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 courses aim both to enhance personal understanding and to strengthen involvement in extension 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 extension 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, personal transformation, and extension 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 extension-building through participatory social action and discourse.
Engage family, friends, and extension in becoming change agents for their own spiritual and material well-being.
Taking this course has been an enjoyable, rewarding and enriching experience. I now feel more confident in my abilities to contribute to the public discourse in a wide range of subjects and using different styles.
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!
Professor Emerita of Urban planning, University of Michigan
Director, Center for Peace and Global Governance (CPGG)
WI Associate Director, Faculty, Institute for Humane Education
Assistant Archivist, National Bahá’í Archives, US
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 extension 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 aim to promote knowledge, insights and service in a coherent manner. By using our forums you are agreeing to follow these guidelines in order to enhance the experience for all participants in our learning community. https://wilmetteinstitute.org/wi-forum-etiquette-guidelines/
Our courses are not lecture-based, they are asynchronous, so you can log in any time of the day or night to access the course materials. To facilitate the flow of discussion in the online course forums, each course is divided into units. You will be encouraged to progress through the course alongside the other participants. A grace period of two weeks is provided for you to complete any outstanding readings or assignments.
