Graduate Catalog

2010-11 Academic Year

Psychology

Psychology, PSYC

PSYC 5010. Human Development. 3 hours. An integrated rather than specialized view of the biophysical, sociocultural, psychoemotional and intellectual development of human beings in Western culture. Development is viewed as a product of the interaction of genetic endowment with the environment.

PSYC 5022. Interviewing. 3 hours. Application of different interview theories to counseling and psychotherapy in mental health settings. Prerequisite(s): open only to graduate students in psychology.

PSYC 5040. Cultural Aspects of Health. 3 hours. Conceptual frameworks to understand factors influencing patterns of health (psychological, biological and social) across cultures and subcultures. Behavioral medicine perspective of health and disease; illustration of their unique and common elements in sociopolitical and environmental contexts.

PSYC 5050. Seminar in Psychology: Current Issues. 1–4 hours. Issues and topics of current interest to students in the various graduate programs but not covered by course offerings. May be repeated for credit.

PSYC 5060. History and Systems. 3 hours. Philosophical and physiological roots of psychology; traditional historical systems, including structuralism, functionalism, behaviorism, Gestalt and psychoanalysis; relevance to major contemporary systems.

PSYC 5070. Medical and Behavioral Disorders. 4 hours. (3;4) Applies knowledge from diverse disciplines to understand basic physiological functions, their psychological basis and ecological factors comprising the matrix of person-environment interaction. A concept of health integrates mind, body, environment and resulting pathological states when this balance is disrupted. Students learn to interact with medical providers. Prerequisite(s): consent of department.

PSYC 5090. Social Psychology. 3 hours. A survey of the constructs, methodologies and theories of social psychology including social perception, attitudes, aggression, prejudice, prosocial behavior, conformity, leadership, groups and communication. Prerequisite(s): enrollment in a graduate program in psychology or consent of department.

PSYC 5100. Psychopathology of Childhood. 3 hours. Normal and psychopathological development in children, focusing on intellectual, emotional and behavioral deviations and their recognition, as well as background in their etiology, dynamics and prognoses. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5010 or its equivalent, or consent of department.

PSYC 5121. Sport and Exercise Psychology. 3 hours. An in-depth study of analysis techniques necessary for scientific investigations in exercise and sport. Emphasis is placed on computer applications, advanced data analysis, techniques and interpretation of resulting analyses. (Same as KINE 5121.)

PSYC 5131. Exercise and Health Psychology. 3 hours. Introduces students to health, leisure and exercise behavior change strategies, and provides knowledge and skills necessary to improve the initiation and adherence of lifetime health and physical activity behaviors among individuals and groups. Offers a comprehensive inquiry into individual behaviors and lifestyles that affect physical and mental health from health promotion, exercise science and psychological perspectives. Topics include enhancement of health, identification of health risk factors, prevention and treatment of disease, improvement of the health care system and shaping of public opinion with regard to health and physical activity. Prerequisite(s): a course in sport psychology or consent of department. (Same as HLTH 5131 or KINE 5131.)

PSYC 5171. Social Psychology of Sport. 3 hours. The effects of social psychological variables on motor behavior. Topics include social facilitation, social reinforcement, organized youth sports, socialization, group dynamics and leadership. (Same as KINE 5171.)

PSYC 5181. Applied Sport Psychology. 3 hours. Psychological techniques and strategies for enhancing athletic performance, including imagery, arousal regulation, attentional control, goal setting and self-talk. Practical issues, ethical considerations and coaching athlete-organization interface are addressed. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5121. (Same as KINE 5181.)

PSYC 5200. Psychology of Women and Gender. 3 hours. Theories and research on women and gender; psychological, situational, cultural, environmental and biological influences; the influence of gender biases on research methods and interpretation of results; application of theory and research to problems affecting women. Prerequisite(s): minimum of 6 hours of undergraduate psychology.

PSYC 5300. Psychosocial Issues in HIV/AIDS. 3 hours. Examines the psychosocial factors that are related to health-related behaviors in both healthy people and people living with HIV/AIDS. Prepares students who expect to pursue careers in health service fields (e.g., psychologists, physicians, biologists, dentists, etc.) to be conscious of issues that HIV positive people face daily. Students interested in HIV/AIDS as a social phenomenon are encouraged to enroll. (Same as PSYC 4300.)

PSYC 5340. Life-Span Developmental Psychology. 3 hours. An examination of developmental behavioral change across the human life span. Special concern is given to the conceptual and empirical bases for such change, with an emphasis on measurement and antecedents. More specific treatments of content areas (e.g., learning, memory, intelligence, personality, stress and coping, mental illness, and death and dying) constitute an integral part of the course.

PSYC 5350. Counseling for Sexual Dysfunction and Other Psychosexual Disorders. 3 hours. A study of the origins and treatment of sexual dysfunctions and other psychosexual disorders. The study includes physical and psychological considerations in etiology, diagnosis and treatment.

PSYC 5420. Assessment I. 4 hours. (3;3) Introduction to and an overview of psychological assessment models, techniques and data collection systems for individuals, groups and organizations with a focus on the assessment of individuals. Emphasis on interviews, behavioral observation and tests of intelligence (Wechsler Scales, Stanford-Binet, Illinois Test of Psycho-linguistic Abilities and group intelligence tests), including administration, scoring, interpretation and report writing. Prerequisite(s): admission to a graduate degree program in psychology. Students who have had a similar course without laboratory credit are required to enroll in a special problems laboratory. Offered fall term/semester only.

PSYC 5430. Assessment II. 4 hours. (3;3) Focuses on methods of assessing an individual’s achievement, aptitude, interests and personality. Considers objective and projective techniques as well as individual and group approaches. Includes interviewing, administration, scoring, interpretation and report writing. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5420. Students who have had a similar course without laboratory credit are required to enroll in a special problems laboratory. Offered spring term/semester only.

PSYC 5470. Vocational Psychology: Developmental Aspects. 3 hours. Explores theories of career development and work adjustment, history of vocational psychology, and contemporary issues.

PSYC 5580. Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy. 3 hours. Survey of methods and techniques used in the treatment of marital and family problems, and a professional orientation with particular emphasis on legal and ethical implications in the practice of marriage and family counseling. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5590 or equivalent, or consent of department.

PSYC 5590. Psychological Aspects of Marital and Family Interaction. 3 hours. Examination of pathological and healthy marital and family systems and subsystems, including marital stress points, parent-child interaction, family development and the implications of these considerations for marriage counseling and parent training.

PSYC 5640. Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior. 3 hours. Theories of research on social, psychological and biological dimensions of learning, cognition, affect, memory and motivation (e.g., culture, self-concept, perception, cognition, emotion, genotype and maturation). Prerequisite(s): PSYC 4690 or PSYC 4800 or equivalent, or consent of department.

PSYC 5670. Behavioral and Biopsychosocial Challenges within LGBT Communities. 3 hours. Understanding the health-related behaviors and psychosocial factors associated with sexual minorities (LGBT: lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered), primarily in the U.S. Designed for healthcare workers, educators, service providers and individuals who work with or are interested in LGBT communities. (Meets with PSYC 4670.)

PSYC 5680. Counseling Psychology Methods. 3 hours. (3;2) Introduction to counseling psychology, models of counseling and psychotherapy, and counseling methods. Students who have had a similar course without laboratory credit are required to enroll in a special problems laboratory.

PSYC 5690. Legal and Ethical Issues in Professional Practice. 3 hours. An intensive overview of legal procedures, state regulations and ethical guides relevant to professional practice. Prerequisite(s): consent of department.

PSYC 5700. Quantitative Methods I. 4 hours. (3;1) Graduate-level introduction to statistical methods of data analysis including introduction to robust methods, effect size estimation, correlational methods (e.g., regression), ANOVA. Assumes knowledge from undergraduate course. In lab, students learn to use computer programs for quantitative data exploration and analysis. Prerequisite(s): an introductory course in statistics.

PSYC 5710. Quantitative Methods II. 4 hours. (3;1) Builds on statistical methods of analysis begun in 5700 with more advanced techniques (e.g., repeated measures, ANOVA, contrasts, mixed design and logistic regression, outliers, factorial design). In lab, students learn to use computer programs for quantitative data analysis. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5700 or equivalent.

PSYC 5780. Psychopathology. 3 hours. A critical analysis of the classificatory systems, etiology and treatment of psychopathological behavior, with a view toward a sophisticated appreciation of the contemporary status and prospectus of this subject domain. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 4610 and PSYC 5010 or equivalents, or consent of department.

PSYC 5790. Physiological Psychology. 3 hours. Fundamentals of physiological psychology, including basic neurophysiological laboratory techniques and a survey of current research with an in-depth study in one research area by each student. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 4640 or its equivalent, or consent of department.

PSYC 5820. Assessment Practicum. 1–3 hours. Administer, synthesize, evaluate and communicate the results of psychological tests under supervision in various assessment settings approved by faculty. Prerequisite(s): grade of B or better in PSYC 5420 and 5430 (or consent of department); cumulative B average; no deficiencies; approved degree plan. Open only to graduate students in psychology. May be repeated for credit.

PSYC 5831-PSYC 5832. Psychological Methods Practicum. 1–3 hours each. Supervised practicum in a mental health services delivery agency. Experiences vary with mission and population served by the agency. Prerequisite(s): B or better in at least 6 hours of PSYC 5820 and/or recommendation of program committee. Open only to graduate students in psychology. May be repeated for credit.

PSYC 5840. Psychometric Theory. 3 hours. Systematic treatment of the logic of measurement, including such topics as scaling models, validity, variance and covariance, reliability, theories of measurement error and test construction. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5700.

PSYC 5850. Sport and Exercise Psychology Practicum. 1–3 hours. Supervised active participation in sport and exercise psychology activities within a sport or health-related agency/organization. Prerequisite(s): consent of department.

PSYC 5860. Seminar on the Psychology of Aging. 3 hours. Theoretical and research literature concerned with the psychological aspects of aging. Age-related changes in sensation, perception, learning, cognition and personality are considered from both a conceptual and methodological perspective as they bear on adjustment to late adulthood. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5010 or advanced study in developmental psychology. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. (Same as AGER 5860.)

PSYC 5880. Psychological Appraisal. 3 hours. (3;3) Group tests and scales used in the measurement of educational achievement, aptitude, intelligence, interest and personality; administering, scoring and interpreting tests in these areas.

PSYC 5890. Psychological Counseling for Late Maturity and Old Age. 3 hours. Study of the predictable and normal dependencies of aging; techniques of individual, family and group counseling applied to later life, with emphasis on problems of retirement, health and bereavement. (Same as AGER 5890.)

PSYC 5900-PSYC 5910. Special Problems. 1–4 hours each. Open to graduate students who are capable of developing a problem independently. Problems chosen by the student and approved in advance by the instructor. Open only to resident students.

PSYC 5950. Master’s Thesis. 3 or 6 hours. To be scheduled only with consent of department. 6 hours credit required. No credit assigned until thesis has been completed and filed with the graduate dean. Continuous enrollment required once work on thesis has begun. May be repeated for credit.

PSYC 6000. Introduction to Psychotherapy. 3 hours. Major models of therapy that emphasize an emotional or cognitive approach to corrective experience. Emphasis on analytic and humanistic theories and techniques, as well as the empirical evidence underlying them. Prerequisite(s): consent of department.

PSYC 6020. Child Psychotherapy. 3 hours. Theories, techniques and methods of psychotherapy with children. Emphasis on working with a child within the context of the family system. Prerequisite(s): open only to doctoral students in clinical and counseling psychology.

PSYC 6022. Advanced Interviewing. 2 hours. Preparation for applied work in counseling psychology, emphasizing specific theoretical orientations to interviewing in counseling and psychotherapy. Prerequisite(s): open only to graduate students in psychology.

PSYC 6060. Group Psychotherapy. 3 hours. An overview of the use of group psychotherapy. Involves experience as the leader of a therapeutic or “quasi-therapeutic” group. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 6000; for doctoral candidates in clinical and counseling psychology.

PSYC 6100. Psychopharmacology. 3 hours. Review of basic principles of pharmacology, major classes of psychoactive drugs, drug side effects, drug interactions and risk-benefit considerations in the use of prescription medications. Practical and ethical issues for the health professional are addressed. Prerequisite(s): consent of instructor.

PSYC 6110. Issues in Behavioral Medicine Consultation. 3 hours. Issues facing health psychologists in behavioral medicine settings. Malpractice risks related to health services (e.g., managed health care; privacy, consent, hospital record access; quality and review related to issues; interdisciplinary relationships, hospital privileges, multiple codes of ethics/legal constraints and hierarchical responsibility for medical regimes; medical liaison consultation with under-served populations). Prerequisite(s): consent of department.

PSYC 6120. Advanced Psychotherapy Techniques. 3 hours. (2;1) Demonstrations and experiential exercises intended to help the student develop proficiency in a wide range of intervention techniques, including Socratic dialogue, imagery, free recall, role playing, therapeutic writing, relaxation training, dream work and self-awareness exercises. Prerequisite(s): consent of instructor.

PSYC 6130. Assessment and Treatment of Substance Abuse. 3 hours. History of alcohol and drug use across cultures and the emergence of distinctions, sanctions and prohibitions. The major categories of psychotropic substances are reviewed, along with their chemical and behavioral effects. Characteristics of users and abusers are discussed. Various treatment approaches and their effectiveness are evaluated. Prerequisite(s): consent of instructor.

PSYC 6150. Marriage and Family Therapy I. 3 hours. (3;1) Examines health and dysfunction in the couple and family systems. Major theories of marital and family therapy are reviewed and several are examined and applied in depth. Emphasis is placed on psychological assessment of the family as a behavioral system, including administration, scoring and interpretation and report writing. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5420 or the equivalent, or consent of department.

PSYC 6160. Marriage and Family Therapy II. 3 hours. (3;1) Combines didactic instruction with applied intervention and supervision. Focuses on the application of principles of psychological counseling to facilitate constructive changes in the couple and family systems. Students conduct couple/family assessments and therapy, and receive ongoing weekly supervision. Prerequisite(s); PSYC 6150 or the equivalent, or consent of department.

PSYC 6200. Advanced Topics Seminar in Psychology. 1–3 hours. Issues and topics of current interest and importance in psychology not covered by current course offerings. Prerequisite(s): consent of department. May be repeated for credit.

PSYC 6300. Theory and Application of Multicultural Counseling. 3 hours. Focuses on increasing understanding and appreciation of human diversity. Survey of different world views, cultural values and treatment strategies for addressing needs of individuals from unique racial/ethnic backgrounds, religious affiliations and sexual orientations. Prerequisite(s): consent of instructor.

PSYC 6350. Pediatric Psychology. 3 hours. Medical and psychological issues related to childhood illnesses with intervention strategies, sample protocols and case examples of disorders in pediatric psychology settings. Advances, research and strategies for early childhood diseases, chronic conditions, suicide, consultation/liaison services, assessing and developing interventions; treatment adherence and compliance; educating and supporting the patient, family and staff.

PSYC 6400. Research Methodology Applications. 3 hours. Introduction to research methodology in psychology. Includes measurement theory, latent construct theory, experimental and quasi-experimental design, overview of data analytic strategies and power analysis. Focus on individual student projects. Prerequisite(s): consent of department.

PSYC 6410. Psychopathology and Treatment of Adolescents and Young Adults. 3 hours. Intensive program, designed primarily for advanced students in clinical or counseling psychology, concerning the nature and causes of psychopathology in adolescents and young adults, as well as current theories and treatments. Prerequisite(s): consent of department.

PSYC 6420. Neuropsychological Assessment. 4 hours. (3;1) Assessment of brain-behavior relationships frequently encountered in clinical settings, with particular emphasis on the Halstead-Reitan test battery for adults and the Reitan-Indiana test battery for children. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5420 or equivalent, and consent of department.

PSYC 6450. Psychodiagnostic Assessment. 4 hours. (3;3) Advances in psychodiagnostic assessment emphasizing the core personality battery to evaluate diagnosis, indicate prognosis and inform treatment, especially recommendations for psychotherapy. Includes scientific basis for selection and use of instruments given their different psychometric properties. Emphasizes consolidation of competence with projective methods and integration of findings across assessment techniques. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5430.

PSYC 6460. Diagnostic and Structured Interviewing. 4 hours. (3;3) Emphasis on theory and applied training with structured and semi-structured interview methods for diagnosis (SADS and SCID), as well as the more focused evaluations of psychopathology. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5430.

PSYC 6480. Ethics in Clinical Psychology. 3 hours. Intensive seminar of professional ethics and legal issues confronting clinical psychology. In addition to a theoretical grounding, students are asked to grapple with ethical quandaries via training experiences that include analysis of clinical and legal cases; role playing of ethical and professional-practice dilemmas; and participation in a mock oral examination of ethical and legal issues. Prerequisite(s): a PhD student in psychology and consent of instructor.

PSYC 6520. Forensic Psychology: Theory and Practice. 3 hours. Combined theoretical and applied emphasis provides specialization in forensic psychology. Seminar includes criminal (e.g., insanity and sentencing) and civil (e.g., malpractice and personal injury) topics. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5430 or PSYC 5880, or consent of department.

PSYC 6570. Developmental Health Psychology. 3 hours. Health and illness are explored from a developmental perspective. Psychological symptoms are discussed from a cause/effect perspective along with contributions of psychosocial variables. Medical and behavioral interventions are discussed.

PSYC 6610. Independent Research. 4 hours. Initiation and conduct of advanced research projects and the dissemination of the results. The purposes are to engender appreciation for scholarship and engage students in research projects with a high probability of journal publication. Prerequisite(s): doctoral standing in psychology. May be repeated for credit.

PSYC 6620. Supervision. 3 hours. Survey of the literature and best practices for supervision in a psychotherapy context. Definitions, theory-based approaches, supervision formats, and research are reviewed. Emphasis on helping students develop supervision skills through supervised experiences. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 6820 and PSYC 6830; consent of department.

PSYC 6630. Series on Psychotherapy Theory, Research and Practice. 3 hours. Intensive examination of theory, research findings, and techniques of a specific current model of psychotherapy. The goal is to further in-depth understanding and proficiency in application of the approach. A rotating series of psychotherapy models is covered (e.g., cognitive-behavioral approaches, psychodynamic approaches, treatment of trauma, etc.). Prerequisite(s): PSYC 6820 and PSYC 6830; consent of department. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

PSYC 6640. Theoretical Basis of Counseling Practice. 3 hours. Advanced examination of underlying theory of counseling practice, including review of cultural, analytic and brief therapy influences on treatment applications. Prerequisite(s): consent of department.

PSYC 6650. Psychoneuroimmunology. 3 hours. Combines information from psychology, endocrinology, immunology and physiology, and the way these relate to disease and/or health. Emphasis is placed on human psychological stress, distress, and immunity and related neuroendocrine pathways. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5790 or equivalent.

PSYC 6670. Personality. 3 hours. Analysis and applications of the major personality theories, bodies of research, and current issues to understand personality, including the integration of limited domain theories to develop a model of the whole person.

PSYC 6700. Psychodynamics. 3 hours. The development of intrapsychic processes and patterns of behavior as a part of adjustment to the stresses of life. Emphasis on defensive mechanisms and learned modes of coping with day-to-day problems. Both conscious and unconscious forces in motivation are considered. Prerequisite(s): consent of department.

PSYC 6710. Behavioral Toxicology. 3 hours. An examination of a range of environmental determinants that may be toxic to the human condition. Considers the implications of chemical exposure, overcrowding, nutrition, radiation and various pollutants to neuropsychological, behavioral, cognitive-emotional, other psychopathological processes and health risks.

PSYC 6760. Psychotherapy Methods and Behavioral Medicine. 4 hours. (3;2) Systematically reviews theories of psychotherapy and related research. Special attention is given to the mind/body relationship and the role of biopsychosocial factors when developing treatment strategies for individuals confronting psychological and medical problems. Laboratory work includes supervised practice in the design and implementation of behavior change paradigms. Prerequisite(s): consent of department.

PSYC 6810. Multivariate Procedures in Psychology. 3 hours. Multiple regression and factor analysis as applied to psychological research, theory and practical applications using statistical software. Background in statistics and statistical software desirable.

PSYC 6820-PSYC 6830. Practicum. 1–3 hours each. Readings, lectures and discussion to develop an appropriate level of knowledge (e.g., relationship of psychological science and practice, ethics, APA). Teaches technical skills necessary for a scientist-practitioner in the student’s specialty. (e.g., empirically-based and evidence-based evaluation and intervention, assessment and consultation). Prerequisite(s): open only to students admitted to a graduate program in psychology. May be repeated for credit.

PSYC 6840-PSYC 6850. Predoctoral Internship. 1–3 hours each. Required year-long, full-time field placement for all doctoral students in APA accredited programs. Internship is consistent with objectives of student’s program and current professional practices in a variety of agencies, hospitals, medical schools or other internship sites. Prerequisite(s): completion of all courses (except 6950) and passage of the specialty exam. Open only to PhD candidates. Pass/no pass only.

PSYC 6900-PSYC 6910. Special Problems. 1–3 hours each.

PSYC 6950. Doctoral Dissertation. 3, 6 or 9 hours. To be scheduled only with consent of department. 12 hours credit required. No credit assigned until dissertation has been completed and filed with the graduate dean. Doctoral students must maintain continuous enrollment in this course subsequent to passing qualifying examination for admission to candidacy. May be repeated for credit.

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