In this intensive program, we will examine health and human development from allopathic, complementary medical, psychiatric and psychological perspectives. We will investigate the biological, cultural, spiritual, psychological and social forces that influence the development of the "self" and carry it through the life cycle. The main goals are (1) understanding that health is dependent on units functioning collaboratively as part of a larger system and (2) homeostasis and disequilibrium of a cell, person, group, culture and society are dynamic processes that occur as the unit interacts with the environment in which s/he/it lives.

The biological component will explore the development, structure, cycles, history and interactions of the human organism and its psyche. The psychiatric and psychological components will explore the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. This will include studying brain function, becoming familiar with the Diagnostic Statistical Manual Mental Disorders (DSM) and studying clinical aspects of psychiatric disorders. We shall also focus on the biochemical, philosophical and spiritual aspects of specific conditions (e.g. obsessive compulsive behavior, the purpose of lying and denial, the dynamics of blame, the necessity of shame, the profound psychological effects resulting from betrayal, etc.) on the development of psyche and its impact on healthy/unhealthy development. Attention will also be paid to the psychopharmacology of legal and illegal drugs.

In addition, we will explore complementary (alternative) healing and maintenance approaches to health. No one model will prevail over another but rather an integration of ideas, concepts and thoughts will be presented.

The program activities will provide students an opportunity to work collaboratively within a learning community. Students will develop skills and knowledge to support their selection of a spring quarter project or internship in an area of interest through workshops, lectures, seminars, guest presentations, group projects and individual work during fall and winter quarters.

Students are expected to attend every program activity on time and fully prepared to participate. No audits and no other credit options are allowed. This is a full time program (16 credit/quarter for three quarters) and students will be expected to work efficiently for a total of 50 hours each week (including class time).

This program will focus on Washington state health and social policies. By understanding public policy and the use of empirical information, students will learn how to influence and implement meaningful change in social policy. Students will learn to think strategically and gain a deep understanding of the policy making process with the intent of implementing change. We will explore policy options, gather and analyze relevant data, develop an advocacy strategy, prepare material to be presented to legislative subcommittees, and actively engage in advocating for a specific policy change. Students will also work with existing data sets and develop analytic skills using Microsoft Excel. Writing skills will focus on developing the ability to communicate data clearly, simply, honestly and persuasively for the public. Speaking skills will focus on communicating a policy position clearly, concisely, calmly and persuasively. Students will gain new knowledge about research methods, state policy, governmental oversight and the budget process, along with establishing a skill-building thread by working in teams to develop a research project of their choice concerning Washington state social issues.

During the fall, we will take an initial look at Washington state policies in general, and then focus on health and social concerns in particular. Lecture, workshops, guest speakers and case studies will be used to discover more about these issues and to understand the competing demands for limited state resources. In the winter, we will devote more time to team dynamics and presentation of our research methods. Students will attend at least one subcommittee hearing during the legislative session. Working independently and in small groups, students will collaboratively complete projects that will be presented to experts from outside the program as well as conduct mock press releases.

In this program, students develop individual projects to examine what it means to live in a pluralistic society at the beginning of the 21st century. Through each student’s area of interest, we will look at a variety of cultural and historical perspectives and use them to help address issues connected to the program theme. Individual research will pay special attention to the value of human relationships to the land, to work, to others and to the unknown. Work will be concentrated in cultural studies, human resource development, and ethnographic studies to include historical and political implications of encounters, and cross-cultural communication. We shall explore Native American perspectives and look at issues that are particularly relevant to Indigenous People of the Americas.

We will ask students to take a very personal stake in their educational development. Within the program’s themes and subjects, students will pay special attention to what individual and group work they plan on doing, how they plan to learn, how they will know they learned it, and what difference the work will make in their lives and within their communities. Students will be encouraged to assume responsibility for their choices. The faculty are interested in providing an environment of collaboration where faculty and students will identify topics of mutual interest and act as partners in the exploration of those topics.

This program is for students who already have a research topic in mind, as well as for those who would like to learn how to do research in a student-centered environment. Students will be exposed to research methods, ethnographic research and interviewing techniques, writing workshops, computer literacy, library workshops, moving River of Culture Moments to documentary, educational technology and the educational philosophy that supports this program. Yvonne Peterson will offer a special series of workshops to support the particular academic needs of first and second year students.

In the fall, participants will state research questions. In late fall and winter, individually and in small study groups, students and faculty will develop the historical background for the chosen questions and do the integrative review of the literature and data collection. Workshops will be ongoing for students to learn the skills for completing their project. Late winter and into spring quarter, students will write conclusions, wrapup print/non-print projects, and prepare for a public presentation. The last part of spring will be entirely dedicated to presentations.

Depending on their individual projects, students will develop, use and explore some of the following areas: Bloom’s Taxonomy; the theory of multiple intelligence; the relationship among curriculum, assessment and instruction; expectations of an Evergreen graduate and the five foci; quantitative reasoning; self- and group-motivation; communication (to include dialogue, e-mail, resources on the Web and Web crossing). They will also develop skills in creating interactive Web pages and documentaries, as well as I-movie editing and presentations using PowerPoint.

What is life? What distinguishes a living organism from the sum total of its chemical and physical properties? What is consciousness? What makes an organism capable of feeling pain or becoming self-conscious? Such questions lie at the heart of many historical and contemporary debates in neurobiology and cognitive science. The way that biologists define “life” and “consciousness” shapes their research programs, methodologies and ethics. As one example, depending on how a biologist defines “life,” he might use the same approach to study organisms that other scientists use to understand chemical reactions and computer systems, or he might recognize unique properties of living systems that require special methods. As another example, depending on how a biologist defines “consciousness,” she might conduct experimental research on human emotions as unique and uncomparable to animal behavior, or she might compare images of human brain activity to images of animal brain activity when they both experience the same kind of emotion.

These classic questions continue to vex and motivate biologists, cognitive scientists and philosophers. This program will examine the history of biology as a window on the contemporary discussion of life, consciousness and the nature of mind. We will use a variety of historical case studies to illuminate such issues (e.g. Watson and Crick’s research on DNA, experimental work on neuron physiology and function and persistent debates over animal experimentation). We will also read contemporary philosophical and scientific discussions to explore whether the history of questions about life and the nature of being alive provide lessons for current research in the science of the mind.