Health Studies 301 Complementary and Alternative Therapies

Course Orientation

Introduction

Welcome to Health Studies 301: Complementary and Alternative Therapies. This three-credit course will introduce you to the range of therapies currently available in Canada but not normally considered to be part of conventional health care.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of Health Studies 301, you should be able to

• discuss the range of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies practised in Canada, including the claims made by their proponents, situations in which these therapies may be recommended, contraindications, and relevant evidence based on research findings.
• analyze the research methods used to investigate complementary and alternative therapies.
• identify trends and issues in CAM therapies.
• evaluate the risks and benefits of using particular CAM therapies.

Course Outline

This course is structured for self-study with interactive tutoring. It contains 17 units, listed below.

Unit 1: Introduction
Unit 2: Evaluating the Effectiveness of CAM Therapies
Unit 3: Mind–Body Interventions
Unit 4: The Arts and Humour in Medicine: Dance, Music, Art, Humour, and Related Therapies
Unit 5: Energy Medicine: Magnetic Therapy, Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, and Related Therapies
Unit 6: Massage Therapy, Reflexology, and Related Therapies
Unit 7: Acupuncture
Unit 8: Chiropractic
Unit 9: Naturopathy
Unit 10: Herbalism
Unit 11: Alternative Approaches to Diet and Nutrition
Unit 12: Homeopathy
Unit 13: Aromatherapy
Unit 14: Cancer Therapy
Unit 15: Indigenous Healing
Unit 16: Chelation Therapy
Unit 17: Iridology

Course Materials

Health Studies 301: Complementary and Alternative Therapies is taught using a combination of online resources and academic support.

eText

Micozzi, M. S. (2019). Fundamentals of complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine (6th ed.). Elsevier.

Course Orientation

The document you are now reading provides essential information specific to the structure of the course, the course materials, student evaluation process, and the procedures you should follow to complete the course successfully.

The suggested study schedule identifies the course activities and assignments that you should complete each week to comfortably complete the course within the allotted time. You can adjust it to better suit your own needs.

Study Guide

The 17 units of the study guide include notes, learning objectives, learning activities, and references.

Forms

Forms to apply to write examinations, request extensions, and others you may need are available through the myAU portal.

Student Evaluation

Your course grade will be determined by your performance in two written assignments and a supervised final examination.

To receive credit for you must

• submit both course assignments and complete them to the satisfaction of your Academic Expert.
• obtain at least 60% on the final examination.
• obtain an overall course mark of at least 60%.

Grades will be distributed as follows:

Final Examination

The final examination is worth 50% of your final grade. You will write it online. For more information, please review the Online Exams (MuchLearning) section of “Procedures for Applying for and Writing Examinations” in your Student Manual. You must apply to take the final exam. Depending on your specific circumstances, you will need to order the final examination 20 to 60 calendar days in advance of the writing date.

Note that the Study Questions, Discussion Forum activities, and self-test quizzes for each unit are excellent preparation for the final exam.

Supplemental Examination

Students who are dissatisfied with their grade on any examination, or who obtain less than the required passing grade, may write a supplemental examination. The passing grade for supplemental examinations is 60%, and only one supplemental writing is permitted per examination. The higher of the two grades received will be recorded as the official grade. There is a fee for supplemental services.

Discussion Forums and Unit Quizzes

You will find discussion forums and self-test quizzes for each of the 17 units of the course. You are strongly encouraged to make use of these to check your understanding and retention of the course material. In so doing, you will also be preparing for the final exam, which has multiple-choice questions similar to those in the quizzes, while the short-answer questions on the final exam are similar to the discussion questions for each unit.

Suggested Study Schedule

Athabasca University students are normally expected to finish a three-credit course within 6 months. The following is a schedule for completing the course in 17 weeks. You may wish to work out a schedule to complete the course within the time period that you desire.

Students who receive funding through the Student Finance Board face shorter time constraints, usually 16 weeks. Please check your contract, and adjust your schedule accordingly.