Thanatology, MS

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Thanatology is the cross-disciplinary study of dying, death, loss, and grief and is both an academic and applied discipline. Thanatologists, defined broadly, are individuals who have been specifically trained about the dying and grieving process, including evidence-based practices for individual and family care, interprofessional healthcare team competencies, and current research. The MS in Thanatology prepares graduates for employment or volunteer work in a variety of settings where care for the dying and/or grieving are important including hospices; hospitals; faith communities; non-profit organizations; family, children and teen grief centers; funeral homes; and academic settings. The program expects students to bring and further develop excellent critical thinking and writing skills, resulting in graduates who are competent practitioner-scholars.

The program philosophy is that dying, death, loss, and grief are primarily human experiences with medical aspects, and not merely medical events that affect humans. The curriculum is designed to prepare individuals to create, implement, and provide non-medical support services for the dying and the bereaved, in collaboration with relevant healthcare professionals.

The Association for Death Education and Counseling, the primary professional association for the discipline, has identified and articulated a comprehensive list of the domains essential to competency in thanatology: The Essential Body of Knowledge. This program’s curriculum is grounded in the Body of Knowledge, with an orientation toward cultivating individuals who excel within the field.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the university’s minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

• Prior Degree: Bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university or its international equivalent attested by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators. Fees for this service are the sole responsibility of the applicant.
• Grade-Point Average (GPA): Minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.
• Tests:
  • The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required.
  • The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) may be required.
    • If the bachelor’s degree is earned outside the U.S. and/or U.S. citizenship or permanent residency is not held, demonstrated proof of English proficiency is required via an official TOEFL report that includes a total score and category scores in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
    • Minimum scores for the Internet Based Test (IBT) of 100 or the equivalent is recommended for graduate school with no category score being lower than 22.
    • Test scores must be a test taken within two years of the date from when a complete application is submitted.
    • The language test score requirement may be waived if an applicant has demonstrated academic success as a full-time student at a U.S. college or university for at least two consecutive years, or if the applicant is from a country in which English is the primary language.
• Personal Statement: Applicants should submit a 500 to 1,000 word reflection statement covering what you expect to learn and achieve from the thanatology program; what experiences you have had that form the foundation for your goals; and an example of an experience in which you used critical thinking to make a decision.

This program uses a rolling admissions process where applications are reviewed and applicants are admitted up to the first day of a semester.

Core Competencies

Upon completion of the Master of Science in Thanatology program the student will:

1. Integrate elements of the eight domains of the discipline of thanatology (definitions/perceptions; demography/epidemiology; foreseen death; unforeseen death; other traumatic death; loss, grief and mourning; theories of grief; contemporary models of grief; concepts related to grief; funeral practices)
2. Evaluate the elements of practice considerations for professionals in thanatology (practices related to human mortality; decision-making at end of life; care of the dying; practices related to counseling and therapy; practices related to death education; other thanatology practice issues).
3. Synthesize and evaluate the contextual and theoretical considerations in thanatology (history of thanatology as a discipline; societal and cultural frameworks and norms; representations of death and grief in the arts; research across the lifespan; theories of non-death loss and ambiguous loss).
4. Apply the four core competencies of Interprofessional Collaborative Practice to enhance care for families and individuals confronting dying, death, loss, grief, and/or suicide.