• The student should be able to analyze health, illness, and heath care institutions from the three theoretical perspectives and show how social and political factors influence what conditions are defined as illness.

• The student should be able to describe how levels of societal development and a person's social position influence health and illness.

• The student should be able to describe the different positions taken on the issue of the fundamental nature of mental illness, as well as explain the problems with diagnosing mental illness and the issues surrounding community treatment.

• The student should be able to discuss and evaluate the issues of rising health care costs, adequate access to health care, the quality of medical services, gender inequality in health care, and the corporatization of health care.

• The student should be able to describe the bioethical issues raised by modern health care technology.

• The student should be able to analyze the various alternative ways of financing health care in the United States and how they impact on rising costs and other problems, including a discussion of whether health care should be a privilege or a right.

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