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Continue viewing the American Film Institute’s choices of the best films ever made. In this class, participants watch each film and, if time allows, have a brief discussion.

The Bermuda Triangle, deep sea monsters, aliens, Bigfoot, ghosts, Stonehenge, UFOs. Explore, in detail, these and other mysteries while delving into the mind of one of humankind's greatest thinkers: the celebrated author, scientist, and futurist Arthur C. Clarke. The class will be divided into two parts, held during the Winter 2025 and Spring 2025 terms.

Beethoven to the Beatles will develop basic musicianship, enhance artistic expressive awareness, provide historical and cross-cultural contexts, and encourage creative and analytical thinking. Essentially, the class will familiarize participants with the principles of music interpretation, analysis, and historical traditions: Classical, Pop, Jazz, Rock, and Ethnic genres. The ultimate goal is the development of inspired listening aesthetics – forever striving to make musical understanding more profound. Aaron Copland, the Dean of American Composers, said: "To listen intently, to listen consciously, to listen with one's whole intelligence is the least we can do in furtherance of an art that is one of the glories of mankind."

Join faculty from the UMD College of Pharmacy and doctors from Essentia and Aspirus St. Luke's as they present on new topics each week; they’ll range from bone health, the biology of aging, and diabetes to over-the-counter medications, nutraceuticals, and supplements.

Hillary Weaver, in her 2019 book, Trauma and Resilience in the Lives of Contemporary Native Americans: Reclaiming our Balance, Restoring our Wellbeing, notes, “Indigenous Peoples around the world and our allies often reflect on the many challenges that continue to confront us, the reasons behind health, economic, and social disparities, and the best ways forward to a healthy future.” Historical trauma is not a phenomenon limited to the experiences of Native American peoples. This class will first discuss and define intergenerational trauma, then examine the impact of historical trauma, the role of Native American resilience and culture in recovery from trauma, and the efforts toward healing and creating a more hopeful future taking place today among many Native American peoples.

World War I was called “the war to end all wars.” With new-fangled weaponry and trench warfare, it was also unmatched in brutality and carnage. A number of soldier-poets, many of whom were to become casualties, eloquently chronicled this first “modern war." The most prominent was the British poet Wilfred Owen, whose poem "Dulce Et Decorum Est" is justly famous for capturing the horrors of the battlefield and eviscerating the jingoism of the day. In this class, we will read and discuss the poems of several British soldier-poets, including those of Owen.

This class takes a look at atmospheric pollution and the chemistry of ozone depletion, global climate change, as well as traditional and nuclear energetics.

Childbirth was the most dangerous time of their lives for medieval and early modern European women, with a twenty-five to thirty percent maternal mortality rate. A variety of childbirth practices and rituals were used to attempt to ensure their survival during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. This class examines relics and other devotional aids, magical charms and amulets, the shift from midwives to physicians, popular gynecological texts (some written by women), and the variety of surgical instruments and accessories used, such as birthing trays, birthing stools, and linens.

Learn sky basics along with the winter constellations and planets. Special topics include the search for life on Mars, why Pluto is or is not a planet, and the wonders of the daytime sky, including halos, sundogs, and glories. One of the four classes will be held at the Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium at UMD with an optional night out on Skyline Parkway near Hawk Ridge observing with a telescope.

As individuals live longer and our population grows older, communities in Minnesota and nationwide are creating more inclusive "Age-Friendly" communities that better account for the needs and preferences of older adults. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) leads the Network of Age-Friendly Communities initiative in the United States. Membership is not a stamp of approval but instead a commitment of local leaders and residents to assess their environments and make improvements. This class will cover the Network and its enrollment process; its domains, focused on the physical, social, and service environments; and practical steps for how participants can effect positive change in their own communities.

Prepare to have fun with writing. Practice observing, using your imagination, and expanding your use of language. Explore several different types of poetry and prose styles including memoir, fiction, and creative non-fiction. Practice using the senses in your writing, and discover different methods to increase creativity. LIMIT 15

Enjoy fresh air, friendly company, and Duluth's incredible ski trails during the peak of the season during these weekly meetups. Participants will gather at a different trail each week, depending upon grooming conditions. All levels welcome! A Minnesota Ski Pass is required on Duluth trails. LIMIT 15

Equipment can be rented through UMD's Recreation, Sports, and Outdoor Program. 

Duluth’s Superior Hiking Trail weaves through the neighborhoods of Duluth. Learn both fun and interesting stories as well as discover some dark Duluth characters. Most information is little known or unknown to most Duluthians.

In 1066, William the Conqueror began the construction of what is considered the Medieval weapon of mass destruction. Four thousand castles later, the story of England can be told through the events surrounding these remarkable structures and the people who inhabited them. A number of specific castles will be talked about, including the Tower of London, Dover, and Warwick Castle. 

Note: This class differs from the hybrid class offered during the pandemic.

Ethel Ray was a staunch women's rights and civil rights leader during the Harlem Renaissance. She was born, raised, and educated right here in Duluth, Minnesota. The book Ethel Ray: Living in the White, Gray, and Black is an accurate and fantastic account of this American icon as well as an important historical and educational document for all to learn from. This class offers the chance for participants to explore the book together in its entirety and to experience a few surprises along the way.

Each week a different speaker will highlight aspects of the Duluth-Superior Harbor, which is at the heart of our region. A representative of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority will share an overview of the port along with recent activities; a retired fleet executive will discuss Great Lakes shipping; someone from the U.S. Coast Guard will outline its support of the harbor and Great Lakes; and a spokesperson from the Environmental Protection Agency will cover St. Louis River remediation projects.

Spiders are very common members of the Northland ecosystem. Despite this, most folks know little about them. In this class, we will learn what is and is not a spider, where they live, and how they live. We will talk about spiders that make webs, but also those that do not. Emphasis will be on local spiders, their feeding habits, life cycle, and how to recognize them.

This winter session we will read and discuss works representative of Western Civilization. We'll read two plays (Shakespeare's Othello and Sophocles' Antigone) and watch filmed versions. We'll read essays by Darwin, Hume, de Toqueville, and sociologist Georg Simmel. No special background is required beyond an interest in reading and discussing. LIMIT 16

This class explores ancient imperialism and the responses of non-member groups to it, primarily as witnessed among the Greeks. To gain a deeper perspective, participants will also briefly explore the responses of the Persian Empire's non-Greek neighbors, particularly the Jews as reflected in the Hebrew Bible and the Egyptians after their conquests and centuries-long domination by Persian rulers. The class raises timeless questions.

Learn about various herbal traditions practiced in North America. Historical and contemporary traditions will be included. Attendees are encouraged to share their herbal traditions and experiences during class time.

The goal of this memoir writing group is that each participant finish (or nearly finish) one piece in the eight weeks together. This will be an active group of mostly writing and workshopping with some reading and examples. Handouts with guidelines and tips will be distributed. LIMIT 18

Prepare for spring by learning about landscaping styles, techniques for maintenance, gardening practices, and some of the historic landscapes in Duluth. Participants are encouraged to bring questions and pictures of their problem areas for suggestions.

Throughout most of our lives, we look around us to figure out who we are and what we want. After we turn sixty, it is important that we begin looking inside ourselves for clarity about our values and purposes in life and in the process learn how to become more intentional, insightful, inquisitive, and inspired. Join us as we explore this topic.

Improve coordination, balance, motor control, attention, memory, processing, and energy while moving to music in a fun, group atmosphere! We will be using the Ronnie Gardiner Method for Movement, a common medical technique employed throughout Europe. We will continue from previous classes; however, new participants are welcome to join!

Explore very current developments in science and technology that are, or will be, impacting our daily lives. Included will be such contemporary topics as artificial intelligence (AI), exciting new medical technology, innovative manufacturing processes and their environmental implications, the latest in drug development, and "adaptive climate change."

Calling all weather enthusiasts! This class will be an opportunity to take a deep-dive into the science and safety of weather phenomena, instructed by meteorologists from the National Weather Service office in Duluth. Topics will include NWS Duluth forecasts, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, winter storms, blizzards, extreme cold, lake-effect snow, fire weather, airport weather forecasting, and conditions on Lake Superior. No previous weather experience or expertise is required. Come join us for an interesting and informative look at weather in the Northland.

The movie Oppenheimer won the Best Picture Oscar in 2024. It vividly depicts the remarkable achievements and the tragic humiliation of this brilliant and enigmatic man, known as the father of the atomic bomb. This class will explore his life and view the motion picture in its entirety, while discussing the challenges of making the movie, the moral ambiguities involved, and the controversial legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.

While change rarely has one cause, Thomas Paine mattered. Before Paine, the norm was pyramidal societies claiming divine right through foundations clouded in mystery. Demolishing those assumptions, he ignited a worldwide demand for republics grounded in written constitutions. Before Paine, “democracy” connoted anarchy and mob rule. He transformed “democracy” into a viable governance model and expressed goal of most countries today. Before Paine, nations became allies to oppose other nations. He foresaw republics proliferating worldwide and associating to pursue peace and commerce. Before Paine, reformers favored arcane writing displaying their erudition and elitism. He labored to communicate to everyone “in language as plain as A, B, C.” Join the journey exploring Paine's complex and consequential life and work, a substantial revision of Rich’s 2023 University for Seniors class.

Pandemics throughout human history show surprising similarities in their rise, spread, and decline, and in the responses of affected populations. This class will focus on epidemics and the resulting societal changes in biblical times (“plagues”), the late Middle Ages (Black Death), and Early Modern Era (smallpox, syphilis), as well as those we are more familiar with (cholera, tuberculosis, periodic influenzas, polio, etc.) in the Modern Era.

When Farah Jasmine Griffin was only nine years old, her father gave her a book in which he had written the inscription that became the driving mission of her life and serves as the title of her book: Read Until You Understand. Her father died suddenly not long after. From enslaved poet Phillis Wheatley to today’s heart wrenching sage, Jesmyn Ward, Griffin, who is Professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies at Columbia, leads us on an odyssey of soul searching through searing literature and poignant personal memoir. Griffin lifts up themes of legacy, love, learning; mercy; black freedom and the idea(l) of America; justice; rage and resistance; death; the transformative potential of love; joy; beauty; and gardens of grace. She takes us to the heart of the literature of dozens of writers and artists, including Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Frederick Douglass, Langston Hughes, Malcolm X, Frances Harper, Audre Lorde, Maya Angelou, Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, Lorraine Hansberry, and Zora Neale Hurston – all this and more in just over 200 pages that can hardly be put down except to catch your breath.

Many questions arise when folks are considering selling or buying a home. What is involved in selling the home? How does the seller prepare for the sale, and what can they expect? What are the advantages of hiring a professional realtor? Is it feasible to sell now or in the future? If you are looking to learn the generalities of selling or even buying, this would be a good class for you.

This class addresses the challenges of health care, costs, and more in retirement. Topics that will be covered include long-term care, life insurance, final expense planning, medical supplemental needs, and property casualty insurance. Ashley and Dennis hope that by sharing their experiences they can help shorten the learning curve for seniors navigating their benefits.

Tai Chi is a slow, graceful exercise that is sometimes called a moving meditation. Its many benefits include reduced stress, increased flexibility, improved balance, and cardiovascular fitness. Try Tai Chi for yourself! All ability levels are welcome. 

Tai Chi is a slow, graceful exercise that is sometimes called a moving meditation. Its many benefits include reduced stress, increased flexibility, improved balance, and cardiovascular fitness. Try Tai Chi for yourself! All ability levels are welcome. 

Explore some of the workings of the human brain with a sense of wonder and even awe. Topics will include neuroplasticity (how the brain changes and can even change itself throughout life); vision (how the brain sees the world); and the relationship between attention, concentration, and memory.  We will also look at how some of the brain’s quirks and foibles can actually mislead us.

In this class, participants will read and discuss several narratives from the Hebrew Bible (aka Old Testament), including the Apocrypha. Prepare to examine these not as history, nor myth, nor religious doctrine, but as what may be best described as "historicized fiction." Each narrative will be considered both as a self-contained story and in its relationship to the others via themes, allusions, style, and various literary techniques.

What is Hermantown known for? While hockey may come to mind, the city's true historical legacy lies in its iconic little red brick houses. These homes were a product of the Homestead Project, part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, which sought to help Americans recover from the devastation of the Great Depression. In the 1930s, as unemployment soared and many struggled to survive, FDR's administration launched various programs to bring people back to the land and support rural communities. In Hermantown, eighty-four families were selected to join the Jackson Project, a cooperative effort designed to create self-sustaining communities. 

This class will delve into the rich history of these homes and the lasting impact of the Jackson Project on the town, with one session held at the Hermantown History Center.

The Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) was formed in 1983 by the Minnesota state legislature to provide research and data for informed decision-making concerning the use and sustainability of the state's natural resources. This charter has remained relevant through the decades as challenges, especially related to climate change impacts, have accelerated NRRI's research capabilities and output. The Executive Director of NRRI will start off the class, followed by nine researchers sharing how they are addressing Minnesota's challenges and opportunities.

Since he has won eleven Grammys, a Golden Globe, an Academy Award, a Pulitzer Prize, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Nobel Prize for Literature, are we in agreement that Bob Dylan is more than an entertainer? Are his songs really poetry? Explore these questions and more during this class.

Electric Vehicles (EVs) promise to be the foundation for future transportation needs. EVs can be three to five times more efficient than gas vehicles, have much lower life cycle costs, and provide a wide variety of other advantages. This class goes beyond the "EV overview" stage to focus more deeply on the scientific and technological aspects that will make the EV the "next big thing" in the transportation sector. 

The transition to EVs changes many of our fundamental assumptions regarding how vehicles are fueled, maintained, and driven and presents serious technological challenges. Topics covered include a comparison with gas-powered vehicles, maintenance, fuel cost, efficiency, security, safety, and driving experience. In addition, we will explore EV battery attributes and look at new, much cheaper, and longer-range battery technologies.

Comedy is one of the greatest human inventions. For more than twenty-five-hundred years, people have been entertained by comedies, often without realizing that comic form and vision offer an interpretation of life. Although, like Rodney Dangerfield, comedy “don’t get no respect” compared to “serious” theater and cinema, comedy is the more intellectual form. In this class we will explore comedy’s origins and history and its relationship with humor by focusing on two famous comedies, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) and Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard (1904). And we will discuss why one might claim that each qualifies as “the ultimate comedy.”

The United States boasts "a remarkable treasure trove of wilderness, wildlife, history and recreation in its over 8,000 state parks, stretching from New England to the Pacific Northwest to the Hawaiian Islands" (The Great Courses). A series of Great Courses lectures, with supplemental material, will highlight the origin of these parks, what they offer to America's story, and how best to experience them.

This class will examine the history and culture of Ancient Egypt, a cultural continuum that stretched from before 3000 B.C.E. to the time of Alexander the Great, c. 330 B.C.E. In addition to an examination of the political history of Ancient Egypt, the class will devote attention to social and cultural developments in Egypt, including literature, art, architecture, religion, social structure, government, and the worldview of the Egyptians.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led an epic American journey through the Louisiana Purchase at the behest of Thomas Jefferson. Using Ken Burns's documentary and Stephen Ambrose's unequaled descriptions in Undaunted Courage, this class will study this adventure from its beginning in Washington D.C., to its end in St. Louis, Missouri.

Learn about the basics of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, probate, real estate, and other property transfers. Explore the benefits of charitable giving strategies. Get answers to your questions about creating or updating your own estate plan.

Get outdoors, have fun, and enjoy the natural beauty that winters in Duluth have to offer. Depending on the weather and conditions, this group will meet in a different location each week and walk on the snow on relatively flat trails. Poles, snowshoes, or traction cleats may be used. The University for Seniors program has snowshoes and poles that can be checked out for this class. LIMIT 20

Participants will learn principles of art and how to use a variety of watercolor techniques. Beginners are welcome, and experienced class members may be inspired. LIMIT 18