Course Descriptions

Offered: 1st 8-week session Fall Semester (Fall A)

In this course, students examine the fundamental concepts, history, philosophies, and evidence base of integrative health and wellness. Emphasis is placed on a whole-person health perspective, which considers the interconnected biological, behavioral, social, and environmental factors that influence health, disease, resilience, and well-being. Students explore how conventional and complementary approaches may be used together in a coordinated manner to support health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, and restoration of health. The course examines factors that influence health and well-being across the lifespan, including nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, relationships, environment, and health behaviors. Students explore scientific concepts relevant to whole-person health, including genomics, epigenetics, psychoneuroimmunology, inflammation, and the gut microbiome, as well as functional and lifestyle medicine and selected traditional systems of health, including Ayurveda, naturopathic medicine, and traditional Chinese medicine. Complementary health approaches, including nutritional, psychological, and physical approaches, are examined with attention to their proposed mechanisms, safety, efficacy, and quality of scientific evidence. Students critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of research on integrative health approaches and consider how evidence can inform healthcare decision-making. Cultural, ethical, legal, and professional considerations are addressed throughout the course, along with emerging directions in integrative and whole person health.

This course provides students with an evidence-based and experiential understanding of integrative mind-body approaches for promoting health and well-being, preventing and managing disease, and supporting health restoration. Students will examine the scientific evidence for the effectiveness, safety, and proposed mechanisms of mind-body approaches and develop skills in practices that engage interactions among psychological, physical, behavioral, social, and spiritual dimensions of health. Approaches include meditation and mindfulness, guided imagery, hypnosis, acupuncture and acupressure, yoga, tai chi, qigong, spirituality and energy therapies, therapeutic writing, and creative arts, dance, and sound-based approaches. Through experiential learning and interaction with integrative health practitioners, students will develop greater self-awareness and explore how mind-body approaches may contribute to integrative and whole-person health.

This course introduces students to the foundations of health and wellness coaching, an evidence-based, client-centered process that supports individuals in making self-directed, sustainable changes that promote health and well-being. Students will examine the philosophy, principles, scope of practice, ethics, and core competencies of health and wellness coaching and develop foundational coaching skills, including establishing the coaching relationship, active listening, asking powerful questions, supporting client awareness, exploring values and strengths, setting self-determined goals, planning action, building accountability, and evaluating progress.

Students will examine theories and evidence related to health behavior change and consider how coaching can support health and well-being within integrative and whole person health contexts. Learning activities include critical appraisal of empirical research, class discussions, experiential exercises, peer coaching, self-reflection, and application of coaching principles to realistic client scenarios. Through these experiences, students will practice the role of the coach as a collaborative partner who supports client autonomy, insight, self-efficacy, and sustainable behavior change.

This course integrates and applies knowledge and skills developed throughout the Integrative Health and Wellness program to the care of individuals with common and chronic health conditions. Using a whole-person health perspective, students will examine the interconnected biological, behavioral, psychological, social, and environmental factors that influence health, well-being, and disease.

Each module focuses on a clinical topic, such as cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders, pain, or cancer, while also addressing broader issues relevant to integrative health and wellness practice, including evaluating scientific evidence, health behavior change, interprofessional communication, patient education, and clinical decision-making. Through case discussions, readings, assignments, and examination of the research literature, students will develop evidence-informed, person-centered integrative approaches that incorporate conventional care, complementary approaches, and lifestyle and behavioral strategies as appropriate and within their professional scope of practice.