An analysis of student bucket lists in death and dying courses: data from three U.S. Universities

ABSTRACT

This article describes and analyzes the use of a bucket list assignment in three undergraduate university Death and Dying courses as a way to teach students about death, while also learning about this generation’s aspirations and anxieties related to dying. The Death and Dying professors at three different universities, each using a similar assignment, require students to create their own bucket lists, or a list of things they want to complete before they die. Analyses of 146 lists, containing a total of 2,210 list items, revealed similarities across these different student populations, primarily in their focus on travel, spending time with loved ones, and an interesting lack of concern for end-of-life preparations. The results of this study have implications for death education and health care providers, supporting previous scholarship on death anxiety and death transcendence.

KEYWORDS:

• College teaching
• death and dying
• bucket lists
• end of life
• death anxiety

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) declared no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Notes on contributors

Lacey J. Ritter

Lacey J. Ritter, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Department Chair of Health at Mount Mercy University where she teaches various courses within sociology and public health, including The Final Journey: Sociology of Death & Dying. Dr. Ritter received the Faculty Member of the Year Award at Mount Mercy University in 2021 and enjoys working with students as an advisor, internship coordinator, and professor. Her research specialties include sexuality and health, with a particular interest on older adults' health outcomes, though she enjoys conducting social psychological research on a variety of topic areas. Ritter received her Ph.D. from Florida State University in 2017. Her recent publications including the book Sexual Deviance in Health and Aging: Uncovering Later Life Intimacy, edited book “The Changing Faces of Higher Education: From Boomers to Millennials,” and various journal articles.

Anisah Bagasra

Anisah Bagasra, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological Science at Kennesaw State University who specializes in behavioral health research in the Muslim American and African American faith communities. Her experience building traditional and online undergraduate curriculum led to the creation of a Psychology major at Claflin University, where she also spearheaded the launch of online degree programs prior to joining KSU. She teaches a wide range of psychology courses and mentors students engaged in undergraduate research with a focus on culturally competent research in minority communities. Specific research interests include Islamic Psychology, acculturation, teaching Death & Dying, measuring religiosity, and perceptions of mental illness. Her recent publications include three edited volumes, “Working with Muslim Clients in the Helping Professions”, and “The Changing Faces of Higher Education: From Boomers to Millennials” and ‘The Impact of HBCUs in the 21st Century. She also conducts CE workshops in the area of religious and spiritual competencies for psychologists, conflict resolution, and community based research.

Sharon Richards

Dr. Sharon Richards, an Associate Professor of Psychology at Claflin University, holds a PhD in Educational Psychology, an MS in I/O Psychology, and a BA in Psychology. With over five years at Claflin, she's made significant contributions as an academic advisor, teacher of various psychology courses, committee member, and leader of the Job Search Committee. Her teaching portfolio includes courses in Developmental Psychology, Adult Development, Cognition, Personality Theories, I/O Psychology, and more. Dr. Richards is also an active mentor, supervising undergraduate research and guiding honors thesis committees. Her dedication to both her students and Claflin University is evident in her diverse roles and commitment to academic excellence.