Psychology - CA (PSYC)

This course will familiarize students with the standards of ethical conduct related to research and practice in psychology and counseling. PSYC 500 Ethics and Professional Practice in Psychology (3) The purpose of PSYC 500Ethics and Professional Practice in Psychologyis to introduce students to the standards of the American Psychological Association regarding acceptable practices in research, assessments, and interventions. Relevant laws and regulations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will be presented and discussed in class. This course is a required course for students admitted to the Master of Arts programs in Applied Clinical Psychology and Applied Psychological Research. Admission to one of those programs is a prerequisite for taking this course. This course is a prerequisite for enrollment in a clinical internship. The overall objectives are to familiarize students with the legal and professional standards associated with working with people as research participants, colleagues, or clients in mental health settings.Students will be expected to understand the Guidelines and Principles of Ethical Conduct in Psychology, the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and to be able to apply them in novel situations. Throughout the semester, students will be presented with examples of possible breeches of ethical standards, and be asked to critically evaluate the scenarios to identify the issues involved and procedures to follow to ensure compliance with accepted standards of conduct. Prior to each class, students are to write a brief paper reflecting on their understanding of the issues underlying the weekly reading assignments and critically evaluate at least one of the moral issues involved in the readings. In addition students will be expected to write an analysis of a professional situation in which two or more ethical standards appear to be in conflict, and demonstrate their critical thinking skills in coming to a resolution of the conflict.Grades will be based on two examinations, weekly commentaries on the readings, written vignette analysis, and the quality of participation in class discussion.The class will be offered once a year with an enrollment of 25 students per offering. The frequency will be adjusted if enrollments trends suggest an adjustment is necessary.

This course will familiarize students with the need for sensitivity to individual and group differences associated with culture and ethnicity. PSYC 501 Cultural Competency in Psychology (3) PSYC 501Cultural Competency in Psychologyis intended to provide a broad perspective on some of the major ways in which people are different from one another. This course will demonstrate some of the ways in which one's heritage interacts with individual differences and impacts on the person's beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. The overall objectives of this course are to increase sensitivity to diversity issues, assist students in recognition of their own cultural biases, and lay the groundwork for learning to work with people who are different from one's self. Appreciation for both individual and population differences, and learning to work effectively with those differences, are the goals of this course.PSYC 501 is a required Psychology Core course in both the Applied Clinical Psychology and Applied Psychological Research programs. It is intended to raise awareness of the fundamental issues with which researchers and mental health professionals need to be attentive to as the population increases in diversity. This course will provide a perspective on population issues which impact on the entire field of psychology, and thus should be taken early in the program of study. Admission to either the Applied Clinical Psychology or Applied Psychological Research program is a prerequisite for this course. Students in related areas may request permission of the instructor to register for this class on a space available basis.Students will be evaluated on the quality of their class participation, examination performance, and a major research paper covering issues relevant to working with people who are from a different background than the student. The course will be offered annually with an enrollment limit of 25 students.

An examination of social psychological applications to areas such as health, law, interpersonal relations, environment, politics, and other social issues.

This course is designed to provide an in-depth examination of addiction, encompassing its conceptualization and various theoretical frameworks for understanding its etiology and persistence. Through the lens of clinical research, students will examine the epidemiology of substance use disorders (SUDs), diagnostic criteria, and their societal ramifications. Students will be familiarized with drug pharmacology and a range of theories and treatment models related to SUDs. Theoretical perspectives and therapeutic modalities pertaining to SUDs will be explored, with an emphasis on evidence-based practices. Students will critically examine and challenge stereotypes associated with individuals with SUDs and SUD treatments.

The course covers human development across the life span. PSYC 510 Human Development and Growth (3) The course is designed to meet the requirements for Pennsylvania Mental Health Counselor licensure. The course will review methods of developmental and lifespan research, and encourage critical analysis of developmental research. In addition, a research paper either reviewing a significant development process, or proposing significant development research will also be required. The course will be offered annually with an anticipated enrollment of 25 students. It will be offered more often if enrollment patterns warrant such an increase.

This course focuses on the theoretical, conceptual, programmatic, and empirical issues currently in preventive psychology.

This course examines wellness maintenance, early detection, and the impact of health care on individuals and the community.

This course will familiarize students with health issues in the context of child development and family systems. PSYC 516 Child Health Psychology (3) PSYC 516Child Health Psychologyprovides an overview of the major threats to the health and well-being of children and youth, in the context of child development and family systems theories. Health psychology adheres to the biopsychosocial model, which means that the course will stress how biological, psychological, and social factors interact to maintain wellness or foster illness. The focus will be on primary prevention of illness and injury wherever possible, including accident prevention and fostering healthy lifestyle behaviors such as good nutrition and exercise.When illness or injuries occur, they will be discussed in the context of the child's development. Comprehension of the illness is influenced by the child's cognitive abilities, social development, prior experience with illness, and family response. Examination of how developmental processes impact on the illness and the illness impacts on the developmental processes will be a theme underlying all the health threats studied.This is a required course for students in the M.A. in Applied Clinical Psychology program who elect the Health Psychology concentration. The overall objectives are to provide a background for development of programs to maintain health and wellness in children and youth, to facilitate the understanding of the impact of illness and disability on children and their families, and to prepare students to work with children and families in a medical environment.Grades will be based upon two examinations, a prevention proposal, an analysis of the literature relevant to an illness or injury from both the biopsychosocial and developmental perspectives, and class participation.The class will be offered biennially, with an enrollment limit of 25 students. The frequency will be adjusted if enrollment trends suggest an adjustment is warranted.

A broad spectrum view of psychopathology including biological, social, cognitive, psychological, and neuropsychological approaches, is emphasized, with an applied focus. PSYC 517 Psychopathology (3) This course will cover a broad spectrum of all aspects of psychopathology including the earned, social, biological, emotional, cognitive, affective, and cultural factors, which may be relevant to the understanding and diagnosis of mental disorders. The varied theoretical views of abnormal behavior and psychopathology will be critically reviewed, with emphasis on the current dominant theories. Approaches reviewed will include biological, behavioral, social, cognitive, psychological, existential, medical, and neuropsychological theories.Students will learn to make differential diagnoses based on the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and to code the disorders appropriately. Successful completion of the course requires the demonstration of competence in understanding the nature of psychopathology. Psychopathology is a required course for students in the M.A. in Applied Clinical Psychology program, and is restricted to students in the M.A. in Applied Clinical Psychology program. This course will be a prerequisite for PSYC 518, 519, and 540. The objectives of this course are to prepare students for working with a variety of clients in therapeutic settings.Methods of evaluating student performance will be explained on the syllabus, and may include components such as examinations, written papers, oral presentations, videotaped and live demonstrations of diagnostic role plays, and other in-class exercises.This course is offered once a year with an enrollment limit of 15 students.

This course covers basic clinical interviewing and counseling techniques from both the didactic and experiential perspectives. PSYC 518 Interviewing and Counseling (3) In this course students will begin to practice eliciting information from classmates, or volunteer undergraduate students, simulating individuals presenting with a variety of issues, use that information to make an appropriate diagnosis, and work with their mock client to set goals and develop a concrete plan to achieve those goals. Guidelines for report writing will be presented. Students will submit an initial draft of a report based on the first interview session, and a full report of the client contact from initial interview through implementation of treatment plan and discharge.

An advanced level of psychotherapies and applications in diverse settings. PSYC 519 Theories and Models of Psychotherapy (3) It is a required course for students in the M. A. in Applied Clinical Psychology program. The objectives of this course are to prepare students for working with a variety of clients in therapeutic settings. Students will be evaluated on written papers and in-class exercises.

This course is intended to provide students in the Applied Psychology Clinical program with a basis for understanding psychological research methodologies. The course will serve as a starting point for developing their master's project (PSYC 530), which is the culminating research experience for the Applied Clinical Psychology program. The course will begin with development of research questions and explore how to appropriately search research databases for previous literature on topics of interest. The course will also focus on developing ethical foundations for research through review of case studies and discussion of ethical principles and codes for psychologists. Students will also focus on understanding how different methodologies function in relation to psychological research including, but not limited to: experimental designs, quasi-experimental designs, program evaluation, within or between subject designs, and systematic literature reviews. In addition to developing an understanding of research methodologies, students will also explore how to interpret and write-up statistical results for academic manuscripts.

The nature, computation, computer analysis, interpretation, and APA-style write-up will be discussed for a number of statistical tests. PSYC 521 Statistics (4)This course is intended to provide students in the Applied Psychology program with the statistical skills they will need to be applied masters-level psychologists. The course will follow PSYC 520, the graduate research methods course, and will be a prerequisite for PSYC 530, the masters paper. The course will begin with a review of basic statistical methods. Since the more advanced statistical techniques are extensions of these basic tests, it is crucial that students have a firm grasp of the latter before being exposed to the former. For each test, the conditions of use, the nature of the null and alternative hypotheses, computation of relevant test statistics, interpretation of results, test assumptions, strength of the relationship, SPSS analysis, reading SPSS output, and APA Results section writeup will be discussed. Much of this is advanced material that students will not have encountered in their previous statistics courses. The course will then continue with a discussion of the following advanced techniques: nonparametric statistics, analysis of covariance, one-way repeated measures analysis of variance, factorial analysis of variance, and multiple regression. In addition, students will be introduced to such multivariate techniques as factor analysis and MANOVA. The information noted above will again guide the class presentations. Consistent with the applied nature of the program, the goals of this course are for students to become good consumers of the types of statistical information they are likely to encounter in their work, to be able to select and apply the appropriate test when called on to analyze data, and to be able to generalize their basic statistical skills to new techniques, as necessitated by their career demands. Evaluation will consist of some combination of assignments and examinations, as determined by the instructor. This course will be required of all Applied Psychology students, and will be made available to other qualified students on a space-available basis, with permission of the program.This course will be taught once every academic year. Expected enrollment is approximately 15 students.

This course focuses on biological determinants of behavior, including evolution, hormones, sensory systems, internal states, reproduction, emotions, learning, and memory. PSYC 524 Biological Basis of Behavior (3) PSYC 524Biological Basis of Behavioris intended for graduate students majoring in psychology. This course focuses on the biological determinants of behavior. Students will learn the major theories underlying research in biological psychology, including such topics as neuroanatomy and brain anatomy, evolution, behavior genetics, hormones and reproductive behavior, sensory systems, internal states, emotions, learning, and memory. Students will be taught to use critical thinking skills when interpreting and evaluating research in biological psychology. Students will use these skills and knowledge gained during the semester to develop a research proposal or integrative review paper on a biological psychology topic.Students will initially learn basic neuroanatomy and brain anatomy as a basis for understanding more complex biological behavior. The remainder of the semester will cover theories underlying more advanced topics in biological psychology. Students will learn how genes, hormones, and neurotransmitters determine some behaviors. They will also learn how biology interacts with the environment to produce behaviors such as reproduction, emotion, learning, and memory.Examinations will include questions designed to ascertain students' knowledge of the theories covered in class as well as critical thinking skills used to interpret and evaluate research in biological psychology. During the course of the semester, students will use the knowledge they have gained to a) formulate a research question based on a topic covered in class; b) perform a literature search on the topic; and c) design a research proposal or integrative review paper based on the topic. Writing the paper will give students experience in formulating research questions, evaluating research critically, and writing in APA (American Psychological Association) style.

This course will explore social, cognitive, civil and criminal issues related to forensic psychology. PSYC 525 Forensic Psychology (3) The purpose of PSYC 525Forensic Psychologywill be to explore the general principles of forensic psychology. Social Psychological, clinical and cognitive processing theories will be examined as they pertain to the legal system. This course will include a brief overview of the judicial system. Competency issues will be defined, and the clinical assessment of competency will be examined in the course. Specific competency issues will include competency to stand trial, to plead, to confer and to testify. There will be an overview of the insanity defense, describing the history and contemporary status of the defense. Issues such as automatism, unconsciousness and diminished capacity will be explored. The contribution of the mens rea and intoxication will be described. M'Naughton rules and the ALI rules for insanity will be described. Evaluation techniques for forensic assessments will be described and role- played by the course participants. Interview techniques, developmental and historical information gathering, and psychological testing will be reviewed in terms of utility for the forensic evaluation. Special issues such as amnesia, recovered memories, and malingering will also be covered in the course. Other issues including assessment of dangerousness, and civil commitment will be reviewed. The rule of the expert and the status of scientific information in the forensic context will be described.

Supervised research in psychology for degree candidates.

Analysis of determinants of behavior and behavioral ecology. Emphasis on data collection and data evaluation techniques.

This course covers applications of psychotherapeutic techniques to a group setting. PSYC 540 Group Interventions (3) This course introduces the application of therapeutic techniques to a group setting. Selection and formation of groups, leadership skills, and group process will be examined. Adaptations required for specialized groups, such as children and adolescents, will be presented.

Administration, analysis, and interpretation of psychological evaluation methods will be reviewed. PSYC 571 Tests and Measurements (3) This course builds on the critical appraisal of the nature of psychological evaluation and allows the student to develop sound abilities in the administration and interpretation of psychological instruments.

This course will review the biological bases of behavior, emphasizing brain-behavioral relationships and assessment of these relationships. PSYC 572 Neuropsychological Assessment (3)Neuropsychological Assessmentbuilds on the assessment skills introduced in PSYC 571,Tests and Measurement . Test batteries designed to measure neuropsychological functioning such as the Halsted-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery, the Wechsler Memory Scales, and the Woodcock-Johnson Test of Cognitive Ability will be taught.Evaluation will be based upon demonstrations of skills in test administration and scoring, written examinations, and written assignments such as assessment reports. This course is offered in the fall of odd numbered years, more often if enrollment patterns warrant, with an enrollment limit of 15 students.

This course is designed to acquaint students with the knowledge of career counseling theories, assessments, and methods based in psychological research, acquaint students with the use of empirically-supported career assessment instruments, increase knowledge to work with clients of different ages, races, ethnicities, socioeconomic classes, and genders, and discuss current issues, trends, and ethics in the field of career assessment and counseling. Students will learn about commonly used psychological theories that are applied to career assessment, including trait-oriented theories, social learning and cognitive theories, developmental theories, person-in-environment theories, career counseling-specific models, and integrative theories. Students will learn the process of assessing clients' vocational and professional interests through the use of both formal assessment instruments and interviews. Assessment techniques will include structured interviews, standardized assessment, psychological inventories, self-assessment, computerized assessment, case conceptualization, and report writing. Developmental considerations, as well as issues of cultural sensitivity and gender will be discussed. Approaches to integrating this information into career advising and/or psychotherapy will be explored. By the end of the course, students will demonstrate an understanding of the major theories of career development; be able to explain the structure of occupations, and individual and societal issues in career development, including multicultural and gender issues; summarize the relationships among personality, occupational choices, and occupational success; identify the major sources of career and educational information available through the Internet, computer-based guidance systems, and printed materials; administer and interpret printed and computer-based assessments of career interests, beliefs, and values; integrate career development theory and assessment results with empirically-supported career counseling interventions; and describe the professional process of career assessment and advising, as integrated into psychological services.

Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small group basis.

Creative projects, including nonthesis research, that are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently; several different topics may be taught in one year or semester.

This course will provide a foundation for understanding couple and family systems theories, assessments, and interventions. The course will have theoretical and practical applications of couple therapy and family therapy.

This course covers the etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of trauma-related dysfunction, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress disorder (ASD), and common comorbid conditions. Students will learn about the range of events associated with trauma, the prevalence, incidence, and developmental impact of trauma-related disorders across the lifespan, the major risk factors for trauma-related dysfunction, cultural factors that impact dysfunction, trauma-focused assessments for identifying trauma-related symptoms, and the major research-supported approaches to treatment and prevention of trauma-related disorders in the aftermath of trauma. Major treatment approaches to be covered include prolonged exposure (PE), trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), emotion-focused treatment (EFT), stress management techniques, and psychopharmacological interventions. The recognition, prevention, and treatment of compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatization in the clinician will be emphasized.

This course covers issues concerning the diagnosis and treatment of complex trauma-related dysfunction, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Dissociative Disorders, and treating special populations issues. Building upon the theoretical knowledge gained in PSYC 843, the emphasis of the course will be on development and application of skills in conducting empirically-supported therapy and assessment for Type I ('single-event') and Type II ('complex') trauma, Dissociative Disorders, and trauma-associated somatic symptoms. Major treatment approaches to be covered will include phase-oriented integrated treatment and relational models; Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR); Stress-Inoculation Therapy (SIT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT), Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), and couples and family approaches. The course will also address specific treatment considerations based on trauma type as well as ethical issues relevant to clinical work with trauma survivors. The course will also address the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of comorbid conditions (depression, anxiety, substance use, relationship problems) and special populations.

This course will provide students foundational knowledge about crisis intervention and disaster interventions. Students will learn about empirically supported models and best practices of psychological interventions during disasters, taking into context cultural and trauma-specific contextual information. Students will be trained in basic crisis intervention skills and psychological first aid and practice crisis case handling. Students will learn about how to handle specific crisis situations and how to handle issues of burnout, vicarious traumatization, and compassion fatigue in disaster and crisis situations. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe clinicians' roles and responsibilities as members of an interdisciplinary emergency response team during a local, regional, or national crisis, disaster, or other trauma-causing event and know the skills needed to provide crisis intervention services. Students will also learn how to differentiate between diagnosis and developmentally appropriate reactions during crisis, trauma, and disaster using appropriate assessment and diagnosis. Students will be given the opportunity to practice crisis assessment and intervention, as well as learn how assessment, diagnosis, and treatment may be influenced by crisis, trauma, and disasters.

This course will give students their first experience of working with clients in a psychological setting. The course will focus on assisting students with their transition to an applied clinical role while attending to their growth as psychological professionals. There will be a focus on integration of psychological theories of counseling and clinical practice. Further, this course will center on ethical issues in counseling, exploring empirically-validated clinical interventions, understanding crisis intervention models, exploring forms of supervision, understanding self-care, and demonstrating case conceptualization skills. The course is designed to meet standards for Pennsylvania Licensed Practicing Counselor (LPC) licensure. The standards for licensure include completing one hundred (100) hours of practicum time prior to placement in an internship. PSYC 895A represents that initial supervised clinical psychology experience. Students will typically complete this experience as part of the training component at the site for their first clinical internship placement, but prior to beginning the internship. Supervising faculty will be licensed or license eligible in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The on-site supervisors must meet the criteria for clinical supervision mandated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

This course is designed to aid meeting standards for Pennsylvania mental health counselor licensure, specifically the LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor). The standards include completing six hundred (600) hours of internship time after completion of 100 clock hours of practica experiences. PSYC 895B represents the 600 hours of supervised experience following the practica. The internship experience builds on the initial practica experience, and is typically completed over two or three semesters, and thus may represent experience gained at more than one placement to increase the breadth of the student's training. Supervising faculty will be licensed or license eligible in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The on-site supervisors must meet the criteria for clinical supervision mandated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Professional liability insurance is required.