Integration of Professional Skills and Issues Course Placement: Required course for all undergraduate Health Administration and Policy (HAP) majors following completion of all other required General Education courses (including English 302). Senior standing required. This course fulfills (all or in part) the GMU requirement as a Synthesis Course and Writing Intensive Course for HAP majors. Consequently, class size will be kept small, and course enrollment caps will be enforced. Course Description: This capstone seminar course assists students in synthesizing the varied dimensions of their roles as health professionals in a global society. It provides students with opportunities to examine issues in health care through reflection on the natural and behavioral sciences, humanities and other prerequisite coursework. Selected topics are examined through reading, writing and discussion. The course content builds on knowledge and skills acquired through coursework and field experience in the major and general education as well as through life experience. Application of the literature in professional practice and related disciplines is expected in both formal and informal writings on issues. Student writings and presentations receive written self-evaluation as well as formal review by peers and multiple faculty members involved in teaching the course. (Writing intensive course) Course Objectives: 1. Explore the current role of a health professional in relation to society’s present and future health needs. 2. Examine strategies for applying theory and research to the health professional role. 3. Analyze the impact of cultural diversity on the development of the role as a health professional. 4. Examine the relationship of client outcomes to the health professional role. 5. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication. 6. Use appropriate presentation strategies and technologies in oral presentations. 7. Incorporate strategies for further career development within the health field. 8. Examine strategies for managing role transition from student to professional. 9. Analyze importance of collaboration among the many disciplines within the health professions. 10. Integrate the varied dimensions of the role of a health professional within the health field. 11. Exhibit responsible professional membership through participation in student, professional, civic, and community organizations. Teaching strategies: 1. Student presentations to class 2. Group discussion 3. Scholarly project 4. Self-evaluation 5. Peer evaluation 6. Conference with faculty member 7. Audio-visual materials Criteria for a WRITING INTENSIVE COURSE Students are: 1. Required to write frequently, as an integral part of learning and thinking about the materials and methods of the course. Not all this writing need be graded, but may include informal writings via in-class exercises and/or the keeping of an assigned notebook, log or journal; this writing includes collaborative projects. 2. Required to receive specific instruction in how to do the assigned writing, this instruction including some us of class time plus written instruction via handouts or e-mail; this instruction may also include assigned reading and discussion of published writing guides pertinent to the types of writing common in student’s major field. 3. Required to submit a draft on which the teacher gives them detailed feedback and graded so that student writing can be improved. Then students resubmit a revised draft for grading. 4. Required to submit at least 3500 words of graded writing (about 14 standard double-spaced pages); this does not count ungraded writing exercises, ungraded logs, etc. The 3500 words should be divided among two or more assignments (a 1st draft & final draft of the same paper qualify as the two different pieces of writing). Course Requirements 1. GROUP PRESENTATION Students are required to plan and implement a GROUP class presentation based on the course objectives. A presentation topic will be assigned by the instructor to each group related to their career interest, and will be graded according to Guidelines for Development and Evaluation of Class Presentation. Individual students in each group will receive a grade. (30% of the grade) 2. POSITION STATEMENT PAPER Students are required to write a position statement paper about a selected topic, approved by faculty and related to a controversial health care issue of their choice from a list. Requirements include a thesis statement, detailed outline, initial draft, graded first draft, and graded final draft, all typed in APA format and submitted at designated times. Conferences with faculty are encouraged to provide ongoing supervision and assistance with the paper as needed. The paper will be graded according to Guidelines for Development and Evaluation of the Position Statement. The length of each paper draft should be at least