About the Institute
The Institute for the Study of Western Civilization in Cupertino CA is a non-profit organization for higher education founded in 2002. William H. Fredlund, Ph.D., the Institute’s founder and director, leads our distinguished faculty. Our courses in western cultural history are offered at the Institute building at 10060 Bubb Road in Cupertino and online via high-quality video streaming.
The Institute’s Homeschool Program
Courses for Teens, Homeschoolers and High Schoolers
Explore the human experience by studying the humanities.
The humanities examine what it means to be human and provide perspective about the beliefs and cultures of people in the past and present. The humanities encompass fields focused on human society, such as social sciences, geo-political history, art history, visual culture, literature, philosophy, and languages, among others.
By studying the social-historical context of artistic works and philosophical ideas, we can come to understand how we in the twenty-first century came to be who we are; why we think the way we do; and what assumptions about the world and human nature are traceable back to earlier periods in the five-thousand year story of Western civilization.
DEPTH OVER BREADTH
Year-long courses meet for 30 sessions, for 2 to 2.5 hours per session. Classes are streamed live at 7:00 PM Pacific Time.
FLEXIBILITY
Each class is recorded and videos are available the next day and until the end of the quarter, allowing students to view the presentations whenever it fits their schedule, and to review sections of special interest.
PERSONALIZED
High school students are invited to participate in a 30-60 minute weekly discussion group designed specifically for teens and led by an experienced educator.
CAPTIVATING
Presentations are richly illustrated with images of maps, artworks, photos of places and people, and often include video clips. Engaging speakers enliven the talks with anecdotes and are adept at showing the relevance of the past to our present lives in the 21st century.
OFFERINGS FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023
(available in-person and via high-quality video stream with interactive Q&A)
Classes
HISORY OF ROME
View the syllabus for 2022-2023.
THE HISTORY OF RUSSIA
View the syllabus for 2022-2023.
HISTORY OF ART
View the syllabus for 2022-2023.
HISTORY OF FRANCE
View the syllabus for 2022-2023.
LECTURES
Recorded lectures presented by various professors on a variety of topics are also available.