Join a vibrant community of learners in this newly developed series of courses at Hamline University. Students will immerse themselves in the work of writers — from many timeframes and from religious traditions including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Native American tribes — who link sacred experiences in their own lives with universal themes. Then, students will use the texts as a guide to reflect their individual spirituality through poetry and creative nonfiction.
Courses are open to current Graduate School of Liberal Studies students, as well as to members of the community. You can sign up for one course, or take all six courses required to earn a Certificate in Spirituality and Writing (four 4-credit courses and two 2-credit courses spread over two years). Equal weight will be given to the theological/spiritual content and to the craft of writing.
Courses will be taught by Julie Neraas and other members of the liberal studies core faculty. Guest instructors may include Elizabeth Andrew, Heid Erdrich, and others.
THE COURSES:
The Labyrinth l January 2009
January 5 - January 29. Monday,Thursday 6:00pm-9:00pm
Giddens Learning Center 223W. 2 credits
The labyrinth is an archetypal pattern that appears across time and cultures. It has been stamped on Minoan coins, found in Indian caves, used with luminaries to tell time in China, formed in stone to guard the entrance to harbors in Scandinavia. In the Middle Ages its pattern on the floor of select European cathedrals simulated an actual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Some call it a divine imprint, or a snapshot of the soul?s journey. Others believe it is a coded message from our ancestors. It is prevalent in nature, including marine life, like the chambered nautilus and in the human body, in the coils of the brain and intestinal track. This fascinating symbol has recently been rediscovered as a meditation tool. It seems to birth uncanny in-sights in those who walk it. In this course we will not only read about the labyrinth, we will walk it, meditatively. Readings will include: Walking a Sacred Path, Lauren Artress, The Labyrinth in Culture and Society, Jacques Attali, Mazes and Labyrinths, Jeff Saward, The Maze and the Warrior, Craig Wright.
Professor: Julie Neraas l Julie Neraas Faculty Bio
Courses l Registration Information l Tuition & Fees l Back to Top
Poetry and the Sacred
l Spring 2009
GLS 8307-37481
February 9-May 11 Monday 6:00pm-9:00pm
Giddens Learning Center 102E 4 credits
Since the beginning of time, poets have given voice to the longing for, and discovery of the sacred. From the biblical poets’ mysticism and prophetic impulse, to the Sufi, Rumi’s ghazals, Dante’s map of heaven and hell, the Kashmiri poet Lalla, Hindu mystic Mirabai, Jewish poet Amachai, American Buddhist Gary Snyder, or Hirschfield, Harjo, Piercy, Rilke and others, poetry can stir us at the level of our essential self. It preserves myster-ies and helps us experience kinds of truth not available to the reasoning mind. It is about awakening and staying awake.
In this course, visiting poets: Jim Moore, Heid Erdrich, Patricia Kirkpatrick, Angela Shannon team with Julie Neraas to take us through these texts and excerpts from their own. Weight will be given to both craft issues and content. Readings may include: Holy Fire, ed., Halpern; Leaves of Grass, Whitman; The Art of Blessing the Day, Piercy; In Mad Love and War, Harjo; News of the Universe: Poems of Twofold Consciousness, Bly, Final Harvest, Dickinson, and Oliver’s A Poetry Handbook. Assignments include several reflection papers and a summary of learnings.
Instructor: Julie Neraas and guest poets
Summer 2009 and beyond...
Eastern Texts, Pilgrimage Stories,
The Prophetic and the Mystic Impulse,
Sacred Texts of Six Religious Traditions,
Biblical Literature,
Elements of the Craft: Poetry,
Elements of the Craft: Creative Nonfiction
Courses l Registration Information l Tuition & Fees l Back to Top
REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
Please read the policy & procedure information below before registering. To register, download the Registration Form (.pdf document), complete and return to the GLS Office. Current Hamline degree-seeking students may register for the credit section via Piperline.
REGISTRATION POLICIES & PROCEDURES:
- Credit Options
Students have three registration options: Hamline University graduate credit; no-credit, with evaluation; or audit, which receives no academic credit and no evaluation. Student who take a course either for graduate credit or non-credit are expected to participate at the same level. The only difference is the graduate level credit a student will or won't receive after successful completion. Both students participate in all classroom activities, projects, and assignments and receive feedback on their work. Students who audit a course will not receive academic credit, but will receive the designation "AU" on Hamline University transcripts.
Students must possess a bachelor’s degree to earn graduate credit. Work expected of those opting for credit will be equivalent to campus-based courses in Hamline’s Graduate School of Liberal Studies.
- Registration/Tuition Deadline
Registration & tuition payment deadlines follow the official academic calendar: www.hamline.edu/academiccalendar. Students are responsible for following the deadlines as noted by the official academic calendar.
- Cancellation
If a course does not reach minimum enrollment, it will be canceled at least seven days prior to the first session. Tuition paid will be refunded or held for another course.
- Withdrawal
In accordance with the Official Academic Calendar, restrictions on refunds apply. Please call Student Administrative Services at 651-523-3000 for details.
- Evaluation
Letter grade or Pass/No Pass option must be specified at the first class (credit section).
No-Credit section is Pass or No Pass only. Outside assignments will be required of all registrants, regardless of grading system.
- Application to Degree Program
Only courses taken for credit and earning a letter grade may be considered for future transfer into a Hamline University degree program. Grades earned must be a B- or better. Application and admission to a degree program are required.
- Parking
Free in St. Paul campus lots after 4:30 p.m. and on weekends. Free parking at the HU Minneapolis Center.
REGISTRATION FORM (click to download)
Download and complete form. Return to the GLS Office (information on form) via mail or fax. Current Hamline degree-seeking students may register for the credit section via Piperline.
Courses l Registration Information l Tuition & Fees l Back to Top
TUITION & FEES:
2008/2009 tuition rate: $404 per credit for the for-credit option; $1100 (or $550 for winter or summer course) flat rate for the non-credit option. Winter (January) & Summer (June) Term classes are typically 2 credits; Fall & Spring Term courses are typically 4 credits.
Texts and course packets at additional cost may also be required. Those considering a payment plan should call Student Administrative Services 651-523-3000 for details.
Courses l Registration Information l Tuition & Fees l Back to Top
For more information, contact the Graduate School of Liberal Studies at 651-523-2047
or send an e-mail.
