Course Description
An exploration of different perspectives and realities focused on experiences of death, dying, grief, and loss across the lifespan. We will examine the cultural context of death, the personal meaning of death at different stages in the life cycle, and the effect of death upon surviving family members.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be expected to develop a presentation focused on bibliotherapy with grieving children, lead service-learning project groups, and complete a case study paper.
Athena Title
Grief Loss and Bereavement
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in HDFS 4830, HDFS 4830E or HDFS 6830, HDFS 6830E
Non-Traditional Format
Course includes a service-learning project during the semester that either employs skills or knowledge learned in the course or teaches new skills or knowledge related to course objectives. Students will be involved in the planning and implementation of the project(s) and may spend time outside of the classroom. Students will be engaged in the service learning component for approximately 25-50% of overall instructional time.
Undergraduate Prerequisite
(HDFS 2100 or HDFS 2100H or HDFS 2100E) and (HDFS 2200 or HDFS 2200H or HDFS 2200E) and (HDFS 2950-2950L or HDFS 2950E) and (HDFS 3700 or HDFS 3700E or HDFS 3700S) and HDFS 3710
Graduate Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1. Demonstrate conceptual frameworks and cognitive theories about death, dying, and grief 2. Model effective development and sensitivity to issues concerning death, dying, and grief 3. Demonstrate awareness and sensitivity to one’s personal assumptions, biases, attitudes, and reactions to death, dying, and grief 4. Demonstrate death competency and lower death anxiety in order to increase sensitivity, awareness, and skills in: a. coping with loss and bereavement b. supporting others in their struggle to deal with death issues c. finding meaning and personal growth through encounters with death, loss, and grief Service-Learning Course Objectives 5. Students will engage in service-learning with children and families either by direct involvement or via a partnership with a community agency.
Topical Outline
Introduction to Talking about Death and Dying and Death Awareness Inventory Anticipatory Loss and How We Die Talking about Death Expressive Arts and Death Children and Families and Death Grief Theories Disenfranchised Grief and Ambiguous Loss Trauma and Complex Grief Cultural Implications Effective Interventions Book Discussions
Syllabus