The San Diego College of Continuing Education offers free classes to all California residents (you must have a high school diploma or be over 18). A lot of their classes are academic programs designed to provide certificates/help individuals find jobs in automotive, accounting, culinary, child development fields, and more, but they also offer an Emeritus program for students over the age of 55 as well as other individual classes that might be interesting for anyone, especially retirees!
The Emeritus Program
With a focus on physical and mental health, the Emeritus program is designed for students who are over 55 and are looking to be actively engaged in their community. Their classes focus on things like brain fitness, job search skills, music appreciation, health and wellness, nutrition, tai chi, and much more!
Their classes are split into seven distinct “schedules,” which are listed below!
Art – this section features classes like drawing, painting, crafts for adults, and introductory ceramics!
Communications – this section has classes that go over communicating with various devices, you can take classes on Android phones, computer basics, and using an iPhone/iPad!
Health and Wellness – This is one of the most extensive academic areas in the Emeritus program. There are classes on general health education, biology, how to maintain mental acuity, and much more!
Literature – This class discusses all modern forms of literature and provides an introduction to writing and creating original work. There have been specialty programs in the past that focus on a specific storytelling medium, most recently there was one that focuses exclusively on short stories!
Music – This section has classes that focus on music appreciation, as well as participating/playing instruments! These classes vary year to year, so be sure to check the program for a more in-depth look!
Retirement – Retirement classes are designed to help older adults stay active and engaged in their community! These classes help you stay abreast of important topics, live healthy, and find quality leisure-time activities.
Writer’s Workshop – These learn at your own pace classes go over the basics of writing poetry, stories, and creative non-fiction! They’re even designed so you can go at your own creative pace!
But that’s not All!
Just because the Emeritus program is designed for older adults doesn’t mean all retirees have to sign up for are those classes. Learning is an excellent way to keep sharp and grow during retirement and SDCCE is a great way to do that! There are plenty of other programs that they offer for anyone living in California.
Many of their current classes are remote, but as things open back up, it’ll be interesting to see what they have available come this fall! Keep an eye out.
Signing Up
In order to sign up for classes, you’ll need to first apply: https://sdce.edu/services/registration-enrollment.
Once your application has been processed, follow the directions emailed to you in order to complete the enrollment process! After that, all you have to do is head to their class search page and sign up for any class you’re interested in (that’s also available). https://www.sdccd.edu/students/class-search/cesearch.html
Many classes are available as “open-entry/open-exit,” meaning you don’t have to wait for the school year to start to begin. If you want to be able to enjoy the full school year, you’ll need to wait for the Fall semester, as summer classes started on June 14th. The Fall semester begins in August, so be sure to sign up now and ensure your spot!
We here at SDPEBA plan to continue to report on available classes through SDCCE for all of our members, so stay tuned as we find out more with you!