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This is full, please add yourself to the WAIT LIST.
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OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 12/2/2026. We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Joining the wait list is free; if you are invited and choose to enroll, the $42.00 fee will be collected at that time.
- Date: 12/2/2026
- Day of the Week: W
- Fees: $42.00
- Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Toplin will provide information about the cases at the beginning of the meetings and then welcome your judgments about three important Supreme Court rulings. He will discuss the history that led to the decisions, identify the controversies, and describe the rulings’ impact on American society. First meeting: District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) that protected an individual’s right to possess a firearm. Second meeting: Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010) that applied First Amendment rights to specific campaign spending. Third meeting: Trump v. United States (2024) that gave presidents presumptive immunity for official acts.
Take the Course Survey
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This is full, please add yourself to the WAIT LIST.
Tip: After you sign in, a blue Add to Wait List button will appear below. If you don’t see it, use the Sign In button here:
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OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 11/30/2026. We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Joining the wait list is free; if you are invited and choose to enroll, the $42.00 fee will be collected at that time.
- Date: 11/30/2026
- Day of the Week: M
- Fees: $42.00
- Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Imagine an organ as influential as your brain—one that shapes your memory, mood, health, weight, and behavior. This “organ” is your human microbiome, the vast collection of microbes living in and on your body. Gut microbes alone contain about 3 million genes, far exceeding human genes, enabling them to produce essential molecules for survival. These microbes help regulate stress, hormones, immune function, and even brain activity, influencing cognition and behavior. Humans depend heavily on these beneficial organisms. This course explores the fascinating world of the microbiome and offers insights into maintaining a healthy gut.
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SPACE WILL OPEN ONLY IF AN ENROLLED MEMBER DROPS OUT OF THE COURSE. ADDING ANOTHER SECTION OR MOVING TO A LARGER VENUE IS NOT AN OPTION. IT MAY BE OFFERED IN A FUTURE SEMESTER.
The Human Microbiome: How Your Microbes Control You with P.J. Rooney
Instructor: P.J. Rooney
Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.
Day of the Week: Tu
Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Dates: 12/1/2026 - 12/15/2026
Number of class sessions in this course: 3
Fee: $42.00
Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Limit: 25
Course Description:
Imagine an organ as influential as your brain—one that shapes your memory, mood, health, weight, and behavior. This “organ” is your human microbiome, the vast collection of microbes living in and on your body. Gut microbes alone contain about 3 million genes, far exceeding human genes, enabling them to produce essential molecules for survival. These microbes help regulate stress, hormones, immune function, and even brain activity, influencing cognition and behavior. Humans depend heavily on these beneficial organisms. This course explores the fascinating world of the microbiome and offers insights into maintaining a healthy gut.
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Instructor: Russ Linden
Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.
Day of the Week: Th
Times: 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Dates: 11/19/2026 - 11/19/2026
Number of class sessions in this course: 1
Fee: $14.00
Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Limit: 35
Number of seats available: 24
Course Description:
As we get older we sometimes reflect on life's big questions; What are our most important responsibilities? How do we want to spend the rest of our time on this earth? In this session, we'll talk about another "big question:" How do we maintain gratitude for our many blessings? Some seniors become more aware of the many things we can be grateful for, like kids and grandkids, life itself. But for others that isn't true: growing physical limitations and health problems can make gratitude difficult.
In this session we’ll discuss how to maintain an attitude of gratitude, and help others do the same.
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This is full, please add yourself to the WAIT LIST.
Tip: After you sign in, a blue Add to Wait List button will appear below. If you don’t see it, use the Sign In button here:
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OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 11/20/2026. We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Joining the wait list is free; if you are invited and choose to enroll, the $14.00 fee will be collected at that time.
- Date: 11/20/2026
- Day of the Week: F
- Fees: $14.00
- Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
AI leads this lively introduction to AI’s creative and practical possibilities. Participants explore storytelling, idea generation, planning, and simple explanations for everyday questions. The session is supportive, interactive, and designed to make learning enjoyable for all. (There will be a human moderator.)
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Robert (Bob) Covert, Pam McFaden
Day of the week: Tu
Times: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM.
Dates: 12/8/2026 - 12/8/2026
Member Benefit
Course Location:OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
Location Address:1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Limit (we do monitor enrollment and when possible may add seats): 35
Description:
This is an hour program with a half hour for questions. Participants will learn tips on how to visit Yellowstone National Park like a pro. Photographs will take us around the Grand Loop Road and to locations that few tourists see. Geysers and collecting data will be discussed. Information on the Geyser Observation and Study Association will be shared. The best locations and times to view wildlife will be shared as well as the best times and places to photograph the many waterfalls of Yellowstone. The logistics of a visit will be discussed.
Dr. Pam McFaden and Dr. Bob Covert bring extensive experience in multicultural education and research. Dr. McFaden, who earned her EdD from UVA, has taught at the secondary level and at UVA’s Curry School, and later led equity initiatives in public schools. Dr. Covert, who earned his PhD from Temple University, spent 42 years at UVA teaching and conducting research, and is a recognized leader in evaluation and multicultural education. Together, they are committed to equity and inclusive teaching.
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This opportunity begins 10/21/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 5 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/21/2026 - 11/11/2026
- Times: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
- Days: W
- Fee: $56.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: The first two sessions will cover general information. Questions such as what makes a plant an orchid, how do orchids differ from other plants, how did orchids get their name, how big and diverse is the orchid family, what role did orchids play in the development of science and how old is the orchid family will be addressed. Remaining sessions are devoted to culture. Emphasis is given to the genus Phalaenopsis (beginners orchid). Other orchids commonly grown by hobbyists are also discussed. Topics covered include temperature, light, watering frequency and humidity requirements, potting media choices, dormancy, fertilization, pest and diseases.
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This opportunity begins 10/29/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 4 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/29/2026 - 12/10/2026
- Times: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
- Days: Th
- Fee: $84.00
- Course Location: VPAS-Valley Program for Aging Services. (opens in new tab) - Conference Room
- Location Address: 325 Pine Ave Waynesboro, VA 22980
- This instructor is teaching this course in Charlottesville and Staunton. This is the course offered in Staunton.
Description: Great art bestows the ability to find in the past aspects of human experience that sheds light on the meaning of our own times. This was particularly the case for the intellectuals living in post World War II Eastern Europe, who had not only experienced first hand the horrors of concentration camps, totalitarianism, and the threat of nuclear annihilation, but subsequently had also found themselves allied against the reality of everyday life under Stalin. These intellectuals found in Shakespeare’s plays a profound parallel in the playwright’s own proximity to civil war, brutality, ideology, conspiracy, and bloody repression. While seeing in Shakespeare what was termed “universal truth,” they, unlike any of the prominent Shakespearean critics in earlier eras, also found in Shakespeare’s plays the essence of modern consciousness. What was this particular essence that drew them to Shakespeare in a way no other prior critics had glimpsed? We will answer this question by discussing five plays: Richard II and Richard III, Hamlet, Macbeth, and Othello to discover what qualities of modern experience they found.
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This opportunity begins 11/2/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 5 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 11/2/2026 - 11/16/2026
- Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
- Days: M
- Fee: $42.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: Remember the fun and excitement of The Beatles and their music? Come listen to the history of The Beatles and share your own experiences. Reminisce about the Fab Four and the people that helped them make music. No tests. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.
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This opportunity begins 10/27/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 0 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/27/2026 - 12/1/2026
- Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
- Days: Tu
- Fee: $70.00
- Course Location: Homewood Suites (opens in new tab) - Cavalier Room
- Location Address: 2036 India Road Charlottesville, VA 22901
- This course location has been updated.
Description: This course addresses a topic that’s critical these days: Resilience. How do we bounce back from difficult times and challenges? Whether at work, with our family/friends, in our community activities, we all experience stressful times. The question is, how do we respond? The course is very interactive. We’ll use lecture/discussion, video clips, short case studies and a self assessment questionnaire to explore resilience. We’ll draw on both personal and professional examples that illustrate 6 different strategies for maintaining or improving our resilience.
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This opportunity begins 10/27/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -1 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/27/2026 - 11/17/2026
- Times: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
- Days: Tu
- Fee: $56.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: Discussion group exploring all aspects of the important mid-term Congressional election. Will the Republicans retain control of the House and Senate? Are the election results being challenged? Emerging politicians for the 2028 Presidential election? Come and present you take and all things related to the current status of US politics.
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This opportunity begins 10/30/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 26 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/30/2026 - 12/11/2026
- Times: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
- Days: F
- Fee: $98.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: The course will examine the careers of six prominent African nationalists leaders: Houphouet-Boigny of Cote d’Ivoire, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Ahmed Sekou Toure of Guinea, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and Nelson Mandela of South Africa.
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This opportunity begins 10/29/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 30 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/29/2026 - 12/17/2026
- Times: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
- Days: Th
- Fee: $98.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: This course offers an opportunity to learn about the structure, function and financing of the health care system in the United States. Lectures and classroom sessions will cover the history and current status of the education and delivery systems, and examine the challenges that face providers, patients, policy makers, and citizens as health care becomes more effective and more expensive. Issues related to manpower, financing, access, disparities, and developing technology will be examined, with discussion of approaches to understanding and addressing significant problems, challenges, and opportunities.
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This opportunity begins 11/5/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 5 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 11/5/2026 - 12/3/2026
- Times: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
- Days: Th
- Fee: $70.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: This advanced discussion group is designed for individuals who have completed the initial course, A Time to Listen, A Time to Speak. Conversations will engage with more complex and rigorous themes. Registration in A Time to Listen, Time to Speak is required.
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This opportunity begins 10/20/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 2 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/20/2026 - 12/1/2026
- Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
- Days: Tu
- Fee: $84.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: This six-session course is for students who have taken my first OLLI Book Publishing course and anyone who wants to delve deeply into book proposals, contracts, working with agents and editors, hybrid publishing self-publishing and other book publishing possibilities.
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This opportunity begins 11/10/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 8 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 11/10/2026 - 11/24/2026
- Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
- Days: Tu
- Fee: $42.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: The promotion, construction and operation of the Erie Canal together constitute one rollicking adventure. In this course, we will follow the debates between the nay-sayers and the visionaries who conceived the “crazy notion”. Without getting into any engineering details, we will discuss the construction of the canal, stretching rom Albany to Buffalo—some 400 miles. There were folk songs about the arduous labor of digging the canal, and we will listen to some samples. The dangerous task of canal operation will be described. Finally, the enormous impact of the project on the development of the young nations will be described.
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This opportunity begins 10/28/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -7 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/28/2026 - 12/9/2026
- Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
- Days: W
- Fee: $70.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
- Two-Hour Class Sessions. *Schedule update: no class session on 11/4
Description: This course offers a SURVEY of French History from the Prehistoric period in the Dordogne valley through the Hundred Years War. Subjects will include Roman Gaul, early Merovingian kings, Charlemagne, Feudalism, the Crusades, Joan of Arc and the Hundred Years War. We will also discuss Romanesque and Gothic architecture, a unique contribution from the French in the Middle Ages. The course will highlight unique places to visit in France where all of these events took place.
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This opportunity begins 11/5/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -6 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 11/5/2026 - 12/10/2026
- Times: 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM
- Days: Th
- Fee: $84.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: Most discussions of “the problem of evil” eagerly gravitate to the florid malignancies of mass murderers, serial killers, and sociopathic career criminals. This facilitates a neglect of the evils done by national governments, either to other nations or to their own people. In our country, the word “evil” is rarely used for the conduct of our own government. Historically, a conspiracy of silence surrounds our theft of Native American lands. Thoreau cited his government’s enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Law and the invasion of Mexico. How do we identify American evils happening today? How do we confront them?
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This opportunity begins 10/26/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -6 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/26/2026 - 12/14/2026
- Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
- Days: M
- Fee: $98.00
- Course Location: Homewood Suites (opens in new tab) - Albemarle Room
- Location Address: 2036 India Road Charlottesville, VA 22901
Description: This course will examine the major geologic events that shaped planet Earth during its 4.6-billion-year history from its earliest beginnings from nebular dust to the formation of the continents, to the present ice age. Woven through this geologic history will be the evolution of life on earth from the theories of where and when life began, to man's arrival 300 thousand years ago and his impact on our planet. No prior geologic education is required but helpful.
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This opportunity begins 11/2/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 17 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 11/2/2026 - 12/14/2026
- Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
- Days: M
- Fee: $84.00
- Course Location: Homewood Suites (opens in new tab) - Albemarle Room
- Location Address: 2036 India Road Charlottesville, VA 22901
Description: A producer chooses a play to put before an audience. Now what? How does the printed text of a play become a performance? Who will direct it? And what exactly does the director do? Who will design the set, lighting and costumes—and build, install and sew them? Auditions and casting—what’s all that about? Then, the rehearsal process must be carefully planned and rigorously carried out. The list of considerations goes on and on—and on. And every component must be seamlessly woven together to creative a unified, coherent theatrical experience. Whether it’s classical, Elizabethan, modern, contemporary, or avant-garde —comedy, tragedy, farce, melodrama, musical or anything you can imagine, it’s a magical and often mysterious path from the page to the stage. We will wend our way through this creative labyrinth, examining the works of the most respected, influential and successful directors, designers and actors throughout the history of the theatre to show us how it’s done. The course will be almost entirely visual— drawings, photographs, videos—while your instructor serves as a combination tour guide, docent, and critic to illustrate, illuminate, and explicate the most complex artistic process ever devised— the staging of a play.
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This opportunity begins 10/28/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 3 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/28/2026 - 11/25/2026
- Times: 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
- Days: W
- Fee: $70.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
- Two Hour Class Sessions
Description: Guided Autobiography (GAB) is a researched and developed method whereby participants are led through a series of themes and sensitizing questions that evoke memories of events otherwise tucked away or seemingly forgotten. Each participant writes a two-page story on a particular theme that is explored and discussed each week. They then share their story within small groups to connect with one another, reflect on their life’s journey, or leave a written legacy for their family. No writing experience is necessary.
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This opportunity begins 11/12/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 2 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 11/12/2026 - 12/10/2026
- Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
- Days: Th
- Fee: $70.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: This course description was written in the spring of 2026, wondering mightily what the fall may bring. Can poetry help us to be calm and hopeful in anxious times? Is it a satisfaction to hear the anger and anxiety of voices from past hard times— and to remember how hard some of those were. In this course we’ll read together poems from the 1930s Depression, from the civil rights struggle, from war and poverty, from environmental collapse. We’ll try some protest songs and some labor songs, and look for voices that speak to our own times.
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This opportunity begins 10/22/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -3 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/22/2026 - 11/19/2026
- Times: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
- Days: Th
- Fee: $56.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
- *The schedule has been updated. No class session on 11/5.
Description: Former Council of Economic Advisors Chair Arthur Okun has written: “Contemporary American society is, in a sense, a split-level structure. Its political and social institutions provide universally-distributed rights and privileges that proclaim the equality of all citizens. But its economic institutions rely on market-determined outcomes that generate substantial disparities among citizens in living standards and material welfare. The resulting mixture of equal rights and unequal incomes creates tensions between the political principles of democracy and the economic principles of capitalism.” This course will use the Okun analytical framework to think about and assess the continuing tension between American democracy and capitalism. *Students should really purchase or have access to the short (110 pages) book by Arthur Okun, EQUALITY AND EFFICIENCY: THE BIG TRADEOFF, that costs around $15-20 online. For the especially frugal there is alternatively a 16 page Aspen Institute manuscript that covers much of the same ground and could be reproduced.
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This opportunity begins 10/20/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 3 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/20/2026 - 11/24/2026
- Times: 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
- Days: Tu
- Fee: $84.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
- Two-Hour Class Sessions
Description: This course about the short narrative form is designed for inexperienced writers who might enjoy exploring their creative potential in a small class setting. Attendees will sharpen their skills through a series of weekly assignments that will be gently critiqued by their classmates. The weekly writings will focus on both fiction and creative nonfiction. Required material - just bring your stories. The participants may wish to read their work each week. The skills necessary for short narrative writing are relevant to many writing genres including short stories, micro fiction, and poetry. This course will focus on student writing.
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This opportunity begins 10/30/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -2 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/30/2026 - 12/18/2026
- Times: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
- Days: F
- Fee: $98.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
- One-Hour Class Sessions. The time listed here is correct.
Description: Yang style Tai Chi is the most popular style. It helps participants with strength, balance, flexibility, and concentration. This class will cover the first parts of the Yang 24 sequence. It will also include Tai Chi walking and some basic Qi Gong exercises. As with all exercise programs, people should check with their primary care providers before participating.
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This opportunity begins 11/9/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 8 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 11/9/2026 - 12/7/2026
- Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
- Days: M
- Fee: $70.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: This course intends to actively involve participants in dialogue through careful examination of the continuing effects, both obvious and hidden, of colonialism, on both colonized and colonizer. Such consideration, undertaken in a group, can offer essential perspectives on human experience as our global society compresses, and as we acknowledge the lived realities of irrevocably changed lives. Close contact with the lived cultures of others will help us better understand our own culture.
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This opportunity begins 11/4/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 48 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
Description: We will examine the life, times, and leadership of three recent presidents of the United States. First meeting: Jimmy Carter. Second meeting: Bill Clinton. Third Meeting: Barack Obama. We’ll start with biographical perspectives, noting the upbringing, education, and experiences that influenced these individuals’ ideas. We will discuss the presidents’ domestic and foreign policies. We’ll also identify controversies that developed during their years in the White House and consider the ways these leaders handled them. We welcome your ideas and questions.
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This opportunity begins 10/19/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 4 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/19/2026 - 11/16/2026
- Times: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
- Days: M
- Fee: $70.00
- Course Location: Homewood Suites (opens in new tab) - Cavalier Room
- Location Address: 2036 India Road Charlottesville, VA 22901
- Location has been updated.
Description: The goal is to share Tudor tidbits of history with the audience. The Tudor Dynasty is one of the most well-known to history even though it only lasted 118 years. We’ll discuss the founding, the monarchs, their spouses (yep, definitely including the six wives!) and the power plays both within England and the rest of the world.
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This opportunity begins 10/21/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 3 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/21/2026 - 11/25/2026
- Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
- Days: W
- Fee: $84.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description:
Each meeting focuses on about 100 pages of designated passages from one of the novels – always portraying the dramatic ups and downs of developing a mature, fulfilling partnership. It is fascinating to see the remarkable differences in how the two great British women, and the two great Russian men explore the quest for a soul-mate, especially since each of these modern epics is deeply autobiographical Any good edition will work. For avid readers, Norton editions have authorial comments & great critical essays. [Pride and Prejudice: 4th Norton Crit. Ed. by D.A. Gray & M.A. Favret (2016); Middlemarch: 2nd Norton Crit. Ed. by Bert Hornback (2000); War and Peace: 2nd Norton Crit. Ed. George Gibian (1996); The Brothers Karamazov: 2nd Norton Crit. Ed. by Susan Oddo (2011). Meetings 1-3: Pride and Prejudice (1813) vs. Middlemarch (1871). Meetings 4-6: War & Peace (1869) vs. The Brothers Karamazov (1881).
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This opportunity begins 10/21/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -10 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/21/2026 - 11/25/2026
- Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
- Days: W
- Fee: $70.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: Meditation improves memory by strengthening the brain, reducing stress related cortisol, and increasing gray matter density. Practicing mindfulness, focused attention, or meditation for 10-20 minutes daily can significantly boost working memory, concentration, and cognitive flexibility. The program objective for the first class is to provide an introduction and overview to mind body medicine, and how it can improve the lives of everyone, especially our senior community. The benefit of this program is you will have tools that you can take home to allow you to identify stress and utilize relaxation techniques to alleviate that stress.
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This opportunity begins 10/19/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -2 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/19/2026 - 11/16/2026
- Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Days: M
- Fee: $70.00
- Course Location: Private Residence - Studio
- Location Address: details will be shared with enrolled members , VA
- *Two hour class sessions
Description: Class sesssions will occur at private residence in Charlottesville, six minutes from Barracks Road Shopping Center, specific address and directions will be sent to those enrolled.
Whither Music is inspired by Leonard Bernstein’s Norton Lecture series “The Unanswered Question” and Mr. Erler’s personal quest to understand why we respond to music and what makes some performances better than others. The course starts with the first sounds we hear at birth and how these lead directly to pleasing harmonies and rhythms through a discussion of the physics of music and the relationship between language and music. The evolution of music is then viewed through harmonic and structural changes. Mr. Erler will talk from the keyboard and will include a Master Class to demonstrate differences in performance.
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This opportunity begins 10/28/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -8 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/28/2026 - 12/2/2026
- Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
- Days: W
- Fee: $70.00
- Course Location: Homewood Suites (opens in new tab) - Cavalier Room
- Location Address: 2036 India Road Charlottesville, VA 22901
- This information is correct. This course is in Session B and on Wednesdays.
*The location has changed.
Description: Why is it that most stories of war are told by men? Although prevailing narratives are most often shared through a masculine lens, women have stories, too—as secret agents crossing enemy lines, nurses tending to the wounded, machinists in factories keeping supply lines moving, wives and mothers at home keeping farms and families intact, journalists reporting from the battlefields, and as warriors on the ground and in the air. Yet it wasn’t until 1948 that President Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, giving women the right to serve their country across all military branches. It took another six decades for American women to legitimately fight beside their “band of brothers” in actual combat. Through film, diaries, letters, and personal accounts, this course examines the changing roles of women during wartime and how their stories are interwoven in the fight for women’s rights.have stories, too—as secret agents crossing enemy lines, nurses tending to the wounded, machinists in factories keeping supply lines moving, wives and mothers at home keeping farms and families intact, journalists reporting from the battlefields, and as warriors on the ground and in the air. Yet it wasn’t until 1948 that President Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, giving women the right to serve their country across all military branches. It took another six decades for American women to legitimately fight beside their “band of brothers” in actual combat. Through film, diaries, letters, and personal accounts, this course examines the changing roles of women during wartime and how their stories are interwoven in the fight for women’s rights.
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This opportunity begins 10/27/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 1 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/27/2026 - 12/1/2026
- Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
- Days: Tu
- Fee: $84.00
- Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
- Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
Description: This is a continuation of the process of writing your life story with emphasis on self-editing, reflective writing and and setting goals for the finished product. Open to those who have completed the Writing Your Life Story basic course and who enjoy the encouragement, learning and incentive for writing that comes from group interaction.
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This opportunity begins 10/28/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 15 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/28/2026 - 12/9/2026
- Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
- Days: W
- Fee: $84.00
- Course Location: Homewood Suites (opens in new tab) - Albemarle Room
- Location Address: 2036 India Road Charlottesville, VA 22901
Description: "I wanted wings 'til I got the *!@#$ things. Now I don't want them anymore!"....was often the refrain from the men who flew, fought and died during the European air campaign of WWII. Using videos, slides and first-hand accounts, this course will take a look at the Men, Women, aircraft and missions that crushed the Third Reich.
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This opportunity begins 10/28/2026.
Online registration for this program is currently closed.
- Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
- Registration remains closed once the program has begun.
- Osher Online courses close earlier so that enollment information can be shared with Osher National.
You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 21 seats available.
(A positive number indicates the number of seats still available, 0 indicates the course is full. A negative number indicates a waitlist. For example, -3 means three people are currently on the waitlist.)
- Dates: 10/28/2026 - 12/9/2026
- Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
- Days: W
- Fee: $84.00
- Course Location: Homewood Suites (opens in new tab) - Albemarle Room
- Location Address: 2036 India Road Charlottesville, VA 22901
- This time is correct.
Description: Described as fighting in a “dark, wet hell”, submariners of both sides endured the highest casualty rate of any combat specialty in WWII. Fighting German submarines in every ocean in the world, the Allies successfully prevented the Nazis from starving Great Britain, and by using submarines, successfully destroyed the economy of Imperial Japan. Using pictures, maps and firsthand accounts, this course will examine the men, technology and missions that spelled doom for the Japanese empire and Nazi Germany during World War II.
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