The Novel of Youth

Graham School non-credit courses are not graded and therefore have no tests. They focus on nourishing a love of learning, allowing you to immerse yourself in topics and discussions you find interesting.

Complete any assigned reading and come prepared to participate actively in classroom discussion. While not required, we offer an optional course to prepare students to engage with challenging works: How to Read Classic Texts. While this is presented as an introductory course for the Basic Program, students in other programs or open enrollment courses are also welcome to participate and grow their skills.

Applications are not required for our open enrollment courses.

Anyone who is interested in immersing themselves in these topics and engaging in deep discovery with others is welcome to take part in this course.

Yes. Our non-credit courses are built for adults who have life experience and want to learn. Our instructors create an inclusive learning environment by encouraging all students to participate, regardless of their academic background.

Our online classes are recorded and shared with the registered students through the Canvas site for the course. For in-person courses, you can ask a fellow student to take notes for you if you have to miss a session.

You can find our withdrawal and cancellation policy with other registration issues here. Most drop or transfer requests can be made through your student account.

The Graham School offers both online and in-person class experiences. The description for each course section specifies whether it will be offered online through Canvas or in person at the Gleacher Center in downtown Chicago.

While our courses are driven by live discussions, we do record the online sessions. If you miss a class, you can watch the recording to catch up. Please note that students may only access recordings for the sections in which they are registered. In-person classes are not recorded.

If you need to drop a course, please email us at graham@learningplatform.support to process your request. When reaching out, please include your full name, the course name and the section. If you made a donation during your course purchase, please confirm if you would like the donation refunded as well.

Courses dropped before the first day of class are eligible for a full refund. Courses dropped after the first class are subject to a 10% cancellation fee. No refund will be issued for courses dropped after the first week of classes.

Your course will be available on the Graham Learning Platform three weeks before the start date. You’ll log in using the same credentials you used during registration. If you need help accessing your course, check out our helpful video tutorial.

If you have a question about how to register for a course, watch the helpful videos on our registration tips page. You can also email our support team at graham@learningplatform.support. You will receive a response within 24 hours.

Graham School programs have received national and international attention, with coverage in Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, The Atlantic, and other leading publications.