Objectivist Studies: Courses

We offer courses that range from introductory materials for those just getting acquainted with Ayn Rand's thought, to advanced courses for scholars who seek to master the fine points of the philosophy.

At each level, you can learn how to apply Objectivism to improve your own life. And as you progress in your studies, you can learn to master Objectivism's distinctive method of systematically focusing on the essentials of philosophic questions.

Graduate Seminar in Objectivist Philosophy and Method
The Graduate Seminar is a special week of lectures, discussions, and workshops designed for graduate students, junior faculty, and post-doctoral scholars of philosophy and related fields. TOC founder David Kelley, Ph.D. is the lead instructor for this intimate and intensive week of intellectual development. Instruction varies from year-to-year, but generally focuses on the content of Objectivism, the relation of Objectivism to non-Objectivist scholarly literature, the distinctive Objectivist method of philosophical analysis, and writing and speaking skills.

• Next Graduate Seminar: July 31-August 5, 2005, Washington, D.C.
• Last Graduate Seminar: July 31 - August 7, 2004 at Marist College, in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Distance Learning Courses
From time-to-time, the Center holds long-distance courses that meet by teleconference.

• Last distance-learning course: "Objectivism from the Source" with William Thomas, Fall 2004.

Objectivist Classroom
A series of recorded courses. Each comes with a detailed outline featuring many visual aids, and materials for further study such as suggested readings or study questions. The Center will loan these for free to qualified students.

Summer Seminar
TOC's annual week-long conference that features a wide range of courses, lectures, and workshops on the theory and practice of Objectivism. At the heart of the Summer Seminar program are week-long courses that overview key aspects of the philosophy. TOC donors provide generous scholarships to enable promising students to attend the Summer Seminar.

Advanced Seminar in Objectivist Studies
An annual meeting of advanced students and scholars in philosophy and allied fields working to develop Objectivist ideas and integrate Objectivist methods with academic standards of scholarship. It is organized as a series of moderated discussions of scholarly essays.

• Information on the Next Advanced Seminar
• 2004 archived papers.
• 2003 archived papers.
• 2002 archived papers.

CyberSeminar in Objectivist Studies
These are archives of online discussions of philosophical topics that the Center has held from time to time. The cyberseminar archives consist of discussion papers prepared by instructors Stephen Hicks and David Kelley, as well as the cyberseminar participants.

• Fall 1999 Cyberseminar: The Continental Origins of Postmodernism
• Spring 2000 Cyberseminar: Nietzsche and Objectivism