CHS 405Spirituality and Health
Wintermester - Minarik
University of Nevada, Reno
School of Community Health Sciences
CHS 405/605 Spirituality and Health (3 credits)
Wintermester
General Course Information
Three Weeks, M-R9am-1pm (WebCampus Learn hybrid course)
Course Location: Lombardi Building, Room 205
Instructor: Mel Minarik, Ph.D., MPH, FACHE
Phone: 775-682-7100; Email:
Office: Lombardi Room 219
NOTE: Your receipt of this syllabus indicates that you have read and understood the policies and expectations of this course….thanks in advance for your engagement.
Course Overview
Spirituality and Health is acapstone coursewhich examines the issues, research, and personal experiences relating to health and spirituality from the preventative aspect of spiritual practices and to the healing aspects of spiritual practices. It investigates the potential and implications of the mind-body-spirit connection. (I am applying to have it be a capstone course also for Pre-Nursing/Pre-Medicine, Social Work, Nutrition, Neurosciences, Biology, Psychology, Philosophy, Agriculture, Gerontology majors, and all CHS minors as well…but I will not know about that until October or November.)
We will cross cultural, religious, and geographic boundaries in order to look for what we have in common and what differences we have in our spiritual beliefs, and how they may (or may not ) affect our health. In this global environment, we cannot afford to assume everything in traditional western culture is the best answer to our spiritual and health needs. New this fall, we will be studying more in the field of neurosciences due to the many advances with fMRI imaging, which allows us to “see” what is happening “in there” as we think.
The term spirituality can mean being able to “make sense of” and/or “create meaning” of the events of our lives, or even to having “direct experience of the sacred” (Textbook--Walsh, page 8). It is not “religion” as traditionally defined, but we will explore various religions and their “healing practices”. Spirituality is an individual thing and how people make meaning in their lives is as unique as they are...and you are.
The term “health” assumes the eight dimensions of wellness—Social, Emotional, Physical, Spiritual, Occupational, Intellectual, Multicultural, and Environmental.
THE BIG QUESTION: So, how do we connect meaning making and health…and what does our spirituality have to do with our health? Let’s find out!
Capstone Course
Oh yes, BTW, this is a capstone course for CHS majors about spirituality, health, and spirituality and health. As we know more about how these concepts relate to each other, there are major implications for our society from the macro prospective and for the individual from the micro prospective.
Integration, synthesis, reflection and writing. Because this is a capstone course, critical thinking discussions and assignments are expected as well as your abilities to integrate your core curriculum knowledge into you work. You will be expected to explore, learn, compare and contrast, and integrate what you are learning into what you already know. Written abilities and oral communication skills will be evaluated for each student – and you will be expected to use both reflective writing skills as well as scholarly writing skills as you go through this course.
ImplicationsIf one’s spirituality can prevent or heal disease, what are the implications to the U.S. Health Care System, the world, and to those who are in the health professions? How can interdisciplinary teams be formed to make best use of the “spirituality” that is an individual patient’s right and will? What are the implications to all faith communities and those who practice their spirituality in other ways? Is one belief system better than another?
RespectThere is no expectation or requirement for a student in this class to be from any religious belief as we will explore many beliefs and their practices commonly found among all the great world religions. However, you must be willing to share some of your personal beliefs about spirituality (different than religion) as a basis of discussion for the course, AND respect views different than your own. There is no promotion of a belief as part of the discussions.
UNR Silver Core Starting 2016
CHS 405 will satisfy CO13: (Integration and Synthesis)Students will be able to integrate and synthesize core knowledge, enabling them to analyze open-ended problems or complex issues.
Additionally, this course will integrate:
CO1 (Effective Composition & Communication): Students will be able to effectively compose written, oral, and multimedia texts for a variety of scholarly, professional, and creative purposes.
CO3 (Critical Analysis and Use of Information): Students will be critical consumers of information, able to engage in systematic research processes, frame questions, read critically, and apply observational and experimental approaches to obtain information.
CO11 (Global Contexts): Students will apply and evaluate modes of academic inquiry, creative expression, or results of research to problems in historical and contemporary global contexts. Students will articulate connections among local, national, and international contexts and evaluate the ways that historical and contemporary global influences affect their current situations.
Course Objectives
- To identify the issues, research, practices, traditions, and beliefs about how spirituality and health are integrated.
- To evaluate how spirituality and health are connected physiologically, through the use of common physiological principles as well as in the current field of neurosciences.
- To summarize spiritual practices common to all world religions.
- To be able to justify for health services professionals and our individual selves with the understanding of how spirituality and health are connected.
- To reflect and write about spirituality and health based upon the research and course materials.
Course Readings
Young, C. and Koopson, C. (2009) Spirituality, Health, and Healing: An Integrative Approach, 2nd. Ed. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. (Y)
Newburg, A. and Waldman, R. (2008) How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist. Ballantine Books. (NW)
- OPTIONAL: Walsh, Roger, M.D. (1999) Essential Spirituality: The Seven Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind. John Wiley and Sons: New York, New York. (W)
- My Facebook page: Like it – “Spirituality and Health Research”
In addition, there will be other articles for you to read on WebCampus during this course (“WebLinks”)…please note this in each weekly learning module.
My Philosophy of Education
This course is a “hunt, gather, and share class”. Therefore, discovery and learning through research, service, and education is taken literally.
Because this is a new area of health research, I want you to be critically thinking and reflecting about what you find out, what you will see in videos, and what you hear. Therefore, what I expect in your discussion and in your writing is your opinion about something and why you think that. You will always get credit for telling me this, but will not get credit if you do not. So, I expect to hear your opinions and others’ opinions as well, which do not always match, and that is ok.
There will be a wide variety of opinions and experiences in this topic--this is a good thing. The other important ingredient to all of this is respect—respectful of yours AND others’ opinions.
We will be using WebCampus Learn(WCL) quite a bit in this course as I have found that students have been more willing to share in this medium than in the classroom. So, because WC is integral to this course, not knowing how to access WCL or having technical difficulties will not be an excuse to not do work or turn in assignments. Please take the time to learn it and to always find reliable internet access. ****PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT your tech support—please use the Help Desk at the Knowledge Center. IF YOU ARE NOT USING FIREFOX AS YOUR BROWSER FOR WCL, YOU MAY GET “KICKED OUT”, not be able to watch the lecture videos or run into other issues.
Course Assignments and Descriptions
Intro: All assignments are due by Fridaymidnight of the week we are in – no late assignments accepted. DISCLAIMER: I do not hang around the computer on Friday, so if you wait till then, and if you have questions or problems, I will probably NOT be available to assist…I suggest NOT waiting till the last minute.….I expect that you will be prepared to be engaged and ready to discuss and make meaning of the course materials on Monday when we meet f2f.
In addition, I do my best to keep up with grading – if you want to question a grade, it must be within 4 weeks after the due or else it will not be considered.
Your Spiritual Autobiography—We start with a “getting to know you” activity for this course. You will post this on the Discussion Board in WCL - a review of your personal history with religion, spirituality or both – note the questions posed for you there. Mine is there to get you started.
Quizzes—These will be a “surprise”! Might be in class or on-line….I need to, and you need to, know if you are understanding the materials. How fun is this?
Reaction Papers--Every week, you will be writing (yes more writing) reaction/reflection papers on several questions that I suggest, or terms I would like you to synthesize…or other things you think are of your particular interest. These are 3 page papers (a full 3 pages double-spaced), and correct Eng. Comp.
Field Experiences—You are required to participate in four field experiences in spirituality and health outside of the classroom. The idea is to connect what we are learning to active participation outside of the class. You will write about what you experienced, how you felt about it, and how it relates to this course -1 page double-spaced.
Oral Presentation—You will each have the opportunity to share research content for the class on various topics. Your report will include research on the topic and how it relates to spirituality and health. The presentation will be professional, 10 minutes…punchy, concise and complete…a Zen PPT (don’t know what that is? Google it!).
Research Paper—Your paper will be a 7 page, fully edited, APA research paper based upon a topic of interest from the list that I provide you the first day of class, including a synthesis of your research, bibliography, and analysis of your research - proper citations and references are required. Your paper will report on the current research, citing current research that you have investigated and evaluated. You will use the Safe Assign tool to check for academic integrity and I will be using this, along with the rubric, to grade your paper.
If you are not comfortable writing a research paper – you need to be by the end of this course, and you will have a RP to be proud of – this assignment really serves as your “final”.
Please use Library Resources and the Writing Center.
Book Review-- You will choose from a book list to read and report back to our class on how the material relates to spirituality and health – 3 pages double-spaced.
Weekly CP’s/Active Class Participation
Part 1: Class Preps (CP’s) Each week, you will watch the video lecture (available in WCL) and respond to the questions I pose for you based upon what you are learning. Turning in this assignment will give you “credit” for attending that lecture – this is what makes this course a hybrid WCL course. You will do the CP’s BEFORE coming to class on Mondays.
Part 2: At the end of each f2f class, you will turn in a 3 x 5 index card with your name, date, 3 things that were most meaningful to you and 2 questions you had based upon what you heard in class. These will be counted and used for class attendance. They will be reviewed and you will get either a “+” or a “-“.
Earning less than 50% of these points will cause you to fail the class…regardless of your other grades. AND you may not miss more than 1 f2f classes….period…
Class Etiquette
I am treating this as a class of working professionals. Therefore, out of courtesy to me, to your fellow classmates, and our guest speakers:
- Be on time (you know I really mean it) and don’t leave early.
- Turn cell phones/mp3 off when entering class.
- Use restroom BEFORE coming in—once you are in class, do not get up to leave!
- Do not schedule work or any appointments during class—these will cause an unexcused absence.
- Do not eat in class…we will have two breaks in each class which will allow you to get refreshed.
- Ask questions when you don’t know something, AHEAD of time.
Course Schedule(always subject to change)
Dates / Topics / Assignments dueWeek 1 / December 30 / Definitions of Spirituality & Health; Physiology of stress; Healing vs. Curing; Stress Response and Biofeedback; Sign-ups; Guest speaker
December 31 / Chi; Western and Eastern Medicine; Relaxation Response; Meditation; Breakout Principle; Local and Non-Local Mind; Locus of control / Due Dec. 31 @ 9am: Your Spiritual Autobiography.
Reading Due: Young Ch. 1, 2
January 2 / Spirituality and Health Providers: Culture, Spiritual Assessments / Due Jan. 2 @ 9am:
Reading Due: Newburg Ch. 1; Young 4, 5, 6
End of Week 1- Friday Jan. 3 / Due Fri. Jan. 3 @ 4pm:
CP2; Field Exp. 1; Research Paper Topic and 5 academic references and introductory section (1 page); Rxn. Paper 1
Week 2 / January 6 / Introduction to Neuroscience: The Future of What is Going in in “there”; Brain Anatomy and Function; God and Neurosciences Research: Definition of “God”, What God Does to Your Brain / Due Jan. 6 @ 9am: CP 1.
Reading Due: Newburg Ch. 2, 3
January 7 / Neurotheology; Neurosciences Research: Neural Evolution and God; Current Research in Distant Prayer / Due Jan. 7 @ 9am – FE #2; CP 2
Reading Due: Newburg Ch. 4, 5, 7
End of Week 2-
Friday Jan. 10 / Due Fri. Jan. 10 @ 4pm:
CP3; FE #3; Research Paper Final; Rxn. Paper 2
Week 3 / January 13 / NS: Empathy, Trust and Compassion; World Religions and Healing Practices; 7 Spiritual Practices of the World Religions / Due Jan. 13 @ 9am: CP 4
Reading Due:NPR Podcast; Newburg Ch. 6, 8, 9, 10; Young Ch. 7
January 14 / Introduction to Other Cultures Spiritual Practices and Healing; Hospital Chaplaincy / Due Jan. 14 @ 9am: Book Review
Reading Due: Young: 11, 12
January 15 / Lifespan/Crises; Jill Bolte-Taylor – Use of Spiritual Practices for Health; Book Reports; RP Reports; Groups Final Discussions; Your Spiritual Practices / Due Jan. 15 @9am: Your “bucket list”; CP 5
Reading Due: Young Ch. 3, 8, 9, 10
End of Week 3- Thursday Jan. 16 / Due Thurs. Jan. 16 @4pm:
Rxn. Paper #3; FE#4
How You Will Achieve Points in this Course
Assignment / Total PointsReaction papers / 3 @10 / 30
Spiritual autobiography / 5 / 5
Quizzes / 4 @ 10 / 40
Field Experiences / 4 @ 5 / 20
Oral Presentation / 20 / 20
Research Paper / 150 / 150
Book Review / 20 / 20
CP’s(5) and Active Class Participation Self-Eval (3) / 8 @ 10 / 80
Total Points / 365
Notes about grades and grading:
My intention is to have all assignments graded quickly…except for the research paper, which generally takes a little longer.
I do not appreciate “picking for points” – if you want to have an intellectual conversation about your content of the assignment, I am most happy to do and reconsider my grade after doing so….but only within the next week of the due date.
There is a lot of writing in this course, especially the research paper…please plan to have editors and use them – it is the professional thing to do. Not having editors will inevitably lead to poor scores.
CHS uses 25% of all points earned to be based upon English composition skills. Please use editor as needed for all assignments.
Please do not call me or write me for final grades for the class. All work and grades on assignments will be returned to you through WCL. Your individual scores will be on WCL Gradebook, therefore, you can always calculate your grade by doing the math. Your final grade will be available on the MyNevada system.
Grade Scale– how your grade is determined
Grade / PercentageA / 96%
A- / 93%
B+ / 90%
B / 87%
B- / 85%
C+ / 82%
C / 80%
C- / 78%
D / 70%
F / Below 70%
Audio/Video Recording
Surreptitious or covert video-taping of class or unauthorized audio recording of class is prohibited by law and by Board of Regents policy. This class may be videotaped or audio recorded only with the written permission of the instructor. In order to accommodate students with disabilities, some students may be given permission to record class lectures and discussions. Therefore, students should understand that their comments during class may be recorded.
Students with Disabilities
If you have a disability for which you will need accommodations, please contact me (contact information listed below), or Mary Zabel, the Director of the Disability Resource Center (call 784-6000) or go by 107 Thompson Student Services, as soon as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations.
Academic Success Services
Your student fees cover usage of the Math Center (784-4433 or Tutoring Center (784-6801 or and University Writing Center (784-6030 or These centers support your classroom learning; it is your responsibility to take advantage of their services. Keep in mind that seeking help outside of class is the sign of a responsible and successful student.
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