Death, Grief, and Loss

3 credits · Undergraduate

Loss, including but not limited to death, is a universal human event, yet it is a highly contextualized experience. This course is designed for those hoping to work with or study individuals in the throes of loss, whether that loss is of a family member or an aspect of oneself or capabilities. We will use film, literature, and scholarly research to reflect on the developmental, social, psychological, cultural, and spiritual components of death and loss, using seminal and contemporary theories to understand the forms and functions of grief and mourning. We will reflect on our own experiences of loss and grief as we engage with representations from varied perspectives. We will explore the palliative medicine and hospice care movement, the emergence and evolution of death with dignity, and their impact on the loss and grief experiences of dying individuals and their families. Throughout, we will turn our attention to evidence-based practices for supporting children and adults experiencing loss and living with grief in a variety of social and clinical settings [3].