This course introduces students to the profession of health and human services, including Occupational Therapy. A broad-based view of the purpose, preparation, and theoretical orientation of these professions is provided, including roles, responsibilities and professional organizations. Issues relating to access to health care, vulnerable populations, and ethical issues are examined. A “round-robin” approach of site visits and guest speakers to explore the many types and career settings of human service professions is a hallmark of this course.

The Basic Life Support (BLS) and first aid course adheres to the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines and is designed to prepare students to provide first aid, CPR, and use of the Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) in a safe and effective manner. The course is designed for healthcare professionals, those preparing to enter the healthcare workforce, or other personnel who need to know how to perform CPR, basic cardiovascular life support skills, and the application of first aid techniques that might be needed in specific emergencies. Upon successful completion of the course and meeting the AHA standard requirements, students will receive an AHA course completion certification card that is valid for two (2) years.

This course builds a bridge from students’ general education to the work they do in the helping professions. With the aim of preparing students for both professional life and graduate work, this Writing Intensive course introduces disciplinary strategies for investigating provocative issues and for communicating to others about them. In this way, the course offers students time to learn and to practice more advanced skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening; in using appropriate software support in presentations; and in mastering information literacy in fields of human service that students intend to enter as graduates. The course emphasizes fundamental principles of communication.

This course provides students from all majors in HHS the opportunity to synthesize knowledge learned in previous courses through the development of a community health/human service initiative that aligns with their career goals. Students will gain an understanding of the concepts that link community empowerment and action research including a focus on community capacity building, citizen participation, information and problem solving, sharing of power, and quality of life. A mentor from a local organization partners with the class to share an in-depth examination of their community initiative.

Occupational therapy consumers find meaning in many activities of daily living, including play and leisure. Throughout this course, students will explore the roles play and leisure have in cognitive, physical, and social development in childhood, and health and wellness in adulthood. Students will learn play and leisure concepts, understand methods to use play and leisure activities for rehabilitation, and develop client centered play and leisure activities to meet client goals.

This course focuses on current and historical factors influencing the development of social and health care policies to promote overall awareness of the health care delivery system and processes as well as selected health issues important to us as individual consumers and health care professionals. There will be special emphasis on the influence of political, economic, social, and cultural factors in the development of health and social policy. Themes that run throughout the course include the importance of understanding the interrelationships between politics, culture, socioeconomic status, health status and health care delivery; cross-cultural comparisons; issues of quality, access and cost; ethical dilemmas; legal concerns; and the need for health professionals to serve as activists within the wider social system. Discussions are particularly encouraged which relate to current health events and news and have direct or indirect association with the need to develop social and health policies for our nation during the early 21st Century.

This seminar is designed to inspire and inform students about integrative health: exploring a variety of health and healing modalities to achieve health and wellness. The history, philosophy, and major concepts of complementary and alternative medicine are examined, as well as research and applications. Diverse practices such as mindfulness and Naturopathic, Ayurvedic, and Chinese medicines are included.

Students receive supervised training from practicing professionals, typically during the fourth year. Learning is achieved through observation and/or direct participation. Students are placed appropriately in settings that relate to their individual and education career objectives, such as human services agency. This course is graded Pass/Fail.

Students receive supervised training from practicing professionals, typically during the fourth year. Learning is achieved through observation and/or direct participation. Students are placed appropriately in settings that relate to their individual and education career objectives, such as human services agency. This course is graded Pass/Fail.