Dignity at the End of Life: Thanatology, Ethics and Spiritual Care
Study Board for Medicine
Teaching language: English
EKA: S150132102
Censorship: Second examiner: None
Grading: Pass/Fail
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Summer school (autumn)
Level: Master
Course ID: S150132101
ECTS value: 5
Date of Approval: 27-04-2026
Duration: 1 semester
Course Title
Course ID
S150132101
ECTS value
5
Responsible study board
Date of Approval
Course Responsible
| Name | Department | |
|---|---|---|
| Niels Christian Hvidt | nchvidt@health.sdu.dk | Institut for Sundhedstjenesteforskning |
Teachers
| Name | Department | City | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anne Wettergren Karlsson | atwkarlsson@health.sdu.dk | Klinisk Institut | |
| Christian B. Mogensen | cbacker@health.sdu.dk | Institut for Regional Sundhedsforskning | |
| Eckhard Frick | eckhard.frick@tum.de | Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, TUM University Hospital Rechts der Isar | |
| Elisabeth Rokkjær Hammer | Elisabeth.Rokkjaer.Hammer@rsyd.dk | ||
| Helle Lykke Nielsen | hln@sdu.dk | Institut for Kultur- og Sprogvidenskaber | |
| Jahan Shabnam | jash@sdu.dk | Klinisk Institut | |
| Karen la Cour | klacour@sdu.dk | Institut for Sundhedstjenesteforskning | |
| Karin Brochstedt Dieperink | kdieperink@health.sdu.dk | Klinisk Institut | |
| Karsten Thomsen | kfthomsen@health.sdu.dk | Institut for Sundhedstjenesteforskning | |
| Kirstine Skov Benthien | kbenthien@health.sdu.dk | ||
| Klaus Baumann | klaus.baumann@theol.uni-freiburg.de | Department of Theology, University of Freiburg | |
| Lene Jarlbæk | ljarlbaek@health.sdu.dk | Klinisk Institut | |
| Marie-Frédérique Bacqué | marie-frederique.bacque@unistra.fr | Department of Psychology, University of Strasbourg | |
| Niels Christian Hvidt | nchvidt@health.sdu.dk | Institut for Sundhedstjenesteforskning | |
| Nina Ingerslev Andersen | ningerslev@health.sdu.dk | ||
| Nina Rottmann | nrottmann@health.sdu.dk | Institut for Psykologi | |
| Philippe Guillou | philippe.guillou@unistra.fr | Department of General Practice, University of Strasbourg | |
| Søren Harnow Klausen | harnow@sdu.dk | Institut for Design, Medier og Uddannelsesvidenskab |
Course secretary
| Name | Department | City | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leni Grue Jørgensen | lgjorgensen@sdu.dk | SUND Planning | |
| Yvonne H. Ørnebjerg | yvo@sdu.dk | SUND Planning |
Offered in
Level
Offered in
Duration
Aim and overall content
What does it mean to die with dignity in modern society? The answer is complex and invites interdisciplinary reflection on the physical, psychological, social, cultural, ethical and spiritual dimensions of dying — the central focus of thanatology. This intensive two-week summer school at the University of Southern Denmark introduces students to key debates in modern thanatology, with particular attention to palliative care, end-of-life decision-making, euthanasia and assisted dying, as well as questions of spiritual and existential care within modern health systems.
Through lectures, case-based seminars, reflective dialogue and interactive workshops, students examine ethical, legal, cultural and religious perspectives on end-of-life care, including how migration, minority experiences, social inequality and professional responsibilities shape understandings of a “good death”. Teaching is delivered by clinicians, psychologists, social scientists and chaplains from across Europe and Denmark in particular, combining empirical research with philosophical and psychological approaches.
The course is aimed at Bachelor’s and Master’s students in the health sciences, psychology, theology, religious studies and related fields who wish to strengthen their analytical skills and engage critically with complex end-of-life dilemmas in intercultural clinical and societal contexts.
Mandatory prerequisites
To participate in the course, the student must be enrolled at SDU, SDU Summer School, or the EPICUR program.
Recommended prerequisites
It is recommended that the student can understand and communicate in English and has experience in reading scientific literature in English.
Relationship between the learning objectives, type of teaching and type of examination
Connection: The work is interdisciplinary, practice-oriented and problem-oriented, with great emphasis on the students' active participation, reflection and discussion of acquired knowledge. The students' different professions and international backgrounds are included as examples in the teaching. The diversity of teachers, students and cases will be used exemplary as an illustration of the need for different professional perspectives and collaboration on issues related to end-of-life and death.
Learning Objectives - Knowledge
At the end of the course, the student must be able to:
- Account for key concepts and tools related to dignity, palliative care and thanatology based on the different disciplines of the subject.
- Account for and compare theories and methodological approaches that elucidate ethical, existential, psychological, cultural and social aspects related to the end of life and death.
Learning Objectives - Skills
At the end of the course, the student must be able to:
- Apply concepts, theories and methods from the field in critical reflection on human and social conditions of importance at the end of life and death.
- Assess scientific articles from different disciplines related to end-of-life and death.
Learning Objectives - Competencies
At the end of the course, the student must be able to:
- Identify and analyse current issues related to end-of-life and death in modern society and healthcare with the application of an interdisciplinary perspective.
- Enter into a dialogue about end-of-life and death with patients, relatives and the general population.
Teaching format and feedback
The teaching is organised in such a way that it supports SDU's fundamental principles for active learning and activating teaching and SUND's implementation of these in the form of the FAIR principles.
The teaching is based on a combination of different types of learning activities, including e.g. presentations by teachers, exercises in dialogues about end-of-life and death, student presentations and work in groups with journal clubs, where the students are responsible for article review and critical discussion of the articles' analyses and applied approaches.
We work with different types of feedback, both feedback between students and teachers as well as peer feedback: student-student. The specific teaching and working methods as well as forms of feedback are set out in the e-learning platform.
Number of lessons
MySchedule
Teaching language
Expected student workload in this course
5 ECTS corresponds to 5 x 27.5 hours = 137.5 hours
The working hours are divided into teaching and working methods mentioned under the item ‘Teaching and working methods’, as well as the examination and preparation for this.
An average workload distribution is:
- Teaching hours (lecturers are present): 52 hours
- Literature: 65 hours
- Other preparation, cases and the like: 20.5 hours
- Exam: Included in the above, as the exam form is participation.
Examination regulations
Dignity at the End of Life: Thanatology, Ethics and Spiritual Care
Name
Dignity at the End of Life: Thanatology, Ethics and Spiritual Care
Time of examination
Exam: The ordinary examination takes place immediately after the end of the course.
Reexam: The re-examination takes place during the autumn semester.
Tests
Examination
EKA
S150132102
Name
Examination
Description
Active participation in all parts of the course. This involves a minimum of 80 % attendance, preparation of small written assignments in groups and participation in discussions and dialogues.
Specific information about the examination (scope, hand out and submission, etc.) can be found on the e-learning platform (itslearning).
For examinations that are handed out and/or submitted in Digital Exam, further information about the examination can be found there.
Form of examination
Participation
Censorship
Second examiner: None
Grading
Pass/Fail
Identification
Full name and SDU username
Language
English
Length
Examination aids
Not relevant for this type of test.
ECTS value
5
Additional information
Feedback on the ordinary exam assignment (active participation): In addition to the 80% attendance requirement, students must not only be present but also actively engaged. General feedback to all participants will be provided during the evaluation session regarding this point.
Taking into account the examination type and the specific level of study, emphasis is placed on the degree to which the student’s performance fulfils the learning objectives, and the degree to which the student masters the general competence objectives of the programme regulations.
The assessment Passed/Failed indicates whether the general and discipline-specific competencies are, overall, mastered to a sufficient degree.
As it is not possible to recreate the conditions for passing the ordinary exam, the re-exam will have a different form - see further below.
Re-examination
Description
The re-examination is a five days written take-home assignment.
Specific information about the examination (scope, hand out and submission, etc.) can be found on the e-learning platform (itslearning).
For examinations that are handed out and/or submitted in Digital Exam, further information about the examination can be found there.
Form of examination
Take-home assignment
Censorship
Second examiner: None
Grading
Pass/Fail
Identification
Full name and SDU username
Duration
5 days.
Examination aids
All aids are allowed - incl. use of the internet.
You may use AI as support and a sparring partner during preparation (e.g. idea generation, literature searching, clarification of concepts, understanding of theory, and planning), as well as for structure, proofreading, and feedback on your oral presentations. AI must not be used to generate text or answers for you. You must comply with SDU’s guidelines for the use of AI, critically assess the AI you use, and declare where and for what purpose AI has been used.
Additional information
Feedback for those who fail the re-examination: Ten minutes of feedback will be allocated to those who fail and must complete the re-examination again.
Taking into account the examination type and the specific level of study, emphasis is placed on the degree to which the student’s performance fulfils the learning objectives, and the degree to which the student masters the general competence objectives of the programme regulations.
The assessment Passed/Failed indicates whether the general and discipline-specific competencies are, overall, mastered to a sufficient degree.
External comment
A minimum of 12 registrations for the course is required for the course to be offered. The decision will be made after the registration period has ended.
Courses offered
| Offer period | Offer type | Profile | Education | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Forskningsprofil - Optaget 1. februar 2023 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Forskningsprofil - Optaget 1. september 2022 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | International profil - Optaget 1. februar 2023 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | International profil - Optaget 1. september 2022 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Kandidatuddannelsen i medicin - Optaget 1. februar 2024 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Kandidatuddannelsen i medicin - Optaget 1. februar 2025 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Kandidatuddannelsen i medicin - Optaget 1. februar 2026 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Kandidatuddannelsen i medicin - Optaget 1. september 2023 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Kandidatuddannelsen i medicin - Optaget 1. september 2024 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Kandidatuddannelsen i medicin - Optaget 1. september 2025 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Kandidatuddannelsen i medicin - Optaget 1. september 2026 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Klinikprofil - Optaget 1. februar 2023 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Klinikprofil - Optaget 1. september 2022 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Odense | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Forskningsprofil - Optaget 1. september 2022 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Esbjerg | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | International profil - Optaget 1. september 2022 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Esbjerg | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Kandidatuddannelsen i medicin - Optaget 1. september 2023 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Esbjerg | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Kandidatuddannelsen i medicin - Optaget 1. september 2024 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Esbjerg | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Kandidatuddannelsen i medicin - Optaget 1. september 2025 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Esbjerg | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Kandidatuddannelsen i medicin - Optaget 1. september 2026 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Esbjerg | |
| Fall 2026 | Optional | Klinikprofil - Optaget 1. september 2022 | Master of Science (MSc) in Medicine | Esbjerg |
Kassograms
Participant limit
Derogation from the general rules for cancellation
Cancellation of registration for this course is not permitted from the start of the semester and 21 days onwards, where cancellation is generally allowed. Therefore, registration for the course will be binding. Reference is made to the Collection of Rules for University of Southern Denmark regarding registration for course elements and exams § 5, section 3-5.