Welcome to SPACE, our adult continuing education program which offers interactive monthly courses for personal enrichment! Learn more here.

July 2025September 2025

August 2025 Modules

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Academic Writing, Research & Scholarly Publishing Tutorials [ST]
(Section 2)
 Candidate

We’re currently reviewing the schedule for this class at the moment. We will update it here once resolved. Thanks!
This is a meeting to support Jackie with her article as per the arrangements established by the Writer's Forge team. Have a great session with Dr. Parke, Jackie!
Precepted by Dr. Maggie Parke (Section 2)

Advanced Old English Series: Readings in Prose

Meeting Mondays & Thursdays at 7:00 PM Eastern for eight 1-hour sessions on August 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28
For this month's module we will explore Boethius’ On the Consolation of Philosophy which Alfred the Great had translated into Old English. This module will translate and comment on this translation and how it adapts the late Roman text to the early medieval context.
Precepted by Dr. Larry Swain

Ancient Greek 1
First in the Series  Spotlight

Meeting Mondays & Thursdays at 9:00 PM Eastern for eight 1-hour sessions on August 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28
Want to read the NT in the original Greek? The Greek translation of the Old Testament? This module’s for you! The first module seeks to introduce learners to the basics of ancient Greek: the alphabet, introduction to the verb system (tenses and moods) and the noun system (the very helpful article, first and second declension). Over several modules, the students will learn the foundations of the language and then students will be able to read texts.

Note: All sessions will be live recorded and shared with all enrolled students afterward for review and to allow those who cannot attend live to still participate in the class.
Precepted by Dr. Larry Swain

An Intensive Reading of the Zhuangzi/Chuang Tzu 莊子
 Spotlight

Meeting Mondays & Wednesdays at 9:00 PM Eastern for eight 1-hour sessions on August 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27
Zhuangzi is often presented as the second thinker of classical Daoist thought after Laozi, but in terms of impact on East Asian philosophy and fine arts, Zhuangzi is probably the more significant figure. We will read the text together, taking plenty of time to discuss participant interpretations, all within the framework of the preceptor-provided cultural and historical commentary. Zhuangzi is simply delightful, treating weighty topics with a light and humorous touch. Come join us for Free-and-Easy Wandering through this most idiosyncratic of classical Chinese texts!
Precepted by Dr. Robert Steed

Creative Writing: Setting & Worldbuilding (Year of the Novel)
Cluster  Spotlight

Meeting Mondays & Thursdays at 8:00 PM Eastern for eight 1-hour sessions on August 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28
In this module, you will discover how to make your story's setting a vivid and fully-realized character in its own right! Through fun and engaging writing exercises, you will learn techniques to create immersive environments that grow and change along with your characters. Find out how to use sensory details to create a feeling of place in your story. In workshops, you will have the opportunity to share your novel-in-progress and receive feedback in a kindness-first, supportive environment. In your journal, you will continue to document the process of writing your novel as your story unfolds.

Year of the Novel Note: Anyone is welcome to join our Year of the Novel modules at any time. Each module is designed to stand alone without prerequisites. However, for the richest experience, the carefully planned sequence of modules will carry you from blank page as far as you want toward completing your novel. In a writing journal, you will track your progress and moments of unexpected, joyful discovery as you continue your novel. Whether you are looking to publish commercially or simply writing for yourself, our program is designed to nurture your individual writing journey. Our workshops place kindness first, lifting up excellence and encouraging you to tell your story in your own voice. For more information about our Collaborative Feedback model, check out our video here.
Precepted by Will Estes

Creative Writing: Weekend Retreat

Meeting August 1, 2, 3 according to this plan:
Friday, August 1st at 8:00 PM Eastern for two hours
Saturday, August 2nd at 10:00 AM for three hours
Saturday, August 2nd at 3:00 PM for six hours, including a supper break together
Sunday, August 3d at 1:00 PM for three hours
Write Our Hearts

Come for gentle writing. Introspection. Self expression in a circle of caring and community. Come gather virtually in the Cottage in the Woods with Sparrow: she literally wants us to prep food ahead and get away from the family and the dishes for forty eight hours to write our stories. It's so hard to find time for ourselves, so let's intentionally make that time. From Friday evening through Sunday afternoon there will be writing to prompts, conversation, ideas, blocks of free writing time. Does your heart ache to express a private grief on the page? Is your subconscious telling you to rewrite a story? Do you need to rewrite your story?

Here's the plan:
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Friday from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM Eastern
Escape session with community building and prompted writing time
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Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Eastern
Recovery session with prompted writing, free writing, and discussion
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Saturday from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Eastern:
Nap time.
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Saturday from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM Eastern:
Recovery session continues with optional sharing, prompted writing, and free writing
6p - supper time discussion
More Recovery session sharing and writing
9p - Sweet dreams until tomorrow
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Sunday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern
Consolation session discussion, prompted writing, and free writing
Wrap up at 4p.
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Our goal is to write our hearts. Is that memoir? Is that a new story just for yourself? Is that a long, long prayer in the form of a poem? Writers might write between sessions as well as during.

You are going to end this amazing experience with something that is uniquely yours. Whether this turns out to be a narrative, creative nonfiction, or a huge list of Be-Happy-Attitudes, this deserves to be on your page, just for you.


Note: For more information about the Collaborative Feedback Method in SPACE, please check out our video here.
Precepted by Sparrow F. Alden

Creative Writing & Worldbuilding Tutorials [ST]
(Section 3)

Meeting Tuesdays at 3:00 PM Eastern/ 2:00 PM Central for four half-hour sessions on August 5, 12, 19, 26. These sessions are set to be automatically recorded.

Stacy Project Summary: Ongoing Novel Series Development

From Stacy's Interest Form Submission:

"I'd like help in continuing to work on my novel series. I have finished Book 1 and might want to look at revision, or continue working on Book 2 where I am in the Muddy Middle."
Precepted by Sparrow F. Alden (Section 3)

Daughters of the North: Women in Old Norse Society
 Hybrid

Pre-recorded lectures will be supplemented by live meetings Sundays at 12:00 noon Eastern for four 1-hour sessions on August 10, 17, 24, 31
Note: All Discussion Sessions will be live recorded and shared with all enrolled students afterward for review and to allow those who cannot attend live to still participate in the class.

In the early 10th century, a woman was laid to rest in a lavish ship burial at Oseberg, Norway—one of the richest Viking graves ever discovered. But she was no queen’s consort or mere noblewoman. Her grave goods suggest she was a ruler or religious leader, commanding respect in her own right. In the overtly masculine Old Norse society, women were not simply passive and obedient, sometimes they also found ways to navigate the cultural framework and shape some agency for themselves.

In this class we’ll be moving from the very real, mundane yet essential domain of Norse women – without women’s spinning and weaving the Viking age wouldn’t have existed! – to the more mythical realm of goddesses, Valkyries, spirits, exploring all kinds of social and political roles women would have adopted. Drawing on archaeology, literature, chronicles or laws we’ll attempt to recreate part of the fascinating stories of the great and famous but also forgotten characters that shaped the Viking age and beyond.

The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:
Outline 8-Session Structure
Week 1 Lecture 1: The daily life of women: marriage, children, work
Discussion 1: Discussion about Lecture 1 material
Week 2 Lecture 2: Women and power: queens, avengers, warriors
Discussion 2: Discussion about Lecture 2 material
Week 3 Lecture 3: The Norse sorceress and prophetess
Discussion 3: Discussion about Lecture 3 material
Week 4 Lecture 4: Divine images of women /td>
Discussion 4: Discussion about Lecture 4 material
Precepted by Dr. Irina Manea

Discovering the Discworld: The Adventures of Rincewind

Meeting Mondays & Thursdays at 11:00 AM Eastern for eight 1-hour sessions on August 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28
Let us continue our journey through the Discworld series!

Over the eight classes we will read the seven books, in publication order, with one book being discussed in each of seven classes. The final class will be built to allow for further discussion of the themes raised in this series.

Access to the texts listed below is desirable. Prior knowledge of at least the majority of the listed texts will be assumed.
Precepted by Dr. Sara Brown

Dune: A Study in Adaptation
Cluster  Spotlight  Hybrid

Live-reocrded lectures on August 4, 11, 18, 25 will be supplemented by live meetings Thursdays at 10:00 PM Eastern for four 1-hour sessions on August 7, 14, 21, 28
Frank Herbert's Dune novels have been adapted for film, television and tabletop and video games. Using a combination of recorded lectures, in-class discussion and exercises, this hybrid module will examine the various adaptations of the novels, including David Lynch's film, the miniseries, Denis Villeneuve's recent films, HBO's Dune: Prophecy as well as various abortive attempts to adapt the novel. We will also explore the influence of Dune upon the gaming industry. Students are encouraged, but not obliged, to rewatch the various films ahead of in-class discussion.
Precepted by Dr. Julian Barr

Egyptian Hieroglyphs 3
Continuing Series

Meeting Mondays & Wednesdays at 8:00 PM Eastern for eight 1-hour sessions on August 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27
The Hieroglyphics series will present students with a basic understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs, grammar, and knowledge about how to proceed with further study. In this sequence of courses we will discuss how to translate steles that you are likely to encounter in museums, as well as their cultural significance. As student progress, the class will tackle more complex translation. Each one-month module builds on the previous one, so students ready to learn Hieroglyphics will communicate with our Director and Professor Gaffney to make the right placement for everyone.
Precepted by Shawn Gaffney

Japanese for Advanced Beginners 5 (Genki II)
Continuing Series

Meeting Tuesdays & Thursdays at 9:00 PM Eastern for three 60-minute sessions and four 75-minute sessions on August 5, 7, 12, (skip 14), 19, 21, 26, 28
Join us as we continue learning (advanced) basic Japanese, focusing on the areas of reading and listening comprehension, with some attention to speaking and writing. Over the course of this module series we will work our way through the Genki II textbook, building upon the foundation built from the Genki I text. 一緒に日本語を勉強しませんか

Recorded Series: All sessions of this series are being recorded and provided afterwards to enrolled students in order to support the learning of the group.
Precepted by Dr. Robert Steed

Japanese for Beginners 3
Continuing Series

Meeting Thursdays at 6:00 PM Eastern for four 1-hour sessions on August 7, 14, 21, 28
Note: Our mini modules are special month-long group experiences designed for a small and intimate group of 2 to 4 students for the cost of 1 Token. As soon as we get enough interested students who reserve their seat, we schedule the class with the group and fly!

In this series of modules, you will get familiarized with basic Japanese vocabulary and structures. Using a communicative approach, you’ll learn basic expressions, start to learn the hiragana script, and recognize katakana and kanji in a fun and interactive way. We will also explore Japanese culture in general. いっしょに日本語を学びましょう!
Precepted by Pilar Barrera

Japanese: From Zero - 24
Continuing Series

Meeting Tuesdays & Fridays at 9:00 AM Eastern for eight 1-hour sessions on August 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26
This course is for those who have an interest in Japanese culture and wish to continue our study of Japanese. We will continue using Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji, and covering grammatical structures. Through use of conversational Japanese, we will continue to explore how the language is used in anime, manga, and music.

Japanese is a language of great nuance and depth. This module will open the door to that world and build a foundation for greater insight into Japan's culture and its people.
Precepted by Sam Roche

Japanese Through Culture 13
Continuing Series

Meeting Tuesdays & Thursdays at 5:00 PM Eastern for eight 1-hour sessions on August 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28
In this series we’ll study Japanese using different tools such as videos, games, and different exercises. We’ll explore different aspects of Japanese culture and work on more complex vocabulary, grammar, and sentence patterns. We’ll also watch lots of videos, play games, and read graded readers among other things.

Note: Japanese Through Culture is for students who already have a basic level of Japanese.

Language Learning & Philology Tutorials [ST]
(Section 2)

11 AM Eastern on the 4 and 18 of August
These meetings have been set to automatically record to the cloud.

Diane’s Project Summary – Old Norse in Tolkien

Diane would like to alternate doing scholarly projects and creative writing projects. In terms of Dr. Anderson's areas of expertise, she’d like to focus on:

  • Old Norse in Tolkien: as an MA student, Diane took Intro Old Norse and Germanic Philology I and II; she’d like to deepen her study and improve scholarly writing.

Diane would also like to consider submitting to the Collaboratory; and she's hoping to do Moot conference papers as well.

Precepted by Dr. Carl Edlund Anderson (Section 2) and Sparrow F. Alden (Section 2)

Latin for Beginners 5
Continuing Series

Meeting Wednesdays & Fridays at 2:00 PM Eastern for eight 1-hour sessions on August 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27
This fifth unit of Signum SPACE’s Latin in a Year sequence expects students to be familiar with active verb conjugations in all six tenses; nouns and adjectives in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd declensions; and personal, reflexive, and demonstrative pronouns. During this fifth month, students will work through five chapters of Wheelock’s Latin, completing the grammar and material in the first half of the textbook (through Chapter 20) in the process. This segment covers relative pronouns, all passive indicative verb forms, and fourth declension noun endings. This unit also provides a sound review and a good starting point for students who completed the Latin I MA class at Signum University and wish to continue the study of Latin at a comparatively gentler pace.
Precepted by Dr. Faith Acker

Old Norse 5
Continuing Series

Meeting Tuesdays & Thursdays at 9:00 PM Eastern for eight 1-hour sessions on August 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28
This series of modules introduces you to the vocabulary and grammar of Old Norse, preparing you to read medieval sagas, eddic poetry, and even Viking-Age runic inscriptions. Each one-month module builds on the previous one, so students ready to learn Old Norse will communicate with our Director and Professor Anderson to choose the right placement for everyone.

Note: All sessions will be live recorded and shared with all enrolled students afterward for review and to allow those who cannot attend live to still participate in the class.

Tolkien & Inklings Studies Tutorials [ST]
(Section 2)

August 5th and 19th at 5:00 PM Eastern. Meeting is automatically set to record to the cloud.

Galen's Project Summary: Preparing a Tolkien Studies Article

Galen is working to revise and expand a class paper into a publishable article for submission to Tolkien Studies. The project centers on a close reading and analysis of Tolkien’s Old English Attila poem. Galen is currently enriching the original draft with additional research and outside analysis. Through Signum Tutorials, he is seeking mentorship and scholarly feedback on how to reorganize the paper for academic publication, identify fruitful new research avenues, and ensure the piece meets the expectations of a peer-reviewed journal.

Precepted by Dr. Larry Swain (Section 2)

Weird Languages
 Hybrid

Pre-recorded lectures plus a live discussion meeting Wednesdays at 7:00 PM Eastern for four 1-hour sessions on August 6, 13, 20, 27
Many people do not realize the variety of language structures and strange language phenomena that exist in the world's languages. This class will introduce a number of features that can be found across the globe. These include object agreement, verbs that necessarily encode the shape of items, ergativity, discourse particles, languages with 20 grammatical gender classes, pronoun hierarchies, circumfixes and infixes, and the complex systems of taboo words that arise in some languages. We will look at a number of these, at what is rare, common, surprising, but all of which are real. Language families from Africa, the Caucasus, Siberia, Australia, and the Americas.

The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below.
Outline 8-Session Structure
Week 1 Lecture 1: Introduction to languages, English, linguistics, and glossing
Discussion 1: How to we make sense of English and what else to expect in the world's languages?
Week 2 Lecture 2: Agreement, ergativity
Discussion 2: Problem set and identifying parts of unusual phenomena
Week 3 Lecture 3: Evidentiality, Genders
Discussion 3: Noun class, word gender exercise
Week 4 Lecture 4: Taboo language and word classes, and shape
Discussion 4: Word class and shape puzzle
Precepted by Shawn Gaffney