Signum University — Blackberry

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

Language

First in the Series

Precepted by Pilar Barrera

Language

Precepted by Dr. Robert Steed

Current and Upcoming Modules in the East Asian Studies Portal

April 2026

Intermediate Readings in Japanese

Precepted by Dr. Robert Steed

Japanese for Beginners 1 First in the Series

Precepted by Pilar Barrera

May 2026

Exploring Japanese Culture: Traditions and Festivals Across the Seasons Candidate

Precepted by Pilar Barrera and Mari Takiguchi

Intermediate Readings in Japanese

Precepted by Sam Roche

June 2026

A Snapshot with Poetry: Writing Haiku Candidate

Precepted by Sparrow F. Alden and Pilar Barrera

Classical Chinese 1 First in the Series Candidate

Precepted by Dr. Robert Steed

Discover Japan: Speak, Eat, Explore Candidate

Precepted by Pilar Barrera and Sam Roche

Intermediate Readings in Japanese Candidate

Precepted by Dr. Robert Steed

Middle-earth Goes Anime: A Closer Look at The War of the Rohirrim Candidate

Precepted by Dr. Maggie Parke and Nancy "Anni" Foasberg

July 2026

K-Pop Demon Hunters: Reading the Film and Exploring the Phenomenon Candidate

Precepted by Dr. Maggie Parke

Preceptors for East Asian Studies

Keli Fancher

Maggie Parke

Mari Takiguchi

Nancy "Anni" Foasberg

Pilar Barrera

Robert Steed

Sam Roche

Sparrow F. Alden

All Modules in East Asian Studies Portal

Module	Preceptor	Sector	Portals
A Brief Exploration of Japanese Poetry	Dr. Robert Steed Pilar Barrera	General Humanities Sector	East Asian Studies Japan Poetry
A Cultural History of Anime	Dr. Robert Steed Nancy "Anni" Foasberg	General Humanities Sector	Anime East Asian Studies History Japan
An Intensive Reading of the Tao Te Ching/Daode jing 道德經 Part II	Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	China Classical Literature Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Ecocriticism History Japan Le Guin Magic Metaphysics Philosophy Poetry Religious Studies The Middle Ages
An Intensive Reading of the Tao Te Ching/Daode jing 道德經	Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	China East Asian Studies Philosophy Religious Studies
An Intensive Reading of the Zhuangzi/Chuang Tzu 莊子	Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	Anime China Classical Literature Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Ethics Fantasy History Japan Le Guin Metaphysics Philosophy Poetry Religious Studies The Middle Ages
A Sip of Tea and Tea Culture	Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	China Classical Literature Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Food History Japan Poetry Religious Studies
A Snapshot with Poetry: Writing Haiku	Sparrow F. Alden Pilar Barrera	Creative Writing Sector	Collaborative Feedback Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Japan
Beginning Japanese Series of 12	Dr. Robert Steed	Language Sector	Beginning Languages East Asian Studies Japan
Classical Chinese Series	Dr. Robert Steed	Language Sector	Beginning Languages China East Asian Studies
Conversational Japanese for Daily Life	Sam Roche	Language Sector	Conversational Languages Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Japan Linguistics
Discover Japan: Speak, Eat, Explore	Pilar Barrera Sam Roche	Language Sector	Beginning Languages Conversational Languages Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Japan Linguistics Literacy
Eating Our Way Through Anime	Nancy "Anni" Foasberg	Fantasy Studies Sector	Anime Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Food History Japan
Exploring Journey to the West 西遊記	Dr. Robert Steed	Fantasy Studies Sector	China East Asian Studies Monsters The Middle Ages Travel Literature
Exploring Mob Psycho 100	Nancy "Anni" Foasberg	Fantasy Studies Sector	Anime East Asian Studies Fantasy Japan
Exploring Natsume’s Book of Friends Non-Sequential Series	Nancy "Anni" Foasberg	Fantasy Studies Sector	Anime East Asian Studies Fairy Tales Fantasy Japan Monsters
Exploring Natsume’s Book of Friends: Part 1	Nancy "Anni" Foasberg	Fantasy Studies Sector	Anime East Asian Studies Fairy Tales Fantasy Japan Monsters
Exploring The Japanese Mind: A Cultural Dialogue	Pilar Barrera Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	Cultural Studies East Asian Studies History Japan Religious Studies
Exploring Violet Evergarden	Nancy "Anni" Foasberg	Fantasy Studies Sector	Anime East Asian Studies Fantasy Japan Travel Literature
Exploring Japanese Culture: Traditions and Festivals Across the Seasons	Pilar Barrera Mari Takiguchi	General Humanities Sector	Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Food History Japan Music Religious Studies
Exploring Pu Songling's Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio 聊齋誌異	Pilar Barrera Dr. Robert Steed	Fantasy Studies Sector	China Classical Literature East Asian Studies Fairy Tales Fantasy History Magic Monsters Religious Studies
Exploring Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義	Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	China Classical Literature Cultural Studies East Asian Studies History Poetry Religious Studies The Middle Ages Video Games
Exploring Sei Shonagon's The Pillow Book 枕草子	Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	Classical Literature Cultural Studies East Asian Studies History Japan Poetry Religious Studies The Middle Ages Women's Studies
Fairy Tales Studies: Exploring Fairy Tales from Around the World and from Different Authors	Pilar Barrera	Fantasy Studies Sector	Adaptation Theory British Literature Children’s Literature Comparative Mythology Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Fairy Tales Fantasy Japan Magic Monsters Worldbuilding
From Page to Heart: A Workshop for Memorizing What You Love	Sam Roche	Living Arts Sector	Advanced Languages Beginning Languages British Literature Children’s Literature Classical Literature Collaborative Feedback Conversational Languages Creative Writing Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Fairy Tales Intermediate Languages Invented Languages Philosophy Poetry Religious Studies Workshops
HSK Mandarin for Beginners Series	Sam Roche	Language Sector	Beginning Languages China Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Linguistics
Intermediate Readings in Japanese	Dr. Robert Steed	Language Sector	East Asian Studies Intermediate Languages Japan
Introduction to Early Buddhism	Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	East Asian Studies Religious Studies
Introduction to Japanese Religions Series	Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	Anime Classical Literature Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Ethics History Japan Magic Metaphysics Philosophy Poetry Religious Studies The Middle Ages
Introduction to Mahayana Buddhism	Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	China East Asian Studies Religious Studies
Introduction to Vajrayana Buddhism	Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	China East Asian Studies Japan Religious Studies
Japanese for Advanced Beginners Series of 10	Pilar Barrera	Language Sector	Beginning Languages Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Japan Linguistics
Japanese for Advanced Beginners (Genki II) Series of 12	Dr. Robert Steed	Language Sector	Beginning Languages East Asian Studies Japan Literacy
Japanese for Beginners Series of 8	Pilar Barrera	Language Sector	Beginning Languages East Asian Studies Japan
Japanese: From Zero Series of 33	Sam Roche	Language Sector	Anime Beginning Languages Conversational Languages Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Japan Linguistics
Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT): N5 Test Prep	Dr. Robert Steed Pilar Barrera Nancy "Anni" Foasberg Sam Roche	Language Sector	East Asian Studies Japan Test Preparation
Japanese Through Culture Series of 22	Pilar Barrera Mari Takiguchi	Language Sector	Anime Conversational Languages East Asian Studies Japan Linguistics Literacy Video Games
Japanese Through Lyrics	Sam Roche	Language Sector	Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Japan Music
Korean Culture for K-Drama Lovers	Sam Roche	General Humanities Sector	Drama East Asian Studies Film Studies Food History
Korean for Beginners Series of 3	Sam Roche	Language Sector	Beginning Languages Conversational Languages East Asian Studies Linguistics
K-Pop Demon Hunters: Reading the Film and Exploring the Phenomenon	Dr. Maggie Parke	General Humanities Sector	Adaptation Theory Anime Cultural Studies Digital Humanities East Asian Studies Fairy Tales Fantasy Film Studies Worldbuilding
Media as Medicine: Iyashikei (癒し系) in Anime and Manga	Nancy "Anni" Foasberg Aidan Aannestad	Fantasy Studies Sector	Anime East Asian Studies Japan
Middle-earth Goes Anime: A Closer Look at The War of the Rohirrim	Dr. Maggie Parke Nancy "Anni" Foasberg	Fantasy Studies Sector	Adaptation Theory Anime East Asian Studies Epic Fantasy Fantasy Film Studies Japan JRR Tolkien Worldbuilding
Tales of Korea: Core Traditional Tales	Sam Roche	Fantasy Studies Sector	Classical Literature East Asian Studies Fairy Tales Fantasy History
The Anime Films of Shinkai Makoto 新海誠	Nancy "Anni" Foasberg	Fantasy Studies Sector	Anime East Asian Studies Film Studies Japan Science Fiction
The Fantastic in East Asia	Dr. Robert Steed	Fantasy Studies Sector	China East Asian Studies Japan
The Japanese Heartwarming Book Club	Pilar Barrera Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	Cultural Studies East Asian Studies Japan
Warring States Era Chinese Philosophy: Attaining Flow	Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	China East Asian Studies History Philosophy
Warrior Biographies: Influential Figures in Japanese Martial Arts	Sam Roche	General Humanities Sector	Classical Literature East Asian Studies Fairy Tales History Japan Martial Arts Philosophy Religious Studies
Zen History and Thought: An Overview	Dr. Robert Steed	General Humanities Sector	China Cultural Studies East Asian Studies History Japan Philosophy Poetry Religious Studies The Middle Ages

If you have any questions along the way, please reach out to [email protected].