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 community 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.
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Analyze Bahá'í history and community development; explore sacred texts.
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Discover new perspectives on world religions, interfaith dialogue, and indigenous faith traditions.
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Build capacity for happy marriages that blend family life with spirituality and service for a healthy world.
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Compose and create art that expresses your spiritual journey. Explore Bahá'í Administration 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.
Wilmette Courses are far better in many ways than any other courses I have taken anywhere else because of the materials and resources offered, and the staff excellence. And I say this in view of university degrees and graduate studies I have previously taken and earned in Canada, UK, and USA.
The harmony of science and religion is something I have always taken for granted, but this course has given me a more intimate understanding of the nuance of feedback between the two.
I feel much more hopeful about the future after this course. I learned that there is a way out of the mess we're in... I was also heartened to learn about the many people in the world successfully working on these problems in a spirit of global unity.
International Foundation for Electoral Systems
WI Department Chair, 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.
Our courses are spread throughout the year, to allow learners to take more than one or two courses annually. Some courses from the Marriage and Family Department are available on demand.
Absolutely. Individuals are welcome to audit many of our university courses. Students who audit will have access to the same materials as the university students, but will not be required to submit the assignments, and will not be eligible for university credit. The same discounts that apply to Community Learning courses are available, as well as needs-based tuition support. A certificate of completion will be offered as appropriate.
