SOC 7760: Health and the Life Course Course Syllabus Class Time: Mondays 5-7:30 Pm Class Location: Old Main, Room 0168
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Fall 2019 SOC 7760: Health and the Life Course Course Syllabus Class time: Mondays 5-7:30 pm Class location: Old Main, Room 0168 Professor: Patricia Morton, Ph.D. Office: Faculty/Administration Building (FAB), Room 2251 Office hours: Wed. 12:30-2:30pm; additional hours by appointment Email: [email protected] I usually respond within 1-2 business days. Please do not email me through Canvas. You are responsible for the information in this syllabus. Read it carefully and ask questions if necessary. Course Description This course is a discussion-based graduate seminar focused on health and the life course. Although there are a myriad of topics to which the life course perspective can be applied as well as many sociological approaches to the study of health, the objective of this course is to introduce students to the life course perspective as it pertains to health. Working from a life course perspective, this course will provide an overview of theoretical frameworks and key concepts like historical context and cohorts and their application to the sociological study of health. This course also explores the role of social structures and institutions, life stages, and multidimensional life course mechanisms to understand how human lives and health are embedded within and shaped by micro-, meso-, and macro-level contexts. Readings for this course are primarily drawn from medical sociology, sociology of aging, and life course social epidemiology but also include readings from other fields examining health from a life course perspective. Learning Outcomes After successfully completing this course, students will be able to: Distinguish between the life course perspective and theories derived from the life course perspective. Identify key principles of the life course perspective. Understand how individual lives are structured in the collective life histories of birth cohorts and generations, which bring about continuity and change across time. Recognize the relationship between structure and agency when examining patterns of health. Critically analyze scholarly work, especially research on life course health. Cultivate critical academic writing, group discussion, and facilitation skills. Approach the study of health from a life course perspective by applying theoretical and methodological life course research to explain and understand health. Required Materials Weekly readings from the reading list at the end of the syllabus. Students are required to read all articles each week unless articles are indicated as optional. Optional articles are listed as additional resources that may reinforce topics covered in required readings and/or cover additional literature for students who are interested in the weekly topic. Canvas: There will be additional materials, including assignments, posted on Canvas throughout the semester. Please check Canvas regularly to access these materials. Website: https://canvas.wayne.edu/ 1 Attendance Wayne State University (WSU) requires instructors to report student attendance for the first two weeks of class. If attendance is not confirmed, the registrar will drop the student from the class. Please refer to WSU’s Go to Class! website for more information: http://reg.wayne.edu/gotoclass.php. Due to this policy and the fact that the discussion-based nature of this course relies heavily on participation, class attendance is essential to student success. Repeated unexcused absences may severely impact your class performance and, therefore, your grade. Make-up Policy In general, late work is not accepted. If you plan to miss class the day an assignment is due, you must arrange a time to turn in the assignment to the professor before class begins on the due date to receive full credit. There are no make-ups in-class assignments and participation except for medical/familial emergencies; WSU excused absences (e.g., religious observances; University-related sports travel); and academic engagements (e.g., conference presentations). In the latter cases, you will need to inform me of the excused absence at least a week in advance to arrange for you to make-up work and submit any assignments per the policy mentioned above (i.e., before class due date). Classroom Conduct I expect everyone, including myself, to respect everyone, actively listen to each other during class discussions, and facilitate an environment conducive for inclusion, equity, and learning. To maximize the learning capabilities of all students, please do not hesitate to ask questions at any time during the class to clarify concepts, ideas, or any other course material. I also ask that distracting behavior, such as texting, web surfing, and talking to fellow students about material unrelated to the course, be avoided during class. Therefore, cell phone use is not allowed, and cell phones should be kept off or on silent. Laptops may be used for academic purposes only that relate to the course. Respect: Throughout the course of this class, you will be challenged to think critically about your viewpoints and those of others. While discussions may produce topics or viewpoints you might not necessarily agree with, respectful and cordial behavior is expected from all students. Disrespectful behavior towards any group or individual will not be tolerated. Any student who does not abide by this policy may be asked to leave class, and violations of this policy may be dealt with in accordance with WSU policies. I also ask that any sensitive information shared during our class stays within our classroom’s walls. As a final note, I will also adhere to these guidelines. To summarize, the conduct guidelines include: 1. Attending class and arriving on time. 2. Actively participating. 3. Refraining from distracting behaviors, such as texting and web-surfing. 4. Submitting work on time. 5. Adhering to respect policy. Academic Dishonesty I have a zero-tolerance policy for academic dishonesty and misbehavior. Academic misbehavior means any activity that tends to compromise the academic integrity of the institution or subvert the education process. All forms of academic misbehavior are prohibited at Wayne State University, as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. Students who commit or assist in committing dishonest acts are subject to downgrading (to a failing grade/zero for the test, paper, or other course-related activity in question, or for the entire course) and/or additional sanctions as described in the Student Code of Conduct. Academic dishonesty and misbehavior is not limited to, but includes: 2 Cheating: Intentionally using or attempting to use, or intentionally providing or attempting to provide, unauthorized materials, information or assistance in any academic exercise. Examples include: (a) copying from another student’s test paper; (b) allowing another student to copy from a test paper; (c) using unauthorized material such as a "cheat sheet" during an exam. Fabrication: Intentional and unauthorized falsification of any information or citation. Examples include: (a) citation of information not taken from the source indicated; (b) listing sources in a bibliography not used in a research paper. Plagiarism: To take and use another’s words or ideas as one’s own. Examples include: (a) failure to use appropriate referencing when using the words or ideas of other persons; (b) altering the language, paraphrasing, omitting, rearranging, or forming new combinations of words in an attempt to make the thoughts of another appear as your own. Unauthorized reuse of work product: Submission for academic credit, without the prior permission of the professor, of substantial work previously submitted for credit in another course. Example: submitting a paper in a current course that was written for, and submitted in, a previous course. Other forms of academic misbehavior include, but are not limited to: (a) unauthorized use of resources, or any attempt to limit another student’s access to educational resources, or any attempt to alter equipment so as to lead to an incorrect answer for subsequent users; (b) enlisting the assistance of a substitute in the taking of examinations; (c) violating course rules as defined in the course syllabus or other written information provided to the student; (d) selling, buying or stealing all or part of an un-administered test or answers to the test; (e) changing or altering a grade on a test or other academic grade records. For further information, please refer to the WSU handbook and Undergraduate Bulletin: https://www.wsc.edu/info/20028/student_handbook/69/selected_academic_policies/2 http://www.bulletins.wayne.edu/ubk-output/index.html Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) If you have a documented disability that requires accommodations, first you will need to register with Student Disability Services for coordination of your academic accommodations. The Student Disability Services office is located at 1600 David Adamany Undergraduate Library (UGL) in the Student Academic Success Services department. The Student Disability Services telephone number is 313-577-1851 or 313- 202-4216 for videophone use. Once you have met with your disability specialist, the GTA and I will be glad to meet with you privately during my office hours to discuss your accommodations. Student Disability Services’ mission is to assist the university in creating an accessible community where students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to fully participate in their educational experience at Wayne State University. You can learn more about the