GHTH 100: Personal Wellness

Section 0012: T-R 8 am – 9:15 am

Section 0006: T-R 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm

Dr. Gail Brook Arthur

Phone: 568-8974

E-mail:

Office: HHS Building, Room 3143 B

Office Hours: M/F 9am-10am, M/W 1pm-2pm, T/R 2pm-2:45pm

Website:

Graduate Assistant: Stormy Derrow, , Stormy’s office: HHS 3137, Office Hours: M/12pm-3pm,T/9am-3pm,W/10am-3pm,R/9am-3pm

Course Description: This course is designed to introduce students to the lifestyle behaviors that contribute to health promotion and disease prevention. Factors affecting health status will be identified and suggestions will be made as to how health-related behaviors, self-care, and individual decisions contribute to health and wellness.

Course objectives: At the completion of the course, students will be able to demonstrate through testing, discussion, and personal experience, the following:

  • Identification of the dimensions of wellness, as well as the impact of heredity; lifestyle, and environment on well-being.
  • Understand the dimensions of wellness, the various factors affecting each dimension, and how dimensions are interrelated.
  • Understand the relationship between personal behaviors and lifelong health and wellness.
  • Recognize an individual’s level of health and wellness and understand how these levels impact quality of life.
  • Identify and implement strategies that improve an individual’s wellness.
  • Knowledge about health and its utilization in making meaningful decisions throughout the life cycle.
  • Examination of personal behaviors related to health and wellness.
  • Assessment and interpretation of one’s state of overall wellness, as well as the development and implementation of a personal wellness plan.
  • The ability to use reputable resources to learn about and evaluate current societal trends in health and social behavior.
  • The ability to communicate, at an acceptable level, about health needs.
  • The ability to work with others to solve common health problems.

Required Text:

Donatelle, R.J. (2008) Access to Health (10th edition) Benjamin Cummings

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

  • Examinations (4 worth 100 points each)
  • There will be four exams given over the course of the semester, specific dates are provided on the tentative course outline. Exam questions will cover text and lecture material. The final exam will not be comprehensive.
  • Students must be present for all exams unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor. Without prior notification and approval by theinstructor, no make-up exams will be given.
  • Pre- and Post-Wellness Assessments (2 worth 10 points each, total 20 points)
  • Due September 11, 2008 , and December 2, 2008
  • All GHTH 100 students must complete a pre- and post-wellness assignment, which will be further discussed in class and are described in the course manual.
  • Wellness Passport Assignment (50 points)

2 due October 2, 2008; 3 due November 20, 2008.

  • This assignment provides students with the opportunity to experience health enhancing activities, programs, and services offered to all JMU students, as well as programs designed specifically for GHTH 100 students.
  • The assignment is a combination of three responsibilities:
  • Attendance at five different Wellness Passport events.
  • Having Wellness Passport forms stamped from each event attended. (These forms are available for purchase in the HHSB Copy Center in room 1002 for $.15 each or they may be downloaded at Downloaded verification forms must be printed on cardstock in order to be accepted.)
  • Completing the Passport assignment forms to submit to your instructor by the dates listed above.
  • A list of pre-selected and approved events will be posted throughout the semester at In order to receive full credit, each student must attend five Passport events, each of which must be from a DIFFERENT dimension of wellness: intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual/environmental, and occupational. For further instructions please go to the Personal Wellness website page:
  • Individual Physical Wellness Assignment (15 points)
  • Due November 20, 2008.
  • This project allows students to construct their own physical wellness plan, and allows them to become more familiar with activities related to physical wellness that are available on the JMU campus. Specific instructions can be found at This activity will be further discussed in class. The student is responsible for keeping his own fitness log and turning it in to the instructor to indicate completion of this assignment.
  • Pop Quizzes
  • There will be three unannounced quizzes throughout the semester each totaling 5 points.
  • Extra Credit
  • There will be an opportunity to earn up to ten extra credit points by writing a letter to the student’s Congressman or Senator on a health related issue. This assignment will be graded on the ability to correctly address a business envelope (2 points), the ability to correctly structure a business letter (2 points), the ability to support the student’s opinion in the letter with facts or a personal story (2 points), the use of appropriate grammar (2 points), the ability to correctly address a government official (2 points). THE STUDENT’S OPINION IS THE STUDENT’S OWN AND WILL NOT BE GRADED. Corrected letters will be returned to the student and then recollected to be forwarded to the government official. This assignment will be further discussed in class.

Point Distribution:Grades:

Pre- and Post- Wellness Assessments2090% of total points = A

Wellness Passport Assignments5080% of total points = B

Individual Physical Wellness Assignment1570% of total points = C

Pop Quizzes1560% of total points = D

Exams (4 @ 100 pts each) 400<60% of total points = F

Total: 500

The =/- system is used at the discretion of the instructor. The instructor DOES NOT round to the nearest whole number, so students must receive the appropriate number of points to receive a desired grade.

CLASS POLICIES

  • Attendance
  • Due to the participatory nature of the course, it will be difficult to make up for absences. Therefore, attendance is expected and will be taken during each class period. Students are expected to attend class regularly and on time. Students will be allowed three excused or unexcused absences. If you have 0 absences, you will be awarded 10 bonus points to your final class total. If you have 1-2 absences, you will have 5 points added to your final class total. These bonus points recognize the learning experiences while attending class that are not measured by examinations or assignments. Students missing six or more classes will receive a one letter grade deduction from their end of semester final score.
  • I expect to start class on time, which requires you to be here. Once you arrive for class, you are expected to remain until the class is over, unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor. Arriving to class late will not be tolerated.
  • CISAT Attendance Policy / Administrative Withdrawal: Any student who does not attend the first two (2) scheduled class meetings may be administratively dropped from class. Students dropped for non-attendance will be notified via e-mail by the Health Sciences Department. Students who fail to attend the first two meetings of class but who do not receive e-mail notification need to be aware that they have not been administratively dropped. Unless these students drop the course through the normal process, they will receive a grade at the end of the semester.
  • Late Assignments and Missed Exams
  • An assignment is considered late if it is not submitted in class the day it is due. Assignments that are late may be accepted in rare instances with a five point penalty, but only with prior notification and approval from your instructor. Without prior notification and approval, no late assignments will be accepted.
  • Exams are to be taken the day they are scheduled. In rare instances, and subject to the instructor’s approval, a make-up exam may be arranged. However, you must contact your instructor prior to class and leave a telephone number where you can be reached. Without prior notification and approval, no make-up exam will be given. All exams and quizzes are recorded using your PeopleSoft number. You must record this number on each test. Failure to correctly record your number will void a quiz or reduce an exam by 10 points.
  • If it is determined that an exam cannot be given or an assignment cannot be turned in due to inclement weather or any other University emergency, the exam or class assignment will be due on the next available class date.
  • Leaving a class during an exam will result in forfeiture of that exam score.
  • Class Conduct
  • This is a large class. In order for all students to benefit, everyone must behave in a mature and professional manner.
  • All cell phone and pagers must be turned off during class. Any cell phones or pagers that go off during class will be confiscated until the end of class.
  • There will be no computers allowed in class unless the student has ADA accommodations or unless the student obtains permission from the lecturer.
  • Problems
  • If students have personal problems or conflicts, please let the instructor know as soon as possible. Most things can be worked out ahead of time. Do not assume that things can be corrected after the fact.
  • Other Information
  • Please consult the 2008-2009 James Madison University Student Handbook for information related to the JMU Honor Code. Any student who is found guilty of an honor violation will receive a grade of “F” in the course in which the violation occurred, and will not be permitted to re-take that course on a repeat/forgiveness basis. Any questions concerning academic dishonesty should be directed to the professor.

Tentative Course Schedule:

26-Aug / Introduction to GHTH 100: Personal Wellness / 1
28-Aug / Health and Wellness / 1
2-Sep / Psychosocial Health: Coping with Stress / 2,3
4-Sep / UREC Orientation
9-Sep / Coping With Stress / 2,3
11-Sep / Alcohol and Addictions / 12,13,14
16-Sep / Alcohol and Addictions / 13, 14
18-Sep / Tobacco and Illicit Drugs / 14, 15
23-Sep / Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships / 4,5
25-Sep / No Class: Wellness Passport Studies Abroad Fair
30-Sep / Sexuality and Sexually Transmitted Diseases / 6,7, 17
2-Oct / Sexuality and Sexually Transmitted Diseases / 6,7,17
7-Oct / FIRST EXAMINATION
9-Oct / Nutrition and Physical Fitness / 8,9,10
14-Oct / Nutrition and Physical Fitness / 8,9,10
16-Oct / Body Image and Weight / 9
21-Oct / Cardiovascular Disease: Reducing Your Risk / 15
23-Oct / Cancer : Reducing Your Risk / 16
28-Oct / Prevention of Illness: 1 / 17.18
30-Oct / SECOND EXAMINATION
4-Nov / Prevention of Illness: 2 / 17,18
6-Nov / Environmental Health / 21
11-Nov / Environmental Health / 21
13-Nov / Consumerism and Its Effects on Health / 22
18-Nov / Consumerism and Its Effects on Health / 22
20-Nov / THIRD EXAMINATION
November 24-28 / Thanksgiving Break
2-Dec / Complementary and Alternative Medicine / 23
4-Dec / Healthy Aging / 19

Final Exams: For T-R 8 -8:50: December 11, 2008 at 8 am

For T-R 12:30-1:45 December 9, 2008 at 8 am