Aging and Health
Minor

Adulthood & Aging

A study of normative adult life transformations and crises within the context of cultural diversity and empowerment. Students will investigate culture, gender, and ethnicity patterns. Topics include methodology; developmental theories of adulthood; physical & cognitive changes in adulthood; changing societal, familial, and occupational roles in adulthood; changes in personalities and responses to stress in adult lives; and dying as the final stage of development.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Aging and Disability

Life course approach to disability. Emphasis will be placed on lifelong health and well-being, global impact of chronic health on society, rights and protections of the law, stigma, relationships, importance of advocacy, rehabilitation, and assistive technology. Students will have opportunities to explore topics through fieldwork and written assignments.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Anatomy and Physiology I

A systematic study of the human body emphasizing structural and functional relationships. Topics include cellular activity and tissue organization. The skeletal, muscular, and cardiovascular morphology and function are presented.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Anatomy and Physiology II

Continuation of BIO 221. Study of the structure and function of the respiratory, digestive, nervous, urinary, endocrine, and reproductive systems.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Applied Ethics

An investigation of normative ethical theories through applied case studies. Areas of Applied Ethics covered may include Medicine & Health Care Ethics, Technology Ethics, Business Ethics, Bioethics, Professional Ethics, Ecological Ethics, and related topics.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Biological Bases of Behavior

Introduction to the biological basis of behavior. Topics will include basic neuronal functioning and brain specialization, as well as the relation of other biological systems (e.g. sleep/wake cycles, circadian rhythms) to brain function and behavior.

• Course type: Lecture

Biological Statistics

Statistical concepts for the planning of experiments and the summarization of numerical data. Lectures emphasize probability, testing of hypothesis and the application of different, statistical concepts and problems.

• Course type: Laboratory
• Course hours: 6 hours per week

Biology of Genetic Disease

Fundamentals of genetic disease and disorders. Explains the role of genes in causing disease and disorders and the prospects that genetic information will help prevent, treat and cure diseases. This course also presents the ethical issues and social context of medical genetics. This course is intended for the non-biology major and meets the University Studies Curriculum Cluster 2 B requirements.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Buddhism

Basic Buddhist concepts, the historical origin and subsequent development of Buddhism, and Buddhist philosophy. This course will cover important Buddhist themes, such as the nature of suffering and happiness, Buddhist ethical principles, mindfulness and ignorance, dependent origination and impermanence, conventional and ultimate reality, the emptiness of persons, and karma, rebirth, and nirvana. Meditation may also be practiced.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Cancer Biology

Fundamentals of cancer biology. This course examines scientific causes of cancer. Additional analysis includes studying the emotional, financial, social and psychological effects on patients, family and caregivers in "real-world" applications. This course is intended for the non-biology major and meets the University Studies Curriculum Cluster 2B requirement.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Chemistry and the Environment

Available to anyone in the university, this course provides substantial treatment, with demonstrations, of the chemistry involved in consumer concerns (food additives, medicines, detergents, etc.), air and water pollution, elementary biochemistry, and the general question of power generation and utilization (fuel cells, solar energy conversion, nuclear energy, etc.). No knowledge of chemistry is assumed, but it is hoped the student will have had high school chemistry or its equivalent.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Chemistry in Nutrition and Health

Nutrition and health issues facing people today and the chemistry needed to understand them. Topics to be discussed include health efforts of toxic substances, the science of proper diet, and some of the biochemistry needed to understand diseases such as cancer and AIDS.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Cognitive Health & Aging

Advanced seminar course addressing psychological aging, with an emphasis on developmental theories, and maintenance of cognitive health. Primary source readings will consider normative and pathological changes with age, the potential for interventions, and contributions from other systems of influence such as biology and neuroscience.

• Course type: Lecture

Cont Top Human Ecol II

Medical-social problems as they relate to modern society. Contemporary topics such as stress, sexuality, inheritance, and aging are discussed.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Cont Top Human Ecology I

Medical-social problems as they relate to modern society. Contemporary topics such as over-the-counter drugs, eugenics, factors affecting I.Q., basic human physiology, and the disease state are discussed.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Ecology and Environmental Issues

The science of ecology as it applies to major environmental issues. Principles of population, community, and ecosystem ecology will be introduced in the context of such problems as invasive species and global climate change. Students will also learn and apply the scientific method through readings, discussion, and on-campus field research.

• Course type: Lecture

Economic Statistics

Introduction to data and statistical methods used in economics. Descriptive statistics, probability distributions, sampling, estimation, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, correlation, and regression including multiple regression are covered. Applications in economics with current economic data are emphasized.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Environmental Health

The interaction of the environment and human health, from the perspective of an ecological framework. Physical, psychological, and psychosocial health responses to environmental toxins and infectious agents will be a central theme. Previous endeavors to maintain and improve the environment through the legislative process, public policy and regulation will be studied by examining case studies. The effects of war on the environment and public health will also be studied. (Only the 485 level carries general Education credit.)

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Ethics & Health Care Professionals

An examination of the ethical aspects of the health care professions and the impact of ethical issues on the professional's life. Topics include: responsibility, conscience, professional codes of ethics, privacy, informed consent, access to health care, loss and death.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Experience Program

Work experience at an elective level supervised for academic credit by a faculty member in an appropriate academic field. Conditions and hours to be arranged. Graded CR/NC. For specific procedures and regulations, see selection of catalogue on Other Learning Experiences.

• Course type: Practicum
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Fundamentals of Human Physiology

Introduction to the general physiological principles involved in human body functions with homeostasis as the unifying theme. Enrollment requires a minimum grade of C- in all MLS courses.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 4 hours per week

Fundamentals of Statistics

An introduction to statistics and probability. Topics include: measures of central tendency and dispersion, elementary probability, binomial, normal, and t-distributions, hypothesis testing and confidence intervals, and a survey of correlation and regression analysis. It is recommended for Psychology, Sociology, Nursing, or other Liberal Arts and Fine Arts majors whose degree program does not require any other courses in mathematics. The course fulfills the general education requirements for sociology, psychology, nursing, education, and other related majors who matriculated prior to Fall 2012 and has been approved by University Studies Curriculum for students matriculating in Fall 2012 or later.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

General Biology I

An introductory human biology course emphasizing energy flow and the function of cells and molecules, basic genetics, and selected aspects of human physiology.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Gerontology Practicum

The practicum, a required course for the certificate, provides the student an opportunity to synthesize and apply knowledge about older adults either through supervised field experience or a project in gerontology. The practicum is planned to meet the individual needs of the student relative to professional background, personal interests, and career goals.

• Course type: Practicum
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Global Women's Health and Activism

An overview of women's health through an international perspective. Various women's health issues such as cancer, fertility, maternal mortality, STI/STD, HIV/AIDS, and violence against women are researched and analyzed. The investigation of health issues through a feminist political lens is crucial. The relevance and importance of understanding women's health through a human rights framework will be explored. The aim is to understand how gender inequity impacts women's health. Socioeconomic status, nation, gender and race all play a crucial role in women's health. Most importantly, an investigation into the various political, institutional and activist responses to women's health issues around the world will be undertaken. The level of political commitment to women's health will be analyzed by focusing on key strategies implemented by international institutions like the United Nations, and look at particular government strategies in countries such as Haiti, India, China, and Ghana.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Health and Healing

Exploration of how culture and systems of social inequality shape health and health care practices in different societies around the world. The course examines cultural concepts of health, illness, and healing; the nature of the therapeutic encounter; and the impact of differences in wealth, race, gender on health and access to health care. This course is especially relevant for students pursuing careers in health and social service fields and who are interested in understanding culture and cultural diversity.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Health Economics

Methodologies used by economists to study the economics of health. Topics covered include market for health care, demand for insurance, demography and health, and cross-national comparisons of medical care systems.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Health Psychology

Provides an overview of health psychology: the scientific study of behaviors and cognitive processes related to health states. It addresses the mind/body connection, the influence of social and physical environments on our health, cognitive processing of health information, health belief models and the link between personality traits and health. The interactions between these biological, psychological, and social influences on individuals' health states are examined from an empirical perspective.

• Course type: Lecture

Human Genetics

An intensive survey of genetic mechanisms emphasizing the effect on human inheritance and disease. Enrollment requires a minimum grade of C- in all MLS courses.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Human Nutrition

Major nutrients and their role in human function. Provides the foundation for understanding the relationship of nutrition to health, fitness, energy, weight management, longevity, and disease prevention. Nutritional strategies to promote the health of persons will be introduced. Identification of nutritional needs at each stage in the life cycle will be explored. Skills in written communication and computer data analysis will be enhanced by a dietary self-analysis.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Identities: Gender, Race, Sexuality

A cross-disciplinary course in Women' s Studies and Social Philosophy which examines the concepts and intersections of Gender, Race, and Sexuality. The course examines whether these identities exist as natural "facts" or are socially constructed, while also questioning how we are to understand individuals who do not fit - or refuse to fit - into these categories.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Independent Study

Study under the supervision of a faculty member in an area not otherwise part of the discipline's course offerings. Conditions and hours to be arranged.

• Course type: Independent Study

Introduction to Black Studies

An introduction to the principal concepts and methods of Afrocentric scholarship. Topics include the social, political, aesthetic, and economic experiences of Black people in America and throughout the world. Students will develop their academic research, critical reading & writing, and oral presentation.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Introduction to Ethics

A critical examination of normative theories of obligation and value. It includes philosophical examination of some moral problems including but not limited to: abortion, euthanasia, death penalty, gender and sexual orientation equality, pornography and censorship, violence, and economic injustice. Numerous ethical theories will be discussed, including but not limited to: Cultural Relativism, Ethical Subjectivism, Ethical Egoism, Divine Command Theory, Utilitarianism, Rights Theories, Kantianism, Social Contract Theory, and Feminist Ethics.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Introduction to Health and Society

Cross-disciplinary debates about health, wellness and health care. The course challenges students to look critically at health care practices and understand the complexities of health policy; understand the impact of culture and historical change on understandings of health, illness and the body; and see how globalizing economies and structures of inequality shape illness, health care, and individual well-being.

• Course type: Lecture

Introduction to Health Policy

Introductory study of health care policy. This course focuses on areas that form the analytic basis for many of the issues in Health Policy. In particular the course focuses on the economics and financing of healthcare; the demand for healthcare; and the government policy associated with healthcare.

• Course type: Lecture

Introduction to the Portuguese-Speaking World

An introductory overview of cultural, social, and political realities of the Portuguese-speaking world. Through a diverse array of short readings, audiovisual materials, and targeted research projects and written assignments, students acquire basic cultural literacy about eight Portuguese-speaking countries on four continents, including Portugal and Brazil, as well as diasporic communities of Portuguese-speaking immigrants around the globe.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

LifeSpan Human Development

The nature of normative transitions across the life span. The course fosters an understanding of change from pre-conception through death. A study of the individual from both the developmental and experimental approaches allows for an understanding and appreciation of change across the lifespan. The domains of human development (physical, cognitive/intellectual, and social/emotional) are replicated for infancy/toddlerhood, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. Topics that may be included are methodology in lifespan research, heredity and environment controversy, intelligence, language and communication, learning across the lifespan, as well as motor, cognitive, perceptual, personality, and social development.

• Course type: Lecture

Nursing Care of Older Adults

Theoretical knowledge and skills consistent with the ANA Gerontological Nursing: Scope & Standards of Practice (2010) that guide the care of older adults and their families. The outcomes of nursing care are to maximize the health, functional ability and quality of life for older adults. Normal aging changes, risk factors that affect health and functional ability and cultural diversity of the older adult population are studied to determine nursing interventions that improve quality of life. Standardized assessment tools identified as the Best Practices in Care for Older Adults by The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing are introduced for assessing the unique care needs of the older adult population. Common health problems of older adults and end of life care serve as exemplars in planning nursing care. Legal and ethical issues are noted as they impact the health and care of older adults.

• Course type: Lecture

Pathophysiology

The selection, generation, and translation of basic information for the diagnosis, prognosis and management of clinical samples. Health screen vs. diagnostic and prognostic profiles will be discussed. Enrollment requires a minimum grade of C- in all MLS courses.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Philosophy of Happiness

Exploration of historical and contemporary concepts of happiness, as well as causes of happiness. This course examines the nature of happiness, surveying philosophical perspectives on happiness, as well as the likely causes of happiness, utilizing current scientific studies on happiness to help inform the philosophical theories discussed. Insights from positive psychology may also be explored.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Philosophy of the Good Life

Exploration of the nature of the good life. This course surveys historical and contemporary concepts of well-being as well as how these concepts relate to theories of happiness and theories of morality. The relationship between well-being and political and economic policy will also be examined from both a philosophical and scientific perspective.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Population, Environment and Culture

Explores vital events in human life such as when and who we marry and sometimes divorce, how we pace and stop childbearing, and why and when we die. Fundamental questions include how the adoption of agriculture, changing patterns of disease, industrialization, urbanization, and international migration have shaped the human lifespan, fertility and health. The course will also examine the impact of consumption on environmental degradation and different paths to sustainability.

Probability

A calculus-based introduction to statistics. This course covers probability and combinatorial problems, discrete and continuous random variables and various distributions including the binomial, Poisson, hypergeometric normal, gamma and chi-square. Moment generating functions, transformation and sampling distributions are studied.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Psych of Sex Differences

Development of sex differences, socialization practices, attitudes, values and role expectations which affect the self-concept and interpersonal relationships. This course is designed to stimulate discussion among men as well as women.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Public Policy in America

Analysis of the policy-making processes, including agenda setting, adoption, implementation, and evaluation. These processes will be examined through the lens of major US policy areas such as education, the environment, and crime and justice policy.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Race and Ethnicity

A study of the concepts of "race" and "ethnic group" and the role these concepts play in social interaction and social differentiation.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Reproductive Rights & Health

Trends, controversies, laws, policies and politics relating both to women's control over their fertility and to reproductive health in the United States. The areas covered include abortion, birth control, sterilization, sex education, sexually-transmitted disease (STD) prevention, assisted reproductive technologies (ART), the birthing process, and infant-feeding. We leanr differing feminist perspective relevant to these areas.

Sex, Marriage, and Family

A survey of basic human patterns of bonding and reproduction in different cultures, through human evolution to modern times, focusing on an exploration of issues surrounding sex, marriage and family in contemporary society.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Special Topic:Psychology

Advanced seminar usually offered for one semester on a special topic. Check course schedule for special topics seminars. Examples of special topic courses recently offered include: Human-Computer Interaction, Psychopharmacology.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Statistics for Psychology

An introduction to analysis of quantitative data in psychology, including probability, descriptive statistics, correlation and regression, analysis of variance and data analysis by computer.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 4 hours per week

The Politics of Global Climate Change

Examination of the politics of global climate change. Topics include the politics of climate science, the political psychology of climate concern, international climate change negotiations, climate change and violent conflict, and policies to mitigate and adapt to climate change at the local, national, and international levels.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Topics in Gerontology

Topics in gerontology not usually included in the gerontology curriculum will be offered.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Women and Sexualities Across Cultures

Examination of gender through intersecting power structures, hierarchies, and individual life histories. This course engages the study of gender paying close attention to the intersections of gender with sexualities, age, and stratification in different world regions. Students are expected to complete independent research projects. The course will engage main currents in feminist thought in anthropology and beyond the Western tradition.

• Course type: Lecture
• Course hours: 3 hours per week

Young Adult Health Risk Behaviors

Advanced seminar exploring the developmental period of "emerging adulthood'. Research on the transition to adulthood and common health behaviors will be critically examined, such as: obesity, nutrition and physical activity; romantic relationships and sexuality; HIV/AIDs and STDs; tobacco, alcohol and drug use; depression and self-injury. Emphasis is placed on developing critical thinking skills and application of course content to current events.

• Course type: Seminar
• Course hours: 3 hours per week