New to the Graham School? - UChicago | Graham School

New to the Graham School? - UChicago | Graham School
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New to the Graham School?
Are you passionate about engaging in open dialogue to enrich your understanding of yourself and the world around you?
Would you enjoy getting to know other people who are insatiably curious? Do you seek to engage in life’s biggest questions with people who have different experiences and points of view?
If so, you belong in the lifelong learning community at the University of Chicago Graham School.
Lifelong Liberal Arts at the Graham School
Since the University’s founding, the Graham School has been dedicated to making a meaningful impact on individuals and in communities through programs in the Great Books, liberal arts, and advanced leadership. Here, you will embark on a journey of intellectual exploration and personal growth, where the power of independent thought and the protection of free expression are not just ideals, but fundamental pillars of our educational philosophy.
Whether studying the classics or looking at contemporary issues in our society, our students are motivated by fundamental questions like: “Who am I?” “Why am I here?” “What difference do I want to make?” At Graham, we create a welcoming space where learners engage mid-life and beyond with a sense of purpose.
Find Your Path
Take this short quiz to find what program or course is right for you.
Learning and Purpose for the Second Half of Life
As technology and medical advances make it possible for us to live longer, many of us find ourselves questioning how we can make the best use of this time. The Graham School offers courses and programs designed to help you define a next chapter of fulfillment and purpose as you move beyond your primary career. By joining our community for learning, discussion, and mentorship, you can embrace a sense of purpose for the second half of your life that is personally fulfilling and contributes to society.
Your commitment to a purposeful life full of new experiences can bring you healthier and happier years to come. Research has found that mental stimulation and strong social connections are associated with slowing down cognitive decline as well as reductions in stress and depression.
Educational Offerings to Fit Your Needs
At the Graham School, we believe the lifelong liberal arts are for everyone. That’s why we tailor our courses and programs to meet the needs of people with a variety of interests and goals. Many of our offerings are open to learners with any level of prior education or professional experience.
Here are just a few examples of the Graham School’s courses and programs:
Basic Program of Liberal Education
You can pursue in-depth learning and discussion in the foundational texts of literature, philosophy, and history by enrolling in the Basic Program of Liberal Education, a non-credit, part-time certificate program focused on the Great Books of the Classical and Western traditions.
Master of Liberal Arts
If you hold a bachelor’s degree and want to apply liberal arts concepts to contemporary problems and debates, you may be interested in the Master of Liberal Arts (MLA). It provides engagement in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences with the option to choose from three concentrations.
Leadership and Society Initiative
If you are mid-to late career and are seeking to imagine the next chapter of your personal and professional journey, Crafting Your Next Chapter and the Leadership and Society Initiative (LSI) will help you plan what comes next.
Open Enrollment Courses
For those who have limited time or aren’t ready to commit to a comprehensive program of study, you can pick and choose from our non-credit Open Enrollment courses on topics in literature, history, philosophy, art, and science.
Travel Study Programs
If you’re excited to pursue international learning opportunities and cultural experiences, our travel study programs will take you to historical sites and museums in Oxford and Greece.
Check our
program and courses
for information on the full range of educational possibilities at the Graham School, or explore our offerings below.
What are you seeking?
Our students discover great fulfillment in their educational journeys with Graham. We open our doors to individuals seeking diverse paths to enrichment and satisfaction. Explore our offerings tailored to what you are seeking:
A Community of Lifelong Learners
Deep Intellectual Discovery
Discernment for Midlife and Beyond
Graham School Learning Experience
The faculty, instructors, and staff at the Graham School are more than educators sharing knowledge; we curate an environment where learners think independently, question assumptions, and navigate the complexities of our rapidly evolving world with clarity and purpose. Our courses and programs cultivate the critical and synthetic thinking that empower you to keep discovering new insights and grappling with big ideas throughout your lifetime.
Through our interdisciplinary approach and commitment to open exchange, we create a classroom experience where diverse perspectives are not just welcomed but celebrated. Here, you’ll engage with fellow learners, each bringing their own unique insights to the table. By participating in thought-provoking conversation, you’ll gain a more nuanced understanding of the world and even yourself.
This program has been so valuable to me. The instructors are truly committed; you make new friends and get new views. It’s been a real plus in my life.
Virginia Tobiason
CER ‘02
The quality of instructors, the insightful, civil discourse among my classmates (and now many friends), and the intellectual energy generated is beyond words. For me it is a great privilege to re-engage with so many texts that I read years ago … and to discover a number of texts that I’m reading for the first time. Hats off to lifelong learning!
Larry Shiff
Basic Program student
The Basic Program gave me the chance to take a cohesive liberal arts program with motivated fellow students and outstanding instructors … The rigorous reading and dialogue put my brain to work, and the content helped me grapple with the problem of what it means to be human. It made my life better.
Hope Sheffield
CER ‘08
Stimulating Community of Lifelong Learners
The Graham School community is made up of people with decades of real-world experience who return to the classroom with a renewed passion for personal growth and intellectual connection. Learners come from a wide variety of educational, professional, and socioeconomic backgrounds, brought together by their shared interest in grappling with big ideas through the lifelong liberal arts. Our students stay vibrant and active by continuing to learn about complex ideas and striving to better understand the world.
Our learners form lasting connections that can transform the rest of their lives. We are able to make these experiences accessible to the most diverse group of people possible through the
generosity of our donors
, who enable us to keep tuition low and to offer scholarship opportunities.
Learn in the Setting that Works for You
The Graham School welcomes a national and global community of students by offering synchronous online classes, as well as in-person classes in Chicago and experiences at destinations in England, Greece, and beyond. Whether learners are at our downtown campus, taking courses remotely, or participating in
travel study
to an international destination, our classrooms are vibrant spaces where diverse perspectives come together in respectful and enriching dialogue.
Our community of thousands of diverse individuals from around the world makes the Graham School a remarkable and enduring institution. Our students, the majority of whom live outside of Chicago, come from very different professional and personal lives and may have a wide range of daily responsibilities or limitations on their mobility. By offering flexible options for attending classes and events, we ensure that people from any background can feed their curiosity about big ideas and enthusiasm for respectful dialogue.
Apr
27
Featured Event
Relevance, Purpose, and Meaning After a Major Life Transition
Gleacher Center
7:30 am – 9:15 am CT
What happens when the drive that built your career becomes the thing that prevents you from ever truly knowing yourself? Geoff Curtis spent nearly 30 years in healthcare communications before an acquisition erased his role — and forced him to confront what it really means to find purpose after a major life transition.
View Event
Student Stories
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Apr 1, 2026
Student Stories
Building Skills for a Changing Workforce
Master of Liberal Arts Student, Felix Quayson, reflects on education, technology, and the future of work.
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Mar 12, 2026
Student Stories
Expanding the Boundaries of Learning: Greg Swinehart’s MLA Journey
After a career in engineering and business, Greg Swinehart turned to the MLA to explore new intellectual horizons.
Read Now
Feb 24, 2026
Student Stories
From LSI Fellow to Returning Scholar: A Conversation with Michael Walsh
A conversation on purpose, intellectual vitality, and continuing the work of lifelong learning at the University of Chicago Graham School.
Read Now
To learn more about the programs and courses at the Graham School, we invite you to request information or to attend one of our free online events.
Request Info
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