What is a Year of Classics seminar?

St. John’s College Year of Classics seminars are intensive, discussion-based classes. Seminars are small, with no more than 18 in-person participants or 14 online participants. In the Year of Classics program format, one St. John’s tutor leads each seminar-section, and all sections study the same annually themed curriculum of readings. Find the right time and location that fits your schedule and geography.

How does the seminar function?

Year of Classics is a 9-month journey with fellow lovers of intellectual inquiry examining great works inspired by the ideals and curriculum of the St. John’s College program, which advances that the “books are the most important teachers.” Everyone reads the common text assigned for each month and the text is the focus of that month’s discussion. Seminars are led by our faculty, referred to as tutors. Each class begins with an opening question posed by the tutor. From there the class begins a collaborative inquiry supported by respectful cooperative dialogue.

Tutors guide participants on a voyage of shared discovery. Although each seminar begins with a question, the journey doesn’t always lead to definitive answers. Sometimes our conversation uncovers as many new mysteries as it reveals hidden treasures.

While prior knowledge of any particular topic is by no means necessary, a passion for open-minded discourse is. Tutors and participants alike are united not only in the strength of their commitment to the studied texts but in the sincerity of their consideration for each other’s points of view. Your classmates bring with them a wealth of diverse perspectives—regional, cultural, avocational, and generational—and, in return, every seminar creates space for all voices to be heard and respected.

What other opportunities does St. John’s College offer adults looking to continue their lifelong learning journey?

St. John’s College offers year-round non-degree seminar programs through Summer Classics, Winter Classics, and Year of Classics.

Additionally, learners of all ages, life stages, and personal motives attend the St. John’s College Graduate Institute to pursue a Masters of Arts in Liberal Arts (MALA) or in Eastern Classics (MAEC). The Graduate Institute offers options for flexible residency and low residency.