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Department of Social & Policy Sciences, Unit Catalogue 2011/12


SP10194: The social context of death, dying and bereavement

Click here for further information Credits: 5
Click here for further information Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4)
Click here for further information Period: Semester 1
Click here for further information Assessment: CW 25%, ES 75%
Click here for further information Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Click here for further information Requisites: This unit is only available to students on the Foundation Degree in Funeral Services.
Click here for further information Description: Aims:
* To introduce students to a range of perspectives on dying, death, bereavement rituals and afterlife beliefs;
* To introduce theories, methods and data associated with these perspectives;
* To introduce students to critiques of these perspectives.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the unit students will be able to:
* Describe and assess the usefulness for practice of a range of perspectives on death, dying and bereavement; ;
* Describe and assess the different theories used to explain these perspectives;
* Describe and assess the types of evidence used to assist in understanding different perspectives;
* Describe the social and religious contexts of death and dying in the UK.

Skills:
* To think creatively and analytically;
* To evaluate arguments and research;
* To consider research evidence as well as a variety of other information;
* To synthesise information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding;
* To recognise how working with issues around mortality impacts on our sense of self identity and the way we view others.

Content:
Students are introduced to the major issues and trends associated with death, dying and bereavement in Western societies:
* The changing nature of death in society
* Death, denial and diversity
* Demographic trends in mortality
* Death 'out of time'
* Religion and spirituality
* The medicalisation of dying
* The institutional management of dying
* The concept of the 'good death'
* Traditional models of grief
* The notion of 'continuing bonds'
Click here for further informationProgramme availability:

SP10194 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Social & Policy Sciences
NB. Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.