SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
MORTUARY SCIENCE AND FUNERAL SERVICE
FALL, 1998
COURSE NO., HOURS, AND TITLE: MSFS 401-3 Funeral Service Counseling
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The student will be taught specific counseling procedures used when counseling
the bereaved family. Specific attention will be paid to the counseling and
communication techniques and skills that will assist individual family members
with handling grief and the mourning process. In addition, students will
explore the promotion of pre-need and after-care services. Lecture three
hours. Prerequisites: MSFS 108 or PSYC 102.
PREREQUISITE TO: None
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon satisfactory completion of this course, the student shall be able to:
1. distinguish between grief counseling and grief therapy;
2. describe the limitations of the funeral director as they apply to a grief
therapist;
3. identify direct and non-direct styles of counseling;
4. apply different techniques utilized in counseling;
5. describe the principle times available for the funeral director to meet
the
counseling needs of the people in the community concerning pre-need, at-need
and post-need counseling;
6. understand the funeral directors resources for coping with loss situations;
and
7. identify appropriate community resources and referral procedures for
families
needing additional assistance.
TOPICAL OUTLINE:
Topics Percentages of Time
I. Definitions 10%
II. Types and styles of counseling 10%
III. Grief counseling 20%
IV. Characteristics of the helping funeral director
10%
V. Developing interpersonal skills 20%
VI. Effective communication 10%
VII. Disaster management counseling 20%
TEXTBOOKS:
Required:
Canine, J. (1996). The psychosocial aspects of death and dying. Stamford,
CT:
Appleton & Lange.
Wolfelt, A. D. (1990). Interpersonal skills training: A handbook for funeral
home
staffs. Muncie, IN: Accelerated Development.
Worden, J. W. (1982). Grief counseling and grief therapy: A handbook for
the
mental health practitioner. New York: Springer Publishing.
LECTURE: W 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM
EXAMINATION AND QUIZZES:
Objective examinations will be administered during the semester. These examinations
will include material from the textbook, any handouts, and lecture notes.
In addition, a vocabulary examination will be given which will include a
listing of counseling terms discussed during the course. The dates for the
all objective and vocabulary examinations will be given in advance.
A comprehensive final examination will also be given at the end of the semester
and will follow the final examination schedule set by the University.
Quizzes may also be given without prior notice.
MAKE-UP EXAMINATIONS AND
QUIZZES WILL NOT BE GIVEN!!!
ASSIGNMENTS:
In addition to reading assignments (which will be announced in class), there
will be two additional assignments for this course.
Thought Question:
During each class session, a Thought Question will be assigned which will
be related to the reading assignments, lecture material, group discussion,
and/or any other activities. The response to each Thought Question must
be typed using a maximum 12 point font, double spaced, and one inch margins
on the top, bottom, and sides of the paper. The length of each Thought Question
should be a minimum of one typed page, but no more than two typed pages.
All Thought Questions will be worth 10 possible points.
EACH THOUGHT QUESTION WILL BE DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS ON THE
FOLLOWING CLASS SESSION!!!
NO POINTS WILL BE GIVEN IF THE STUDENT MISSES THE CLASS SESSION
WHEN THE THOUGHT QUESTION WAS GIVEN, OR IF IT IS HANDED IN AFTER CLASS BEGINS
ON THE DUE DATE!!!
Video Tape Presentation:
Each student will work with a group of other students in the class to prepare
an hour-long video tape presentation that is related to a "problem"
arrangement conference scenario. On the first day of class, teams of three
to four students will be formed. Each team will then organize themselves
to complete the following steps:
1. SELECT THE PROBLEM. During the course of making funeral arrangements
with any family, there exists the possibility of encountering a "problem"
or "difficult" situation. For example, all members of a family
might not agree on the details for the funeral and final disposition of
the deceased and begin arguing; or the survivors might experience complete
denial about the death of a teenager who has been killed in a motor vehicle
accident and refuse to cooperate with the funeral director; and so on. Although
there are a myriad of situations which can create a problem, there is often
one underlying factor that affects the survivors and the dynamics of the
arrangement conference. Therefore, each team will select one significant
problem or situation that has the potential to affect the family members
as they deal with the death and funeral arrangements for a loved one.
2. RESEARCH THE PROBLEM. How does the specific problem affect the survivors?
What is unique about this situation, and how will this make the funeral
arrangement conference similar or different from other scenarios? For example,
how would the arrangement conference for a 20 year-old college student who
has committed suicide compare with that of a 95 year-old who has died from
a heart attack? Utilizing a minimum of seven resources, each team will investigate
the potential effects of the chosen situation on the survivors. The resources
can be from the textbooks, other books, newspapers, journals, etc., but
ONLY THREE INTERNET RESOURCES CAN BE USED! Regardless of the source,
no reference should be older than 1988.
3. CREATE THE PROBLEM SCENARIO. Based on the research conducted, each team
will create a scenario which reflects the problem situation and its effects
on the survivors. In other words, the team will write a 30-minute script
which includes the funeral director and the other appropriate family members
and/or survivors. The scenario should be written in such a way that all
of the potential problems that could occur with the situation are encountered
during the arrangement conference (such as expression of anger, sorrow,
fighting, etc.). Imagine this to be an "if anything can go wrong, it
will" type of scenario.
4. CREATE THE ALTERNATIVE SCENARIO. Using the problem scenario as a guide,
the team will create another script for another 30-minute scenario. However,
this time the emphasis should be placed on the techniques and methods that
could be utilized by the funeral director to change the outcome of the previous
scenario. What counseling and communication skills could be used by the
funeral director to make the previous problem scenario a positive experience
for everyone?
5. VIDEO TAPE BOTH SCENARIOS. Once both scenarios have been written and
rehearsed by the team members, each team will be given an opportunity to
record the sessions. The Mortuary Science and Funeral Service program has
its own video-audio camera and video tape recorder (VCR) which will be made
available for this portion of the assignment. A schedule will be developed
which will give each team the time they need to make a video tape recording
of both scenarios. Each team will be required to provide one VCR tape for
this purpose. This portion of the assignment will be worth 100 possible
points.
6. VIEWING OF VIDEO TAPE PRESENTATION. Each team will be given an opportunity
during a regularly scheduled class session to present their Video Tape Presentation.
This will also include time for answering questions and class discussion.
Every team member should participate, and each team will be evaluated by
both the instructor and the other members of the class. A form will be provided
for this purpose. This portion of the assignment will be worth 50 possible
points.
7. RESEARCH PAPER. Each team will submit one typed copy of a Research Paper
which presents the information gathered for the second step of the assignment
("Research the Problem"). The Research Paper, references, and
reference listing must follow the guidelines of the Publication manual of
the American Psychological Association (4th edition). For those students
who do not have this book, it can be purchased at most book stores. Known
as the "APA Manual," it is the writing format utilized in most
Mortuary Science and Funeral Service courses. Specific guidelines for the
Research Paper are included at the end of this syllabus. This portion of
the assignment will be worth 100 possible points.
On Wednesday, September 9, 1998 (at the beginning of class),
each team will submit a typed paper listing the problem selected, the names
of team members, and the list of all references which will be used for the
completion of the assignment (in APA format). The problem topic and references
will be reviewed and approved by the instructor before being returned to
the team. This portion of the assignment will be worth 50 possible points.
If there are any questions regarding any portion of this assignment (especially
the references and/or APA format), the team members should consult with
the instructor before Wednesday, September 9, 1998. Remember that failure
to have this portion of the assignment completed will result in the loss
of 50 possible points!
ALL RESEARCH PAPERS WILL BE DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS ON WEDNESDAY,
NOVEMBER 5, 1998!!! The Research Papers will be graded and returned
prior to the time of viewing the Video Tape Presentations.
ALL VIDEO TAPE PRESENTATIONS WILL BE DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS
ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1998!!! The viewing of the Video Tape
Presentations will also begin on this date, and a lottery system will be
used to determine which team will give the first Video Tape Presentation.
ALL teams will need to be prepared!! Additional Video Tape Presentations
will be given on Wednesday, December 9, 1998.
PLEASE NOTE: INFORMATION GIVEN DURING EACH VIDEO TAPE PRESENTATION
MAY BE INCLUDED ON THE COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAMINATION!!!
LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!!!
ATTENDANCE:
ATTENDANCE AT EACH CLASS SESSION IS REQUIRED!!! Class attendance
should be regarded as an obligation, and all students are expected to attend
and be punctual at each class session. Attendance will be
taken at the beginning of every class, and each session will be worth 10
points. A student who is absent when attendance is taken will earn zero
(0) points for the class session. Furthermore, any student present but not
dressed in professional attire on any designated "Dress Day" (usually
Wednesday and for guest speakers) will earn zero (0) points for the class
session. In addition, once class begins, the doors to the classroom
will be shut, and no one will be permitted to enter!!
Any student who misses three class sessions will be referred to the University's
Early Warning System.
Please do not eat, talk, sleep, read the newspaper, or work on any other
class assignments during the class session. If you choose to do so, you
will be dismissed from class and marked absent. Only soft drinks and
coffee will be permitted in the classroom while the class is in session.
GRADES:
Course grades will be determined on a percentage basis as applied to the
total number of possible points accumulated during the entire semester.
This will include class attendance, scheduled examinations, announced and
unannounced quizzes, Thought Questions, Video Tape Presentation, and any
other assigned activities. The percentage breakdown is as follows:
90% to 100% Grade: A
80% to 89% Grade: B
70% to 79% Grade: C
69% or Below Grade: F
Please note: As per the grading policy of the Mortuary Science and Funeral
Service program, only the grades A, B, or C will be accepted for credit
in MSFS major courses.
INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Steve Smith, BA
OFFICE:
Hours: MW 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
F 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Other times available by appointment
Location: ASA Building, Room 80
Please note: The instructor will be available to answer any questions
regarding the class requirements, assignments, and/or any other matters
which might arise during the course of the semester. An "open door
policy" will ensure that any and all student concerns are addressed
as needed.
CHANGES MAY BE MADE TO THIS SYLLABUS DURING THE SEMESTER, AS NEEDED,
AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSTRUCTOR.
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