Aging-Related Course Listings 

Students will investigate, plan and present an innovation targeting a real-world and relevant aging opportunity or problem of interest to the student. Students will produce a research-informed and interdisciplinary intervention proposal that reflects current aging theory, models and ethical considerations. Finally, students must explore and consider sources of bias, influence and consider long-term implications of their proposed intervention.

This course explores biases and ageism as social justice issues impacting older adults and the aging experience. Students will learn about how biases embedded in our culture impact messaging about aging that influences our perspective on getting older. Students will leave with the ability to better protect themselves from bias messaging and to be more open to opportunities and possibilities in the field of aging.

This course, designed for upper-level undergraduates, covers basic concepts in the therapeutic care of aging adults, with an emphasis on self-care and stress-management for older adults, professional caregivers, and family caregivers. Topics include family communication, managing depression and stress, and coping with death and loss. Each unit has specific techniques that can be employed by professionals (and often applied to work with aging adults and caregivers).

Research in aging is focused on improving health, wellbeing and interdependence of older adults in diverse groups with consideration to the interrelationships of the environmental, social, cultural, behavioral, and biological factors that create and sustain health disparities. This course considers the history of research on aging including its origins, pivotal findings and accompanying misconceptions and factors about diversity and inclusion.

Through this course students will integrate and expand gerontological perspectives on aging into a larger unifying theory. Longitudinal effects on the life course of older adults will be explored through this consolidated view to gain a better understanding of the multi-faceted and complex nature of various influences on the quality of life an aging population.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of nursing management of individuals with common acute and chronic illnesses across the lifespan (including pediatric & geriatric populations). Focus will be on application of nursing knowledge and skills to diverse populations which require interdisciplinary interventions for health restoration.

This course will explore change and continuity in the biological, psychological and social processes associated with adulthood, with an emphasis on late life.  Approximately half of the course time will be spent in the classroom learning the fundamentals of adult development and aging, and half the time will be spent in community-based facilities that provide independent or assisted living accommodations for seniors in the community.  Students will have the opportunity to engage older adults in conversation, and experience first-hand the broad range of individual differences that occur with aging.  This engagement component requires that students make a commitment to attend all classes.

This course is designed to develop theoretical and clinical competencies in the care of the acute and chronically ill adult across the adult-older adult age spectrum, including care of the frail older adult. The course builds on concepts and skills derived from prerequisite courses and focuses on evidence-based clinical decision-making, to support diagnosis and management of the acute and chronically ill patient across the continuum of care, from illness to wellness. The clinical portion of the course allows the students to apply theoretical, scientific, and evidence-based clinical knowledge in a supervised practicum to manage patients across the adult-older adult age spectrum, including the frail older adult.

This course is designed to continue the acquisition of knowledge and skills begun in NURS 615, Diagnosis & Management of Chronic and Acute Illness - I. The focus is on further development advanced practice skills in the management of chronically and acutely ill patients. Acquisition of collaborative management skills in the care of critically ill patients is also emphasized. Applicable nutritional science concepts are explored. Study of the psychological and biochemical alternation that occur during disease states and their effect on nutritional requirements and methods of providing nutrients is included. (180 clinical hours)

In this course, the focus is on evidence-based clinical decision-making, to support diagnosis and management of traumatic injury and emergent conditions in patients across the continuum of care, from illness to wellness, and across the adult-older adult age spectrum, including care of the frail older adult.

This is the first of a two-course sequence to provide the requisite knowledge about acquired impairments of language and cognition in adults to understand the nature of such disorders and the relevant evidence-based practices for assessment and treatment. This includes the study of aphasia, alexia, agraphia, dementia, traumatic brain injury, and the cognitive-communication disorders associated with right hemisphere damage.

This is the second of a two-course sequence to provide the requisite knowledge about acquired impairments of language and cognition in adults to understand the nature of such disorders and the relevant evidence-based practices for assessment and treatment. This includes the study of aphasia, alexia, agraphia, dementia, traumatic brain injury, and the cognitive-communication disorders associated with right hemisphere damage.

This is an advanced level undergraduate course in medical ethics designed to examine the moral principles that health care professionals, administrators and others follow during the course of their patient interactions. The content will be mainly clinical with emphasis on advanced readings and case studies, using discussion groups and role playing as major components for students to understand the outcomes affected by context and perspective in considering medical ethical issues. Subject matter will include autonomy and medical decision-making, the health care provider and death, human research ethics and the future of genetic manipulation, among others.

This course explores the normal physiological and psychological changes experienced by older adults in a variety of settings; theories of aging are introduced to support this topic. Myths and stereotypes of aging are addressed, as well as atypical presentations of illness. Case finding, assessment, decision-making and management of specific health problems and geriatric syndromes are emphasized. Polypharmacy and challenges in prescribing are explored with practice cases. The role of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in the care of older adults is integrated throughout the course, with a focus on evidence-based practice and interdisciplinary collaboration for optimal health outcomes.

The advanced concepts and knowledge needed to assess and manage acute and chronic health problems prevalent in individuals across the lifespan are covered in this course. It builds on the skills and knowledge developed in the first Primary Care Management Course (620A), health assessment, advanced pathophysiology, and pharmacology. Emphasis will be placed on evidence-based clinical decision make. A clinical practicum experience allows the student to apply didactic content.

In this course, we will examine aging through the lens of moral philosophy. We begin by looking at questions regarding social justice and the elderly: What are the ethical concepts surrounding age discrimination, and what are our moral responsibilities to the elderly? What, if any, are the responsibilities of the elderly to society? Does western culture value elder wisdom, or do the societal burdens of caring for the elderly outweigh the benefits? Next, we explore the question: Who wants to live forever? As anti-aging medical intervention and human enhancement efforts soar, questions about the ethics of immortality become real and relevant. Is living longer living better? What is the value of life? Finally, we visit the topic of euthanasia and end-of-life ethics. Is there a duty to die, or a duty to live as long as possible? Do healthcare providers have an absolute obligation to prolong life regardless of patient suffering? Is non-medical, voluntary euthanasia justifiable? Philosophy demands rigorous conceptual analysis, and so we will focus on what concepts mean. For example: What does it mean to be old? What does social justice mean in the context of an aging population? We will examine arguments that attempt to justify why it is wrong to treat aging as a disease that must be eradicated, and we will defend our own views about the ethics of medical intervention to prolong life. These topics, and much more, will provide us with a journey through the landscape of aging and dying in a moral community.

This course provides students with a fundamental understanding of key policy, public health, and legal frameworks involved in the provision and funding of care for the aging population in the United States. Public funders, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Administration and Indian Health Service will be covered, as well as private payment models for physicians, hospitals and long-term care providers. Health care integration in senior housing, caregiving, respite care, digital health technologies and telehealth are a focus. The course concludes with an overview of emerging trends for older Americans and how law can be used to better address workforce changes, loneliness and isolation, opioid addiction, and emergency preparedness.

What does environment have to do with aging and well-being? In this course we explore the relationship between older people and their environment. In doing so we look at environment through a variety of lens, such as physical space (i.e. location), and place (location imbued with individual meaning), private versus public, as contributor versus constraint to a sense of belonging and empowerment for older persons. We will consider how factors such as models of social care, human service practices, public policy, societal attitudes, and environmental design positively or negatively impact the environmental experience of diverse older persons as they age in place. Our goal is to expand our knowledge and sensitivity to the subtleties of environmental experience for older persons, and challenge us to consider how development of environmental design, social interventions, and public policy can support wellbeing and optimize the lived experience of the aging and aged.

Aging, everyone is doing it.  If so, can you prepare for an optimal old age?  This course challenges students to think about aging, to learn about the realities and contributors to aging experience, evaluate what type of old age they imagine for themselves, so they can better plan for it. Using an interdisciplinary approach, students will explore relevant issues, diverse factors, perspectives and  life experiences that together determine the reality of aging.

This co-taught course provides an overview of how creative arts practices have been implemented to promote community health and wellness. Interdisciplinary in nature, the course draws on existing theoretical frameworks, practices, and research methods from both the arts and health sciences, and seeks to promote inter-professional dialogue about how to expand the contributions of creative arts in promoting healthy communities. Students in the course will bring perspectives from their respective fields of study, and will have opportunities to explore innovative ways to integrate creative arts practices into their fields of practice and research. This first course of a three part 1-credit course series focuses on the foundation of inclusive arts perspectives and applications from different disciplines

This co-taught course provides an overview of how creative arts practices have been implemented to promote community health and wellness. Interdisciplinary in nature, the course draws on existing theoretical frameworks, practices, and research methods from both the arts and health sciences and seeks to promote inter-professional dialogue about how to expand the contributions of creative arts in promoting healthy communities. Students in the course will bring perspectives from their respective fields of study and will have opportunities to explore innovative ways to integrate creative arts practices into their fields of practice and research. This second course of a three part 1-credit course series focuses on creative arts in the context of disabilities and client/person-centered perspectives and practices.

This co-taught course provides an overview of how creative arts practices have been implemented to promote community health and wellness. Interdisciplinary in nature, the course draws on existing theoretical frameworks, practices, and research methods from both the arts and health sciences and seeks to promote inter-professional dialogue about how to expand the contributions of creative arts in promoting healthy communities. Students in the course will bring perspectives from their respective fields of study and will have opportunities to explore innovative ways to integrate creative arts practices into their fields of practice and research. This third course of a three part 1-credit course series focuses on creative arts in the context of aging, dementia, and brain health.

This course is designed to provide the student with current information and research on the biomedical aspects of aging, co-morbid conditions, and clinical care using an interdisciplinary approach.

There is growing interest in studying how the injured central nervous system reorganizes due to brain rehabilitation. Through lectures, textbook / journal article readings, group projects, discussions and presentations, this course will provide a foundation of brain rehabilitation using non-invasive neuromodulation techniques for clinical practice and empirical research. Students will learn about brain rehabilitation protocols for different populations. Grades are based on quizzes, leading class discussion, participation in class discussions, literature review, and final presentation.

To provide the student with a clinical and community-based experience with older adults. Emphasis will be placed on the multifaceted aspects of aging as well as the interdisciplinary approach to geriatric care. Students will be exposed to a continuum of care from the least restrictive to most restrictive environments. Format/Methods by which the course will be offered: Students will work under the direct supervision of a geriatrician/gerontologist as a member of a multi-disciplinary team. The continuum of care will be provided in both institutional and community based settings. The experience will address cross-cultural aspects of aging, health promotion, and the maintenance of functional abilities. Students will be exposed to home care, a comprehensive geriatric evaluation clinic, assisted living, and hospice care. Students may focus on areas of interest that include rural health, community-based care, optimal aging, and home visits with elders. A plan and schedule will be developed to meet the student's learning objectives as well as cover basic principles of care for older adults. A reading syllabus will be provided.

25 years ago, Mike Hall and colleagues discovered a novel kinase they named the Target of Rapamycin (TOR or mTOR). This kinase is now known to act as the master regulator of cell growth and metabolism in eukaryotes. Accordingly, defects in TOR function underlie many diseases including cancer, clinical depression, and diabetes. In this class students will learn about modern research in molecular and systems biology by walking through the major discoveries in the TOR signaling field--starting with basic research in yeast and moving to the study of disease and aging in humans. Each class period will focus on a new discovery and the experimental method(s) that were used to make that discovery. Students will practice interpreting real experimental data during class sessions and read and summarize a new paper in the TOR field for their final project.

This course examines advanced practice nursing care of the older adult with complex health problems across acute care settings. Normal aging processes and risk factors that affect the health and functioning of elderly patients are explored to determine best practices for managing those needs or risks.  The focus is on the refinement of critical thinking and clinical management knowledge required to provide comprehensive physical and functional assessments, apply diagnostic reasoning, and plan evidence-based interventions for acutely and critically ill older adults from diverse populations. This course builds on content from previous AGACNP clinical management courses and is designed to be completed concurrently with the clinical residency course

Cognitive and affective sequelae of human central nervous system disease/damage, with an emphasis on clinical assessment and case management of the older adult. This course is designed as part of a course sequence following PSY 504A, Human Brain and Behavior Relationships, and should be taken in a subsequent semester, or with the permission of the instructor.

Students will participate in patient evaluations in the inpatient hospice and palliative care unit with various team members, and homecare hospices. Students will participate in interdisciplinary team conferences, discuss significant ethical issues, and demonstrate clinical problem solving and competency at initial and ongoing consults for the hospice and palliative patient admitted. They will round daily with the team on the hospice in-patients. Direct clinical experience will be supplemented by lectures, e.g. pain management and other hospice and palliative care topics listed in curriculum, and relevant readings. The faculty will supervise all activities.

This course introduces students to the challenges faced by low-income populations when utilizing -- and failing to utilize -- the American healthcare system. Each class session will present an actual case study drawn from the community of Tucson. Students will have the opportunity to learn the details of the case, explore the past and present real-life world of the patient, examine the specific barriers to treatment, investigate the resources -- or lack thereof -- available, and then create a proposed healthcare solution specific for that patient. Ongoing topics will include the lived experiences of low-income populations and the co-morbid effects of drug use, alcohol abuse, mental illness, physical trauma, nutritional deficits, sexually transmitted disease, and societal stigmatization.

Examination of theories, issues, and practices related to art and visual culture education within community settings.

This course focuses on health promotion and health transition: the nursing care of the childbearing family and the older adult, and basic nursing skill development, including maternal-newborn and older adult skills.

This course focuses on dementias and other conditions that commonly compromise cognition and memory in older adults, how these disorders impact daily functioning, and the warning signs that an individual may need additional care.  Emphasis will be given that normal cognitive aging does NOT result in cognitive impairment, but that these conditions are the result of acquired disorders.  Students will learn the differences between degenerative, stable, and reversible forms of memory and cognitive impairment, as well as signs/symptoms that differentiate underlying conditions.  Students will also learn about the most recent advances in the assessment and treatment of cognitive and mental health disorders among the elderly.

This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to examine research and theoretical perspectives on key issues related to older adults. Students explore normative aging; functional decline and disability; aging and social policy, including care delivery models and care transitions; the aging family and caregiving, transcultural issues; and special considerations in conducting research with older adults.

The student will learn the basic principles in a team-approach to palliative and terminal care. The student will gain an understanding of the clinical and psycho-social-spiritual needs of adults with a terminal illness. The course can be designed based on student's interest and needs.

An examination of human psychological and behavioral development across the lifespan with a focus on how the processes of evolution have influenced individual development.

Exploration of central problems of the human condition, such as meaning of life; death; self-deception; authenticity, integrity and responsibility; guilt and shame; love and sexuality.

Focus on issues related to family interaction, functioning, and communication. We will examine research and theories from communication, sociological, and psychological perspectives. Readings and discussions will include coverage of marital, parent-child, sibling, and intergenerational interactions in the family. Research on topics such as marital satisfaction, divorce, courtship, and the impact of the family on its children (and vice versa) will be examined. We will also focus on the nature of family interaction as it is associated with family dysfunction.

Considers child sexual and physical abuse, maltreatment and neglect, dating violence, date rape, stalking, domestic violence, workplace harassment, and abuse of elderly and disabled persons. Addresses frequency, causes, health impacts, cultural forces shaping responses, community services and prevention.

This graduate seminar represents an overview of the core topics in health psychology. The course emphasizes the biopsychosocial model of understanding health and illness. Through class lectures, readings, and discussions, students will learn how characteristics of persons (e.g., personality, behavior, coping, biological reactivity) and their environments (e.g., stress, social support, poverty) influence health outcomes at the individual and population level.  Health psychology is a large, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and somewhat fragmented field, so the course will be selective in its coverage.  Through course assignments students will have an opportunity to learn about research and theory within the field that is more tailored to personal interests. 

The course is organized into 3 principle domains: 1) Health behaviors, disease risk, and prevention, 2) Stress and physiological pathways, and 3) Adjustment to illness and disease.

This course is an introduction to the scientific study of aging. In it, students will learn about the intricacies of aging from a biological, psychological, and sociological perspective and will consider the social impact of increasingly older population demographics.

Biological, psychological, and social issues in aging, including brain changes with age, cognitive change with age, and the social impact of increasingly older population demographics.

Cognition collectively refers to a variety of higher mental processes that you use on a daily basis to think, perceive, remember, plan, and act. Cognition is central to your identity and provides you with incredible freedom of thought, allowing you to "mentally time travel" into the past and the future, to think creatively and problem solve, to select what you attend to and alter how you perceive your environment, to create language, and to place yourself in "another person's shoes." The goal of this course is to provide you with a deeper understanding of how some of these higher mental processes work, and how they are prone to errors. This course will focus on real world examples of cognition at work. This will include cognitive demands of daily experience, such as focusing attention on a lecture and remembering to follow through with future plans. We also will discuss cognition in relation to hot topics in the public eye, including fake news, eyewitness testimony, return to play decisions in sports, substance use, and Alzheimer's disease. Through this course you will acquire knowledge that you can apply to your everyday life, and you will be better prepared for your future career and life challenges that can affect cognition.

This is a course that introduces students to human variation and corresponding global trends in disease prevalence, and how these trends may be driven by evolutionary, historical, genetic, cultural, and environmental factors. Topics include human evolutions; current and past disease prevalence; geographical distribution of disease; demographic and epidemiological transitions; origins of health disparities; genetics and epigenetics.

This course focuses on holistic health assessments of newborn, children, adult and older adult. It includes techniques for history taking and interviewing, physical and mental assessment, risk assessment, and development of client databases.

The discipline of health communication focuses on the unique structure and function of communication processes within such areas as physician-patient interactions, public health awareness/prevention/intervention campaigns, community health education, multimedia presentations of health information, and hospital and health-care organizations. This course is designed to: (1) facilitate student learning in the arena of health care communication and (2) provide the opportunity for students to collaborate with at least one Tucson community health group in designing the plans for a health communication campaign.

This course will explore developing an awareness and understanding of the relationship between interpersonal communication and health. It will also work on developing the ability to interpret and discuss some of the existing research/scholarship focusing on aspects of interpersonal communication, relationships, and health. Finally, it will examine ways of investigating health issues in interpersonal contexts.

This course introduces students to the sociological study of health disparities. The purpose of the course is to examine the link between social position and health patterns in the US population. Specific topics include, for example, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, gender, aging, family, and religious involvement.

The goal of this course is to increase knowledge about how to promote overall health and enhance wellbeing in later life. Students will learn about health behavior and health belief theories, and tools and practices that can optimize and enrich the lived experiences of older adults. Students will have the opportunity for intergenerational collaboration and learning through activities with seniors delivered through a service-learning component. Topics covered include physical and mental health, complementary and alternative therapies, selected health education topics, health promotion, social well-being and engagement, mindfulness and resilience.

The main aim of Health Psychology is to introduce students to the broad theories, terminology, and substantive research findings of the field through consideration of the psychological influences on illness and wellness, as well as the effects of physical health on psychosocial functioning. Throughout the term, we will examine how these processes operate across varied levels of analysis, including, for example, consideration of the different biological systems of the body, how people make health behavior changes, the effects of interpersonal contexts on physical health, the development, maintenance, and psychosocial correlates of specific diseases, cultural variation in disease and health behaviors, and the role of larger systems in promoting wellness and the management of chronic illness.

 An introduction to the transdisciplinary field of Health Humanities & the Arts, an area of study that examines health-related topics in their cultural, historical, creative, environmental, and political contexts. This course introduces Health Humanities & Arts concepts and applications, preparing students to work with diverse individuals and populations in a wide range of careers in healthcare, non-profit, business, technology, media, government, education and other fields.

This course explores many challenging moral questions related to situations encountered by health care professionals. For example: What rights and responsibilities come with the role of healthcare provider? Should the healthcare provider always disclose to a patient the full truth about his or her diagnosis? Should diagnosis and treatment errors be disclosed to patients? Under what circumstances is it morally permissible to break patient confidentiality? Why does moral distress arise in medical professionals who regularly deal with futility of treatment cases? Should one have absolute rights over one's body (e.g. with respect to euthanasia) or are there other moral considerations that limit such freedom? What is the proper justification for allocation of moderately scarce resources? Should everyone have an absolute right to health care, and who should provide access? As we explore these and many other questions, we will learn about some major moral theories along the way, with an emphasis on applying them to real world moral problems. This course will give you skills for recognizing the scope and force of an ethical conflict when it occurs and ways of becoming more reflective and open-minded about differing moral views. I also hope to provide you with the skills to cogently defend your own principles and lobby for changes in regulations when there is a perceived need. The skills acquired in philosophical argument are indispensable for engaging with the evolving moral discussions surrounding medical ethics.

This course introduces students to critical thinking in relation to hearing loss and quality of life issues associated with a disability across the life span.

History/Theory, and MS.Arch HBE elective design seminar for 4th and 5th Undergraduate and Graduate students. This course explores specific History and/or Theory of Architecture topics in-depth; it may be taken up to four times under different topics by permission of the Stream Coordinator.

Students will learn about terminology and common derogatory communication patterns that present in discussions with or about older adults. Students will also learn how to apply the skills necessary to find, engage and participate in interdisciplinary and community collaboration in the areas of research, policy, provision of support, services and other opportunities.

This survey course introduces students to the challenges and opportunities of improving the lives of older adults throughout multiple disciplines. Students will gain a holistic view of the many ways a life course can be impacted and how interdisciplinary work is critical for change.

This course provides an opportunity for students to synthesize biological, psychological, sociological and humanistic perspectives of aging and apply it in real-world and relevant scenarios. Additionally, new theoretical models and tools will be introduced to aid students in thinking about and reflecting on the aging process.

This capstone course focuses on investigating, planning and presenting a real-world and relevant aging opportunity or problem of interest for the student.

The focus of this course is on understanding aging as a biological and psychological phenomenon. Consideration will be given to biological explanations for how and why aging occurs and normal versus abnormal aging changes. Cognition as a biological and psychological phenomenon will be explored. Finally, psychological perspectives will be considered including stages of growth and development, and ability to recognize normal age changes in intelligence and cognitive abilities including those that may impact late-life functioning.

From the anti-aging movement to the use of “smart” technologies for monitoring the behavior and function of older adults, a plethora of new information bombards older adults, their caregivers and their care providers. This course will provide an overview of the array of innovations being researched from the perspectives of those involved in the development.

This course will provide a high-level review of every-day ethics along with special attention to issues related to aging and older adults such as elder protection. Emphasis will be placed on professional standards so students are able to distinguish between and communicate around ethical issues while working with older adults and their families.

This course looks at aging as it is portrayed and communicated through cultural and artistic artifacts such as movies, books, art, theatre and music. Students will be challenged to reflect on their own experience with such artifacts as well as integrating this experience with other perspectives on aging.

This course focuses on interdependence and inter-vulnerability shared by all humans with a special emphasis on the implications of these concepts for older adults. Additionally, opportunities to interact with, learn about and compare aging challenges around the world with local issues and opportunities will be explored.

This course is designed to assist students in exploring aging as a socio-cultural phenomenon. Sociological theories of aging will be explored. Life-course theory and ethnogerontological theory will be used to frame aging from the perspective of human diversity. Students will explore ways in which aging and the experience of aging differs based on gender, race, socio-economic status, and culture.

This course focuses on learning about and understanding the existing spectrum of healthcare and supportive services for older adults. Current challenges and opportunities will be discussed along with ideation around improvements and innovations in this space.

The goal of this course is to provide students with a beginning understanding of research strategies used with older adults so students are able to evaluate new information on aging and its sources (popular media and research publications) and to determine the appropriateness and applicability of research evidence.

This 1-unit introductory course sets the stage for a human and experiential understanding of aging and the life experience of older adults. Learning will take a practical, theoretical and humanistic look with emphasis on ageism, life course, person/environment interaction, autonomy, self-determination, inter-dependence, and inter-vulnerability.

This course covers physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development from conception through death. Major developmental theories and research are covered.

Individual research, not related to thesis or dissertation preparation, by graduate students.

Where do new medical devices and therapeutic systems come from? In this course students will learn how one Innovates in the medical arena and how you take a concept of potential practical value and make it real. All the critical steps in medical innovation will be discussed.

This course provides an overview of the field of gerontology, and introduces the student to key theories, concepts, and principles which shape gerontological discourse. Students will explore demographic trends in US society, as well as practices, issues and challenges which are endemic in an aging society.

The basic concepts and knowledge needed to assess and manage acute and chronic stable health problems and preventive/wellness care of individuals across the lifespan, including special populations (pediatrics, pregnancy, and older adults) are covered in this course. Emphasis will be placed on evidence-based, clinical decision-making based on the pathophysiology of the disease process; the use of diagnostic procedures as aids to clinical decision-making and management of the clinical course of illness both pharmacologically and non-pharmacologically. Multi-faceted outcome-based interventions will be discussed and evaluated including: culture and environment, ethics, family theory, complementary and alternative therapies, interdisciplinary approaches, and education and health promotion.

Exploration of the full range of rehabilitation services that occur across the lifespan relative to disability, corrections, addiction, aging, etc. Advocacy strategies aimed at access and inclusion will be covered and critical knowledge related to education, employment, independent living, community resources, related legislation, and ethical decision making.

This course will provide all 1st-year students with foundational knowledge and skills in caring for older adults. Clinical tools will be practiced in class and implemented during IPPE Student Older Adult Relationship (SOAR) visits.

This course addresses major issues facing older adults and their families, society, and how earlier life experiences influence our older adult years.  This class will tackle questions such as:  What opportunities and challenges do adults face as they age?  What resources and barriers shape their lives?  How do physiological, psychological, interpersonal/family, economic, and socio-historical factors affect the experience of aging?  How do gender, social class, and ethnicity influence the experience of aging?  How do government policies, community services, the healthcare system, and health interventions affect the lives and well-being of older adults?

This course explores the normal physiological and psychological changes experienced by older adults in a variety of settings; theories of aging are introduced to support this topic. Myths and stereotypes of aging are addressed. Case finding, assessment, decision making and management of specific health problems and geriatric syndromes are emphasized. The role of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in the care of older adults is integrated throughout the course, with a focus on evidence-based practice and interdisciplinary collaboration for optimal health outcomes.

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An examination of the afterlife in major world religions, intimations of life beyond death in contemporary human experience, and key scientific, theological, and philosophical challenges to both.

The Life Cycle Block teaches: 1) The biology and medicine of human reproduction and sexuality, and 2) Normal and abnormal development throughout the life cycle. Life Cycle will move from reproductive anatomy, histology and physiology through the life span from conception to pregnancy, birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, aging and end-of-life. Life Cycle also will introduce the cancers of the male and female organs of reproduction.

Life Cycle Remediation covers the same material as Med 821 and teaches: 1) The biology and medicine of human reproduction and sexuality, and 2) Normal and abnormal development throughout the life cycle. Life Cycle will move from reproductive anatomy, histology and physiology through the life span from conception to pregnancy, birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, aging and end-of-life. Life Cycle also will introduce the cancers of the male and female organs of reproduction.

This is an advanced course aimed at providing a broad overview of the ways in which communication affects, and is affected by, the aging process from birth to death. We will read research articles relating to life-span communication. During the course I wish to convey as much about research methods and how to read technical prose as much as communication and the life-span. The exams will test students understanding of the articles (in terms of their methodological and statistical content and their information about life-span communication) as well as lecture material. In class we will be discussing the articles, clarifying problems etc.  Graduate-level requirements include additional in-depth papers, research, readings, exams, etc.

Course includes basic concepts in a psychology of death and loss, adjustment to death and loss, and the underlying phenomenal, humanistic and current social considerations. Topics to be analyzed include: cultural denial of death, fears of death, stages of dying, types of death, and signs of impending death. Emphasis is placed on communicating with and working with the dying. Stages of grieving, chronic grief, the disruptive changes in the family system, and strategies for grieving effectively. Current theories of death and loss will be analyzed and applied to human service situations.

Specification of management information needs, evaluation of research proposals and findings, methods of gathering and analyzing data, administrative aspects of research and decisions.

This course provides an overview of Medicaid and how it compares to other healthcare payments systems in the United States. Modules cover history, laws, policy considerations, examples of state Medicaid program innovation, the perspective of end-users, and how all of this is managed in a political environment. Lectures and discussion take place in real time via Zoom and include well-known expert guest speakers. Modules are interactive and encourage critical thinking and analysis; Small groups of students lead a portion of class meetings. Instructors also discuss how course subjects relate to current events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ethical issues that arise in relation to medicine and health care: abortion, euthanasia, the allocation of scarce medical resources, socialized medicine, doctor-patient confidentiality, paternalism, etc.

This course overviews a variety of mental illnesses and relationship problems in adulthood, with specific focus on how those issues impact individuals and their family systems.  Prevention and treatment approaches for these issues are discussed, including research-supported therapeutic approaches and family-based strategies.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of therapeutic nursing management of individuals with common psychiatric disorders in a variety of mental health settings utilizing interpersonal relationship theory, mental health concepts, and biopsychosocial dynamics

It is important "to do the right thing." But how can anyone tell what "the right thing" is? What makes some actions right and some wrong? This course is an overview of ethics, which is the field of philosophy that examines these questions. We examine three main ways of thinking about ethics: those that focus one the outcomes of actions, those that focus on the nature of the actions themselves, and those that focus on the character of the one who acts. Students will gain a foundational knowledge that will serve as a solid background for more advanced work in ethics, as a resource for thinking about moral issues, and as a piece of general education valuable for understanding practical aspects of human life.

The Musculoskeletal System Block covers the structures of the limbs and spine with a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the fundamental tissues of bone, joint, muscle, and skin.  The goals are to enable students to learn how the normal and abnormal mechanisms of development and disease of these structures are relevant to orthopedics, sports medicine, rehabilitation, and traumatic injury.  In this manner, students will be introduced to common diseases of bone and muscle which may include rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, back pain, muscle enzyme mutations, and muscular dystrophy.  Related health issues such as living with disability or pain, and chronic care, paternalism of health providers, and age & gender differences in bone fractures will be addressed.

Nutrigenomics is the application of genomics to human nutrition. This online course will explore relevant technologies, genetics & nutrition. Designed by researchers in colleges & centers of excellence, it will be continually updated with the latest information.  Graduate-level requirements include 1/14 Nutrigenomics/Organization of the genome; 4/13 Advanced Models; 4/20 Target validation; 4/27 Mouse models; lab assignments; Advanced discussion board quesitons (4 total) are due after each unit.

Role of nutrients in human development. Physiological bases for changes in nutrient requirements throughout the life cycle (pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence and aging).

In both inpatient and outpatient clinical settings, this course is an introductory experience in the provision of comprehensive medical care and counseling services to elderly, adult and adolescent female patients. The obstetrical conditions and gynecological problems commonly encountered by the physician provide the primary focus for this clerkship experience, but students may also be exposed to patients with serious or less common conditions. The basis for the clerkship is to introduce the clinical information thought to be fundamental in the education of all physicians. The clerkship is a required course for all medical students.

This course is an introductory experience in the provision of comprehensive medical care and counseling services to elderly, adult and adolescent female patients. The obstetrical conditions and gynecological problems commonly encountered by the physician provide the primary focus for this clerkship experience, but knowledge of serious or less common conditions is also available. Therefore, the basis for the clerkship is to introduce the clinical information thought to be fundamental in the education of all physicians.

This course is an introductory experience in the provision of comprehensive medical care and counseling services to elderly, adult and adolescent female patients. The obstetrical conditions and gynecological problems commonly encountered by the physician provide the primary focus for this clerkship experience, but knowledge of serious or less common conditions is also available. Therefore, the basis for the clerkship is to introduce the clinical information thought to be fundamental in the education of all physicians.

This course explores the intersections of the environment, animal, and human health, and how diseases are addressed using the One Health approach.

This course introduces a transdisciplinary One Health framework which focuses on the interconnection between people, animals and the environment to examine health drivers and outcomes at local, regional, national, and global levels.

Is aging with grace and vitality a realistic public health goal? This course explores ways in which we can optimize the aging experience. Using a public health perspective, we focus on modalities to enrich and revitalize the lived experiences of older adults, with the goal of enhancing/promoting overall well-being in health, social, and behavioral domains.

This is the first in a series of three courses that provide a conceptual, integrative approach to selected pathophysiological phenomena and human responses to illness. This course is designed to give the student an understanding of pathophysiological concepts and their application to clinical practice. In addition, the course will integrate concepts related to aging, genetics-environmental factors, and emerging research topics that influence health and disease.

Students will explore the nature of morality in general and examine opposing sides of particular moral debates. Topics may include: abortion, animal rights, the ethics of immigration, genetic enhancement, and euthanasia. This course aims to help students become more reflective and open-minded about morality, while also providing them with the skills to successfully defend their own moral beliefs.

Multidisciplinary approach to the health-care needs of the elderly, including medication use, nutrition, health care agencies and roles of individual health care professionals.

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In Pharmacology 601C, students will be introduced to the mechanism of action and side effects of drugs affecting the cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system. This will include medications used for the treatment of hypertension, heart arrhythmias, hyperlipidemia, gastrointestinal ulcers, asthma, allergic rhinitis, or to alter the coagulation pathways, as well as agents used for their analgesic and antiinflammatory properties. In the central nervous system section the focus will be on medications used for the treatment of seizures, Parkinson's disease, psychosis, depression, pain, anesthetics and drugs of abuse. The basic pharmacology of ethanol will also be covered.

PHPR 860E is the fifth of a five-semester sequence of courses covering all major aspects of pharmacotherapeutics (the study of drug therapy of human diseases) along with pharmacology and medicinal chemistry with a specific focus on special populations and disease states. However, the over-riding goal of this course as well as the College curriculum is to train and prepare the student to provide pharmaceutical care. Pharmaceutical care is, in essence, the responsibility taken by the pharmacist to assure safe and effective drug therapy and maximize the positive outcomes of the patient.

In this course we will examine the processes of lifecycle development, normal and pathological aging, senescence, and death from an eco-physiological perspective. Course objectives include understanding the impact of aging on major physiological systems; evaluation of relevant research papers form genetics, ecology, gerontology and geriatrics; understanding the role of the elderly in modern society; and analysis of selected eldercare controversies in the scientific, medical, and political communities.

Fertility, mortality, and migration as agents of demographic change. Topics include fertility control and LDCs; working mothers and NDCs; aging societies; legal/illegal immigration in the U.S., population policies.

Lectures, forum discussions, and laboratory activities. Topics: selection of appropriate study design for association studies; understanding basic molecular genetics with particular focus on the genetic code; selection of candidate genes; genotype analysis; temporal sequence in genetic association studies; importance of longitudinal data in genetic association studies; genotype versus hapoltype analysis; selection of haplotype tagging SNPs; use of genetic software.

Application of basic nutritional principles in the selection of normal and therapeutic diets; designed for students in the health sciences.

CTS 641 B is designed as a problem-based learning experience focused on developing an understanding that Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are complex diseases with different etiologies and progression trajectories. Thus, one size therapy will not fit all and will not fit anyone for all time; requiring a portfolio of therapeutic interventions that target genotypes (including chromosomal sex) and phenotype (etiology and stage of AD). Building on the information and projects developed by students in CTS 641 A, students will dive further into the drug development process, by leveraging computational tools in discovering and designing novel compounds. Students will also be exposed to the foundations of designing precision clinical trials, documenting their discoveries in accordance with requirements for FDA filings, and finally receive instruction in the foundations of commercialization.

CTS 641A is designed as a problem-based learning experience focused on developing an understanding that Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are complex diseases with different etiologies and progression trajectories. Thus, one size therapy will not fit all and will not fit anyone for all time; requiring a portfolio of therapeutic interventions that target genotypes (including chromosomal sex) and phenotype (etiology and stage of AD). In this course students will learn to embrace this complexity and learn to leverage modern tools; including bioinformatics, epidemiology, genetic sequencing, and in-silico compound screening to learn how to navigate and thrive in this environment. In addition, students will gain exposure to patients and caregivers to learn the importance of beginning with the patient.

Complex diseases (CDs: e.g., asthma, allergy, COPD, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia) are the next major challenge in human biology because they are at the same time unique, common and difficult to decipher. The complexity of CDs lies in their pathogenesis, in which a constellation of environmental and genetic factors interact in intricate ways to alter biological thresholds and response patterns, modifying disease susceptibility. Since both genes and environmental exposures contribute to CDs, the biological pathways involved in CD pathogenesis depend on the genetic background of a given population and the specific environment to which that population is exposed. Hence, asthma, obesity and hypertension in Arizona may not be the same as asthma, obesity and hypertension in Iceland.

This clinical course focuses on the application of theory in the care of child-bearing families and older adults in various clinical settings. A total of 135 clinical hours is required for this course.

This clinical course focuses on synthesis of integrated medical-surgical and behavioral nursing in diverse and behavioral settings. Practicum experiences explore roles of nurses providing community-based and patient-and family-centered care with patients experiencing mental illness, frailty, vulnerable conditions, end-of-life care, and associated applied integrative or pharmacologic therapies.

This course is an analysis of nutrition issues concerned with health and disease. Biochemical, physiological and socioeconomic interactions will be evaluated as they relate to the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of nutrition programs and research that affect individuals across the lifespan.

Emphasis on aging from the viewpoint of the aging person and those working with the aged.

In this course, students will examine conceptions of healthy aging within the United States and cross-culturally. Students will explore how social factors like changing relationships and changing self-concept contribute to aspects of aging. Learning about culturally-specific theories of aging, students will consider how cultural norms and expectations influence perceptions of healthy aging. By the end of the class, students should be left with an impression of what constitutes "healthy aging" in the United States and elsewhere. Furthermore, students will learn active strategies that can be employed to help contribute to a successful aging process embedded within the larger sociocultural context.

This course will expose students to the logic and conduct of research that is aimed at producing generalizable information about human communication. The goal of the course is to develop student's ability to conduct and evaluate social scientific research.

This course will expose students to fundamental and intermediate techniques for the analysis of quantitative data. Descriptive statistics, univariate, and multivariate statistics will be covered throughout the semester. In addition to examining different analytical techniques, students will be exposed to computer programs for statistical analyses.

This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge of both public and private retirement plans, with an appreciation of the usefulness of employee benefits and the ability to counsel others on important retirement and employee benefit decisions. Discussion will include corporate pension and profit sharing plans, self-employed Keogh plans, IRAs, annuities, health insurance, and social security, as well as additional issues individuals face in retirement, including insurance, medical, and life-style and community choices.

An interactive graduate-level course focused on written scientific communication and research integrity/ethics. The writing portion of the course is developed with a particular emphasis on NIH-style grant writing to develop the necessary skills to develop and write fellowship and grant applications. Students will work together with faculty and in peer groups to develop scientific hypotheses, aims, and research plans. The students will develop an NIH-style research proposal through the course of the semester. The student will develop skills necessary to for successful scientific writing.

The emotional, physical and spiritual demands of the caring and health professions are significant. Students are introduced to the importance of wellness and self-care practices as they consider careers in the helping professions. This course will explore the impact of cultivating compassion vs. empathy in working with clients/patients, as well as offer students an opportunity to cultivate a wellness/self-care practice in their own lives. The course culminates in a research paper on the student's selected wellness/self-care practice.

This course explores how the process of aging through a sociological lens. We will examine a variety of gerontological theories, with a focus toward life course and critical perspectives. This course will require students to think critically about social forces that shape the aging experience and individual health outcomes. Students are expected to complete the readings prior to class in the week they are assigned and be prepared to engage in class discussion.

The course will guide students to explore the current state of the art in stem cell biology and medicine. It will provide a brief overview of stem cells, with a focus on their clinical potentials in revolutionary treatments of cancer, aging, Alzheimer's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism, and other human health issues, as well as risks and ethical challenges. This course is a second-year colloquium and requires the students to either have completed or be concurrently enrolled in introductory biology.

In today's world, seemingly disparate parts of world, society, environment that we live in are intricately interconnected and interlinked. The interconnected nature of present and future complex public health problems requires a wholistic and interdisciplinary approach. This course provides students with a strong foundation in the understanding and application of systems thinking to tackling complex problems such as pandemics, climate change and food safety and security.

Technology elective and design seminar for 4th and 5th year Undergraduate and Graduate students. This course explores specific Technology topics in depth; it may be taken up to four times under different topics by permission of the Stream Coordinator.

Technology elective and design seminar for 4th and 5th year Undergraduate and Graduate students. This course explores specific Technology topics in depth; it may be taken up to four times under different topics by permission of the Stream Coordinator.

Despite the general improvement in national health, racial/ethnic health disparities remain a growing challenge in the United States. The Center for Disease Control reports that racial/ethnic minorities generally suffer higher incidence of most health challenges including infectious diseases, infant mortality, asthma, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and earlier mortality compared to non-minorities. These disparities are caused by a combination of individual, genetic, and social/environmental risk factors (Olden & White, 2005).  Advances in psychological science are helping to understand how these factors influence risk and contributing to interventions to improve health for all.

The aim of this course is to move beyond a discussion of who is affected to a more focused look at the causes of health disparities. This course represents an integration of Psychology, Medicine, Epidemiology, Social Work, and Public Health with the clear emphasis on the contributions of psychological science. Throughout, the biopsychosocial model (BPS: Engel, 1977) will serve as the core model for organizing and guiding the discussion. The course is organized into 4 principle domains: 1) Orientation and the epidemiology of health disparities, 2) the biopsychosocial approach to understanding the determinants of health disparities 3) examination of disparities and processes within specific groups, and 4) psychosocial interventions and future directions.

Theories and models of self-management and symptom management used in nursing and healthcare in connection with chronic illness will be explored and examined. Thematic consistencies among the theories and models will provide the basis for discussion. Constructs and concepts in chronic illness will be highlighted and include examples of how they have been measured in extant research.

Biocultural perspective on health issues/risks women face around the world using a life cycle approach beginning with the birth of girl babies through the aging process.