Click here for conversion list of former 3-digit course numbers.

Thanatology 2200 - Survey of Thanatology

An interdisciplinary overview of major themes and attitudes regarding death and dying in North America. Topics include the Death System, cultural, spiritual, and ethical issues, ageism, funerals, palliative care, specific populations, popular culture, and the arts as they relate to death, and philosophical questions that surround death and meaning.
(King's)

Thanatology 2230A/B - Principles of Palliative Care

Interdisciplinary overview of palliative care philosophy and its implementation. Topics include response to terminal/chronic illness, distinction between palliative care and traditional medical models, pain and symptom control, the team approach, site of care, communication issues, and psychological and spiritual needs of dying patients and their families.
(King's)

Thanatology 2231A/B - Bereavement and Grief: Overview and Interventions

A study of bereavement and grief, with a review of topics such as attachment theory, the normal course of grief, current research and trends in bereavement theory and interventions, factors influencing the grief response, and specific types of loss and specific populations and grief.
(King's)

Thanatology 2232A/B - Children and Death: Theory and Interventions

An examination of children’s understanding of death, the dying child, children and funerals, specific ages and interventions for the grieving child, the family system and death, and death and trauma in children.
(King's)

Thanatology 2233A/B - Suicide: Theory and Interventions

A study of suicide with emphasis on North American culture. Topics will include the epidemiology of suicide and current research on suicide, suicide across the life span, theories about suicide, suicide prevention, intervention, and grief after a suicide.
(King's)

Thanatology 2234A/B - Change, Transition and Loss

Exploration of adjustment to change, transition, and loss from the perspective of bereavement theory and research. Concepts relevant to losses which are not associated with death, but which are associated with grief and adjustment issues, such as aging, chronic illness, adoption, relationship dissolution, and immigration will be explored.
(King's)

Thanatology 2235A/B - Popular Culture and Death

Exploration of how portrayals of social norms for death, dying and bereavement are presented in popular culture and how these portrayals reflect and affect social policy, social norms, and contemporary thinking about death-related issues. Death-related themes will be examined in film media, contemporary writing, television and mass-media markets, music, art, and the internet.
(King's)

Thanatology 2291F/G - Independent Study in Thanatology

Reading and discussion or academic project on selected topics in Thanatology. Open only to students taking the Minor module in Thanatology or the Certificate in Grief and Bereavement Studies.
(King's)

Thanatology 2292F/G - Independent Study in Thanatology

Reading and discussion or academic project on selected topics in Thanatology. Open only to students taking the Minor module in Thanatology or the Certificate in Grief and Bereavement Studies.
(King's)

Thanatology 2293A/B-2295A/B - Special Topics

Course descriptions available at times of registration.
(King's)

Thanatology 2296F/G-2298F/G - Special Topics

Course descriptions available at times of registration.
(King's)

Thanatology 3311F/G - Social and Political Discourse in Thanatology

Students will have an opportunity to become familiar with critical theory concepts as they relate to Thanatology, examine the underpinnings of critical theory, and explore topics such as social class structure, social and political institutions, and social policy relevant to Thanatology.
(King's)

Thanatology 3320A/B - Spiritual and Philosophical Issues in Death, Dying and Bereavement

Overview of various philosophical, spiritual, and religious understandings of death. Topics will include the search for meaning, philosophical and existential understandings of death, socialization and culture in value formation, suffering, hope, and transcendence as they apply to death, dying, and bereavement.
(King's)

Thanatology 3321A/B - Grief Counselling and Support

Designed to integrate current research in bereavement with appropriate counselling interventions for various types of losses, and with various populations. Topics include an overview of various counselling theories, review of bereavement theories and research, interventions with grieving families, complicated and traumatic grief, and self-care for professional caregivers.
(King's)

Thanatology 3322A/B - Diversity and Social Justice Issues in Thanatology

Exploration of how access to resources, oppression, economic factors, culture, and ethnicity affects aspects of death, dying, and grief. Students will be encouraged to evaluate social influences, explore various aspects of cultural competence, and develop an appreciation of diversity in the context of Thanatology-related themes.
(King's)

Thanatology 3323A/B - Grief and Trauma

An exploration of the intersection between grief, loss, and trauma in a variety of contexts. Theories of grief and trauma intervention will be applied to the role of first responders, death notification, traumatic response teams, unique features of sudden loss, and implications for treatment of survivors in various populations, as well as professional caregiver issues.
(King's)

Thanatology 3355A/B - Ethical Issues in Death, Dying, and Bereavement

Overview of ethical issues pertinent to end of life and bereavement aftercare. Exploration of various theoretical frameworks and specific relevant topics such as euthanasia, assisted suicide, informed choice and decision-making capacity, patient rights, research ethics, medical futility, resource allocation, and quality of life issues.
(King's)

Thanatology 3360A/B - Practicum in Thanatology

Students will be exposed to various care providers in the community that work with individuals and families facing death and experiencing grief after a loss. Focus will be on integration of theoretical knowledge with clinical application. Students with a clinical focus and background will be given priority.
Class meets for 8 hours each Monday for the first seven weeks of term.
Practicum is 45 additional hours in placement setting.
(King's)

Thanatology 3393A/B-3395A/B - Special Topics

Course Descriptions available at time of registration.
(King's)

Thanatology 3396F/G-3398F/G - Special Topics

Course descriptions available at times of registration.
(King's)

Thanatology 4401F/G - Research Methods in Thanatology

Students will review Thanatology research literature to become familiar with the most common measures utilized, explore conditions of study that are more appropriate for quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods methodology. Recent Thanatology research that is controversial or notable in its contribution to the field will be discussed.
(King's)

Thanatology 4402F/G - Field Research in Thanatology

This course will build on knowledge developed in Thanatology 4401F/G, allowing students the opportunity to develop their own design and methodology in a Thanatology related context, and gain experience in the implementation of a research design, along with the reporting and documentation of findings.
(King's)

Thanatology 4496F/G-4498F/G - Special Topics

Course description to be provided at the time of registration.
(King's)