: Gender and Race |
| Discussion 4: Nature and the Landscape |
Required Texts
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (any edition).
Check out Current and Upcoming offerings from:
This will be a Hybrid class (4 lectures & 4 discussion sessions). Each week will consist of 1 hour of recorded lecture and 1 hour of live discussion (not recorded) for a total of 8 class hours over the course of the month.
Delivery Plan
1. The first session each week will be a pre-recorded lecture sent to students at least 2 days before the live discussion session.
2. The second session each week will be a live discussion session (not recorded).
Delivery Plan
1. The first session each week will be a pre-recorded lecture sent to students at least 2 days before the live discussion session.
2. The second session each week will be a live discussion session (not recorded).
Days and Times
As soon as we obtain enough interest in this class we will be in touch to work out a meeting time that works for the group. Thank you for keeping your June 2026 availability up to date!