College classes carrying more than credit value to come

Sometimes classes aren’t about getting the right grade. Sometimes classes are about simply adding to your life.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania is now offering several noncredit classes through the Office of Adult and Continuing Education Community-University Studies program.

The classes are open to anyone at IUP or from the surrounding community who may be interested in taking a class as a way of developing or l
earning some new talents.

“We feel strongly as a university that we need to have a relationship with our community,” said Patricia C. McCarthy, associate vice president for enrollment management. “I think this is just another example of a way we can reach out to our community of students, community of the people of Indiana and surrounding areas, as well as our branch campuses, to say ‘we have a lot to offer.’”

We have a huge campus filled with people who are experts in different areas, she said. We wanted to encourage faculty, staff and others on campus to share their talents with the surrounding community.

The courses are designed to appeal to the interests of the individual and do not count toward a degree. Along with the community, courses are open to any students or anyone on campus.

Courses include Drawing Fundamentals and Personal Art Project Workshop, taught by instructor Xaiojie Zheng; Intermediate Guitar Instruction, taught by philosophy professor Eric Rubenstein; How to Get in Shape (for Life), taught by journalism professor  Erick Lauber; and Introduction to and Intermediate Foil Fencing, taught by IUP Fencing Club Coach Erik Blank.

Courses in Basic Italian are being offered at the IUP Northpointe
campus.

Course fees run from $50 to $100, plus the cost of any required text or equipment. Students meet once or twice a week for one to two hours.

Registration for the courses opened last week. McCarthy wasn’t able to provide information on the number of people registered at this time.

“For spring,” McCarthy said, “our hope is that we can offer even more courses.”

Course subjects are decided upon by whoever answers the department’s call for instructors. Those who respond dictate the subject matter. Instructors can be faculty, staff, graduates or undergraduates.  

Anyone interested in learning more about the courses offered or want to enroll can call 724-357-2292 or visit www.iup.edu/noncredit.