Self-Paced Courses are accessed through our learning management system. The students are guided by clear weekly schedules, instructional videos, and automated assessments. Courses are written to be completed in one academic year, but students set their own pace. No grading is provided, but answer keys are available for most courses. Access is for one calendar year.

Course Description: Our great books courses are 3-in-1 classes that integrate Literature, Philosophy, and Theology into a single reading sequence. Courses are organized by historical period, with purposeful repetition:

The class format is that of a "great books" seminar--students read primary works from the great authors and authoresses of Western Civilization and then discuss them in a round-table format, thus joining what has been referred to as the "Great Conversation." The students learn to read, listen, speak, relish, and dispute the true, good, and beautiful things that "our tradition" has to offer.

Though primary works are read, care is taken to see that students are not overburdened, through abridgment and editing of the works read and study aids.

History & Composition: This course is part of an integrated course cluster that includes History Primer: World Civilizations and Composition Primer.
Self-paced and Live course options are available.

This course is an introduction to the Great Books method and to western civilization, covering all three of the historical cycles found in our Great Books courses: Ancient & Classical Times, the Christian Age, and Modern Times. Readings are no more than a few pages and the discussions are specifically crafted for younger students.

Reading Topic List:

Abraham, Chosen & Covenant
Ruth, Faithfulness
Psalms & Proverbs
David, The Heart of Man
Esther, Courage & Providence
Aesop's Fables
Hesiod, Justice & Work
Herodotus, Happiness and History
Alcestis, Love
Virgil, Funeral Games
Cicero, Friendship
Gospel of St. Matthew, Parable
Gospel of St. John, Lazarus
Gospel of St. John, Passion, Death, and Resurrection
Acts of the Apostles, Spread of the Gospel
Epistle of St. Paul, Theological Virtues
Didache, Way of Life
St. Ambrose, Hymn
St. Augustine, Confession
Edict of Milan, Religious Freedom
Rule of St. Columba, Monasticism
Einhard, The Life of Charlemagne
Chaucer, Canterbury Tales
Shakespeare, As You Like It
Milton, Paradise Lost
Edmund Burke, Revolution in France
William Wordsworth, Poems

Prerequisites: None
Recommended Age Range: 7th grade
Required & Recommended Books: See The Self-Paced Course Book List
Required Tech: Computer and internet connection capable of video playback.

Components: Reading, Agenda, Video Lecture (background on the author and concepts of which to be aware), Automated Quiz, Audio Recording of Reading, and Activity Sheet (Reading Questions & periodic writing assignments).