Free Stress and Coping Course Offered Again for Spring

01/07/2022


Students will learn about the impact stress has on their physical and mental health, as well as how to cope with stress and become more resilient professionals in the workforce. Image by zimmytws via Getty.

by Brett Buckner and Buffy Lockette

JSU's “Try It Free” program will continue this spring, offering a free online course to potential students - as well as current students, alumni, faculty and staff - without the cost of tuition, fees or textbooks. 

Established in 2020, the university’s Try It program offers a specific, pre-determined course for free in a topic that is relatable to a large portion of the population. In 2020-2021, the topic was EM 307: Pandemics and Pestilence, an emergency management course focused on understanding pandemics that nearly 800 students enrolled in across three semesters. 

For 2021-2022, JSU is offering SW 306: Stress, Coping and Resilience, a social work course focused on informing students about the impact stress has on their physical and mental health, as well as how to cope with stress and become more resilient professionals in the workforce.

The course includes 10 self-paced modules, taught by faculty across a variety of disciplines, including three deans. The modules are:

  1. The Biology of Stress and Resilience Across the Lifespan by Dr. Ashley Turner, assistant professor of biology 
  2. Perceived Stress by Andrea Rains, kinesiology instructor 
  3. Positive Emotions and Coping by Dr. Stacy Mikel, assistant professor of nursing 
  4. Workplace Stress and Coping by Dr. Wei Ning, assistant professor of management 
  5. Poetic Voices of Resilience by Dr. Staci Stone, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities 
  6. Messages for Living by Dr. Maureen Newton, dean of the College of Social and Behavorial Sciences 
  7. Emancipation, Resilience and the Meanings of Freedom by Dr. Christopher Bishop, visiting instructor of history 
  8. Strengthening Family Resilience by Kim Whorton, social work instructor
  9. Information Resources for Stress Reduction by Kim Westbrooks, JSU librarian 
  10. Kids and Stress by Dr. Kimberly Gaiters-White, dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies

While the Try It program is open to anyone, Kelly Martin, director of enrollment initiatives, said it is specifically designed for those who are hesitant to enroll in college courses, particularly online courses.

“JSU wants to show adult learners that have never attended college, or those who have not attended in quite some time, how flexible online courses can be,” Martin said. “Students may opt to only take the free course, but our hope is that they will decide to continue their education and complete a degree program at JSU.”

The spring semester begins on Jan. 12. For more information or to enroll, visit the Try It Free website.