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Don’t Forget – Our Members Get Discounts On All Osher Offerings!

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Osher Offerings

  • The Spring 2026 Osher Catalog
  • Click the red course titles below to sign up for your courses.
  • Click the red instructor names below to learn more about who’s leading courses at Osher.
  • You can also submit a registration form to sign up for courses.
  • If you need assistance, please visit our How to Register tab above.

Osher Annual Membership

Duration: Summer, Fall, Spring
Your membership is valid for one person for three consecutive terms from the date you join. Members have access to all Osher courses and benefits. Course fees, parking fees, and special events fees are not included in your membership. Pay one time to get access to classes all year long.

Please purchase your annual membership BEFORE registering for courses.
Cost: $99 (one person per membership)

Course Categories


Aging Finance & Retirement

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
2-Weeks (In-Person): Qi Gong for Longevity and Graceful Aging: Level 1
Instructor: Yamin Chehin
2/12 – 2/19Thurs10 am-12 pm99804

Do you feel stressed, stuck, or anxious? Do you tend to run out of energy before noon? Are you interested in keeping your body and mind supple…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
Lecture (HyFlex): The Science of Aging Gracefully
Instructor: Jacqueline Penhos
2/25Weds10 am-12 pm99802

Students will be reminded how to keep a healthy lifestyle and increase their social and mental engagement, all while adapting…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
Lecture (HyFlex): Creating Livable Communities for All Ages
Instructor: Michelle Matter
4/8Weds10 am-12 pm99803

This course explores the principles of Age-Friendly Communities, focusing on how cities and organizations can foster environments…

Arts and Humanities

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
2-Weeks (HyFlex): Lessons NOT Learned from the Vietnam War
Instructor: Ed Linz
2/11 – 2/18Wed10 am – 12 pm99859

The course focuses on events leading to U.S. involvement in Vietnam culminating in an avoidable war with casualties…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Weeks (In-Person): Studio Art, Drawing: Developing Visual Awareness
Instructor: Damon Hitchcock
3/2 – 4/6Mon9:30 am – 11:30 am99806

Learning and recording the principles of drawing to perceive what surrounds us can be very satisfying. This unique classroom…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Weeks (In-Person): Art History: Artistic Transformation in the Nineteenth Century
Instructor: Damon Hitchcock
3/6 – 4/10Fri9:30 am – 11:30 am99805

This rewarding course will explore the many varied expressions of the visual arts that are most relevant to our understanding…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
2-Weeks (HyFlex): America’s National Parks – Part 2: The Historic and Cultural Parks
Instructor: Constantine Dillon
3/11 – 3/18Wed10 am-12 pm99807

Of the 433 parks in the National Park System,  more than two-thirds are historic and cultural parks. This class will be a…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
Lecture (In-Person): Dust Bowl Refugees
Instructor: Blaine Davies
4/13Mon10 am-12 pm99840

In the 1930s, almost a half million Americans, victims of the great depression, drought and great dust storms migrated…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
Lecture (HyFlex): Inherited Stories: Writing Fiction Rooted in Family History
Instructor: Lindsay Marie Morris
4/22Weds10:00 am – 12:00 pm99808

In this engaging and interactive session, I guide participants through the process of turning personal and family history …

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
Lecture (In-Person): Venice: History of the Floating City
Instructor: Joanne Ferraro
4/28Tues1 pm – 3pm99809

Have you ever imagined what it was like to live in the floating city of Venice, Italy?  How was it built? How was it organized…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
Lecture (In-Person): Osher Book Club: One Book, One San Diego
Instructor: Jonnie Wilson
Melanie Dunn
5/6Thurs10:00 am – 12:00 pm99810

How can a novel whose main character is an alcoholic church deacon who shoots a drug dealer be described as “comedic…

Osher Membership

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
3 Terms: Spring 2026 Osher Annual Membership (Spring 2026, Summer 2026, Fall 2026)12/8/25-12/4/2699800

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
1 Term: Spring 2026 Osher Semester Membership12/8/25-5/8/2699801

Osher Online

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Weeks (Online): Milestones in Medicine
Instructor: Gordon Josephson
1/14 – 2/18Wed8 am – 9:30 am99825

Trace key milestones in medicine from the late 18th century to today, beginning with Edward Jenner’s pioneering…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Weeks (Online): Heroes of the Holocaust: Lights in the Darkness
Instructor: Howard Kerner
1/14 – 2/18Wed12 pm – 1:30 pm99828

When we think of the Holocaust, we recall the horrors perpetrated by evildoers. Even in humanity’s darkest hours…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Weeks (Online): The Magic Behind Film Scores: Exploring the Role of Music in Great Movies
Instructor: Gordon Josephson
1/14 – 2/18Wed2 pm – 3:30 pm99818

Discover how film music enhances storytelling, sets mood and place, defines character, and blends styles—jazz…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Weeks (Online): Invisible Intelligence: The Unseen Algorithms Reshaping Your Daily Life
Instructor: Eliot Bethke
1/15 – 2/19Thurs2 pm-3:30 pm99820

Artificial Intelligence (AI) quietly influences much of our daily lives, from modern conveniences to life-shaping decisions…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): How the US Immigration System (Usually) Works
Instructor: Michele Waslin
1/16 – 2/20Fri8 am-9:30 am99836

Immigration has long been one of the most complex and contentious issues in US history. We will explore how immigration…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): The American Revolution Beyond the British Empire
Instructor: Rick Bell
1/17 – 2/21Sat10 am-11:30 am99819

Explore the American Revolution within a global context. We will investigate the geopolitical forces that shaped its origins…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): The Noir Novel: Three American Classics
Instructor: Peter Kaye
1/20 – 2/24Tues8 am-9:30 am99826

Explore the noir novel through three influential works: We begin with The Maltese Falcon (1929) by Dashiell Hammett…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): More than Parks: A History of American Conservation
Instructor: Fraser Livingston
1/20 – 2/24Tues10 am-11:30 am99831

Explore the origins and evolution of American conservation through the lens of environmental history. We will examine…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Dealing in Futures: The Shape of Science Fiction
Instructor: Gary Wolfe
1/20 – 2/24Tues12 Pm-1:30 Pm99838

Once considered the domain of pulp magazines and low-budget films, science fiction is now a staple of mainstream…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Japanese History through the Lens of Shōgun
Instructor: Megan McClory
1/20 – 2/24Tues4 pm-5:30 pm99832

Using the 2024 FX mini-series Shogun as a springboard, this course explores Japan’s transformation from civil war…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Using Google Workspace Tools with Confidence
Instructor: Chelsea King
1/21 – 2/25Wed4 pm-5:30 pm99829

This beginner-friendly course is a practical introduction to Google Workspace, covering core applications such as Google…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): John James Audubon and the Birds of America
Instructor: Eric Simon
1/22 – 2/26Thurs8 am-9:30 am99834

John James Audubon was a French American artist and naturalist who, beginning in the 1820s, set out to document…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Pharmaceuticals and Poisons: Chemistry at the Edge
Instructor: Johnnie Hendrickson
1/22 – 2/26Thurs12 pm-1:30 pm99824

Some substances heal, others harm—and sometimes, the same molecule can do both. This chemistry-rich (but non-technical)…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Brain and Behavior in the Era of Digital Technology
Instructor: Elena Labkovsky
1/26 – 3/2Mon8 am-9:30 am99830

Explore the impact of digital technologies on the brain, behavior, and emotional well-being through the lenses of neuroscience…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Landscape & Adventure Photography: An Introduction
Instructor: Jonathan Duncan
1/26 – 3/2Mon12 pm-1:30 pm99821

This workshop will introduce participants to the skills and techniques used to create professional quality images of their…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): History of Sicily
Instructor: Douglas Kenning
1/26 – 3/2Mon10 am-11:30 am99827

Sicily has long been one of the most mythic, magical, and misunderstood places in the Mediterranean. We will explore…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): The History of American Television
Instructor: James McKairnes
1/26 – 3/2Mon12 pm-1:30 pm99833

This video-rich, conversational course offers a dynamic biography of American television—from its 1920s conception…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Einstein without Tears: His Theories Explained without Math and in Everyday Language
Instructor: Andrew Fraknoi
1/27 – 3/3Tues2 pm-3:30 pm99823

This non-technical, non-mathematical course introduces some of the most mind-expanding ideas from Albert Einstein’s…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: A Comparative Exploration
Instructor: Jeremy Fackenthal
1/29 – 3/5Thurs10 am-11:30 am99822

This course is a comparative exploration of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, focusing on rituals, beliefs, and foundational…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Osher Integrative Health: Navigating Chronic Illness in a Complex Healthcare System
Instructor: Multiple Presenters
1/30 – 3/6Fri12 pm-1:30 pm99839

This course, presented in partnership with the Osher Collaborative for Integrative Health, features expert speakers…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Ghosts in the White House: The People Behind Presidential Speeches
Instructor: Diana Carlin
3/30 – 5/4Mon12 pm-1:30 pm99848

Have you ever wondered who writes presidential speeches? This course traces the evolution of speechwriting from George…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): The Scopes Monkey Trial: Then and Now
Instructor: Douglas Mishkin
3/31 – 5/5Tues8 am-9:30 am99854

In July 1925, Clarence Darrow, William Jennings Bryan, and others converged on Dayton, Tennessee, for the Scopes…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Comic Book Literature
Instructor: Arnold Blumberg
3/31 – 5/5Tues8 am-9:30 am99847

Comics (blending words and pictures to tell stories) stretch from cave paintings and the Bayeux Tapestry to today’s…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): A History of Street Art
Instructor: Heather Shirey
4/1 – 5/6Wed8 am-9:30 am99856

Art in the streets (including graffiti, murals, stickers, and paste-ups) gives voice to marginalized communities, shapes…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Siberia: Russia’s Frozen Wasteland or Economic Heartland?
Instructor: Aysa Pereltsvaig
4/1 – 5/6Wed10 am-11:30 am99855

Siberia covers three quarters of Russia’s territory but is home to only a quarter of its population. Yet its role in shaping…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): JFK’s Quest for Peace: Lessons for Turbulent Times
Instructor: Charles Blum
4/2 – 5/7Thurs10 am-11:30 am99846

Throughout his 1000-day presidency, John Kennedy pursued peace through a broad spectrum of initiatives. He saw…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): AI for Regular People
Instructor: Melba Kurman and Hod Lipson
4/2 – 5/7Thurs4 pm-5:30 pm99853

Back by popular demand, this updated course offers a clear, engaging introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Violinists: Performers and Composers
Instructor: Ilana Zaks
4/6 – 5/11Mon8 am-9:30 am99858

Why do so many great violinists also become composers? This course will explore the fascinating legacy of violinist…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Place, Memory, and Environmental Psychology
Instructor: Fernanda Blanco Vidal
4/7 – 5/12Tues10 am-11:30 am99845

How much of who we are is shaped by the places we live and experience? This course invites reflection on the psychological…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): From Leo XIII to Leo XIV: History of 20th and 21st Century Popes
Instructor: Oliva Espin
4/7 – 5/12Tues2 pm-3:30 pm99849

The death of Pope Francis and the election of the first US born Pope have been in the news repeatedly in the last…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): A Beautiful Brain
Instructor: Scott Fulton
4/9 – 5/14Thurs8 am-9:30 am99850

Most conversations about aging focus on lifespan, but brainspan (how long our mind stays sharp) matters more. In this…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Great Science Stories
Instructor: Johnnie Hendrickson
4/9 – 5/14Thurs12 pm-1:30 pm99852

Science is full of surprises. Dyes, accidentally discovered, launched the modern pharmaceutical industry. A failed…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): California Uncovered: A Journey Through Time, Place, and Identity
Instructor: Anthonty Antonucci
4/10 – 5/15Fri12 pm-1:30 pm99843

California is more than a state—it is an idea, a dream, and a contradiction. In this course, we will journey from its…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): The Lost Generation
Instructor: Ferdâ Asya
4/15 – 5/20Wed12 pm-1:30 pm99844

This course will examine the cultural transformations in thinking and living that reshaped America and Western Europe…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Music: Controversies and Curiosities
Instructor: Emmanuel Abramovits
4/15 – 5/20Wed2 pm-3:30 pm99842

Music has long provoked debate, from Beethoven and Stravinsky’s bold innovations to Broadway works like Annie…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Writing the Personal Essay: Finding Your Story
Instructor: Lisa Stolley
4/18 – 5/23Sat11 am-12:30 pm99857

The personal essay, one of the oldest forms of creative nonfiction, blends storytelling, reflection, and analysis to give…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Week (Online): Frank Lloyd Wright and Modern Architecture
Instructor: Jennifer Gray
4/21 – 5/26Tues4 pm-5:30 pm99851

Frank Lloyd Wright designed nearly 1,000 buildings and helped define modern architecture. This course explores highlights…

Personal Development & Special Interest

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
2-Weeks (In-Person): Good Grief! Tools for Easing the Pain of Loss
Instructor: Virginia Berger
3/26 – 4/2Thurs10 am-12 pm99817

Have you noticed that as we grow older, the deaths of those we love and other losses are even more constant? Grief…

Politics & Current Events

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
2-Weeks (HyFlex): Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm: Lessons on the 35th Anniversary of the First Gulf War
Instructor: David Bame
3/4 – 3/11Wed1 pm-3 pm99812

War may provide lessons about inspiring victories and tragic losses-but what about the diplomacy before, during,…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
6-Weeks (In-Person): Policing Governmental Power: What the Court and the Constitution Contribute
Instructor: Glenn Smith
4/3 – 5/8Fri1 pm-3 pm99811

With the Trump Administration making bold claims to executive power and seeking the shrinkage of the federal government…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
Lecture (HyFlex): Media Today: Misinformation, Disinformation & Facts on a Global Scale
Instructor: Martin Kruming
4/15Wed1 pm-3 pm99813

Who are today’s media? What’s fake news and what is real? Where does news come from? Why are journalists important?…

Religious Studies

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
2-Weeks (In-Person): Paul: The First Christian Theologian
Instructor: John Spencer
2/17 – 2/24Tues10 am – 12 pm99816

These two classes will examine Paul’s Jewish and Greek heritage, consider which writings in the New Testament…

Sciences

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
2-Weeks (In-Person): Evolutionary Psychology
Instructor: Dave Nunez
2/21 – 2/28Sat10 am-12 pm99841

We will investigate how the human need to understand and use numbers may have developed as a survival mechanism…

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
Lecture (In-Person): The Anatomy of a Highway: From Conception to Completion
Instructor: Bruce Urquhart
4/16Thurs10 am-12 pm99814

As a car-centric city, San Diego is a network of roadways that span many of our neighborhoods. While you go about …

CoursesDate(s)Day(s)TimeSchedule
Lecture (In-Person): Meet Your Brain: Practical Neuroscience for Everyday Life
Instructor: Maria Keckler
4/18Sat10 am-12 pm99815

What if you could call a huddle with your brain before making decisions, handling conflict, or navigating daily life?…

How to Register for Courses

Remember – Osher members receive discounts on all courses! Click here to discover the benefits of becoming an Osher member.

  1. Log in to your account. If you haven’t created an account yet, click here.
  2. Pick your courses from our online catalog and add them to your cart.
  3. Once you’ve added all your courses, click on the Checkout button.
  4. Complete the checkout process and pay.
  5. Once registered, you’ll receive a confirmation by email. Additional information like Zoom links and locations for in-person classes/Special Events will be sent in a separate email closer to the date of the event or the start of the course.

You can also submit a registration form to sign up for courses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click the dropdown items below for the answers and additional details.

How to Create an Account

If this is your first time signing up for Osher offerings, you’ll need to create an account with SDSU Global Campus. Please complete the following steps:

  1. Click on SDSU Global Campus Student under Login at the top of the page.
  2. Click Create Account under Create a New Customer Account.
  3. Fill out your personal account information and click Create.
  4. Log in to your New Account using your Login and Password.
  5. Complete your Account profile information with any remaining required information.
  6. Activate your account by signing up for your first course. Click here to learn more.

If you need help creating or logging into your account, please contact the SDSU Global Campus IT Support Team at itsupport.global@sdsu.edu or 619-594-5893.

How to Become a Member

​​You can sign up for a membership at any time to receive the full benefits of the Osher @ SDSU community. Please note that you’ll need to sign up for membership before registering for an Osher course to get the membership discounts.

Once you’ve chosen which type of membership you’d like to purchase, please complete the following steps.

  1. Log in to your account. If you haven’t created an account yet, click here.
  2. Click here to choose your Osher Membership.
  3. Add your membership to the cart.
  4. If you’d like to sign up for courses in the same purchase, visit our online catalog and add your courses to the cart as well.
  5. Complete the checkout process and pay.

You can also sign up for membership by phone by calling 619-594-5152.

Explore the benefits of becoming an Osher member.

How to View Your Current Classes
  1. Log in to your account.
  2. Go to My Academics.
  3. Click on Current Courses.
  4. View the list of courses displayed. If you’d like to view course details and the schedule, click on the schedule number link for the section you wish to view.
Late Registration

Registration deadlines are posted with each course on our website. Please register by the deadline for all courses and activities. You may request to register after the deadline with Osher staff approval, provided there is still room to enroll. Please note there is an additional $5 fee for late registration.

  1. Write to Osher@SDSU.edu to obtain approval
  2. Fill out an Osher Registration form
  3. Once approved, submit the registration form to enrollment.global@sdsu.edu.
  4. Contact cashier.global@sdsu.edu to submit payment

For questions or assistance with late registrations, please contact the SDSU Global Campus Registration Office at 619-594-5152

How to Sign Up for the Waitlist

If a course/activity is full, there may be an option to put your name on a wait list. If a registered participant drops, those on the waitlist will be contacted in order and given a 24-hour period to register before the next person on the list is contacted. If you’re on the waitlist before the registration deadline and a spot opens up, you will not be charged a late fee to enroll.

When Do Classes Start? When Do Classes End?

Our university-quality classes start throughout the semester and can be up to six weeks long. You will find the specific start and end dates for each course/activity listed with their descriptions on our website. These dates will also appear on the confirmation letter sent to you after you register.

Who Teaches the Classes?

Osher classes are led by current and retired SDSU professors, faculty from other universities, professionals with recognized expertise in their fields, and award-winning artists and authors.

Do You Offer Courses Online and in Person?

Yes, our offerings feature a mix of in-person and online classes. Please click on the Courses tab for details on specific courses.

What is the Price Per Class?

Fees vary, depending on the type and length of the course. You will find each course fee listed with the description in the Courses tab above.

Do You Ever Cancel Classes?

If we do not have sufficient enrollments to cover expenses related to the course, we will have to cancel the course. You can help by recruiting others to join you in the class. If your course is canceled, you have the option to transfer your registration to another eligible offering within the same semester or receive a full refund for your course.

Where Do I Park?

Parking is conveniently located in Parking Structure 6, just steps away from the buildings where classes are held. The cost of parking per class is $2. Please refer to the Parking and Transportation section of our Additional Osher Resources page for more information.

What is the Osher Refund Policy?

Please refer to the Refund Policy section of our Additional Osher Resources page for more information.

Can I mail in my registration?

Yes! We are pleased to offer mail-in registration for our members/ Please complete a Registration form and mail to:
SDSU University Bursar’s Office, SSW 2536
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, Ca., 92182-7425

Please make sure to reference your EMPL ID/Red ID number on the check and not what the check is for.

Hear From Our Members

The Osher Institute at SDSU provides a wide variety of courses, intellectual stimulation, knowledgeable teachers who are passionate about their topics, and the opportunity to meet new people. What’s not to love?

Need Support?

Email Osher: osher@sdsu.edu
Phone Registration: (619) 594-5152
Email Global Campus: enrollment.global@sdsu.edu
IT: itsupport.global@sdsu.edu
In Person: 5701 Hardy Ave Suite 303, San Diego, CA, 92115

Osher at SDSU