College at 60 Courses
Registration will start on Tuesday, December 16th, 2025, at 10:30 A.M.
The Spring 2026 schedule is available below:
New students should complete the new student course request form on the How to Register page
SPRING 2026 SCHEDULE
The Spring 2026 College at 60 term will run from February 2 through May 11.
Monday: February 2 – May 11
Tuesday: February 3 – May 5
Wednesday: February 4 – April 29
Thursday: February 5 – May 7
Friday: February 6 – May 8
Classes will not be held on the following holidays observed by Fordham University:
President’s Day (Monday, February 16, and Tuesday, February 17)
Spring Recess (Monday, March 9 to Friday, March 13)
Easter Recess (Thursday April 2 to Monday April 6)
All classes are held on-site at the Lincoln Center campus unless noted otherwise.
SPRING 2026 CAS COURSES
MONDAYS
February 2 – May 11
CASP 1270 C01
US China Relations in the 21st Century
Monday 1:30pm-3:30pm
Jim Levey
CRN: 51581
This course is designed to provide a deeper understanding of US China relations in the 21st century. It presents a cohesive view of Chinese history from antiquity to modern times, to enable an in-depth understanding of the forces shaping the ever-changing relationship that will define US China relations in the coming decades.
As superpowers vying for primacy, it is vital the US and China reach consensus regarding climate, health, environment, trade and energy, to name just a few, to manage differences and construct policies that are universally beneficial.
The stakes are paramount, nothing less than global stability, reversal of the impacts of climate change and the mitigation of militarism and armed conflict in regions dependent on US and China, respectively. Strong diplomatic relations with China can co-exist with the preservation of the current international order led by the US.
Focusing on themes and patterns, US China Relations in the 21st Century explains Chinese historical continuity in governance, global economics and geo-politics. The long narrative of Chinese tradition is hopeful. The pendulum between autocracy and humanism is evident in China today.
CASP 1530 C01
Just A Closer Walk: Christian Hymns in History and Practice
Monday 1:30pm-3:30pm
Lisa Holsberg
CRN: 51584
There is an old Russian saying: “The devil enters the church through the choir!” Whether or not this is precisely the case, it is true that music in the church has profound importance for Christians as well as a complex and often contested Christian history. This course features key texts and traditions comprising the Christian hymn genre of different eras and from around the world. We will focus on the following questions: 1) How do hymns, and the singing of hymns, form and transform the human being? and 2) how do hymns, and the singing of hymns, form and transform Christian communities? Topics include: medieval Latin chant, liturgy, and monasticism; hymnology of the Protestant Reformers; late antique Syriac hymnody; the story of America’s most beloved hymn; the Christian Orthodox chant tradition; the spirituals and gospel songs of the Black American Church; and more. We will explore musical texture, theory, sound, and the poetry, scripture, theology, and historical and worship contexts of our selected hymns––and even do some singing ourselves (no training or experience required)!
TUESDAYS
February 3 – May 5
CASP 1190 C01
The Fiction of Charles Dickens: Heroes and Systems
Tuesday 10:30am-12:30pm
Nicholas Birns
CRN: 50267
This course explores the entertaining and challenging world of Charles Dickens through reading two of his major novels, David Copperfield (1849–50) and Bleak House (1852–53), alongside selections from his vivid non-fiction work, Sketches by Boz (1836). Sketches by Boz, with its kaleidoscopic portrayal of bustling London life, will set the stage for the urban and social contexts that permeate the Dickens world. In David Copperfield, we will explore the deeply personal narrative of David’s journey from childhood to adulthood, emphasizing Dickens’s focus on individual agency, reflective memory, and self-making in a rapidly changing Victorian society and in relationships with people who may or may not be helpful or hurtful. In contrast, Bleak House offers a panoramic critique of social institutions—particularly the arcane intricacies of the legal system—through its sprawling cast of characters and complex narrative structure, exposing the systemic failures that ensnare individuals. With his inimitable satiric brio yet with great psychological depth, Dickens balances intimate character studies with sharp social commentary. At the very midpoint of the epochal 19th century, Dickens unfolds themes such as class, gender, justice, and the impact of industrialization, capitalism, and modern bureaucracy.
CASP 1320 C01
Characters, Culture & Change Act Two
Tuesday 10:30am-12:30pm
June Ballinger
CRN: 50271
This Second Act of "Culture, Character and Change" continues our exploration of contemporary and historic plays - from popular Broadway productions (Lin Manual Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes In the Heights and Jordan Harrison's upcoming Marjorie Prime) to non-profit theatres, such as Signature Theatre's Oratorio for Living and Animal Wisdom both by Heather Christian, as well as alternative ensembles riding under the radar such as Mark Russell's aptly named "Under The Radar Festival"; this moveable feast is a prime example of how alternative endeavors find ways to reshape in response to economic and political pressures.
Act Two adds a crucial dimension to our play analysis: understanding today's theatre's economic and political landscape. While reading and discussing plays from across the theatrical spectrum, we'll investigate the economic, political, and market forces determining which stories reach which platforms—Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, independent productions, and showcases. How does current politics influence production decisions? How do artists balance integrity with survival? We'll explore American theatre's business realities, funding sources, and survival strategies.
In addition to the above, we'll consider Paula Vogel (Indecent), Larissa FastHorse (The Thanksgiving Play), and 20th-century writers such as Arthur Miller (The Price, The American Clock), among others. Our signature script analysis and exploration of characters' motivations and inner conflicts will deepen our understanding of these plays. Course discussions will examine how funding sources and political climates shape storytelling, exploring censorship, self-censorship, and artistic courage.
Discussions will benefit from participants' diverse perspectives and life experiences, creating a collaborative learning environment where we wrestle with both the art and the business of truth-telling on stage. *No previous course participation required.*
CASP 1100 C01
Religion and Ecology
Tuesday 1:30pm-3:30pm
John Garza
CRN: 51579
This course focuses on the intersection of religious ethics, ecological concerns, and the academic study of religions. Students will learn how various religious traditions view the natural world, explore the theological and spiritual frameworks for environmental stewardship, and examine evolving methodologies within the academic discipline of religion and ecology. Spirituality and ecology, on occasion, have intersected in popular culture in music and film. Through themes of nature as sacred, human responsibility for environmental stewardship, and the interconnectedness of life, as seen in songs like Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" and Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi". Popular movies that have explored spirituality and ecology include Avatar, where a spiritual connection to nature is central to the alien Na'vi culture, and Life of Pi, which features an epic journey of survival and spirituality across a vast ocean. Other films like The Tree of Life and 2001: A Space Odyssey offer more abstract explorations of human consciousness, evolution, and the mysteries of existence concerning the cosmos. Religion and ecology is a relatively new, interdisciplinary area that combines the humanities and sciences to address environmental issues from a religious and ethical perspective.
CASP 1160 C01
Shakespeare, the Roman Works: Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, and Antony and Cleopatra
Tuesday 1:30pm-3:30pm
Barbara Parker
CRN: 51580
Explore three plays from Shakespeare’s epic Roman tetralogy, and the political forces that helped to shape them. Together they trace the decline of Rome following upon the fall of the monarchy—the subject of The Rape of Lucrece (which we will touch on). Thus bereft of a strong ruler, Rome, in Coriolanus, fractures into two mortally opposed classes, one rich and one poor, locked in a battle for supremacy. In Julius Caesar, the triumph of the oppressed masses has devolved into mob rule, mighty men battle one another for power, and Caesar’s murder plunges Rome into civil war. Antony and Cleopatra depicts Rome’s continuing power struggle, which the love affair microcosmically images. By the play’s end, peace is at last imminent, owing to the destruction of every rival for sovereignty and the triumph of the lone victor, Octavius Caesar. In Shakespeare’s day, the Roman republic was considered a political mirror of England. Shakespeare, in these plays, equates Rome’s ruin with what he foresees as the corresponding demise of England rooted in her kindred political ills. Each work is thus an argument for provident rule and a sound monarchy, sole bulwarks against England’s destruction.
WEDNESDAYS
February 4 – April 29
CASP 1110 C01
Setting Sail, Films on the Water
Wednesday 10:30am-12:30pm
John Bach
CRN: 50269
With winter upon us but summer approaching, the spring semester is a good time to explore warm, sandy beaches and big open waters. So, during this class, we’ll dive right in and explore films that take place in and around watery settings. From silent movies to action and adventure and romance at sea; from animation to war films and the great Hollywood musical, we’ll explore a variety of cinematic genres. Our analysis and discussions will include character and plot; direction; cinematography; film score; and costume, lighting and scenic design. Possible films to be explored include Buster Keaton’s The Navigator; Hitchcock’s Lifeboat; Bening and Foster in Nyad; Robert Redford in All is Lost; Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein’s Showboat; Mister Roberts; Titanic; John Huston’s Moby Dick; Disney’s Little Mermaid; Amistad; Dunkirk; The Swimmers; and Doctor Dolittle.
CASP 1301 C01
The Beginnings of American Art
Wednesday 10:30am-12:30pm. Online, meets over Zoom
Sharon Suchma
CRN: 51583 (Zoom)
While America is known for its art movements like Abstract Expressionism, or art moments like that during the Great Depression, it has a rich history of creative output since its emergence. This class will focus on the role and products of the arts in America from its inception with European colonialism through the 1920s. Topics to be covered include: the meaning of landscape in the nineteenth century; the use of art as a societal lens in the Progressive Era; America’s versions of Realism and Impressionism; the question of an American abstract tradition; and New York City as an emblem of the future, in both its artists and architecture. Some of the themes illustrated in this class involve gender and ethnicity, history and identity, and urbanization and alienation. Throughout the course, there will be an attempt to grasp the changing concept of America, as seen in its paintings, sculptures, photography, and buildings. Works in the collections of local museums and historical societies will be highlighted. Some artists to be covered include Gilbert Stuart, Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller, John Henry Twachtman, John Storrs, and Imogen Cunningham. Please note that this class is online with weekly classes on Zoom. It also has a separate Fordham Blackboard page that provides class recordings, additional lecture material, and resources.
CASP 1520 C02
Special Topics: The Nature of Language: An Introduction
Wednesday 10:30am-12:30pm (6 weeks: March 25 – April 29)
Marion Polsky
CRN: 53057
Lewis Thomas once said that “our most spectacular biological attribute, that which identifies us as our particular sort of animal, is language, and the deep nature of this gift is a mystery.” The mystery begins with a child’s first words, verbal syllables that establish a conscious connection to another person–”I” and “thou”--and to the outside world. In this course we will delve into the mystery by examining the structure of language and a variety of its characteristics. Discussion topics will include: language facts and fallacies; the enigma of language origin; the elements from sound to meaning; the grammars of childhood; how languages are related; language and worldview; the translator’s dilemma; and a selective look at language change in English, from Beowulf to the present. Students will be encouraged to draw upon their own experience in class discussions, which will center around weekly readings, relevant audiovisual recordings, and interesting word problems to explore.
CASP 1520 C03
Special Topics: Spanish and Cultures for Beginners
Wednesday 10:30am-12:30pm (6 weeks: February 4 - March 18)
Luz Lenis
CRN: 53058
This introductory student-centered course is designed for beginners with little prior experience. It focuses on the essential building blocks of Spanish, including present tense verb conjugations, gender and number agreement, basic sentence structure, and vocabulary for daily life. This course uses a communicative approach to provide a balanced, engaging foundation covering three core language learning areas: Grammar, Culture, and Conversation. At the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Greeting people and making introductions using both formal and informal phrases.
- Engaging in simple conversations and asking and responding to questions with interrogative words
- Understanding and using high-frequency vocabulary.
- Communicating basic needs and information, such as giving the time, date, and asking for an item.
- Pronouncing Spanish sounds, including vowels, correctly.
- Discuss activities you do/like to do.
- Talk about your activities and obligations in present tense.
- Describe your daily routine.
CASP 1520 C01
Special Topics: Head, Heart, Hands: Public Speaking, Jesuit Education & Eloquentia Perfecta
Wednesday 1:30pm-3:30pm (6 weeks: March 25 – April 29)
Robert Parmach
CRN: 50274
Want to be more assertive and feel more comfortable speaking in front of people? In each session, we participate in discussions, reflections, and exercises to improve your public speaking mechanics (stance, poise, articulation, tone, eye contact). Along the way, we study practical links to the value of a Jesuit education that educates the "whole" person in head, heart, and hands as global citizens who develop their intellect, moral convictions, and daily actions.
Eloquentia perfecta is a core goal of Jesuit education that means more than just "writing and speaking effectively." It is a holistic pursuit of perfect eloquence by a trusted person speaking well, encompassing informed thinking, empathetic understanding, ethical communication and skilled use of language in both written and oral forms. The term also emphasizes developing clear, persuasive, and compassionate communication to serve others and to foster the transformation of oneself and society.
CASP 1300 C01
The Sky Cracked Its Poems in Naked Wonder: Reading and Writing Poetry, for Everyone
Wednesday 1:30pm-3:30pm
Nina Goss
CRN: 51582
This class invites participants to explore poetry inside and out, as both close readers and bold, playful writers. In each session, we will ask a question about poetry and answer it by bringing poems alive in discussion, and then creating your own work that will likely surprise you. We will work with familiar and less familiar poets, from Sappho to Ada Limon, Anne Bradstreet and Tony Hoagland; we’ll look at sonneteers, Language Poets, and the curious experiments of the Oulipo Group. We’ll work with a potpourri of devices and forms, and you’ll learn that structure and wordplay perhaps new to you—a pantoum! a chiasmus!—will excite creative expression. My goal is that by reading, discussing, composing, and workshopping poetry, we can create cycles of discovery and creativity in each session. Welcome!
THURSDAYS
February 5 – May 7
CASP 1540 C01
Great Trials in History
Thursday 10:30am-12:30pm
Bruce Bettigole
CRN: 51585
This course examines influential and controversial trials, decisions, and the surrounding times and circumstances. The trials will be grouped by subject matter, beginning with cases involving religious issues, including Joan of Arc (1431), Reynolds v. U.S. (Mormon polygamy; 1879), and the Scopes “Monkey Trial” (1925). Topics of other classes will include Organized Crime (the New Orleans Mob (1891), Al Capone (1931), Lucky Luciano (1936), and Vinny ”the Chin” Gigante (1997)); Espionage (the Rosenbergs (1951) and Alger Hiss (1949-50)); Medical/ethical issues (Buck v. Bell (forced sterilization, 1927) and Karen Ann Quinlan (1975)); Negligence (Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (1911) and Karen Silkwood (1979)); War Crimes (Henry Wirz (Andersonville Prison, 1865), William Calley (My Lai, 1970), and John Demjanjuk (Nazi guard at Sobibor death camp, 1981)); Securities fraud (Samuel Insull, (1934) and Mark Cuban (2013)); and Bribery and Corruption (Jimmy Hoffa (1964), Marvin Mandel (1977), and Rod Blagojevich (2011), among others. We will study economic, political, religious, and social history through the prism of trials.
CASP 1550 C01
Societies Under Stress
Thursday 10:30am-12:30pm
Richard Hresko
CRN: 51586
Life in oppressive societies is often marked by the government's complete control over public and private life, enforced through terror, surveillance, and repression. Through this course, we will explore how people living in extremist regimes find ways to negotiate their lives in a society that has abruptly changed course, and where stress and fear have become the 'new normal.' We will explore this through social studies of life in totalitarian societies, such as in small villages in Nazi Germany, and communes in Communist China during the Cultural Revolution, and life behind the Iron Curtain. We will also look at the work of such writers as Bohumil Hrabal, Su Tong (whose novella Raise the Red Lantern became an internationally acclaimed film), Milan Kundera, and others. We will also look at the psychological aftermath of living through such an experience, through literature and film, such as Sidney Lumet's 1964 film, The Pawnbroker, starring Rod Steiger as a Holocaust survivor trying to cope with his experiences afterwards.
CASP 1310 C01
Music of Two of the Most Important Nineteenth Century Masters: Beethoven and Brahms
Thursday 1:30pm-3:30pm
Kathryn John
CRN: 50277
In this course, we will focus on the compositions of two of the greatest nineteenth century composers— Beethoven and Brahms. Each of these composers worked within and provided a high point in the development of classical music as we know it today.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) pioneered the enlargement of the orchestra for both symphonies and concertos. His era saw the rise of the new “pianoforte” as a keyboard instrument to supersede the harpsichord. Beethoven’s compositions were longer, and featured the new Sonata-Allegro form, which grew out of the Baroque Binary-Dance forms. To accommodate these new works, concerts began to require larger performance spaces. The earliest dedicated concert halls appeared.
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) adopted the forms of his earlier predecessors, composing for an even larger orchestra and a more enlarged keyboard, which could hold its own when playing with the improved instruments and larger numbers of instruments in the late-19th century orchestra and chamber ensembles. In addition, Brahms played an important role in establishing a library collection of compositions—his own and those of many other composers.
During class sessions, after discussion of the forms and style of classical music of the 19th century, we will watch recorded performances of these great composers’ works, entertain questions, and discuss the significance and beauty of each piece.
CASP 1500 C01
Rosie’s Daughters: The Struggle to Open the Blue Collar Trades to Women
Thursday 1:30pm-3:30pm
Donn Mitchell
CRN: 53056
Rosie the Riveter was celebrated as a hero when she entered the home front factories of World War II. But a generation later, her “daughters”, trying to do the same thing, encountered hostility not just from employers but from the very unions authorized to represent them. This course will address three main questions: What was the struggle about? How did women respond? And, why did they prevail? Our text will be Sisters in the Brotherhoods: Working Women Organizing for Equality in New York City by the award-winning labor journalist and historian, Jane LaTour, featuring the real-life stories of women who became firefighters, welders, electricians, plumbers, and police officers.
FRIDAYS
February 6 – May 8
CASP 1250 C01/C02
The Sixties: From Camelot to Chaos
Friday 10:30am-12:30pm
Jess Velona
CRN: 50276 (classroom)
CRN: 50278 (online, meets over Zoom)
The phrase "The Sixties: From Camelot to Chaos" captures the dramatic shift in the United States during the 1960s from youthful optimism to deep division and unrest. This course examines this tumultuous time in our history, when a generation of social change was compressed into a single decade. Topics include the Cuban Missile Crisis, the War on Poverty, the shift from civil rights to Black Power, Vietnam and the antiwar movement, women's liberation, the counterculture, urban riots, and growing calls for law and order. Using works by contemporaries such as Martin Luther King, Joan Didion, Betty Freidan, Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Tom Wolfe as well as by recent historians, we will consider whether the Sixties are best understood as a time of substantial left-leaning progress, as a period of tragically missed opportunities due to splintered social movements and chance events such as assassins' bullets, or as the years when the modern conservative movement got its start. A final issue is whether the Sixties ever really ended, and how the era may continue to shape our politics and culture.