During the semester all students will:

o explore their own and others' attitudes towards illness as metaphor and reflect on and discuss course readings and topics raised by guest speakers. Readings and discussions will focus on literary & non-literary topics relating to specific health issues;   o learn about interviewing patients and survivors and work directly with patients through outreach projects;   o participate in improvisation exercises and other creative arts assignments, designed to help them work through individual and group issues that arise;   o complete a variety of journal and portfolio assignments based on personal experience, reactions to readings, discussions in class, and topics suggested by instructors. Students should get in the practice of writing daily journal entries;   o conduct research on one disease (description of assignment given in class);   o participate in (attend, volunteer at, help organize) at least one of the following types of activities to promote women's health awareness: a women's health conference; a health related event in the community (e.g., a breast cancer awareness rally, an AIDS walk, the Women's Health Day 2000 conference, etc.); a support group meeting; (attend) a theater performance related to women's health (e.g., "WIT" by Performance Network). Students are also encouraged to stage an act of guerrilla theater or be involved in an awareness activity. This participation assignment should be documented in the student's journal;   o contribute to the class web site (gathering materials, resources, dates of events);   o develop and present material for final end-of-semester public performances based on personal experience, the oral history of patients involved in outreach work, ideas which arise from readings, portfolio assignments, in-class discussions and theater improvisation activities;   o participate in critical analysis of all aspects of the project and compile documentation for a project report;   Students will be required to participate actively in all course-related activities. Since the success of the course relies directly on cooperation of the entire group as an ensemble, attendance at all course meetings is mandatory. Grading will be based on the quality of participation in class (discussions, reports, develop-ment of performance materials, improvisational activities), journal/portfolio work, participation in end-of-term performances at U-M Medical Center (Dec 7) and at U-M Residential College (Dec.15, 16 & 17), & contributions to documentation for the final project report. In addition to receiving written feedback on work and feedback at office hours, students will write a mid-term self-evaluation. All students will be asked to attend an office hour at least once during the semester, but they should feel free to attend office hours to discuss any aspect of the course at any time.