Lifelong Learning at College of DuPage incorporates the best of what enrichment has to offer at any age. We offer a mix of courses, workshops, seminars and lectures designed especially for adults 50 and older, in a wide variety of topic areas. A reduced senior rate applies for participants 55 and over. Come join us - new courses begin each week.
Spring Course Highlights
In Continuing Education, we believe that learning never stops. Find out all that Lifelong Learning has to offer this spring.
Universe of Battle, 1863
The year 1863 was the most critical of the Civil War, a period of horrific bloodshed that marked the turning point of the war. In this class, we will analyze the five most significant battles of 1863 and discuss their impact on the strategic trajectory of the conflict. Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Chickamauga and Chattanooga were among the most critical contests of the war. At their conclusion, despite the Confederacy winning two of the five, ultimate Union victory was inevitable, albeit not without almost unspeakable death and destruction in the subsequent 16 months. Instructor: Tim Dailey
Thursday, Jan. 25 to Feb. 15
10 to 11:30 a.m.
HUMNT-0001-007, $99, Lifelong Learner $59
On campus in Glen Ellyn
Ottawa’s Radium Girls
Learn the unusual story of the famous “Radium Girls” of Ottawa, Illinois. Almost 100 years ago, they contracted radiation poisoning at their factory jobs at Radium Dial Company in Ottawa. A lawsuit ensued, resulting in improved industrial safety standards for many decades. Instructor: Jay Sternickle
Tuesday, Jan. 30
10 a.m. to noon
HUMNT-0001-036, $29, Lifelong Learner $19
On campus in Glen Ellyn
Presidential Character
Although the presidency is only a fraction of these men’s lives, it defines their public personae, regardless of what they did before or after. Eight American presidents will be profiled regarding their leadership, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses and how that relates to character. The presidents to be discussed are George Washington, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Woodrow Wilson, Harry Truman and Lyndon B. Johnson. Instructor: Kathy Mullin
Wednesday, Jan. 31 to March 20
1 to 3 p.m.
HUMNT-0001-003, $189, Lifelong Learner $139
Addison Center
Thursday, Feb. 1 to March 21
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
HUMNT-0001-004, $189, Lifelong Learner $139
On campus in Glen Ellyn
Vive La Révolution: The French Revolution from Louis XVI to Napoleon
In 1789, the French Revolution would rock Europe, causing the entire social and political order of French society to fall into disarray. Ultimately, France would see the overthrow and execution of its monarchs and the creation of a constitutional republic. Yet the story does not end there ... this revolutionary new republic would find itself overthrown, and France would see the rise to power of Emperor Napoleon. Napoleon would conquer most of Europe and yet find himself deposed after just a 10-year reign. Learn about this chaotic period of European history in this short course on the French Revolution. Instructor: Ron Chernobrov
Monday, Feb. 5 to 26
4 to 6 p.m.
HUMNT-0001-081, $119, Lifelong Learner $79
On campus in Glen Ellyn
The Union Stockyards of Chicago
The creation of the Union Stockyards in the 19th century made Chicago the meat processing capital of the world. At one time, the stockyards employed 40,000 people and processed nine million animals a year. When the complex closed in 1971, the stockyards became an integral part of the popular culture of Chicago’s history. Instructor: Jack MacRae
Wednesday, Feb. 7 and 14
10 a.m. to noon
HUMNT-0001-005, $59, Lifelong Learner $39
Virtual classroom
Thoreau’s “Walden” in Historical and Philosophical Context
Henry David Thoreau was a notable prose stylist and a central figure in the American Transcendentalism movement. We will read “Walden,” and the instructor will present the historical and philosophical themes that framed Thoreau’s writing to help guide our discussion. Students are encouraged to bring a copy of the book to read and review. Instructor: Phil Sietz
Thursday, Feb. 22 to March 21
1 to 2:30 p.m.
HUMNT-0001-084, $99, Lifelong Learner $69
On campus in Glen Ellyn
The Terrible Tudors, 1485-1603
Tudor historian Marcus Sanghera recounts the history of the short Tudor dynasty and its five monarchs. Mean-spirited Henry VII, descendant of an illegitimate royal line, one of history’s longest shots to inherit a royal throne; his homicidal son Henry VIII, practitioner of judicial murder and royal genocide, who bankrupted England by his wars with France and disputes with Rome; the pedantic boy-king Edward VI, manipulated into making Jane Grey queen after his death; and the half-sisters Mary and Elizabeth, abused and mistreated by their father, misled by their political and religious advisers, two dissimilar queens fated to share a similar destiny.
Friday, Feb. 23 to April 12
1 to 3 p.m.
HUMNT-0001-051, $189, Lifelong Learner $149
On campus in Glen Ellyn
Art Treasures of the Vatican
Explore the enigma of the Vatican Gardens, the drama of St. Peter’s, and the mysteries behind the Papal Tombs. This class unlocks the sophisticated iconographies of the Renaissance through ancient symbols and allegories. Special emphasis is given to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and the Pieta. Instructor: Ruth Nelson
Wednesday, Feb. 28 to March 20
7 to 9 p.m.
HUMNT-0001-068, $119, Lifelong Learner $79
Virtual classroom
The Seventies: A Nation in Flux
The 1970s, wedged between the chaotic 1960s and the Reagan Revolution of the 1980s, changed America forever. During this decade, the Sixties counterculture met Richard Nixon’s “silent majority.” Postwar optimism collided with economic stagnation, the energy crisis, inflation, cults, Watergate, impeachment and the Pentagon Papers. The culture, politics and character of America were transformed. Instructor: Joan Krawitz
Monday, March 18 to April 29 (no class April 1)
1 to 3 p.m.
HUMNT-0001-016, $159, Lifelong Learner $119
On campus in Glen Ellyn
Fraud Protection
Protect yourself from fraud—whether online, by mail or over the phone. Countless scams exist with one objective: to lure you into schemes that may target your money, credit or identity. Scammers are successful only when people are uninformed, so your best protection is knowledge. Instructor: Jay Sternickle
Tuesday, March 19
1 to 4 p.m.
COMPT-0001-008, $39, Lifelong Learner $25
On campus in Glen Ellyn
Imagining Armageddon: The End of the World as Portrayed in Feature Films
The end of the world, or of civilization, has been imagined in many feature films. We’ll watch and analyze some of these films and discuss their take on Armageddon and the cinematic methods used to present their vision. Instructor: Dr. Robert Garfield
Wednesday, March 20 to May 8
Noon to 3 p.m.
HUMNT-0001-010, $189, Lifelong Learner $149
On campus in Glen Ellyn
The Plus 50 Program
Continuing Education has developed a series of streamlined classes designed with experiences and skills of adult learners in mind. Learn more about the 50 Program.
- Career Search for Plus 50 - Monday, Jan. 29 to March 4
- Career Readiness: Beyond the Resume - Monday, March 11 to April 15
- Self-Discovery for Plus 50 - Wednesday, April 10 to May 1
- Plus 50 Refresher - Monday, May 6
Free Enrichment for Lifelong Learners
Enjoy the topics and the company! Continuing Education presents free lectures and discussions through our Sage Series and Lunch Break Lectures. Join us for an inspired selection of new topics.
Sage Series
Sessions are free. Registration is required.
For full descriptions and locations, view the current Schedule of Classes.
- The Great Solar Eclipse of 2024 - Saturday, March 16
- Behind the Scenes at the MAC - Thursday, March 7
- Inside COD's Culinary and Hospitality Center - Thursday, Feb. 22
- Inside COD' Culinary and Hospitality Center - Thursday, Feb. 29
Lunch Break Lectures
Sessions are free. Registration is required. All lectures are Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. and are held on our main campus in Glen Ellyn
- Jan. 17 - Riverview Park
- Jan. 31 - Women of the Wars of the Roses
- Feb. 14 - Alternative North Americas
- Feb. 28 - The Tudors
- March 13 - Vintage Advertising
- March 27 - America in the Fifties
- April 10 - Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing
- April 24 -Escher, Magritte, and Dali
Lunch Break Lectures
Sessions are free. Registration is required. All lectures are Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m. and are held online via Zoom.
- Jan. 25 - The Boleyn Sisters
- Feb. 22 - Bob Marley
- March 21 - Route 66 in Illinois
- April 18 - Bill Veeck: Sports Greatest Owner
Share Your Passion and Experience
College of DuPage Continuing Education is seeking community members who are interested in facilitating Lifelong Learning courses and seminars! Call (630) 942-2208 for assistance with completing a New Course Proposal Form.
Lifelong Learning Scholarship Fund
Limited scholarship funds are available to assist Lifelong Learners who choose to participate in Continuing Education programs. If you are interested in contributing to this fund, choose "Lifelong Learning Programs" on the College of DuPage Foundation donation page or call (630) 942-2462.
Contact Information
Continuing Education
Student Resource Center (SRC), Room 1110
(630) 942-2208
Fax: (630) 942-3785
Email: CE@cod.edu
- Request More Information
- Spring 2024 Class Schedule (all classes)
- Fall 2023 Class Schedule (all classes)
- Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.