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GERON 218Psychology of Death and Dying

Units
0.50
Faculty
Health
Subject
Gerontology
Cross-listed
HLTH 218, PSYCH 218

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 4 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

Variations in the meaning and significance of death and dying will be considered from a psychological perspective, with particular attention to the contexts (e.g., cultural, familial, life-span developmental) in which these variations occur.

Prerequisites

  • Complete all of the following
    • Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
    • Students must be in level 2A or higher

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

No course lists it as a requisite.

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00130856 / 50T 18:30–21:20

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00175740 / 25T 18:30–21:20
LEC 70181062 / 9999Online or by arrangement

Reviewed on UW Flow

100% liked it42% easy33% useful

From 3 ratings and 3 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • I think this is a good course for people considering a field in health care but can't really see much of an application elsewhere. That being said, I found the content really interesting and there were lots of concepts I wouldn't have learned in any other class. I think there was less of a psychology focus than I was expecting but still enjoyed it. Evaluations consisted of 3 tests and a SONA bonus. Because of the niche topics they were more difficult but overall not too bad.

    Dec 2021 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Professor is great, I think he is a smart, kind person. He really cares for his students and ensures course content is being delivered appropriately online by actually discussing lecture content, not just making a voice over video. The course content is really deep, pretty philosophical. Tests are the only reason why I had a hard time fully enjoying this course. There are only three tests that determine your overall grade, and a small SONA participation (worth 2% of your final grade). There are no papers, so if test-taking is your forté, have at it. But the tests are heavily detailed and incredibly difficult. I like the professor, though.

    Dec 2021 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • A lot of readings although they are all course reserves, so no text book. Very interesting, but doesn't seem overly useful.

    Jan 2017 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

4 posts and comments in 4 threads mention GERON 218, August 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Fall 2020

Syllabus for PSYCH Courses 1 point, 3 comments

u/6atalla: “Hey does anyone have the breakdown or syllabus for Psych 211,212,238,253,340,356,372 and GERON 218 for the online F2020 term? - If you have any, that'd be nice :) The ones online aren't updated and I'm trying to figure out what courses to take for W2021.”

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Fall 2012

Favorite/most useful class you've taken? 13 points, 31 comments

“I'm just curious to know what you guys consider the most useful class you've taken - as in, a class you feel you've been able to apply in real-life situations. …”

u/GramTheDon: “… Favorite (and my go to course recommendation) is PSYCH/HLTH/GERON 218 - Psychology of Death and Dying. It was a really fun and interesting take on everything related to Death and the process of going through it from all angles. …”

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Spring 2011

PHIL220? 4 points, 12 comments

“Hi Reddit, I'm looking for electives to take in the Fall term, and I was wondering if anyone has taken Philosophy 220 (Moral Issues) in the past. …”

u/GramTheDon: “pHIL 226: Bioethics It was an amazing course, if you are interested in that kind of stuff. Then again, who ISN'T interested in that stuff? Prof quality can vary, based on who you get. PSYCH/HLTH/GERON 218 is also a great fun/bird course, if you need something on that spectrum.”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar