SOC 484 - Sociology of Death and Dying

(3 units) CO12

Examines loss in personal relationships and society; emphasis placed on grief experiences, roles in dying, stratification, institutions, ethics, and ending or prolonging life.

Maximum units a student may earn: 3

Prerequisite(s): SOC 101 or PSY 101.

Grading Basis: Graded
Units of Lecture: 3
Offered: Every Fall

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. demonstrate understanding of and appreciation for the ethical principles, beliefs, and values advanced by various religions or cultures as applied to issues of grief, mourning, ending or prolonging life (CO12).
2. articulate why a specific course of action is ethically defensible in decisions to end or prolong life (CO12).
3. assess their own moral and ethical values and beliefs within the social context of life and symbolic immortality (CO12).
4. identify and discuss issues related to illness, bereavement, death, and dying policies and practices that can arise in institutional contexts, such as the workplace, military, healthcare, or educational settings (CO12).
5. demonstrate knowledge of death, dying and grief across the lifespan within the roles and experiences of the individual, family, community and society.
6. apply intersectional factors of race, class, gender, age, family, and sexual orientation to describe diverse experiences with grief and loss.
7. identify the strengths and limitations of individual, family, and social theories of grief and loss processes or relationships.

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