The Wilmette Institute offers courses to people of diverse backgrounds and ages interested in world religions and Bahá'í history, texts, and teachings for individual and collective transformation. Our extension courses aim both to enhance personal understanding and to strengthen involvement in community building.
Hone your writing and research skills
Engage in solution-based awareness of issues that matter to you most
Create presentations and contribute to discourse right where you are
Gain a global perspective
Explore sustainable social change from an integrated spiritual and scientific perspective.
View Department
Analyze Bahá'í history and community development; explore sacred texts.
View Department
Discover new perspectives on world religions, interfaith dialogue, and indigenous faith traditions.
View Department
Build capacity for happy marriages that blend family life with spirituality and service for a healthy world.
View Department
Compose and create art that expresses your spiritual journey. Explore Bahá'í Administration, personal transformation, and community building.
View DepartmentIndependently investigate reality to discern fact from conjecture.
Analyze global issues through critical thinking.
Apply knowledge, spiritual and scientific insights and skills for the common good.
Examine the root causes of global issues from a Bahá'í perspective, and explore the prerequisites for building a just and peaceful society.
Apply consultation, action, study, and reflection to community-building through participatory social action and discourse.
Engage family, friends, and community in becoming change agents for their own spiritual and material well-being.
The format of this course was really nicely laid out. Zoom calls to share art and thoughts (which was more intimate) and the online forums which was more classroom like. Without either component of the course, there would have been something lacking.
Excellent content and interaction with faculty! I was also pleasantly surprised by level of sharing within the forums. This was a very engaged and engaging student body. Thanks!
This course was excellent. The readings and references were exemplary. Not officially being a Bahá’í, I was duly impressed by the presentation of Christian materials and the affirming support Bahá’ís give to the concepts of Christianity.
International Foundation for Electoral Systems
Relationship & Marriage Educator, author, and coach
Storyteller, Cultural Ambassador, Performing Artist
Director, Center for Peace and Global Governance (CPGG)
The fee is typically $75 for a 6-9 week course. The fee for shorter courses is $50 or less. Senior citizens, Bahá’í pioneers, and full-time students are eligible for a 20% discount. In 2020, first-time Wilmette Institute students will get a 30% discount.
Follow the steps below to register for our community courses
Browse the courses and choose one that’s open for registration.
Click the Register button and complete the registration form. Payment and tuition support options are detailed on the form.
That’s it! You will immediately receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to join the course. Browse our courses now.
Browse the courses and choose one that’s open for registration.
Click the Register button and complete the registration form. Payment and tuition support options are detailed on the form.
That’s it! You will immediately receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to join the course. Browse our courses now.
To apply for an interest-free installment payment plan, or for a needs based scholarship
complete this simple online application.
Study Groups are a great way to enrich your learning experience and also save you some money. A group can be as small as two people, or as large as ten.
Yes. To pay by check, contact the Registrar for a deferred payment discount code. Checks or Money Orders should be made out to “Bahá’í Services Fund: Wilmette Institute” and mailed to Wilmette Institute, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201. Please include a note with your name and the name of your course.
Our online courses are not lecture-based, they are “asynchronous.” That means you can log in any time of night or day to study, and to post in the forums. This way people in different time zones can participate at their convenience. Some courses do have course-wide webinars, and these are timed so that a majority of the participants can attend. We then record and post the videos in the course so those who could not attend can watch on their own time and benefit from the discussions.
