2021 GBO Seminar & Discussion Series

Build Crucial Critical Thinking Skills
8-Week Programs | Once Per Week | 60 Minutes
Open to Students in Grades 6 - 8 & 9 - 12
Now enrolling for February!
Join our weekly Great Books Online Seminar and Discussion Series to explore literature as a catalyst for building critical thinking, close reading, and civil discourse skills.
Discussion, Debate, Close Reading, Thinking, Friends, and Fun
Each hour-long session focuses on poetry, art, or a brief selection of prose. These lively discussions model the shared inquiry seminar style used in the world’s best universities. Our warm community of intellectually curious students reinvigorates online learning with engaging conversations and energetic debate.
Each program explores classic literature both old and new across genres. See our curriculum and themes for our current programs!
Program Dates & Times
Scheduled in afternoons, weekends, and evenings, to allow students from across time zones and around the world to come together. All programs are 8 or 12 consecutive weeks.
Programs for Middle School Students:
- Tuesdays at 7:00pm Eastern, Feb. 9 - March 30 (grades 6-8)
- Saturdays at 7:00am Eastern, Feb. 13 - April 3 (grades 6-8) Ideal for International Time Zones!
Programs for High School Students:
- Wednesdays at 7:00pm Eastern, Feb. 10 - March 30 (grades 9-12)
- Saturdays at 7:00am Eastern, Feb. 13 - April 3 (grades 9-12) Ideal for International Time Zones!
Availability is limited. Register today
Distinguished Faculty & Scholars - Live Classes

Meet our Academic Directors, the same distinguished faculty and scholars who teach our hallmark on-campus programs. They include:
- Dr. Ilan Stavans, Lewis-Sebring Professor of Humanities, Latin American and Latino Cultures at Amherst College.
- Dr. Annie Seaton, a Visiting Assistant Professor of Humanities at Bard College.
- Dr. Steve Volk is Professor of History Emeritus at Oberlin College where he taught Latin American history and museum studies for 31 years
- Dr. Dominic Vendell is completing a postdoctoral research associate appointment with the Forms of Law in the Early Modern Persianate World project at the University of Exeter in the UK.
- Eve Houghton, a PhD student in English at Yale University, focues her research on English literature and culture from 1500-1800, the history of reading, and literary procrastination.
- Andrew Sanchez is a DPhil candidate and Ertegun Scholar at the University of Oxford where he studies the future of work and basic income.
See more of our esteemed Great Books Online faculty.
Writer's Workshops Too!
Many readers are budding authors who would benefit from Writer’s Workshop classes to build techniques while engaging in a supportive community of writers. And, of course, every student needs to learn the Essential Elements of Writing – the mechanics, grammar, and other tools necessary to master the art of well-formed writing. Great Books Online is also offering Pod & Specialty Courses this January!
Make the most of each week with both the Great Books Online Seminar and Discussion Series and Writing Programs!
Tuition & Fees
Tuition for each Great Books Seminar and Discussion Series is $700 for 12-week programs and $500 for 8-week programs. There is also a $50 Registration Fee. This one-time fee per participant covers any and all January classes chosen. Registration and Tuition are refundable until January 4, 2021.
Get More Info!
You can reach us anytime via phone, text, email. Or, jump on live chat!