High School Students
We offer engaging learning opportunities for high school students in the 11th and 12th grades, with a focus on philosophy, religion, politics, and literature. Through study of the humanities we seek to foster thoughtful civic discourse and constructive debate.
How to Register
Visit the Perelandra Program Registration page to get started!
How Do I Know If These Courses Are Right For Me?
- Are you interested in big ideas and the great intellectual conversations of western culture?
- Would you like to engage these discussions on the college level, through critical dialogue, close reading of texts, and question-and-answer sessions with visiting speakers?
- Do you value intellectual freedom and are you willing to prioritize truth-seeking and clarity of argument even in disagreement?
- Can you engage controversial points of view, including positions you may find personally offensive, with the goal of understanding them and thereby sharpening your own thinking?
If you answer "yes" to these questions, then you are very welcome to join in!
Classes are held on Monday or Tuesday evenings and cost $75 per course. Need-based scholarships are available. Each course is currently limited to 15 registrants. A one-credit course is offered each term.
Location: Classes are held in-person on the Portland State University campus in Lincoln Hall: 1620 SW Park Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97201 (at intersection of SW Broadway and Mills Streets). Link to PSU campus map
Course Offerings 2023-2024
(for high school students)
FALL TERM 2023
Fantasy & the Religious Imagination - 5 sessions
Mondays 7:10 - 9:00pm
Nov 6, Nov 13, Nov 27, Dec 4, Dec 11
WINTER TERM 2024
The Idea of the Nation - 7 sessions (updated 1/22/2024: the January 23rd session is cancelled - the Winter 2024 course will start on Tuesday, January 30th.)
Tuesdays 7:10 - 8:40pm
Jan 30, Feb 6, Feb 13, Feb 20, Feb 27, Mar 5, Mar 12
SPRING TERM 2024
Identity and US Politics - 6 sessions
Tuesdays 7:10 - 8:40pm
Tuesdays: April 2, April 9, April 16, May 7, May 14, May 21