Non-Credit Certificate in the Liberal Arts (55+)

Choose courses from our Liberal Arts Program

We award the liberal arts certificate to adults 55+ who complete a minimum of 128 hours in class, also known as "contact hours." Most courses are six weeks long and meet once per week for two-hour sessions; this means that you can apply 12 hours per course to the 128 contact hours you need to graduate.

Write one essay per course

For each course, you'll complete a short, typed, double-spaced essay of four to six pages (1,000–1,500 words). Rather than an overview of what the course covered, your essay should be a thoughtful and personal response to one or both of the following questions:

1. How did this course contribute to your appreciation and knowledge of the subject?
2. How, and in what way, did this course change your way of thinking?

Coursework: What you should expect

We offer most of our courses in a lecture format with some discussion. We encourage you to contribute your perspectives in class discussions, but apart from courses designated as seminars, we don't require it.

All of our courses are university level, but course content is specifically designed to be accessible to students of all educational backgrounds and experiences.

Graduation requirements

To graduate with the liberal arts certificate, complete a minimum of 128 hours in class and submit a satisfactory essay for each course.

Take our courses without completing essays

You’re welcome to take as many courses as you like without enrolling in the certificate. If you decide to choose this option, we won’t require you to complete essays.