The Continuum of Humanist Education (COHE)
The goals of the COHE, which is developed and managed by the Institute for Humanist Studies, are to provide individuals with an understanding of humanism and to help them apply that understanding to better comprehend the world, develop personal potential, and contribute to a better society. To achieve this, COHE provides lessons in an interactive distance learning website. Students work at their own pace and own level using Web technology such as chat rooms and bulletin boards to “meet” and talk with other students and faculty. Interactive assessments, glossaries, and other features enable students to receive instant feedback and support for their work.The introductory modules are free and instantly accessible to any online student at any time. Higher level modules are minimally priced to ensure that the greatest possible number of people can use this resource. A complete listing of currently available courses is available. Courses are available following a simple online registration and enrollment procedure; there are no entrance requirements. COHE courses are offered as enrichment courses which carry no credit beyond the satisfaction of increasing one's understanding of the humanist worldview. The faculty is comprised of noted educators drawn from the international humanist community. COHE adds new courses over time, depending on student demand.
The following is a brief overview of the survey course “Introduction to Humanism: A Primer on the History, Philosophy, and Goals of Humanism.” The course is divided into two lessons. Lesson 1 summarizes the history of humanist ideas and their role in the development of the modern world. Lesson 2 explores the meaning and scope of the humanist life stance in the current era. Students are free to navigate the course in sequential order or skip to selected topics according to their interest. The program description also states that --
Although not at all required, we hope you'll consider registering as a COHE student before reading this free demo course. Registration is free, with no obligation to enroll in COHE courses. Registering and logging in prior to reading the lessons of Introduction to Humanism will unlock your door to the COHE Message Board, where other COHE students are discussing and debating the stimulating topics and provocative questions they encounter in their courses here, this one included. Important: You must be registered and logged in if you wish to enroll in other COHE courses, even those without tuition. Only this demo course is open to the public without registration.
In addition to the introductory demonstration course, courses are offered in the following areas: Science and Humanism [Evolution, Creationism, and the Nature of Science]; Psychology and Humanism [Understanding Ourselves and Our Universe]; Religion and Spirituality [Developing Human Potential Without Religion]; Ethics [Sacred vs. Secular Ethics]; Law and Politics [Religion and the Constitution]; and Humanist Activism and Organization [Humanist Activism].
