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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Signum University</span></span>
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</style><table class="infobox vcard"><caption class="infobox-title fn org">Signum University</caption><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.65em;">Type</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="Private_university" title="Private university">Private</a> <a href="Graduate_school" class="mw-redirect" title="Graduate school">graduate school</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.65em;">Established</th><td class="infobox-data">2012<span style="display:none"> (<span class="bday dtstart published updated">2012</span>)</span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.65em;"><a href="University_president" class="mw-redirect" title="University president">President</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="Corey_Olsen" title="Corey Olsen">Corey Olsen</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.65em;"><div style="display: inline-block; line-height: 1.2em; padding: .1em 0;">Academic staff</div></th><td class="infobox-data">22</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.65em;"><div style="display: inline-block; line-height: 1.2em; padding: .1em 0;">Administrative staff</div></th><td class="infobox-data">10</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.65em;">Location</th><td class="infobox-data adr"><div style="display:inline" class="locality"><a href="Bedford%2C_New_Hampshire" title="Bedford, New Hampshire">Bedford</a></div>, <div style="display:inline" class="state"><a href="New_Hampshire" title="New Hampshire">New Hampshire</a></div>, <div style="display:inline" class="country-name">United States</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.65em;">Website</th><td class="infobox-data"><span class="url"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://signumuniversity.org">signumuniversity<wbr>.org</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p><b>Signum University</b> is a non-profit, online <a href="Graduate_school" class="mw-redirect" title="Graduate school">graduate school</a> based in <a href="New_Hampshire" title="New Hampshire">New Hampshire</a>, granting the degree of <a href="Master_of_Arts" title="Master of Arts">Master of Arts</a> in Language and Literature. Its founder and president is <a href="Corey_Olsen" title="Corey Olsen">Corey Olsen</a>.
</p><p>Signum's <a href="Master's_degree" title="Master's degree">master's degree</a> program has four areas of concentration: <a href="Classic_book" title="Classic book">Classic Literature</a>, <a href="Tolkien_research" title="Tolkien research">Tolkien Studies</a>, <a href="Germanic_Philology" class="mw-redirect" title="Germanic Philology">Germanic Philology</a>, and <a href="Genre_fiction" title="Genre fiction">Imaginative Literature</a>. Instruction is done entirely via the Internet, with a combination of the use of <a href="Webinar" class="mw-redirect" title="Webinar">webinars</a>, live and pre-recorded lectures, <a href="Google_Classroom" title="Google Classroom">Google Classroom</a>, and <a href="Google_Groups" title="Google Groups">Google Groups</a>.
</p><p>Signum is one of the few universities to offer multiple courses in Tolkien Studies. In addition to founder Corey Olsen, the university also draws from other notable Tolkien scholars such as <a href="Tom_Shippey" title="Tom Shippey">Tom Shippey</a>, <a href="Verlyn_Flieger" title="Verlyn Flieger">Verlyn Flieger</a>, <a href="Douglas_A._Anderson" title="Douglas A. Anderson">Douglas A. Anderson</a>, <a href="John_Garth_(author)" title="John Garth (author)">John Garth</a>, <a href="Michael_D._C._Drout" title="Michael D. C. Drout">Michael D. C. Drout</a>, and <a href="Dimitra_Fimi" title="Dimitra Fimi">Dimitra Fimi</a>. The Germanic philology program is also robust and growing.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2></div>
<p>Signum's beginning was with the launch of the "Tolkien Professor" podcast in 2009 by Corey Olsen, who was teaching at <a href="Washington_College" title="Washington College">Washington College</a> at the time. In 2011 its first credit classes were offered, and in 2012 the university was founded.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p><p>In 2018, Olsen announced that Signum University was to be formally entered for state certification via the <a href="New_Hampshire_Department_of_Education" title="New Hampshire Department of Education">New Hampshire Department of Education</a>. Following some days of crowdfunding, they raised the $23,720 required,<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and later in 2018, it began the ascension process,<sup id="cite_ref-auto_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-auto-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> announcing that the New Hampshire Department of Education had accepted the request for Signum University to do business in the state<sup id="cite_ref-auto_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-auto-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> after facing a difficult vote in the New Hampshire legislature.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p><p>In 2021, Signum received authorization from the State of New Hampshire to grant the Master of Arts degree.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>
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<li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">
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</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://granitegeek.concordmonitor.com/2019/01/29/a-possible-future-of-online-higher-ed-with-a-heavy-dose-of-tolkien-and-beowulf/">"A possible future of online higher ed, with a heavy dose of Tolkien and Beowulf"</a>. <i>Granite geek</i>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://signumuniversity.org/history-of-signum/">"History of Signum"</a>.</cite></span>
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<li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/local-news/2019/02/13/sci-fi-university-comes-to-nashua/">"'Sci-Fi University' comes to Nashua"</a>. <i>Nashua Telegraph</i>.</cite></span>
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<li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://signumuniversity.org/fund/donate/credentials/">"Help Cover Signum's Accreditation Application Costs"</a>. <i>Signum University</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">March 30,</span> 2019</span>.</cite></span>
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<li id="cite_note-auto-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-auto_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-auto_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://signumuniversity.org/news/nh-dept-of-ed-announces-signums-approval/">"Signum University: NH Dept. of Ed. Announces Signum's Approval"</a>. <i>Signum University</i>. February 9, 2019<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">March 30,</span> 2019</span>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/bill_status.aspx?lsr=1033&sy=2019&txtsessionyear=2019&txtbillnumber=SB138&sortoption=&q=1">"New Hampshire General Court - Bill Status System"</a>. <i>gencourt.state.nh.us</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">March 30,</span> 2019</span>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2019-02-08/new-hampshire-approves-sci-fi-and-fantasy-online-college">"New Hampshire Approves Sci-Fi and Fantasy Online College"</a>. <i>New Hampshire Public Radio</i>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://granitegeek.concordmonitor.com/2020/01/08/online-college-with-j-r-r-tolkein-emphasis-faces-a-tough-vote-in-n-h-house/">"Online college with J.R.R. Tolkien emphasis faces a tough vote in N.H. House"</a>. <i>Granite geek</i>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.wcax.com/content/news/Sci-fi-literature-university-seeks-degree-granting-authority-507039671.html">"Sci-fi literature university seeks degree-granting authority"</a>. <i>WCAX</i>.</cite></span>
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<li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.governor.nh.gov/news-and-media/governor-chris-sununu-signs-23-bills-law-vetoes-2">"Governor Chris Sununu Signs 23 Bills Into Law, Vetoes 2"</a>. <i>Office of the Governor of New Hampshire</i>.</cite></span>
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<li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://signumuniversity.org/news/a-long-desired-signature/">"A Long-Desired Signature!"</a>.</cite></span>
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2></div>
<ul><li><span class="official-website"><span class="url"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://signumuniversity.org">Official website</a></span></span></li></ul></div><!--htdig_noindex--><div><div class="zim-footer">
This article is issued from <a class="external text" title="Last edited on 2024-02-27" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?title=Signum_University&oldid=1210512803">Wikipedia</a>. The text is available under <a class="external text" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en">Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0</a> unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.
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