Syllabus
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.)
Regular and Effective Contact
I will respond to you within 24 hours of receipt of your message.
Students will also be able to contact each other:
- Through weekly discussions
- Optional 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:
- Evaluate the conjectured possibility of an afterlife.
- Assess attitudes and practices about death and dying.
- Examine religious, philosophical, and popular beliefs about life after death.
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
Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- List and analyze the factors that have contributed to a lessened familiarity with death.
- Analyze the impact of selected divergent cultural beliefs and practices and to assess their value for survivors.
- Identify the factors that influence a child’s understanding of the attitude toward death.
- Identify the various types of health care for terminally ill patients and to differentiate between their functions and purposes.
- Describe the characteristics of an optimal patient-caregiver relationship and explain why these characteristics are deemed
important. - Describe and assess patterns of coping with life-threatening illness.
- Identify psychosocial factors influencing one’s relationship with a loved one who is dying.
- Describe and evaluate the functions of funeral rituals, including their psychosocial aspects.
- List the somatic, perceptual and emotional symptoms of grief and to assess its impact on morbidity and mortality.
- Describe and critically evaluate different models of the phases and duration of grief.
- Identify the various coping mechanism used by terminally ill children and to assess the value of each.
- Identify the kinds of losses adults experience and to compare and contrast their emotional responses to each.
- Articulate the issue of truth-telling in cases involving terminal illness and critically assess the options and consequences.
- Evaluate the ethical issues involved in active and passive euthanasia.
- Identify the major approaches to the definition of death and evaluate the usefulness of each.
- Identify the types, content and purposes of wills.
- Identify helping strategies for survivors of disasters, including those that are personal (e.g., homicide, accident) and social
(flood, war). - Describe and evaluate the principal models of suicide and the intervention strategies that each suggests.
- Compare and contrast culturally different views of life after death.
- Describe near-death experiences and critically evaluate the interpretations they have been given.
- Analyze speculation about attitudes and practices related to death in the future and to assess the potential effects of these changes on individuals and society.
Graded Components
- Directions for Graded Components are located in the Modules. All Graded Components are "Open book," which means students may access their textbook, notes, and other resources to complete assignments. Used sources must be cited.
- Some assignments may be submitted as papers or media presentations.
- I will grade assignments within 5 business days and provide evaluative comments to guide your continuing learning.
Examinations:
Midterm Examination: 100 points
Papers
- Humor and Cemetery Monuments: 100 points
-
Advanced Directive: 50 points
- Will or Living Trust: 50 points
-
Last Arrangements Directions: 100 points
- Comparison of Hinduism and Buddhism:100 points
-
Journal: 100 points
Discussions and Quizzes:
Each Quiz and Discussions are 5 points for a total of 100 points.
Grading Points System
700 Points Possible.
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
Ungraded Components
Throughout the course there will be opportunities to take ungraded practice quizzes and anonymous, ungraded surveys on course content and design.
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 Links to an external site.
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 Code of 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, 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 Links to an external site. or visit CSSC Room 101 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 contact me:
- Email jwaddell@collegeofthedesert.edu
- Phone 760-346-8041 ext 5900
- 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 found at Student Services Links to an external site.
- If you are having technological issues, go to Information Technology Services for assistance: Tech Support
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”