Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Previous Course Offerings

We attempt to offer classes that our membership requests. If you would like us to consider offering a course again or wish to give us ideas, contact us!

Global/Cultural Awareness

• Clash of Cultures Civilizations – East Compared to West
• Wisdom Traditions of India, China and Japan
• Understanding World Religions
• Mystical, Magical Madagascar
• Landscapes of China's New Century
• Vietnam: The Dragon Awakened
• Incomparable Indonesia
• Continuing the Arab Spring: Are the Blossoms Falling Off?

Environmental Issues

• Clean Energy Innovations
• Whiskey is for Drinking, Water is for Fighting
• What's Climate? Debunking Misconceptions

Historical Contexts

• American History: 1900 – 1945
• Major Controversies and Feuds in Geology and Related Sciences
• Modern European History
• Russian History from 1900 to Putin's Resurgent Russia
• Vietnam: The Dragon Awakened
• South Africa's Tier
• Historic Preservation in Fort Collins
• Ancient and Modern Egypt
• Renaissance Europe (1350-1550)
• Geology of Selected National Parks, Monuments, and Seashores
• American History – What Would the Founding Fathers Say?
• 20th Century America – 1945 to Present: Historical Perspectives on Contemporary Issues
• Tsars and Stars of Old Russia
• Born There, Live Here: The Life and Times of International Immigrants to Fort Collins
• Isabella Bird in the Big Thompson Country: Retracing a Victorian Adventure

Current Issues

• Insights into Understanding the Mideast
• U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions
• National Security Policy in the Age of Terrorism and Nuclear Weapons
• Global Environmental Change: Problems and Solutions
• A Story of Conflicting Purposes – The U.S. Bill of Rights
• Science and Technology Headlines: A Round Table Discussion
• Terrorism: A Tactic of Violence – Its Varieties, Causes, and Cures
• The Supreme Court: Current Trends and Issues
• Unlocking the Mystery and Importance of Consumer Price Index
• Grand Challenges for the 21st Century
• Christianity and Politics
• Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics
• Epigenetics

Facets of the Rocky Mountain Region

• Colorado Natural History
• Discovering Colorado Birds
• Wildlife Icons of Colorado
• How Wildlife Made Colorado: Historical Perspective
• Geology of Selected National Parks, Monuments, and Seashores
• Footsteps of the Bold – Exploring Colorado Wildlife
• From the Natural to the Urban – Working with Native Plants
• A River Runs Through It: Sylvan Dale Histories
• Birdfeeding Facts and Fiction: Keeping It Safe and Fun
• A Personal Guide to Twelve Months of Wildlife
• Colorado's Economic Geology
• Spring Flowers in the Foothills: The Good, the Bad and the Merely Beautiful
• The Facts Behind the Fiction: Tracing Michener's Centennial Trail in Northern Colorado
• 100 Creatures You Didn't Know Live in Colorado
• The Cache La Poudre River in Colorado’s Colorful Water History

Life Transitions

• The Emerging and Changing Brain
• Memories Worth Saving, Stories to Tell
• "Everything" or "Almost Everything" You Want to Know About Human Genetics

Enjoying the Arts

• Appreciation of Opera
• Cinema Du Jour
• Hindu and Buddhist Thought and Art
• History of Jazz
• Symphony 101
• Bronze Art – The Heart of Loveland
• Bring Out the Artist in You
• Journey Around the World with Textiles
• Ansel Adams – Photographer and Conservationist
• Annie Get Your Gun, an Evening of Musical Fun
• American Entertainment Culture: A Trival Glimpse
• The Triumph of American Art Glass: From Tiffany to Chihuly
• Wonderful Wildflower Watercolors
• Groundbreaking Photography: Exposures and Expressions
• The Power of Perspective Drawing
• Drawing with Colored Pencils
• The Art and Life of Vincent van Gough
• In the Director's Seat: Breaking Down the Story Behind the Movie
• Creating a Photographic Eye

Personal Skill Development

• Digital Photography: Taking Pictures and Taking them Further
• Wine: Sight – Smell - Taste
• What Makes the Economy Tick?
• What the Book Jacket Doesn't Tell You
• Writing with Zest
• The Eye's Dance – Exploring the World of Photography
• "A-ha" Discoveries About Life and Living
• Beer Matters: History, Art, and Science
• A Tour of the Northern Summer Night Sky
• Igniting Your Words
• Twelve Great Life Connections
• Explore Place in Words, Inspired by Willa Cather
• Introduction to iPad and iPhone
• Climate 101 & 102: The Basics of How Climate Works
• Legends, Art, and Science: Practical Astronomy for your Nightly Life
• Facebook Essentials
• An Orchard of Words

Field Trips

• Introduction to Genealogy at the National Archives in Denver
• Geologic Field Excursion
• Geology Field Trip in Larimer County, CO
• You Ain't Been to the Zoo or the Natural History Museum 'til You've Been There with a Naturalist