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Course Number and Title

PHIL-013-3764 - Perspectives on Death & Dying

Class Days and Times

2021 Spring Semester

Online

Instructor

James Waddell, D.Phil.(Oxon.)

Contact Information:

    Zoom Invitation will be automatically sent to you.

Students will also be able to contact each other at a weekly Student Chat Hour on Tuesdays from 6:00-7:00 pm.

Course Catalog Description

The study of the phase of life that is death is concerned with questions that have their roots at the center of human experience. These questions are often avoided as we go about the process of living our lives, for several reasons: They are painful; they invoke some, perhaps deeply seated, fears about the end of life; they lead us into a place of “the unknown”; and, often, we do not care to contemplate how our own death will occur. This course will highlight some of those main questions, in order that our understanding will increase and, perhaps, lead us together on a journey of personal discovery.

Required Text

The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying by Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland; McGraw Hill Education, 2009.

The book may be purchased or rented through the College of the Desert Bookstore COD Bookstore.  An eBook edition is available through McGraw Hill publisher Last Dance eBook.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course students will have learn how to do the following activities:

  1. Evaluate the conjecture of an afterlife.

  2. Describe attitudes and practices about death and dying.

  3. Describe religious, philosophical, and popular beliefs about death and dying.

Students also will take away:

  • An Advanced Medical Directive for Health Care
  • A Will or a Living Trust for distribution of your property after your death
  • Last Arrangements Instructions and a Financial Plan for a funeral or Memorial Service
  • A Legacy Letter to loved ones about how you would like to be remembered.

Course Objectives

  1. To explicate some of the questions we ask about this “ultimate” phase of our lives.

  2. To discuss attitudes toward death and dying; to learn how socio-cultural forces influence our concepts of death.

  3. To study cross-cultural funerary customs and traditions which will highlight how death is perceived around the globe.

  4. To take a closer look at how healthcare systems manage this phase of life.

  5. To study medical ethics and the moral issues surrounding death, including how medical personnel define and determine death.

  6. To study how people cope with life-threatening illnesses and make their own end-of-life decisions.

  7. To understand how survivors understand and cope with the experience of loss.

  8. To discuss some issues and perspectives surrounding suicide.

  9. To understand the impact of the risks of death: Disasters, violence, war, terrorism, and epidemics..

  10. To discuss beliefs about life after death.

Graded Components

All components are "Open book," which means students may access their textbook, notes, and other resources to complete assignments. Used sources must be cited. I will grade assignments within 5 business days and provide evaluative comments to guide your continuing learning.

Examination

Midterm Examination: 100 points

 Papers:

  • Study of Humor and Cemetery Monuments: 100 points

  • Advanced Directive: 50

  • Will: 50 points

  • Last Arrangements Directions: 100 points

  • Journal: 150 points 

Discussions

 Discussions with initial posts and replies: 100 points

Quizzes

For credit Quizzes: 50 points

Total of 700 points

Grading Points System

Points and Letter Grade equivalent:

Individual Assignment                   Semester Total

A=100-90                                        A=700-630

B=89-80                                          B=629-560

C=79-70                                          C=559-490

D=69-60                                          D=489-420

F=59-0                                             F=419-0

Weekly Schedule

Please see Course Calendar  for an Overview of course content, assignments, and due dates.

Required Materials

Access to the internet is required for this course

To be successful in an online class, students needs to have access to some basic software programs. These programs are all free and will likely be required at some point during your course. For more information go to

Software Needs 

Required Textbook:

The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying by Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland; McGraw Hill Education, 2009.

The book may be purchased or rented through the College of the Desert Bookstore COD Bookstore.  An eBook edition is available through McGraw Hill publisher Last Dance eBook

Supplemental Materials

Textbook Supplement

McGraw Hill's Online Learning Center, Textbook resources  provides a glossary, practice quizzes, Web activities, chapter objectives, key terms, and flash cards. 

Instructor Drop Policy

It is important that students check into the first week's session of an online course and to participate regularly in in the remaining sessions. Checking in goes beyond logging in. It includes participation in discussion forums or a syllabus quiz, or any other meaningful activity that requires significant student interaction.

I may drop a student who does not  checked in the first week or if a student has not participated in discussions or other forms of communication and/or has not submitted assignments for 2 consecutive weeks.

The primary responsibility for class attendance and course schedule rests with the student. Consequently, students must process all adds or drops to their course schedules and are held responsible for updating their own enrollment records. To be officially recorded, adds and drops must be submitted electronically via WebAdvisor by the appropriate deadlines:

  • February 3: Last Day to Add
  • February 3: Last day to DROP and qualify for a refund
  • February 9: Last day to DROP without a “W”
  • April 24: Last day to DROP with a “W”

 Students are expected to attend all sessions of a course in which they are enrolled. Anticipated absences should be reported to instructors in advance in order to complete assigned work by due dates. All other absences should be reported to instructors immediately upon returning to class and any missed coursework should be made up. If an emergency requires a long absence and the instructor cannot be reached, students should contact the appropriate instructional dean or designee. Students are held financially accountable for every course in which they are registered and are responsible for their own class schedule and any changes made via WebAdvisor.

Academic Integrity

In accordance with College of the Desert’s Student Code of Conduct cheating and plagiarism with not be tolerated. Incidents of cheating and/or plagiarism will result in a failing grade on the work and a report filed with the Office of Student Life.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

A short statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities is respect  your fellow classmates, your instructor, and the whole COD community. The full statement of COD's policy of Student Rights and responsibilities may be found at  Student Conduct

Use of Electronic Devices for Assignments

As students may access the textbook, notes, and other resources to complete all graded components of this course (open book), electronic devices may be used to complete assignments. All sources reached through electronic or non-electronic devices must be cited.

Disabled Student Programs and Services

College of the Desert views disability as an important aspect of diversity and is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students. The Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) office is the office that collaborates with students with disabilities to provide reasonable accommodations. Please contact the DSPS office at (760) 773-2534 or  https://www.collegeofthedesert.edu/students/dsps/default.php  for more information. Once registered with DSPS, students will be provided with an Authorized Academic Accommodations form that can be shared with faculty.

Veteran Students

 Welcome Veterans! If you have any special circumstances (e.g. V.A. apt, upcoming deployments, drill requirements, or disabilities) you are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor.

International Students

 Studying philosophy in a foreign language is challenging. Therefore, all international students may use official translators during exams. Also, if you have ANY questions about definitions or content please email me jwaddell@collegeofthedesert.edu or call me 760-346-8041 ext 5900 or  login to my Zoom office hour on Monday 4:00-5:00 pm. Invitations are sent automatically each week.

Additional Student Resources

Library Services, Tutoring, and Counseling can all be linked to through your student Canvas website at: MyCOD

Important Dates

  • February 3: Last day to ADD
  • February 3: Last day to DROP and qualify for a refund
  • February 9: Last day to DROP without a “W”
  • April 24: Last day to DROP with a “W”

Weekly Schedule

Please see the Course Calendar for an overview of the assignments and due dates for this course.

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due