Midcoast Senior College has announced its list of new courses for seniors in Midcoast Maine who are interested in continuing to learn as they age. Fall Term I begins in September and runs through October. Courses are four- to eight-weeks long and are either in-person or online (Zoom). No grades, no exams, senior college is not-for-credit learning for seniors 50 years and older. Registration for the following courses starts on Aug. 18.

The following courses are in-person unless specified as online or hybrid:

The Nuclear Age, 1900-2025, taught by John Dunn, will examine selected aspects of the nuclear age.

Alden Flanders will teach T.S. Eliot: Four Quartets, an exploration of Eliot’s spiritual imagery through these four extended poems.

Plato’s Republic vs. Dewey’s Democracy is a hybrid course that will look at Plato’s republic versus John Dewey’s democracy, taught by Bruce Hauptli.

Terry Porter will lead the course, Self-Guided Nature Tour of Merrymeeting Bay, an online discussion of Merrymeeting Bay’s nature and ecology, and exploration of nature preserves with trails to the Bay.

Andrew Jackson: The Scoundrel Who Transformed America looks at how President Jackson’s influence extends into modern American politics, taught by Niles Schore.

John and Cheryl Swift will co-teach Jack London’s "Wolves, Dogs, and Humans," which examines London’s representation of animal evolution, heredity, and behavior.

Understanding the Immigration “Crisis” looks at immigration, past and present, to help understand the immigration debate, taught by Douglas Bennett.

David Spurr will teach Six Modern Architects, an exploration of six 20th century architects through their challenges and resulting art forms.

Plato on Love examines the question, what is Love through Plato’s Symposium, led by Raymond Boisvert.

Mariama Bâ’s Une Si Longue Lettre is an advanced French language class taught by Jayne Boisvert which will discuss the novel by a pioneer of Senegalese feminism.

An online course, The U.S. Supreme Court: The Least Known Branch, will examine how the court gained its power of judicial review, among other topics, taught by Kevin Hart.

Bill Davenport will teach Engaging with AI, a course that breaks down artificial intelligence and its tools.

Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War is a reading and discussion of the vivid portrait of Athens as a democracy and empire, taught by Richard Heitman.

Registration for Midcoast Senior College’s Fall Term I 2025 opens Aug. 18. Course fee is $60 each; an annual $40 membership fee is required. Find more details including class locations and video descriptions at www.midcoastseniorcollege.org or call (207) 725-4900.

Midcoast senior college is a small 501c3 serving the Midcoast region.