Pierian Spring Academy - Adult Education in Sarasota, Florida

Contact Pierian Spring
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Quick Facts

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

Spring course 2011

Download a PDF of the brochure here

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

ARCHITECTURE, SCULPTURE & LANDSCAPE
S11AC01-A • The Wonders of Frank Lloyd Wright: Part 2
Explore several stunning and innovative works of architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright. Take a look at buildings spanning his 70 year career, from earliest Prairie style houses through those designed in the last decade of his life. Each lecture covers a unique phase of his work, geographic location or a family experience and combines extensive use of photographs and illustrations.
Tuesdays, February 22-March 29 (6 weeks)
9:30-11:30 am
Argosy University • $65 • M. Tlachac add to cart

S11AC02-A • Contemporary American Architecture
Examine contemporary American architecture from the 1950s to the 21st century. Discover how designs and materials have evolved to reflect current lifestyles, challenging sites and environmental needs. Architects rise to the challenge. Explore Contemporary American Architecture at its best.
Tuesdays, March 08-March 29 (4 weeks)
12:00-2:00 pm
Argosy University • $50 • M. Tlachac add to cart

ART
S11A01-P • From Dawn to Dusk: Painters of the Hudson River
Between 1825-75 a group of American painters were inspired by the landscape of the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson River. Combining the romantic tradition with the compositional devices of Classicism, they invented a new Eden, a new icon-nature for a new nation.
Tuesdays, March 01-April 05 (6 weeks)
12:00-2:00 pm
Plymouth Harbor • Chapel • $65 • K. Costello add to cart

S11A02-P • Conception, Creation, Form, and Content: Looking at the Art of Our Time
Introduction to twentieth century art through museum exhibition lectures. Planned museum visits to Ringling, St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Naples museums. The first class session will introduce the exhibitions; the final meeting will review our experiences. Museum admission, lunch and transportation not included in class fee.
Fridays, February 25-April 01 (6 weeks)
9:30-11:30 am
Plymouth Harbor • Pilgrim Hall • $65 • P. Koenig add to cart

EARTH & BEYOND
S11E01-A • Big Ideas in Science
A lecture and discussion course on topics that fascinate and perplex: the origin and fate of our universe, the history of Earth and life’s evolution, new solar systems and the search for life. Presented in a sweeping narrative of what we know, and how we know it.
Mondays, February 28-April 04 (6 weeks)
9:30-11:30 am
Argosy University • $65 • J. Rodgers add to cart

S11E02-A • Close Encounters of the Bird Kind
For beginning and intermediate birders who are interested in learning about birds of Sarasota and our environment. Two classroom sessions and six field trips (beginning at 8:15 a.m.) to local birding "hot spots" will be offered.
Wednesdays, February 09-March 30 (8 weeks)
9:30-11:30 am
Argosy University • $90 • O. Comora add to cart

S11E03-A • Landscaping for Florida
Learn to identify all the plants in your landscape and how to introduce native and Florida friendly plants into your existing garden to create an environmentally sound landscape. Learn correct planting and pruning techniques, how to conserve water and establish an integrated pest management plan. Tours will include native plant and home landscaping to help with plant identification and selection.
Wednesdays, February 23-March 30 (6 weeks)
2:30-4:30 pm
Argosy University • $65 • N. Paul add to cart

ECONOMICS
S11EC01-P • How Economists See the World
Ever wonder about the how and why of Washington’s economic strategies? Analyze the positions set forth by well-known economists, paying particular attention to their school of economic thought, as well as the effect they have had on shaping political positions (Paul Krugman, Ben Bernanke, Joseph Stiglitz, Milton Friedman, John Maynard Keynes, Paul and Christine Romer and Robert Lucas).
Mondays, February 21-March 28 (6 weeks)
9:30-11:30 am
Plymouth Harbor • Pilgrim Hall • $65 • L. Rudd add to cart

GOVERNMENT
S11G01-A • Understanding American Education
The American educational system is the most complex and political of any educational system in the world. It is overly subscribed and under nourished. Efforts at school reform have failed. How and why did we get into this fix? This course will explore these and related issues.
Mondays, February 28-April 04 (6 weeks)
2:30-4:30 pm
Argosy University • $65 • R. Carlson add to cart

S11G02-A • Religion, Politics and the Constitution
We question the faith of our founding fathers; whether America is a Christian Nation or a nation with a majority Christian population. This course will survey the flow of religion in American history, beginning with the Puritans and their legacy, founding of the nation, recent Supreme Court decisions on religion and the first amendment and the state of religion and politics today.
Thursdays, March 10-March 31 (4 weeks)
9:30-11:30 am
Argosy University • $50 • M. Kotch add to cart

HISTORY
S11H01-A • The History of African American Life and Culture in Sarasota
From the era of runaway slaves to the town’s early settlement, study Sarasota’s first African-American neighborhood and the later development of Newtown. Discussion will include the social life, business opportunities, employment, and education of the city's early African-American residents.
Tuesdays, February 22-March 29 (6 weeks)
9:30-11:30 am
Argosy University • $65 • J. Brown add to cart

S11H02-A • The American Revolution
The American Revolution was the result of uncompromising ideological convictions and a series of unanticipated events that defined a future nation. This course will begin with a look at early colonial history and conclude by studying the path to eventual nationhood.
Wednesdays, February 23-March 30 (6 weeks)
12:00-2:00 pm
Argosy University • $65 • A. Grindal add to cart

S11H03-A • Queen Elizabeth I: A Study in Statesmanship
When Elizabeth I became queen in 1558, England was a defeated, bankrupt country, badly split over religion. When she died in 1603, a rejuvenated England was the leading Protestant power. This course will focus on her achievements in various fields, such as foreign policy and the church.
Thursdays, March 10-March 31 (4 weeks)
12:00-2:00 pm
Argosy University • $50 • N. O'Neill add to cart

S11H04-A • If You Only Knew: A Short History of U.S. Women Entrepreneurs
A chronological, multi-cultural discussion of the history of women business owners from Colonial Times to the present. Participants will learn about known and little known business women such as Elleanor Eldridge, Lydia Pinkham, Madame C.J. Walker, Polly Bemis, Hetty Green and more.
Thursdays, February 24-March 31 (6 weeks)
12:00-2:00 pm
Argosy University • $65 • C. Smith add to cart

S11H05-P • Gertrude Stein and Her Circle
Investigate the amazing world of Gertrude Stein and meet the creative personalities who surrounded her. Artists such as Picasso, Man Ray, Matisse, and writers such as Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Ezra Pound, literally sat at her feet as they partook of Alice B. Toklas' culinary wonders.
Thursdays, February 24-March 31 (6 weeks)
2:30-4:30 pm
Plymouth Harbor • Chapel • $65 • P. Jaffe add to cart

HUMAN BODY & MIND
S11HB01-A • The Human Body
Discuss milestones in medical discovery. Discover how different medical systems function, including your nervous system, your heart and lungs, gastrointestinal system and skeletomuscular system. Understand the blood forming organs and the immune system. What diseases affect the various structures and what is the role of the healthcare provider in the current system?
Mondays, February 28-April 04 (6 weeks)
9:30-11:30 am
Argosy University • $65 • A. Geller add to cart

IDEAS & SPIRITUALITY
S11I01-A • Eastern World Religions: Part 2 - Worldview
Continue the exploration of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, turning to an examination of their key teachings on the nature of ultimate reality, the world, human beings, and the path of spiritual transformation. Some of the fascinating concepts to be discussed include: reincarnation, karma, nirvana, and the Tao. Students may attend this course without having attended Part 1.
Mondays, February 28-April 04 (6 weeks)
12:00-2:00 pm
Argosy University • $65 • J. Johnson add to cart

LANGUAGE
S11LA01-P • Yiddish Revival: History...Literature...Music...Movies... Humor
These multi-media lectures presented in Yiddish and English look at European Jewish Life as it adapts from the Shtetl to the Modern Era. Yiddish theater, movies, The Jewish Radio Project, humor, and even Esperanto, will be explored.
Wednesdays, February 23-March 30 (6 weeks)
12:00-2:00 pm
Plymouth Harbor • Card Room • $65 • B. Miller add to cart

S11LA02-A • Wonderful World of Words: The Origin and Development of the English Language
From Proto-Indo European, Proto-Germanic, Beowulf and Shakespeare to Sarah Palin, language has a long and fascinating history, filled with quirks, conquests, and changes. Explore the nature of language and the current status of English. What makes a dialect become a standard language? Will our language maintain its position as the world's default language? Does it matter?
Wednesdays, February 23-March 30 (6 weeks)
2:30-4:30 pm
Argosy University • $65 • R. Bowler add to cart

MUSIC
S11M01-A • From Roots to the Blooms: Today's Jazz Singers and Their Influences
Focusing primarily on some of today’s finest jazz vocalists, explore their styles by understanding the impact of earlier singers, instrumentalists, and other musical genres on their musical personalities. Material is illuminated by videos, recordings, and special guest vocalists.
Thursdays, February 24-March 31 (6 weeks)
2:30-4:30 pm
Argosy University • $65 • H. Ettman add to cart

S11M02-A • For the Love of Classics: 18th to 20th Century Masters Part 2
Classical music can be beautiful, haunting, inspiring and powerful. An accomplished musician will give you a greater understanding of how a piece becomes a classic, including biographical excursions and observations of historical circumstances that affected the works of the masters Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Shostakovitch. Students may attend this course without having attended Part 1.
Thursdays, February 24-March 31 (6 weeks)
2:30-4:30 pm
Argosy University • $65 • G. Zaritsky add to cart

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
S11ST01-A • Breaking News In Energy
Is the Bloom Box the long awaited breakthrough fuel cell product? Or must we await the 2015 launch of Toyota’s fuel cell car? Will algae be harvested for oil or for hydrogen? We will explore the background behind current events in alternative energy.
Tuesdays, February 22-March 29 (6 weeks)
12:00-2:00 pm
Argosy University • $65 • A. Kesten add to cart

S11ST02-A • Universal Selection Theory
In 1974, Donald Campbell extended Darwin’s natural selection to what is called Universal Selection Theory. In it, all knowledge, all problem solving, all skills, all adaptive physiological and neural changes, all useful cultural beliefs and practices, and all scientific and cultural progress have at their roots cumulative blind variation and selection. Review Darwinian evolution.
Tuesdays, February 22-March 29 (6 weeks)
2:30-4:30 pm
Argosy University • $65 • R. Kelly add to cart

THEATER & FILM
S11TH01-A • Shakespeare As You Like It - Part 2
Discussion of 8 Shakespeare plays, including Coriolanus,The Merchant of Venice, Othello, Hamlet, using filmed sequences and inviting audience response. No prior knowledge of the plays is required. Students may attend this course without having attended Part 1.
Mondays, February 28-April 04 (6 weeks)
2:30-4:30 pm
Argosy University • $65 • S. Isenberg add to cart

S11TH02-A • Sophisticated, Smoldering, Sexy: American Romance in Dance
Dance has always been THE primary art form for courtship and mating rituals. Primitive cultures emphasized reproduction rites, Western cultures' courtship dances were based on a careful selection of “who you were” and “who you knew.” America’s “melting pot” threw all those rules out the window. Traverse the crossover of early forms with the infusion of tap, vaudeville, ballroom, Broadway, and Hollywood and their influence on the serious performance dance we see today.
Tuesdays, February 22-March 29 (6 weeks)
2:30-4:30 pm
Argosy University • $65 • A. Tracy add to cart

S11TH03-S • After the Wars: Modern European Drama - Part 2
Read and discuss plays by Bertolt Brecht (Germany) and Albert Camus (France). Discussions will focus on how the work of these playwrights reflected the breakdown of traditional social institutions and the disintegration of old pieties. Students may attend this course without having attended Part 1.
Tuesdays, February 22-March 29 (6 weeks)
2:30-4:30 pm
Senior Friendship Center • Dwyer Room • $65 • L. Blanchard add to cart

S11TH04-A • The Royal Ballet in Perspective
Learn all about the ballets, choreographers and artists of London’s Royal Ballet in the context of the other great international ballet companies, including: the Paris Opera Ballet, the Royal Danish, the Bolshoi and Mariinsky, the Ballets Russes, and New York City Ballet.
Thursdays, February 24-March 31 (6 weeks)
9:30-11:30 am
Argosy University • $65 • J. Wilson add to cart

S11TH05-P • Film Masterpieces of the Thirties and Forties
Study, watch, discuss The Thirty-Nine Steps, Grand Illusion, The Rules of the Game, Citizen Kane, Beauty and the Beast, and The Third Man; original directorial visions of high artistic value.
Fridays, February 25-April 01 (6 weeks)
2:00-4:45 pm
Plymouth Harbor • Pilgrim Hall • $65 • J. Stith add to cart

WORLD
S11WL01-A • Terrorism
"War on Terror" is a misnomer. Terrorism is a tactic used by diverse groups to defeat stronger opponents. Study the history of terrorism, its defining characteristics, and the real objectives of al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, and other modern terrorist groups.
Mondays, February 28-April 04 (6 weeks)
12:00-2:00 pm
Argosy University • $65 • M. Pheneger 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