Chiron Studies

The Chiron Studies Project – as it was originally called – began in the 1968-9 academic year as a means to help qualified students and others in the Portland State University community establish courses and pursue academic interests which were not otherwise provided for in the existing curriculum. In this initial phase Chiron Studies, like most similarly constituted programs at other universities, provided a forum for the radical left and militant sections of the student bodies. It is because Chiron Studies became more than a radical student forum that it survived its initial phase. It became a very viable and important means for offering student input into the university curriculum.

Since its inception in 1968-9, Chiron Studies has been administered and shaped by students for students. From its beginnings until its untimely disintegration in 2005, Chiron Studies was funded through student fees, and was constructed as a student group. However, when Chiron Studies was reanimated and revised in 2008, we abandoned our student group formation for an independent organizational structure under the supervision of the Office of Academic Affairs. While we are still run by students for students, we are no longer funded by student fees.

Chiron Studies is one of very few programs of its type in existence. While there are numerous national and international programs that offer students the opportunity to teach classes, few programs provide students with the experience of developing their own course material and syllabus, and the opportunity to teach a course that is a university-accredited, A-F, and 4-credit.

If you are interested in submitting a proposal to teach a course, we encourage you to browse our website and, in particular, read over the Course Proposal Brief and the Sample Syllabus. We offer courses every term, including summer, however the deadlines for proposal applications differ from term to term. To find out the deadline of the current term contact the Chiron Coordinator at chironstudies@gmail.com.

The content of this website should answer most of the questions that you have. Here you will find downloadable copies of the course proposal, our constitution, and information regarding our governing board, our university partners, our past and current courses, and much more.

Get Help

Please contact the Chiron Studies office if you have any questions:

Phone

503.725.2998

Room

CH 345

Email

chironstudies@gmail.com