by Alexandria Miracola
Signum University is, undoubtedly, the perfect place to begin yours. Here, you’ll meet fellow lovers of language and literature, with whom you’ll explore imaginative and perilous realms and make all manner of unexpected discoveries. Still, while all this sounds tempting, we suppose you have plenty of questions, and we’re here to shed a little light on what your academic journey with Signum will look like.
While we offer a wide range of language and literature courses, our classes focus largely on imaginative and speculative fiction. Readers around the world have come to love stories like The Lord of the Rings, the Hainish Cycle, and The Chronicles of Narnia so well because they deal with deep human themes and questions. They ask, ‘What if?,’ and go to extremes, so that we can return to our everyday world a little wiser and more hopeful. These stories matter, and they are worthy of study.
But here at Signum, we’re not only challenging what is considered worth studying at a graduate level; we’re changing what higher education itself looks like, as well as online learning. As a university that functions remotely, we are able to keep the cost of taking courses with us very low, so that pursuing higher education and studying what you love is more accessible for more people. We are also so excited by the prospect of teaching someone a new way to learn. Whether you’re auditing a class or joining the MA program, we’re here to help you adjust to our online learning platform.
Once you’re ready to register, you’ll find three types of classes that are offered. Flex classes allow you to watch pre-recorded lectures and join in weekly discussion group meetings with fellow students. When you take a Live class, you’ll have the chance to attend lectures and ask questions in real time as well as participate in the smaller discussion group. Our Language classes offer twice-weekly intensive translation workshops guided by the professor; beginning level language courses also have pre-recorded lectures. All three types of classes have asynchronous, written discussion boards where you can ask questions and discuss course material with fellow learners.
But what makes this online learning platform work? Put simply: the people. Once you’re accepted to Signum, you’ll be matched with one of our wonderful advisors – Jessi, Sharon, or Sparrow – and they will guide you through the process, help you with questions, and remind you again and again that you are much more than a number to them and every staff member at Signum.
We are truly here to help with any questions you might have. If you’re struggling to navigate online learning, someone will help, whether by running a trial class or sharing step-by-step screenshots of the process. Every student is also added to the New Student Orientation course, which is full of resources and frequently asked questions.
There are also many ways to connect with students and staff outside of class. In addition to discussion groups and boards, you can follow Signum on social media, join the unofficial Facebook group, or join the Community Hearth, our written, asynchronous social forum. You can also attend one of our Moots, which are conferences held across the country – both live and remote – where you’ll have the opportunity to present papers and meet people who are just as passionate about these fantastic tales as you are.
We are wonderfully rich in community because Signum was designed from the start to be physically remote, while, at the same time, intellectually close and emotionally caring. You come to Signum University because you love good stories, but you stay for the friendships you make, the bond you share with your fellow learners, and the challenge to academic excellence.
So, join us for this most marvelous of adventures.
And don’t forget your pocket handkerchief.