CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

GLOBAL CAMPUS
COURSE SYLLABUS

I. IDENTIFYING INFORMATION

Course: REL 334

Course Title: Death and Dying
CRN: 22224843
Term: Fall II
Location: Online
Course Dates: 10/22, 12/14/2012
Course Days and Times:
Prerequisites: None.

Blackboard
Blackboard is a web-based learning management system licensed by CMU. Within Blackboard, a course website, also known
as a shell, is automatically created for every CMU course. Face-to-face courses may or may not incorporate Blackboard,
whereas Blackboard course shells are always used for online courses and will be available to you prior to the course start
date. Seeing the course shell listed in Blackboard with unavailable adjacent to its title is an indication that your instructor has
not made it available and is in no way indicative of registration status. To access Blackboard, open a web browser and enter
http://blackboard.cmich.edu. After the site loads, enter your CMU Global ID and password in the respective spaces provided.
Click the "login" button to enter Blackboard and then the link to the appropriate course to enter the course’s Blackboard shell.
If you need assistance, contact the IT Helpdesk at 989-774-3662 / 800-950-1144 x. 3662. Self-guided student tutorial
resources are also available at http://www.cmich.edu/blackboard.

Instructor: Michael Stemmeler

Primary Phone Number: H: 760-321-5055
Secondary Phone Number: C:760-449-7453
E-Mail Address: stemm1ml@cmich.edu
Availability: T, R: 6:00pm-10:00pm PS/DT (9:00pm-01:00am ES/DT); Sat/Sun: 10:00a-13:00p PS/DT (1:00p-4:00p
ES/DT)
Academic Biography:

M.B.A. 1999 Central Michigan University (Management and Finance)

Ph.D. 1990 Temple University (Religion: Social Ethics)

M.A. 1983 Temple University (Religion: Interreligious Dialogue)

B.A. 1980 University of Tübingen, Germany (History and Philosophy)

Dipl. Theol. 1979 University of Tübingen (Catholic Theology/Ethics)

II. TEXTBOOKS AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS Order books from MBS at:
http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/cmu.htm
Textbooks and Course Materials:
Title: REL 334 Course Reserve available through CMU Blackboard
Author: CMU
Edition: Current
ISBN: 705523
Publisher: CMU/Bb
Required: Yes

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 Title: Last Dance : Encountering Death and Dying
Author: Despelder
Edition: 9th 11
ISBN: 978-0-07-353201-1
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
Required: Yes

Course Reserves:
Your instructor has selected material on reserve, which will be available on the course Blackboard. To access Blackboard,
open a web browser and go to http://blackboard.cmich.edu.

III. COURSE DESCRIPTION

Religious and cultural explanations of death and responses to dying, death and mourning;
religious, ethical, bio-medical ethical and legal issues e.g., health care, suicide, abortion,
euthanasia. This course is approved for offering in a distance learning format. (University
Program Group I-A: Human Events and Ideas.) May be offered as Writing Intensive

IV. COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

After taking this course, students will be able to:

1. Compare and contrast some religious and other theoretical understandings of death and the
meaning of human mortality;
2. Examine death and dying in particular settings in order to explain how cultural context in
general, and religion and other significant institutions in particular, influence resources,
interpretations and individual and communal responses to death and dying;
3. Identify and analyze destructive and constructive ways of coming to terms with death and grief
at various life stages and in various cultural contexts;
4. Explain the role of ritual in responding to death, including various ways that the care taking
and disposal of the body are constructed and given meaning.
5. Analyze some important current religious and ethical issues connected with death and dying,
using concepts from this course;
6. Explain steps that can improve critical reading, writing, and thinking skills and demonstrate the
ability to use them.
If WI:
In addition to the objectives above, students who successfully complete this WI course will be
able to demonstrate their ability to:
1. Use writing to check their understanding of reading materials, identify points of confusion, and
develop their own ideas in response to readings and assignments.
2. Solicit and use feedback to help in the revision of a draft to improve a writing assignment prior
to grading.
3. Use appropriate standards of evaluation to identify problems in initial writing so that they can
revise to improve their own work before submitting it for a grade.

V. METHODOLOGY

• SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION:

Death poses a radical challenge to human life. It is a "hard" reality that leaves people confused and angry, yet also in
search of answers to the question of the meaning of life itself. Human curiosity delves into all available areas to discover
the connection of dying and death to life and living. Philosophy and religion, law and medicine, sociology, psychology
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 and politics, all assist in the human quest for meaning of death as the ultimate liminal experience.

Death poses a radical challenge to human life. It is a "hard" reality that leaves people confused and angry, yet also in
search of answers to the question of the meaning of life itself. Human curiosity delves into all available areas to discover
the connection of dying and death to life and living. Philosophy and religion, law and medicine, sociology, psychology
and politics, all assist in the human quest for meaning of death as the ultimate liminal experience.

The course follows the outline of the textbook, The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying (9th edition, 2011)
beginning with investigating attitudes towards death, the course follows up with analyzing sociocultural forces and
looking at cross-cultural and historical perspectives on death. This is followed by an analysis of certain matters of social
policy, health care systems, and an investigation of end of life issues and the challenge of living with a life-threatening
illness. The next parts investigate the role and importance of medical ethics in a rapidly changing technological
environment. Via an observation of the loss experience and of funeral rites and legal issues surrounding death, the
course then takes a look at death in the lives of children, adolescents, and adults. Investigations of suicide, risks of death
in the modern world, and issues of post-mortem existence/afterlife will conclude the course.

• SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS:

Please be reminded that the above listed required textbook, The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying (9th edition,
2011), WILL HAVE TO BE PURCHASED BY STUDENTS DIRECTLY from the MBS Direct Book Service. The
textbook is NOT part of the Course Reserve and is NOT available at the CMU Main Campus bookstore in Mt. Pleasant,
MI.

Use this pre-class checklist with bookstore info to find your book:
http://www.cel.cmich.edu/CMUOnline/checklist.aspx and there is other great info available there to help you get ready
for class.

The three required articles listed below are available in Blackboard as PDF files (under the Course Reserve menu) and
via CMU's off-campus library services (OCLS):

1. Barbara Basler, "Green Graveyards -- A Natural Way to Go," reprinted in George E. Dickinson and Michael R. Leming,
eds., Annual Editions: Dying, Death, and Bereavement, 2011/2012, New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2011, pp. 129-130.
2. Michael R. Leming and George E. Dickinson, "The Contemporary American Funeral," reprinted in George E. Dickinson
and Michael R. Leming, eds., Annual Editions: Dying, Death, and Bereavement, 2011/2012, New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill, 2011, pp. 124-125.
3. William J. Whalen, "How Different Religions Pay Their Final Respects," reprinted in George E. Dickinson and Michael
R. Leming, eds., Annual Editions: Dying, Death, and Bereavement, 2011/2012, New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2011, pp.
126-128.

• Since this REL 334: Death & Dying class is presented in an electronic "online" format, it is predominantly the student's
own responsibility to be constantly up-to-date on the readings for each week, the weekly online response assignment(s)
in Blackboard at the end of each course week, the timely completion of the three exams during the assigned exam
periods, and the submissions and full participation in the three Wiki paper projects.
• The course extends over eight weeks and will cover two chapters of the textbook in each of the first seven weeks and one
chapter during the final week. A detailed schedule follows below.
• Students have to read attentively and analyze critically each chapter of the textbook along the lines of some guiding
questions posed in the Response (Discussion) Board section of Blackboard for each of the chapters assigned for each
week. Specific questions will need to be answered via electronic submission to the Response (Discussion) Board.
Individual student contributions are collected by the instructor and will be evaluated and graded as a part of the final
course grade.
VI. COURSE OUTLINE/ASSIGNMENTS
Pre-Class Assignment:
None

Course Outline:

All Chapters and Page Numbers refer to the Textbook:

The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying, 9th edition, 2011, by Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland

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Week One:
1. Chapter 1: Attitudes Toward Death: A Climate of Change, pp. 5-45.
2. Chapter 2: Learning About Death: The Influence of Sociocultural Forces, pp. 47-83.

Week Two:
1. Chapter 3: Perspectives on Death: Cultural and Historical, pp. 85-131.
2. Chapter 4: Death Systems: Mortality and Society, pp. 133-175.

Week Three:
1. Chapter 5: Health Care: Patients, Staff, and Institutions, pp. 177-209.
2. Chapter 6: End-of-Life Issues and Decisions, pp. 211-253.
3. First Exam! (Covering Chapters 1-6)

Week Four:
1. Chapter 7: Facing Death: Living With Life-Threatening Illness, pp. 255-287.
2. Chapter 8: Last Rites: Funerals and Body Disposition, pp. 289-331.
3. First Wiki Submission and Comments Due! Barbara Basler: Green Graveyards – A Natural Way to Go

Week Five:
1. Chapter 9: Survivors: Understanding the Experience of Loss, pp. 333-375.
2. Chapter 10: Death in the Lives of Children and Adolescents, pp. 377-413.
3. Second Wiki Submission and Comments Due! Michael Leming & George Dickinson: The Contemporary American
Funeral

Week Six:
1. Chapter 11: Death in the Lives of Adults, pp. 415-441.
2. Chapter 12: Suicide, pp. 443-481.
3. Second Exam! (Covering Chapters 7-12)

Week Seven:
1. Chapter 13: Risks, Perils, and Traumatic Death, pp. 483-517.
2. Chapter 14: Beyond Death/After Life, pp. 519-553.
3. Third Wiki Submission and Comments Due! William Whalen: How Different Religions Pay Their Final Respects

Week Eight:
1. Chapter 15: The Path Ahead: Personal and Social Choices, pp. 555-582.
2. Third Exam! (Covering Chapters 13-15)

Assignment Due Dates:

End of Week Three: First Exam (covering Chapters 1-6)

Mid and End of Week Four: First Wiki submission due (Wednesday evening) and comments due (Sunday evening)

Mid and End of Week Five: Second Wiki submission due (Wednesday evening) and comments due (Sunday evening)

End of Week Six: Second Exam (covering Chapters 7-12)

Mid and End of Week Seven: Third Wiki submission due (Wednesday evening) and comments due (Sunday evening)

End of Week Eight: Third Exam (covering Chapters 13-15)

All exams are taken online and DO NOT REQUIRE A PROCTOR. Exams cover the assigned chapters of the textbook for
each exam. The course features a total of three exams. There are 120 questions on Exams 1 and 2 and there are 60 questions on
Exam 3. Exams 1 and 2 are split up into two parts, with 60 questions each. Exam 3 has a total of 60 questions.

Exams consist of a mix of multiple choice and true/false questions. Each correctly answered question is worth one point.

You will have 90 minutes time to complete each part of Exam 1 (for a total of 3 hours) and you will have 90 minutes time to
complete each part of Exam 2 (for a total of 3 hours).

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 Each of the two parts (A and B) of Exam 1 and Exam 2 can be taken at different times during the assigned exam weekends (4
days: Thursday through Sunday at the end of a week with a scheduled exam). The exam parts do not have to be taken one right
after the other or consecutively. E.g., you can take Exam 2B before you take Exam 2A. That will be up to you and the way
you prepared yourself for the exams. In other words, you only have to prepare three chapters each before you take a part of an
exam. Then you can take a break for a day or even two, pepare the remaining three chapters, and then take the other part of an
exam.

You will have 90 minutes time to complete Exam 3 and this exam only requires the preparation of the last three chapters of the
textbook with some review questions from earlier textbook chapters.

Post-Class Assignment:
None

Student Involvement Hours:

In order to have the best possible experience in this online Death and Dying course, I suggest you spend about six to eight hours
per chapter for reading, studying, completing the weekly Response (Discussion) Board assignments, and preparing for the
exams. You may also want to schedule sufficient extra time for the reading and analyzing of the articles that form the basis for
your Wiki term paper equivalents. Many of the text book chapters are quite technical and may not provide easy access to the
subject matter without thorough investigation.
VII. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION
Evaluation Criteria:

Wiki Project Submissions:

• Critical thinking, analysis, and interpretation of the issues presented in the three source articles (see supplemental
materials above);
• Thematic organization and development of contributions according to provided instructions;
• Appropriate answers to the specific questions posed in the Wiki Project instructions in Blackboard;
• Application of college level language and style skills;
• Accuracy of grammar and spelling;

Objective Exams:

Number of correctly answered questions as a percentage of total exam questions;

Weekly Submissions to the Response (Discussion) Board:

Intellectual quality and originality of the weekly Response (Discussion) Board submissions

Grading Scale:
A 100-94%; A- 93-90%
B+ 89-87%; B 86-83%; B- 82-80%
C+ 79-77%; C 76-73%; C- 72-70%
D+ 69-67%; D 66-63%; D- 62-60%
E 59% and below.

All percentages are based on 900 achievable points. You must achieve a minimum of 70% (= C minus) for the entire course to
receive course credit.

Late Assignments:
PLEASE NOTE: LATE ASSIGNMENTS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

Make-ups and Rewrites:

N/A
VIII. EXPECTATIONS
Attendance and Participation:
Active online presence and participation in all Response (Discussion) Board forums and Wiki projects is necessary to complete

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 the course successfully.
Academic Integrity:

Because academic integrity is a cornerstone of the University's commitment to the principles of free inquiry, students are
responsible for learning and upholding professional standards of research, writing, assessment, and ethics in their areas of study.
Written or other work which students submit must be the product of their own efforts and must be consistent with appropriate
standards of professional ethics. Academic dishonesty, which includes cheating, plagiarism and other forms of dishonest or
unethical behavior, is prohibited. A breakdown of behaviors that constitute academic dishonesty is presented in the CMU
Bulletin (https://bulletins.cmich.edu/).

Student Rights and Responsibilities:

Each member of the Central Michigan University community assumes an obligation regarding self conduct to act in a manner
consistent with a respect for the rights of others and with the University's function as an educational institution. As guides for
individual and group actions within this community, the University affirms the general principles of conduct described in the
Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Disciplinary Procedures at
https://www.cmich.edu/about/leadership/office_provost/dean/Pages/Code-of-Student-Rights.aspx.

IX. SUPPORT SERVICES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Global Campus Library Services (GCLS)

CMU offers you a full suite of library services through its Global Campus Library Services (GCLS) department. Reference
librarians will assist you in using research tools and locating information related to your research topic. The library’s Documents
on Demand office will help you obtain copies of the books and journal articles you need. Check out the GCLS website at
http://ocls.cmich.edu for more information.

Reference librarian contact information:

1. By phone: (800) 544-1452.
2. By email: oclsref@cmich.edu
3. By online form: http://ocls.cmich.edu/reference/index.html#form

Documents on Demand office contact information:

1. By phone: (800) 274-3838
2. By email: docreq@cmich.edu
3. By fax: (877) 329-6257
3. By online form: http://ocls.cmich.edu/delivery/index.html

Writing Center

The CMU Writing Center is a free online service for all CMU students, providing help with grammar, citations, bibliographies,
drafts, and editing of academic papers. Suggestions and feedback are typically provided within two business days. For additional
information and to submit work, visit http://webs.cmich.edu/writingcenter/

ADA

CMU provides individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate in educational programs, activities and
services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in class activities or meet course requirements
should contact Susie Rood, Director of Student Disability Services at (800) 950-1144, extension 3018 or email her at
sds@cmich.edu, at least 4 weeks prior to registering for class. Students may find additional ADA information and forms at
http://go.cmich.edu/support_services/academic/StudentDisabilityServices/Pages/default.aspx

Note to faculty: CMU Administration will notify you if applicable; otherwise, the student will provide a "Notification Letter to
the Instructor" outlining the accommodations the student is approved to receive.

X. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Consult the extensive chapter bibliographies at the end of each chapter in:

DeSpelder, Lynne Ann and Albert Lee Strickland, The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying. 9th edition, New York, NY:
McGraw Hill, 2011.

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At the end of every chapter there is also an additional link to online resources at www.mhhe.com/despelder9e

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 Center Information
Student & Enrollment Services for CMU Online Courses
989-774-4371 and onlineprograms@cmich.edu

Drop & Withdrawal Policy for Online Courses

https://www.cmich.edu/offices-departments/registrars-office/registration-information-request-forms/drop-withdrawal-
information

Credit/No Credit Deadlines for Online Courses

https://www.cmich.edu/offices-departments/registrars-office/registration-information-request-forms

Office of Information Technology Help Desk https://www.cmich.edu/office_provost/OIT/help/help_desk/Pages/default.aspx

Online Learning Resource Center

https://www.cmich.edu/academics/innovation-online/resources/online-learning-resource-center

Certified Testing Center & Proctoring Information

(989) 774-4461 https://www.cmich.edu/academics/certified-testing-center
_________________________________________________________________

Veterans Resource Center & PAVE: Peer Advisors for Veteran Education (PAVE) Program is a peer support program that
connects incoming student veterans with student veterans already attending CMU in order to help them navigate college life,
identify challenges they are facing, refer them to the appropriate resource on or off campus, and provide ongoing support to
their academic and personal goals. Please refer to the contact information below if you have any questions about PAVE:
Veterans’ Resource Center (114 Warriner Hall; telephone 989­774­7991, veterans@cmich.edu).

CMU CARES: CMU adheres to Core Values of integrity, respect, compassion, inclusiveness, social responsibility,
excellence, and innovation. We deeply care about the health, well-being, safety, and success of our students and our employees.
More information available at https://www.cmich.edu/student-life/cmu-cares

Harassment and discrimination: You have a right to feel safe and supported while pursuing your degree at CMU. If any
professor, student, or staff member makes you feel that you have been discriminated against, disrespected or stuck in a hostile
environment, the Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity (OCRIE) is here to help: Bovee UC 306, (989) 774-3253. For
resources and more information, please see https://www.cmich.edu/offices-departments/OCRIE
Sexual misconduct policy: With the exception of the confidential resources named explicitly within the Sexual Misconduct
Policy, all CMU staff and faculty are responsible employees and are required to report any information they know about
possible sexual misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator in OCRIE at (989) 774-3253. This means that any information you may
divulge about such an incident in the classroom or with a faculty member cannot be confidential. Reports to OCRIE are
intended to provide options and resources to survivors. Please keep these reporting obligations in mind as you seek support
from staff and faculty you trust, and know that there are also support centers on campus that will maintain confidentiality, which
include Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates (989-774-2255) and the CMU Counseling Center (989-774-3381). For resources
and more information, please see https://www.cmich.edu/offices-departments/OCRIE
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CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including
admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in
such a manner.

Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be made to CMU’s Title IX Coordinator, the US Department of
Education’s Assistant Secretary, or both.

CMU’s Title IX Coordinator can be reached at:

Office: 103 E. Preston St.
Bovee University Center, suite 306
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858
Email: titleix@cmich.edu
Phone: 989-774-3253

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