Experimental Course: Death & Dying

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Students will examine biological, psychological, and social factors a part of death and dying.
• Students will discuss attitudes towards death and dying in a Western and global context.
• Students will examine the ways advance care planning can prepare older adults and families for the end of life.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Course Guide Review Quiz	5 points
Book Club Reflection	180 points
Seeing Death in the Media	25 points
Obituary and Self-Reflection Paper	35 points
Conversations around End-of-Life Interview	50 points
Advance Care Planning – Self-Assessment	60 points
Perceptions of Death and Dying in Media Paper Film/book Identification Annotated Bibliography Rough draft Final paper	100 points
Perceptions of Death and Dying Presentation	20 points
Attendance and Class Participation	25 points
Total	500 points

Grading Scale:

Percentage	Letter Grade
93-100%	A
90-92.9%	A-
87-89.9%	B+
83-86.9%	B
80-82.9%	B-
77-79.9%	C+
73-76.9%	C
70-72.9%	C-
60-69.9%	D
60% or below	F

Attendance/Participation:

In order for you to be successful in this course, it is important you attend every class session. I understand, however, life happens and sometimes situations arise where you can not be in class. In order to account for the many happenings of life, each student is allowed to miss up to 2 classes without penalty (you will still be responsible for any course material or assignments due that day). Missing more than 2 days and/or repeatedly arriving late to class will negatively impact your grade (i.e., loss of attendance or class participation for the day).

If you are absent, please reach out to me as soon as possible. I will allow make-up assignments with appropriate documentation.

Class participation comes in many forms. Participating in the course can look like engaging in in-class assignments, asking questions, making comments, engaging in reviews, and generally being a good citizen of the course. Many announcements and occasional assignments will be given in class only. If in your absence, handouts or other items are distributed, it is your responsibility to get copies of them for yourself. Students who regularly attend class will be more likely to earn all these points.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

• Corr, C.A., & Doka, K.J. (2019). Death & Dying, Life & Living. (9th ed.). Cengage. ISBN: 978-0357946923
• Gawande, A. (2014). Being mortal: Medicine and what matters in the end. ISBN: 978-1781253946
• Chast, R. (2016). Can’t we talk about something more pleasant. Bloomsbury: USA. ISBN: 978-1632861016