Course Learning Objectives

1. Brief statement of purpose: The purpose of this course is to focus attention on ‘the patient.’ Students are challenged to appreciate the ways in which patients are constructed, used, and understood by the people and institutions which shape their experience and also learn how patients construct themselves by creating their own patient narratives and by acting as active agents.
   
   
2. Brief list of specific learning objectives of the course:
   • knowledge of and sensitivity to a breadth of issues that relate to the experience and identity of patients
     
     
   • ability to craft scholarly writing, using a clear thesis and a well-structured argument and citing secondary material in an appropriate fashion
     
     
   • ability to read and discuss critically (both in writing and in speech) scholarly articles assigned to the course and to interpret a range of diverse sources as evidence, i.e. artwork, architectural plans
     
     
   • ability to organize and conduct field research, understanding the importance of research ethics, and the use of relevant academic secondary material to analyze and contextualize research findings
     
     
   • ability to organize and lead a portion of a class, usually in coordination with a class colleague
     
     
   • ability to speak confidently and intelligently in a seminar setting and to respect the opinions and perspectives of others