To help with your decisions on courses and locations, the following people are available for assistance:
Debbie Cowles, Senior Program Administrator
941.716.2471

Stan Nikkel, Dean of Faculty
941.922.7675

Bob Carlson, Executive Director
941.408.3723

You can also e-mail us at info@PierianSpringAcademy.org

Pierian Spring  Academy
1750 17th Street, Bldg. L2, Sarasota, FL 34234-8690

Mail registration forms to: P. O. Box 110141, Lakewood Ranch FL  34211-0001

WHO ARE WE?
Pierian Spring Academy (PSA) is a high-quality, low-cost, college level academic continuing education program for persons of all ages but especially retirees and semi-retirees, regardless of educational background. We have only one requirement: a willingness to learn and to enjoy the intellectual refreshment of unique, stimulating content and discussions. Winter residents are welcome.

WHERE ARE WE?
PSA courses are held in three locations: Senior Friendship Center, 1900 Brother Geenen Way; Argosy University, 5250 17th Street in Sarasota; and Plymouth Harbor, 700 John Ringling Blvd., near St. Armand's Circle.   Click here for directions.

WHEN DO WE MEET?
Fall Lecture Series  - October 19 through December 14 at Pilgrim Hall at Plymouth Harbor, 700 John Ringling Blvd., near St. Armand's Circle.  The lectures are scheduled from 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.  Free and Open to the Public. 

Fall Term 
October 25 -  November 19 (4 weeks).  Tuition is $50 per course

Winter Term
Begins the week of January 10 - Course dates and lengths vary.  Tuition rates vary according to length of class.

Spring Session
Begins the week of February 21 - Course dates and lengths vary.  Tuition rates vary according to length of class.

HOW MUCH?
4 weeks is $50 per course, 6 weeks is $65 per course, 8 weeks is $90, 10 weeks is $110 and 12 weeks is $130.
There are no membership fees or annual dues.  Parking is free at all locations.

 

View courses by category


 

Fall course 2010

To register online, you will be required to provide an email address

  • ARCHITECTURE, SCULPTURE & LANDSCAPE
  • F10AC01-A • Frank Lloyd Wright, His Contribution To The Beauty of American Life
  • Examine the contribution of America’s greatest architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, to the daily lives of average Americans. Explore the life of this creative genius, born in the 19th century, and his impact on our lives even today. Innovative designs using elegant materials changed American architecture forever.
  • Tuesdays, October 26-November 16 (4 weeks)
  • 9:30-11:30 am
  • Argosy University • $50 • M. Tlachac add to cart add to cart
  • ART
  • F10A03-P • Photography: The Eloquent Eye
  • A chronological overview of the history of photography, from the daguerreotype to modern digital cameras. Through portraiture, photojournalism, fashion and nature pictures, photography shapes our world view. Lectures will cover Mathew Brady, Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen, Margaret Bourke-White, Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, and others.
  • Wednesdays, October 27-November 17 (4 weeks)
  • 12:00-2:00 pm
  • Plymouth Harbor • Card Room • $50 • B. Miller add to cart add to cart
  • EARTH & BEYOND
  • F10E01-O • An Earthbound Human's Guide to the Universe
  • Designed for the backyard stargazer and armchair Master of the Universe, each week combines a seasonal star talk with a discussion of astronomy’s big ideas. Discussions cover the Big Bang, Stars & Galaxies, Our Solar System and The Search for Life. This is an evening course at Bishop Planetarium, South Florida Museum. 201 10th St. W., Bradenton FL 34205, 941-746-4131, Ext. 22.
  • Mondays, October 25-November 15 (4 weeks)
  • 6:30-8:30 pm
  • Off-Site • Bishop Planetarium • $50 • J. Rodgers add to cart add to cart
  • F10E02-A • Introduction to Florida’s Birds
  • More than 600 species of birds have been recorded in Florida, and close to 300 different species in Sarasota County alone. Learn how to identify some of the most common birds by sound, behavior and habitat. Two classroom sessions and two field trips.
  • Wednesdays, October 27-November 17 (4 weeks)
  • 9:30-11:30 am
  • Argosy University • $50 • J. Dubi add to cart add to cart
  • F10E03-A • Marine Science of the Gulf of Mexico
  • Survey the ecology and animals of Gulf and Bay waters. As part of this course, Dr. Eugenie Clark, Mote Marine Laboratory founding director, will lecture on the behavior and conditioning of Gulf sharks, and the amazing hermaphroditic fish, Serranus.
  • Thursdays, October 28-November 18 (4 weeks)
  • 9:30-11:30 am
  • Argosy University • $50 • J. Cozzi add to cart add to cart
  • HISTORY
  • F10H01-A • Hyman Rickover: The Father of the Nuclear Navy
  • Rickover overcame the resistance of the establishment and anti-semitism to produce the most powerful nuclear sea force ever assembled. This course adds personal vignettes to a study of the man, the legend, and the development of America's nuclear Navy.
  • Wednesdays, October 27-November 17 (4 weeks)
  • 12:00-2:00 pm
  • Argosy University • $50 • S. Smith add to cart add to cart
  • F10H02-A • Vignettes of the Civil War Period, 1861-1865
  • Focuses upon non-traditionally emphasized topics such as the home front; technological developments; social life and customs; the international scene; prisoners and prison life; roles of women, children, African Americans; Indians and foreigners in the war. Directed to the intellectually curious, not the scholar.
  • Thursdays, October 28-November 18 (4 weeks)
  • 12:00-2:00 pm
  • Argosy University • $50 • B. Maxian add to cart add to cart
  • F10H03-P • Sarasota History
  • Learn about the stories of the people and events which formed the fabric of Sarasota history as seen through the eyes of pioneer families' descendants and local historians.
  • Thursdays, October 28-November 18 (4 weeks)
  • 2:30-4:30 pm
  • Plymouth Harbor • Pilgrim Hall • $50 • S. Blue add to cart add to cart
  • HUMAN BODY & MIND
  • F10HB01-A • Gray Matters
  • Explore selected topics in neurobiology, including such subjects as normal aging and dementia, the ethics of brain enhancement and emerging concepts of self-identity. A prior understanding of biology is not required.
  • Mondays, October 25-November 15 (4 weeks)
  • 9:30-11:30 am
  • Argosy University • $50 • A. Grindal add to cart add to cart
  • IDEAS & SPIRITUALITY
  • F10I01-S • Forbidden Faith: The Gnostic Gospels Excluded from the New Testament
  • Explore the fascinating, esoteric world of Gnosticism and its widespread influence on early Christianity as expressed in the "Gnostic Gospels”- a group of "heterodox” writings about the teachings of Jesus not included in the canon of the New Testament used by Christians today. Texts include the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary (Magdalene), and the most recently-discovered Gospel of Judas Iscariot.
  • Mondays, October 25-November 15 (4 weeks)
  • 2:30-4:30 pm
  • Senior Friendship Center • Dwyer Room • $50 • J. Johnson add to cart add to cart
  • F10I02-A • Mennonites and Amish: History, Belief and Life
  • Who are those people riding three-wheeled bikes in Sarasota? Why do they dress that way? What is a Mennonite? Are Mennonites and Amish the same? These questions and more will be addressed in this informative and engaging look at Mennonite and Amish history and traditions.
  • Wednesdays, October 27-November 17 (4 weeks)
  • 2:30-4:30 pm
  • Argosy University • $50 • J. Yoder add to cart add to cart
  • F10I03-A • Bioethics
  • An insightful overview and open discussion of bioethical dilemmas including states of unconsciousness, end of life care, stem cell research, organ donation, advance directives, reproductive science, physician assisted suicide, disaster response and health care rationing.
  • Thursdays, October 28-November 18 (4 weeks)
  • 9:30-11:30 am
  • Argosy University • $50 • D. Anderson add to cart add to cart
  • LITERATURE
  • F10L01-S • Origins and Evolution of the Detective Novel: From Daniel to Lord Peter Wimsey
  • Look at the appeal, forms, history, and authors who count among their fans such diverse readers as T.S. Eliot, Sigmund Freud, and Franklin Roosevelt. Discover the rules set forth by Poe, the first appearance of detectives in English novels, the mystique of the Sage of Baker Street, and taste the pleasures of the Golden Guys and Gals of pre-WWII British detective story writers.
  • Tuesdays, October 26-November 16 (4 weeks)
  • 12:00-2:00 pm
  • Senior Friendship Center • Dwyer Room • $50 • R. Bowler add to cart add to cart
  • F10L02-S • Tennessee Williams: Falling Apart
  • We will examine three or four major plays by Tennessee Williams and discuss how the characters and themes of these plays reflect the effects on American culture and the American psyche of WWII and of the mushrooming power and affluence of the U.S. in the fifties.
  • Tuesdays, October 26-November 16 (4 weeks)
  • 2:30-4:30 pm
  • Senior Friendship Center • Dwyer Room • $50 • L. Blanchard add to cart add to cart
  • SPORTS
  • F10SP01-A • Football for Lovers
  • If you love someone who loves football, but are clueless about it, this course explains the sport's appeal and rules. When should you "go for it"? What’s the “red zone”? Discover why your Significant Fan is always yelling at the TV.
  • Mondays, October 25-November 15 (4 weeks)
  • 9:30-11:30 am
  • Argosy University • $50 • H. Bubil add to cart add to cart
  • THEATER & FILM
  • F10TH01-P • A Musical Theater Journey
  • Presenting a survey of the American musical as it evolved from Gilbert and Sullivan to Steven Sondheim, with film and audio selections of shows that transcended the medium as well as those musicals which never did so. Singing along not required.
  • Fridays, October 29-November 19 (4 weeks)
  • 9:30-11:30 am
  • Plymouth Harbor • Pilgrim Hall • $50 • S. Isenberg add to cart add to cart
  • WORLD
  • F10WL01-A • Geopolitics Today
  • Geopolitics is the study of the complex interaction of geography, economics, and demography on the politics and foreign policies of states. Examine issues that are important now. We will look at Afghanistan/Pakistan, Russia, Iran, Israel/Palestine, Mexico as a Failing State, Piracy, the Demographic Bomb, the Geopolitics of Dope, Oil, and the Defense Budget.
  • Mondays, October 25-November 15 (4 weeks)
  • 12:00-2:00 pm
  • Argosy University • $50 • M. Pheneger add to cart add to cart
  • WRITING
  • F10W01-A • Structuring and Selling Your Non-Fiction Manuscript
  • Need help overcoming writer's block? A published author will provide everything you need to know about formatting and finishing a memoir, a how-to or self-help book, a history, a true crime or an inspirational story.
  • Wednesdays, October 27-November 17 (4 weeks)
  • 12:00-2:00 pm
  • Argosy University • $50 • N. Wald add to cart add to cart
  • If you have any questions or need assistance, please call or write to: Director: Bob Carlson: info@pierianspringacademy.org
  • Phone:941-716-2471 Pierian Spring Academy 1750 17th Street, Bldg. L2, Sarasota, FL 34234-8690