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I. Course Title: Independent Study/Capstone Experience

II. Course Number: HHUM 498

III. Credit Hours: 1-3 credits

IV. Prerequisites: Senior status; in addition, students enrolling in HHUM 498 must be pursuing Track 2 of the Health Humanities minor or have permission of the program coordinator.

V. Course Description: 

This course is for students completing Track 2 of the Health Humanities minor and is offered as an alternative to HHUM 410: Capstone Experience. Each enrolled student will work in consultation with the course instructor and a faculty mentor to design a capstone experience for the health humanities minor that aligns with the student’s prior academic work, career and educational goals, and personal interests. As part of this experience, students will be expected to produce: a project that incorporates the aims and methods of the health humanities; a presentation of the project in a wider venue, either on campus, in the community, or on the web; and an ePortfolio of their overall engagement with the health humanities. This course does not observe a regular meeting schedule. Independent Study.

Note(s): Humanistic or Artistic Expression designated course. This course does not observe a regular meeting schedule. Independent Study.

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

As a capstone experience that unifies students’ exploration with the health humanities, this course enables students to work with the course instructor and a faculty mentor to (1) reflect on their past learning and knowledge of the health humanities, (2) more deeply pursue the relationship between their academic field of study and the health humanities, and (3) share their engagement with and understanding of the health humanities with a wider audience. Students will realize these goals by doing the following: Developing an ePortfolio of their past work in the minor; completing a project on a subject of their choosing that encompasses the aims and methods of the health humanities; and presenting the project to the wider campus or community, or publishing it on the web. The project can build on students’ work in prior courses and/or research experiences, and it can take the form of a traditional essay, recommendation report, creative work, multimedia composition, etc. Students will receive guidance in choosing the best venue to share their work on the project with a wider audience. Additional activities that students may participate in include:

1. Articulating connections among one’s past coursework in the health humanities.
2. Developing a personal definition of the health humanities based on one’s academic work, knowledge of the field, and future goals.
3. Building an ePortfolio using Portfolium, WordPress, or Wix, depending on student/instructor preference.
4. Identifying suitable topics for the research project. 
5. Choosing a suitable medium for the project, depending on one’s field of study, desired outcome of the project, and future educational/professional goals.
6. Identifying suitable research tools, and using those tools to find objective, relevant sources, including sources that present counter-arguments or credible alternative viewpoints.
7. Composing documents that facilitate the completion of the research project, such as a proposal, an annotated bibliography, and/or progress reports.
8. Developing an engaging presentation that anticipates and meets the needs of the audience.

VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:

This course meets as an independent study. Instructional strategies include:

1. Independent learning
2. Self-paced instruction
3. Writing-to-learn activities
4. Flipped lectures
5. Computer-assisted instruction
6. Distance learning 
7. Problem-based learning
8. Field experiences
9. Student presentations
10. One-to-one instruction (mentoring)

VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

By the end of the course, students will be able to successfully:

1. Identify what they know about the health humanities based on their imminent completion of the Health Humanities minor.
2. Recognize how their understanding of the health humanities has evolved during their academic studies.
3. Articulate the relationship among the health humanities, their major, and their prospective careers.
4. Develop a project, potentially from prior learning experiences or research activities, that applies some of the methods of the health humanities.
5. Execute a presentation of the project to a wider audience.
6. Create an ePortfolio that demonstrates their engagement with the health humanities to an external audience who aligns with their post-baccalaureate goals (e.g., potential employer, potential graduate school admissions committee).

VIII. Assessment Measures:

Students must be primarily evaluated based on their completion of an ePortfolio, project, and project presentation. Other assessment measures may include:

1. Meetings with one or more faculty mentors
2. Short writing activities, such as proposals and progress reports
3. Drafts of works in progress, and revision of those drafts
4. Attendance at campus events (e.g., guest speakers)
5. Use of campus instructional support services (e.g., research workshops at McConnell library; ePortfolio workshops with CITL) 
6. Participation in distance-learning activities through D2L (discussion posts, tutorials, quizzes, etc.)
7. ePortfolio defense
8. Oral exam

Review and Approval

August 2020

March 01, 2021