BFS 310 - Thanatology (5 Qtr. Credits)

This course is intended to familiarize the student with the study of death and dying. Students will discuss various societal attitudes about death and how death is addressed and taught in society, how the current healthcare system supports or hinders the process of dying, end-of-life concerns for the terminally ill and their families, and the impact on survivors from traumatic or sudden death circumstances.

BFS 311 – Applied Thanatology (5 Qtr. Credits)

This course is designed to expose the student to the professional practice of thanatology and to deliver that in-depth knowledge and comprehensive training so you’ll be ready to positively impact lives. It is intended to familiarize the student with deeper aspects of thanatology, and components that overlap with professional work in end-of-life careers. Students will learn the difference between a disposition and a funeral rite, the value of meaning-making and the impact on mental health, what a death doula is and is not, setting appropriate boundaries and navigating dual-relationships, techniques for improving self-care and reducing compassion fatigue, contemporary issues in end-of-life careers and methods for engaging with the public.