Ph.D. Program Partnership

The Lifelong Learning Society in Jupiter and the Ph.D. in Comparative Studies Program have partnered to offer courses taught by Ph.D. candidates, Ph.D. students and M.F.A. candidates based on their research. Classes began in Jan. 2015 and have been held in the Lifelong Learning Society Complex at the John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter. The courses have included:

• Classic Monsters and the Supernatural in Popular Media and Culture
  Stephanie Flint, Ph.D. Student in Comparative Studies
  
  

• Turning Personal Stories into Memoir: A Writing Workshop Devoted to Practicing the Art of Personal Storytelling
  Stephanie Anderson, M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction

• Cuban Cinema Survey: Trends and Tendencies since 1959
  Betsaida Casanova, Ph.D. Student in Comparative Studies

• Transgender Politics and Screen Cultures
  Peter Cava, Ph.D. Candidate in Comparative Studies

• The 'Grand Tour' of Italy through Literature, Music and Film:
  All Roads Lead to Rome!
  Marianna De Tollis, Ph.D. Student in Comparative Studies

• Andean Music and Dance: Explore the Culture of the Incas and Beyond
  Candy Hurtado, Ph.D. Student in Comparative Studies

• Blaxploitation Cinema: Exploring the Representation of African American Culture in 1970s Cinema
  Khaulah Naima Nuruddin, M.F.A. Candidate in Visual Art

Dr. Michael J. Horswell , Dean of the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, outlined the partnership's benefits for students in the Lifelong Learning Society, Ph.D. program and M.F.A. programs: "This innovative partnership provides our senior learners new and exciting classes based on the cutting-edge research our Ph.D. and M.F.A. students are conducting, while affording our graduate students valuable teaching experience with a unique mix of experienced students whose distinguished careers and fascinating lives promise to enrich the discussion of ideas in small, seminar-style classes."

In an anonymous course evaluation, a student praised the experience and energy that the partnership's instructors have brought to the classroom: "As part of the [Ph.D. Program Parternship,] Ms. Casanova is an example of the program description stating instructors are high achieving, knowledgeable and enthusiastic."

René Friedman, Executive Director of the Lifelong Learning Society, emphasized the partnership's distinctive classroom dynamic: "We are thrilled to begin this program. Our Lifelong Learning students want more interaction with their instructors in a smaller classroom setting, and it gives doctoral students a chance to engage with the Lifelong Learning community, enhancing their teaching experience."

After teaching the partnership's first course, Stephanie Anderson concluded, "The partnership's value is immense. ... As a teacher and writer, I benefited by gaining teaching experience and interacting with wonderful students, who taught me as much as I taught them. I would recommend this partnership to Lifelong Learning Society students as well as Ph.D. and M.F.A. students."

For more information, or to register, Lifelong Learning Society students can visit http://www.fau.edu/llsjupiter/. Ph.D. candidates, Ph.D. students and M.F.A. candidates interested in teaching through the partnership can inquire with Kristen D. Robbins, Assistant Director, at krobbin3@fau.edu.