Well, there is an alternative. Now you can be part of a virtual classroom that's as far away as your keyboard. Still others are conducted via e-mail and a Web site. The instructor posts a lecture or assignment on the Web. Participants have a few days to do the required work.
Classes are often free.
However, courses that are offered by degree- granting universities normally charge a fee. Access to online materials in those courses is usually restricted to enrolled students who have a password. Most universities view their distance learning courses equal in workload and as demanding as their classroom-based courses and offer comparable credits. This year you can delve into the Judean Desert Scrolls with Hanan Eshel. David Elgavish looks at War and Peace in the Bible, starting with Abraham and following the exploits of Joshua and King David.