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)
C.S. Lewis and the Classical World: Till We Have Faces in Context
Added Dec. 4, 2025
The myths and literature of Ancient Greece and Rome had a profound influence on C.S. Lewis throughout his life, from That Hideous Strength and The Chronicles of Narnia through to his novel Till We Have Faces, which he wrote with his wife: the poet and author Joy Davidman.
Till We Have Faces is a rewriting of the classical myth of Cupid and Psyche from the perspective of Psyche’s sister Orual, and is widely considered Lewis’s greatest work of fiction. We will read through the novel and discuss each section in class, analyzing the ways Lewis used classical myth to write something new and profound. In doing so, we will also understand how Lewis was inspired by the Classical World throughout his work and life.
Till We Have Faces is a rewriting of the classical myth of Cupid and Psyche from the perspective of Psyche’s sister Orual, and is widely considered Lewis’s greatest work of fiction. We will read through the novel and discuss each section in class, analyzing the ways Lewis used classical myth to write something new and profound. In doing so, we will also understand how Lewis was inspired by the Classical World throughout his work and life.
Precepted by
Dr. Gabriel Schenk
Middle Egyptian Hieroglyphs for Advanced Beginners (continuing series) Continuing Series
Added Dec. 3, 2025
TBD
Precepted by
Shawn Gaffney
Japanese for Advanced Beginners 10 (Genki II) Continuing Series
Added Dec. 1, 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.
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 Advanced Beginners 11 (Genki II) Continuing Series
Added Dec. 1, 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.
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: From Zero - 30 Continuing Series
Added Dec. 1, 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.
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 19 Continuing Series
Added Dec. 1, 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.
Note: Japanese Through Culture is for students who already have a basic level of Japanese.
Precepted by
Mari Takiguchi
Harry Potter - The Films
Added Nov. 21, 2025
Let's get together to discuss the eight Harry Potter films. Across one month, we'll get together to discuss each film in turn. What adaptation choices did the creators make and why? What works and what doesn't? What are the major themes of the films? And why did this film series become a phenomenon in its own right? This module combines the warmth of our cosy book club with the magic of film appreciation.
Precepted by
Dr. Julian Barr
Music in Middle-earth: Setting Tolkien's Poetry to Music
Added Nov. 19, 2025
An in depth discussion and exploration of the various musical settings of Tolkien's poetry. Students are encouraged to write their own melodies for poems for discussion, as we listen through and discuss various other versions. 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, and student's own contributions.
Precepted by
Jack Schabert
Intro to Piano I
Added Nov. 18, 2025
An adult introductory piano course for those starting fresh on the piano, or returning to it after years of not playing.
Precepted by
Jack Schabert
Music Appreciation
Added Nov. 18, 2025
An exploration of all types of music, listening and discussing, and learning about music history, background, and theory. No musical ability necessary.
Precepted by
Jack Schabert
Susan Cooper: Ghost Hawk
Added Nov. 11, 2025
In Ghost Hawk, Susan Cooper turns her lyrical storytelling toward the early years of colonial America, weaving a tale that bridges worlds divided by culture, history, and loss. The story begins with Little Hawk, a young member of the Wampanoag people, who must face a solitary test of survival that will mark his passage into adulthood. When tragedy strikes, his path becomes bound to that of John Wakely, an English settler boy, and together their intertwined lives reveal both the possibilities of friendship and the devastating consequences of misunderstanding and conquest.
Over eight sessions, we will read and discuss Ghost Hawk as both historical fiction and spiritual reflection, exploring Cooper’s portrayal of contact between Native and English worlds and her meditation on memory, belonging, and the legacies of colonization. We will situate the novel within its historical context—the early seventeenth century in New England—and examine how Cooper uses elements of myth and the supernatural to confront enduring questions of justice, identity, and reconciliation. Through guided discussion and close reading, we’ll consider howGhost Hawk challenges us to listen to the voices of the past and to think deeply about the stories a landscape holds.
Over eight sessions, we will read and discuss Ghost Hawk as both historical fiction and spiritual reflection, exploring Cooper’s portrayal of contact between Native and English worlds and her meditation on memory, belonging, and the legacies of colonization. We will situate the novel within its historical context—the early seventeenth century in New England—and examine how Cooper uses elements of myth and the supernatural to confront enduring questions of justice, identity, and reconciliation. Through guided discussion and close reading, we’ll consider howGhost Hawk challenges us to listen to the voices of the past and to think deeply about the stories a landscape holds.
Precepted by
Dr. Maggie Parke
Susan Cooper: King of Shadows
Added Nov. 11, 2025
In King of Shadows, Susan Cooper weaves together time travel, theatre, and history to create a powerful story about loss, belonging, and the transformative power of art. When young American actor Nat Field joins a troupe performing "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" at the newly rebuilt Globe Theatre, he is mysteriously transported to Elizabethan London, where he finds himself acting alongside none other than William Shakespeare. As Nat navigates the dangers and wonders of sixteenth-century England, he begins to discover what connects him—across time and grief—to the playwright and to the play itself.
Over the course of this month-long, eight-session class, we will read and discuss Cooper’s novel in depth, exploring its key themes of identity, friendship, healing, and the endurance of creativity. We will also consider the historical and theatrical context of Elizabethan London, Shakespeare’s world and works, and the way Cooper blends fantasy and realism to bridge centuries. Through guided discussions and close reading, we’ll reflect on how King of Shadows speaks to both the past and the present, and why the story continues to resonate with readers today.
Over the course of this month-long, eight-session class, we will read and discuss Cooper’s novel in depth, exploring its key themes of identity, friendship, healing, and the endurance of creativity. We will also consider the historical and theatrical context of Elizabethan London, Shakespeare’s world and works, and the way Cooper blends fantasy and realism to bridge centuries. Through guided discussions and close reading, we’ll reflect on how King of Shadows speaks to both the past and the present, and why the story continues to resonate with readers today.
Precepted by
Dr. Maggie Parke