Programs
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Washington (OLLI-UW) offers a range of programs for intellectually curious adults over the age of 50. We’re currently offering both in-person and Zoom courses.
Courses
OLLI-UW courses cover engaging subjects ranging from global events to the arts, from health science research to compelling issues of the day. Current and retired UW faculty or experts from the community lead the courses.
We offer a full schedule of more than 20 courses in autumn, winter and spring. Courses typically meet weekly for two hours for three to five weeks. Other courses are offered as a single session. OLLI-UW members pay a fee of $30–$75 per course, depending on the number of sessions. You can register online for courses.
To register by phone, please call the registration team at 206-543-2310. If you have any questions about courses or signing in, please email us or call 206-685-6549.
Osher Online
OLLI-UW is piloting a new partnership with Osher Online, a program developed by the National Resource Center (NRC) that acts as a central resource for all Osher Institutes (there are 125 in the U.S.). Osher Online offers online programs for any Osher Institute and its members, organized by the NRC.
Here's how you can participate:
- Register for a course and pay OLLI-UW, and we'll pass on your name and email to the NRC.
- NRC will host a couple of orientation sessions to help you get familiar with the various resources.
- Osher Online will send you the login information, and you'll have the chance to engage with speakers and members nationally.
- Courses are six sessions long and cost $90.
We hope you enjoy this new addition to our Osher Institute. Please email us if you have any questions.
June 2024 Courses
Zoom
- Israel and Palestine: We Need to Talk
- The Power of Choreographic Storytelling: The "Legs" of a Broadway Musical
In Person
- From Hope to Hostility: The Epic Journey of U.S.-China Relations Since Nixon – Course 2: Great Power Competition
- Israel and Palestine: We Need to Talk
- Photographing Kubota Garden
Summer 2024 Courses & Field Trips
Zoom
- Bugs and Their Bizarre Biology
- Great Films From the 1920s to the 1960s
- Women Psychoanalysts: Stories and Theories
- An Introduction to the National Park System
- James Baldwin: Speaking to Us at 100
In Person
- Secrets of the International District and Its Regrades Walking Tour
- Seattle Art Museum Tour
- UW Biology Greenhouse Tour
- Ballard's Troll — Frankie Feetsplinters
- The Denny Regrade Walking Tour
- Frye Art Museum Tour
- UW Chamber Dance Company Demonstration
- Seward Park Field Trip
- The Protean Coastline Waterfront Walking Tour
Monthly Lecture Series
These lectures are talks by experts on a wide range of subjects. These events are free for OLLI-UW members and are held about once a month in several locations. Members are invited to bring their lunch and a guest. Once a quarter, OLLI-UW also hosts a lecture that is open to the general public. You can register online for our lectures.
Upcoming Lectures
- A Brief History and Current State of Artificial Intelligence (hybrid)
- Who Needs Literature Today? A Persian Perspective (Zoom)
- How Do We Discern Reliable Science From Less Reliable Science? (in person)
- Big Apples, Big Business: How Washington Became the Apple State (in person)
Designed and led by members, study groups are free to OLLI-UW members. Groups allow participants the opportunity to focus on a chosen topic for a brief or a sustained period of time. Many study groups are book groups.
Special Events
Guided museum and garden tours, summer field trips and other special events are offered periodically throughout the year. Some events charge a small fee.