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

New to the Directory

Courses added in the last 30 days (newest first)

An Introduction to Sacramental Christianity

Added July 15, 2025
In this module we will explore the sacramental worldview and practices of Eastern Orthodoxy and Catholicism, with maybe a bit of Anglicanism thrown into the mix. We will cover what a sacramental worldview consists of, what the sacraments themselves are, what sacramentals are and how their use is justified within these traditions theologically and historically, and related topics.
Precepted by Dr. Robert Steed

The Imperial Radch Series: Unpacking a Sci-Fi Masterwork in Three Acts Non-Sequential Series

Added July 15, 2025
Enter the richly layered universe of Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch trilogy with this three-part SPACE module series. Across Ancillary Justice, Ancillary Sword, and Ancillary Mercy, participants will dive into the complex questions of identity, empire, and artificial intelligence that define this groundbreaking Hugo- and Nebula-award-winning saga. Whether you're encountering the series for the first time or returning for a deeper look, each module invites you to engage closely with the text and its themes through guided discussion and collaborative exploration.

Each installment of the trilogy focuses on one novel and can be taken individually or as a cohesive sequence. Begin with Ancillary Justice, where we meet Breq, the lone remaining fragment of a once-massive starship AI. Continue with Ancillary Sword, which shifts from galaxy-spanning conflict to the politics of power, justice, and colonial resistance. Conclude with Ancillary Mercy, as Breq confronts questions of loyalty, conscience, and the fate of empire. Join us in unpacking Leckie’s bold vision of a far-future society—and discover why this series continues to provoke thought and conversation across the sci-fi landscape.

An Introduction to Islam

Added July 10, 2025
In this module we will cover the basics of Islamic Religious tradition, thought, and practice. A basic biography of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), the development of the early Islamic movement (the Ummah), division into the Sunni and Shi'ite forms of Islam, Islamic cosmology, the Four Orthodox schools of the interpretation of Sharia, and the development and practice of Sufism will all be covered. Time permitting, we will touch upon developments in modern Islam.
Precepted by Dr. Robert Steed

Japanese for Advanced Beginners 7 (Genki II) Continuing Series

Added July 8, 2025
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 Through Culture 15 Continuing Series

Added July 8, 2025
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.
Precepted by Pilar Barrera

Japanese: From Zero - 26 Continuing Series

Added July 2, 2025
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

Exploring Tolkien's "Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth"

Added June 30, 2025
Immerse yourself in the profound dialogues of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth", a philosophical and metaphysical exploration of love, mortality, and hope within the legendarium of Middle-earth. This class invites you to delve into the intricate conversations between Finrod, an Elven king, and Andreth, a wise-woman of the race of Men. Their discourse investigates the depths of human (and Elven) existence, examining the divergent perspectives on life, death, and the overarching destiny of their worlds.

Throughout this course, we will dissect the rich layers of Tolkien’s narrative, uncovering the symbolic and thematic significances that make "Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth" a cornerstone of his mythopoeic work. Together, we will work on a comprehensive analysis of the text, contextualizing it within Tolkien's broader legendarium and drawing connections to his other works. Our aim will be to gain a deeper understanding of the philosophical questions posed by Finrod and Andreth, and how these reflect Tolkien’s own views on faith, despair, and redemption.

Whether you are a seasoned Tolkien scholar or a passionate enthusiast of his world, this class offers an opportunity to engage with one of the most profound and lesser-known dialogues in Middle-earth, enriching your appreciation for Tolkien's genius and the enduring legacy of his work.
Precepted by Dr. Sara Brown

The Classical Art of Memory: Building the Mind Palace of Simonides

Added June 27, 2025
One of the most crucial elements of education for millennia was teaching the ability to harness the potential of the memory. From the time of Homer until the 19th century, bards and bureaucrats both would have used established methods to organize and categorize their thoughts and remember crucial pieces of information. The legendary memories of men from Homer to Cicero to Shakespeare had less to do with their unique genius and more to do with their application of ancient methods of memorization, that can still be learned today. In this module, students will learn the ancient memorization techniques that allowed bards to recite thousands of lines of poetry and Shakespeare's actors to perform dozens of complicated monologues, and discover its applications to life in the 21st century.
Precepted by Patrick Lyon

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings (Book I)

Added June 25, 2025
An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in The Lord of the Rings have been recorded several times.
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings (Book II)

Added June 25, 2025
An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in The Lord of the Rings have been recorded several times.
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings (Book III)

Added June 25, 2025
An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in The Lord of the Rings have been recorded several times.
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings (Book IV)

Added June 25, 2025
An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in The Lord of the Rings have been recorded several times.
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings: Books I - VI (The Music of Middle-earth series) Non-Sequential Series

Added June 25, 2025
An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in The Lord of the Rings have been recorded several times.
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings (Book V)

Added June 25, 2025
An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in The Lord of the Rings have been recorded several times.
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings (Book VI)

Added June 25, 2025
An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in The Lord of the Rings have been recorded several times.
Precepted by Jack Schabert