Health and Nutrition Sciences: Concentration in Thanatology
Thanatology is the study of death, dying, and bereavement.
Thanatology stems from the Greek words thanatos, meaning death, and ology, meaning a science or organized body of knowledge. It is an interdisciplinary and cross-cutting area of knowledge that is relevant not only to clinicians, social workers, and counselors who wish to work directly with those at the end of life, but to multiple professional sectors including those that address various types of grief, loss, and bereavement at individual, family, and community levels. In addition to the general B.A. in health and nutrition sciences, students may complete the same degree with an additional concentration in thanatology, the study of death, dying, and bereavement, by completing 18 credits of thanatology-related course work in lieu of the regular 18 credits of elective course work.
Students will benefit from faculty with a wide range of expertise including in areas of trauma and loss research, community health education, grief counseling, and counseling psychology. Students who wish to pursue careers in community health, applied health professions, gerontology, counseling, education, social work, children and youth studies, social sciences, or arts and humanities and want to work with issues related to end of life are encouraged to consider the minor, B.A., or B.S. in thanatology.
Major in Health and Nutrition Sciences: B.A. or B.S. With a Concentration in Thanatology
B.A. in Health and Nutrition Sciences—Concentration in Thanatology
A 57½–60½ credit major suitable for students who wish to pursue health-related careers including community health, health education, and health administration. The Core Curriculum and required number of credits are the same as the B.A. in health and nutrition sciences concentration with the inclusion of 18 credits of thanatology-related course work.
B.S. in Health and Nutrition Sciences—Concentration in Thanatology
A 55½–88 credit major suitable for students who wish to pursue careers in the applied health professions. The Core Curriculum and required number of credits are the same as the B.S. in health and nutrition sciences concentration with the inclusion of 18 credits of thanatology-related course work.
Minor in Thanatology
The Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences offers a 12-credit minor in thanatology for students across all disciplines who wish to develop foundational knowledge in the study of death, dying, and bereavement. Thanatology is a cross-cutting and interdisciplinary area of study with relevance across a wide range of professions, from health and human services to the arts and humanities. Students interested in community or public health, applied health professions, counseling, education, social work, children and youth studies, social sciences, or arts and humanities and want to address issues related to end of life are encouraged to consider this minor.
