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SP20188: Global funeral ritual and ceremony

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2012/3
Follow this link for further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Social & Policy Sciences
Follow this link for further information on credits Credits: 5
Follow this link for further information on unit levels Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Follow this link for further information on period slots Period: Semester 1
Semester 2
Follow this link for further information on unit assessment Assessment: ES 100%
Follow this link for further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Follow this link for further information on unit rules Requisites: Before taking this unit you must take SP10186. This unit is only available to students on the Foundation Degree in Funeral Services.
Follow this link for further information on unit content Description: Aims:
This is an optional unit that will build on the compulsory unit, Funeral Ritual and Ceremony in that it expands the focus to a global level. This unit aims to:
* Provide students with knowledge and understanding of the main variations in funeral, memorial and final disposal practices worldwide.
* Provide students with anthropological and sociological explanations for these variations.
* Enable students to reflect on changes in funeral rites and ceremonies globally.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the unit students will have be able to:
* Understand variations in funeral, memorialisation and disposal practices globally
* Reflect on the usefulness of theory to funeral practice and its implications for changing ritual and ceremony in the UK.
* Reflect on the nature of global funeral rites and identify some of the major religious and spiritual belief systems that account for their variation.

Skills:

* To think creatively and analytically;
* To evaluate arguments and research;
* To reflect on research evidence as well as a variety of other information;
* To apply theory to practice;
* To synthesise information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding;
* To relate Christianity and other religions and forms of spirituality to practice.

Content:

* Funeral rituals and ceremonies in cultural context;
* Anthropological theories of funeral rites and disposal practices;
* Diversity in disposal rituals and ceremonies;
* Diversity in memorial rituals and ceremonies;
* Significance of religious and spiritual beliefs in funeral practice and ceremonies;
* Case studies: India, Greece, Japan, Australian Aboriginal practices.
Follow this link for further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

SP20188 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Social & Policy Sciences
Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2012/13 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2013/14 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2012/13.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.