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Single Specialty Classes to Enrich Your Life

By Gabby Hyman
Learning & Life Columnist
March 28, 2006

Personal enrichment courses--sometimes called elective classes--were once associated with people who couldn't decide on a degree program. In more recent times, single classes have gained academic respectability and have become the preferred courses for working professionals, and people who value a lifetime of learning.

Today, single enrichment classes are the prime courses sought by busy professionals, retired people, homemakers, and students returning to college after a long hiatus. There are three general profiles of enrichment class students:

• People seeking professional certifications
• People who are passionate about learning and enjoy taking classes for fun, social contact, and deepening existing hobbies
• People transitioning into a new profession or upgrading their job skills in search of advancement

Near-Endless Learning Potential

The benefits of the enrichment class are diverse. If you're a working professional, you can find the precise, single course in your specialty that qualifies you for a new role in the office without compromising your hectic schedule. Returning to college? Sample an enrichment class in the prospective major field to see if you really are interested. Courses may be detailed and specific, or they may offer introductory overviews. Enrichment classes allow you to discover other people in your community with similar interests in organic gardening, digital photography, and more. You can take classes in Italian for travellers, Web site coding, acoustic guitar, or debt consolidation. Enrichment classes help you forge business contacts and life-long friendships.

For a few hours a week, an enrichment program gets you out of the house, out of the office, and possibly out of your rut.



About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.

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