Course Syllabus

Fall 2025 | AHS-2120-VO02 - Wellness for Life

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Suzanna Bliss
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Danielle Lafleur Brooks

General Education Requirements

VSCS Social Sciences

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course examines the multiple dimensions of health and wellness. Students learn about the various factors affecting each dimension (including physical, nutritional, emotional, social, occupational /financial) and understand how dimensions are interrelated. An emphasis is placed on the individual behaviors that influence health, physical fitness, and wellness as well as societal influences. Students participate in completing research and self-assessments that provide information about their health and wellness behavior. In addition, students learn goal-setting and decision strategies that improve lifetime health and wellness. Light to moderate levels of physical activity are required.

Essential Objectives

1. Examine the use of the scientific method to distinguish between well-researched evidence on health and wellness and fallacies and myths in this field.
2. Examine the concept of wellness and the role and responsibility of individuals and communities for overall health.
3. Differentiate between healing, preventative and treatment models from Eastern and Western perspectives.
4. Examine and assess models of behavioral change on the individual and societal level and apply these to individual lifestyle choices.
5. Understand the components of fitness, including cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength and flexibility, and assess personal fitness levels.
6. Recognize the components of healthy nutrition and understand personal dietary habits as they relate to standard guidelines.
7. Describe the physiology of stress and examine proactive and reactive tools for stress management.
8. Examine human sexuality and the components of healthy relationships.
9. Describe common challenges to mental wellness and ways of coping with them.
10. Identify the impact of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs on health and learn how to make responsible decisions about substance use and abuse.
11. Identify barriers to wellness including unconscious biases, systemic racism, and poverty, and describe how they affect different populations in their quest for wellness.
12. Demonstrate proficiency in understanding, interpreting, evaluating and applying quantitative data and information.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations.

Fall 2025 textbook details will be available on 2025-05-19. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

AHS-2120-VO02 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Allowed: This course's generative AI policy acknowledges technology, including generative AI, plays a supportive role in learning and feedback. During our class, we may use AI writing tools such as ChatGPT in certain specific cases. You will be informed as to when, where, and how these tools are permitted to be used, along with guidance for attribution. Any use outside of these specific cases constitutes a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

It is crucial for students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills independently as well as theirproficiency with current technology. If you rely on AI tools, you could impair your intellectual and academic development. For this reason, students who wish to use AI are encouraged to do so only for editing, research support tool. If AI is used to assist you as you compose responses to discussion prompts, it must be cited in APA format.CCV's amazingly helpful library system has developed the following link to assist you in doing this properly.https://libraries.vsc.edu/search/topics/AI/citing

Methods

We will explore and learn course material through the following means...

- Discussion based on assigned readings and personal exploration of weekly topics using reputable research sources.

- A Course Details Quiz

- Video Viewing and Reflection

- Response and interaction with classmates such that everyone supports each other in increasing and retaining weekly topics.

Evaluation Criteria

Your understanding of the course material will be assessed through your participation in the class forums as well as your performance on assignments and quizzes.

The point values for assignments are as follows...

20 points - Course Details Scavenger Hunt

20 points each week - Discussion Forum (DF)

20 points each week - Video View and Reflect Forum (V&R)

100 point (5) - Tests

Note that there are occasional opportunities for extra credit. I encourage you to take advantage of them when you can.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

In general, to earn full participation points for the week, students should:

• Do assigned readings and demonstrate an understanding of the concepts therein.
• Make the required Discussion Forum (DF) and Video View and Reaction (S&R) posts on time each week. Posts should be substantive and demostrate that the student is relating the information to their life experience and future career goals,and demonstrate college-level writing. References should be cited using APA format.
• Interact with classmates and the instructorpolitely and respectfully.
• Make and follow a plan for complete assignments thoroughly and on time.
• Contact the CCV library staff for assistance with finding additional resources to broaden course content and reinforce views presented.
• Reach out and ask for clarification or assistance as needed.

Missing & Late Work Policy

Neglecting to post during a course week is counted as an absence. Plan to post each week!

More than 2 absences will result in a non-passing grade.

Course weeks are opened weeks in advance to encourage students to complete their work early. If a student has an upcoming event, such as a scheduled surgery, that may cause them to require an extension, they should reach out before rather than after the event takes place. if you need to request an extension after adeadline has passed, include a doctor's note with the request.

* Refer to the provided rubrics to see how late and missing work will impact your point accumulation.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.