100% Online Program

Embark on a Career in Thanatology with a Master of Science from Edgewood College

The Master of Science in Thanatology and Grief program at Edgewood College is a 30-credit hour online degree that prepares students for careers in thanatology, grief counseling, and end-of-life care. The curriculum includes courses on death and dying, grief and loss, thanatology theory and research, end-of-life care, counseling skills, death education, and ethics and legal issues in thanatology.

Type

Masters
Start Date

January 16, 2025
Duration

24 Months

100% Online Format

Key Highlights

What is this course about?

Program Benefits

Complete the program in just 24 months
Flexible 100% online
Content aligned with the ADEC Essential Body of Knowledge
Edgewood College alumni status
24x7 student support available
No standardized testing required

Who Is This Programme For?

The MS Thanatology program from Edgewood College is designed for working professionals or individuals interested in providing support to the dying and bereaved. The program prepares graduates for employment in a variety of settings, including hospices, hospitals, and grief centers.

Applicants to the Master of Science in Thanatology program will be required to have:

A completed application
Official transcripts reflecting completion of a bachelor’s degree or its international equivalent with a 2.75 GPA. Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate academic credits must be submitted.
A personal essay (500-1,000 words) articulating why the applicant wishes to study thanatology and relevant career goals
The Test of English as a Foreign Language may be required.

Student Support

A dedicated program coordinator
24/7 support to answer all your queries! intstudentsupport@upgrad.com
Centralised Whatsapp channels for queries

Syllabus

What will you learn?

Introduction to Thanatology

3 Credits

Introduction to the discipline of thanatology and an overview of the study of dying, death, and bereavement. Topics include perspectives of death (as an individual and as a member of society); how and where we die, how we grieve, and what can be done to provide the best possible care; perspectives of faith questions; strategies to avoid burnout. Includes an introduction to Interprofessional Healthcare (IP), its history, and the Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice from the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) report (2016).

Thanatological Theory

3 Credits

Examination of bereavement theory and techniques in individual and group facilitation skills. Topics include effective listening skills; contemporary models/theories of grief; key concepts related to grief; grief support in the context of interprofessional healthcare teams; and grief after traumatic death.

Family Systems and Thanatology

3 Credits

Family systems theory, first proposed by Kerr and Bowen (1988), considers the complex inter-dynamics of the family as a unit. This course offers an in-depth exploration of family systems theory applied to end-of-life care and bereavement situations with “the family as the unit of care.” Topics include but not limited to: chronic illness, sudden illness, addiction, and suicide.

The Self & Openness to Culture

3 Credits

Poverty and socioeconomic issues are often barriers to quality of healthcare, including quality of life and quality of death. In a world framed by notions of nationality, politics, power, race, ethnicity, class, age, gender, and other cultural variables, this course explores issues of social justice, diversity, and inclusion in the contexts of dying, death, grief and loss.

Spiritual Dimensions of Care

3 Credits

Early in her work in hospice and palliative care, Dame Cicely Saunders coined the term total pain, by which she meant the suffering comprised of physical, social, spiritual, and psychological components at the end of life. For Saunders, spiritual support and deep listening were essential components of quality care. In 2009, the National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care and the National Quality Forum (U.S.) determined that spiritual care is an essential domain of quality palliative care. This course examines the domain of spiritual care for palliative and hospice care both in the U.S. and internationally. Topics include the varied definitions of spirituality; ways spiritual care depends on the building of relationships; how a spirituality and health model can inform compassionate care; spiritual assessment models; and the evidence base for improved outcomes for both patients and caregivers.

Ethics in Death and Dying

3 Credits

Explores the ethical and moral challenges and dilemmas faced both during the dying process and at the end of life for care providers, patients, and families. Ethics will be considered within an applied framework, using case studies in pain management, psychology, suffering, terminating treatment, and mechanical support. This course examines the process of decision making as we determine guidelines for ethical decisions at the end of life. Includes an appreciation for and sensitivity to the additional challenges or difficulties in the EOL decision making process for those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged or have been historically marginalized.

Research Methods & Thanatology

3 Credits

Exploration of research across the lifespan and how research contributes to the identification of best practices in thanatology. Topics include critical reading and use of thanatology research studies; theories and methods of conducting research; IRB CITI training; research ethics; and study design via applied grant writing. This course does not include statistical procedures or data analysis and is not intended to be an exhaustive exploration of all research methodologies.

You will also choose 9 credits of electives as part of this program:

Developmental Perspectives in Thanatology: Children, Teens, and Emerging Adults (3 credits)
Developmental Perspectives in Thanatology: Middle to Older Adulthood (3 credits)
Hospice & Palliative Care at the End of Life (3 credits)
Suicidology (3 credits)
Suicide and Children, Teens, and Young Adults (3 credits)
Traumatology (3 credits)
Complicated Grief (3 credits)
Death and the Creative Imagination (3 credits)
Special Topics in Thanatology (3 credits)

Edgewood MS Course Eligibility & Admissions

How to apply for Edgewood MS in Thanatology Program?

There are 4 simple steps in the Admission Process which is detailed below:

Eligibility

Bachelor’s degree or its international equivalent with a 2.75 GPA.

Complete the Application

Complete your application on the upGrad platform. Include your education, work experience.

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Counselling Session

If your application meets the minimum requirements an admission counselor will reach out to you and explain how to complete the application formalities.

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Admissions Review and Acceptance

The Edgewood College admissions committee will review your candidacy and if admitted, you will be notified.

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Confirm your enrollment

Confirm your enrollment in the program by submitting all remaining documents

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!*

*More details under the referral policy under Support Section

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Frequently Asked Questions

About the Program, Eligibility and Scholarships

1. Who is the program for?

The MS Thanatology program from Edgewood College is designed for working professionals or individuals interested in providing support to the dying and bereaved. The program prepares graduates for employment in a variety of settings, including hospices, hospitals, and grief centers.

2. What is the minimum eligibility for the program?

Applicants to the Master of Science in Thanatology program will be required to have:

A completed application
Official transcripts reflecting completion of a bachelor’s degree or its international equivalent with a 2.75 GPA. Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate academic credits must be submitted.
A personal essay (500-1,000 words) articulating why the applicant wishes to study thanatology and relevant career goals
The Test of English as a Foreign Language may be required.

Applicants to the Master of Science in Thanatology program will be required to have:

A completed application
Official transcripts reflecting completion of a bachelor’s degree or its international equivalent with a 2.75 GPA. Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate academic credits must be submitted.
A personal essay (500-1,000 words) articulating why the applicant wishes to study thanatology and relevant career goals
The Test of English as a Foreign Language may be required.

More than 90 years of legacy: Edgewood College, founded in 1927, is an independent liberal arts university, located in Madison, Wisconsin in the United States.
US Accredited: Edgewood College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of the seven accrediting commissions recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
ACBSP Accredited: Edgewood College offers more than 60 majors and 40 minors and its business program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
WES Accredited: WES takes all programs to a US equivalency - as all programs are within the US they are already WES equivalent

More than 90 years of legacy: Edgewood College, founded in 1927, is an independent liberal arts university, located in Madison, Wisconsin in the United States.
US Accredited: Edgewood College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of the seven accrediting commissions recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
ACBSP Accredited: Edgewood College offers more than 60 majors and 40 minors and its business program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
WES Accredited: WES takes all programs to a US equivalency - as all programs are within the US they are already WES equivalent

upGrad Learner Support

Monday to Saturday | 24 Hours.

Phone Number

+1 (240) 719- 6120

Email Address

onlineadmissions@edgewood.edu

globaladmissions@upgrad.com

*All telephone calls will be recorded for training and quality purposes.
*If we are unavailable to attend to your call, it is deemed that we have your consent to contact you on purpose.

Disclaimer

upGrad does not grant credit; credits are granted, accepted or transferred at the sole discretion of an educational institution. upGrad does not make any representations regarding the recognition or equivalence of the credits or credentials awarded, unless otherwise expressly stated. If you intend to pursue a post graduate or doctorate degree upon completion of this course or apply for employment which requires specific credits, we advise you to enquire further regarding the suitability of this degree for your academic and/or professional requirements before enrolling.

Embark on a Career in Thanatology with a Master of Science from Edgewood College

Introduction to the Edgewood College Thanatology program