Health Psychology Course Descriptions
Practicum in Health Psychology, PS700
This course is designed to permit students to gain practical
experience working in either clinical or research settings.
Students work a minimum of two days a week in a psychological,
psychiatric, or medical setting providing diagnostic,
treatment, and consultation services with clients or
working in a health psychology research setting. The
type of practicum site is dependent upon students' needs
and goals. An experienced psychologist at the practicum
site supervises students. The practicum course includes
an on-campus supervision seminar.
(Not open to First
Semester Students)
Assessment I: Psychometric Theory and Health Psychology Assessment Methods, PS701
This course provides an in-depth coverage of modern psychometric theory and test construction and validation. It addresses issues such as the theoretical bases for measurement, the reliability and validity of psychological measurement, the current status of measurement, and guidelines for developing measurement instruments. The course is required of psychology majors and is open to other health care majors and professionals.
Assessment II: Cognitive Assessment, PS702
This course will cover the fundamentals of cognitive assessment including test administration, scoring, interpretation, and report writing. The Weschler tests of intelligence, achievement, and memory (i.e., WAISS-III & WISC-IV, WIAT, and WMS-III) are among the most frequently used measures in clinical psychology and they will be highlighted in this course. There will be a focus on interviewing and history taking in cognitive assessment, conceptualizations of intelligence, ethics in assessment, and socio-cultural factors. Classroom presentations and discussions will emphasize evaluation of clinical and case materials that are often the focus of clinical referral, i.e., mental retardation, ADHD, Learning Disability, and Special Learning Disability.
Neuropsychology, PS703
This course provides an in-depth coverage of neuropsychology. It addresses issues such as basic adult brain functioning, theories of brain function, basic anatomy of the central nervous system, neurodevelopment, the effects of traumatic brain injury, the effects of vascular disorders and dementia, and the basic principles of neuropsychological assessment.
Assessment III: Neuropsychological Assessment, PS704
This course emphasizes clinical application of neuropsychological research knowledge for assessment. Classroom presentations and discussion will emphasize evaluation of clinical and case materials. It will cover such issues as conceptual and procedural issues in neuropsychological assessment, neuropsychological assessment approaches and methods, empirical findings in selected disorders, and the neuropsychologist's role in prognosis estimation, treatment planning, and rehabilitation.
Assessment IV: Personality Assessment, PS705
Develop in students an in-depth understanding of the major techniques used in clinical practice for the purpose of assessing personality. Students will learn how to administer, score, and interpret major instruments (e.g., MMPI, NEO PI-R, CISS). In addition, students will develop the skills necessary to know when to administer personality tests, which tests to select for a particular population, and how to integrate data from these tests with other assessment data (i.e., diagnostic interview and mental status examination, cognitive assessment procedures) for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment planning. Special attention will be given to ongoing debates regarding the reliability and validity of major objective and projective instruments.
Health Psychology Treatment Interventions I, PS706
This course focuses on teaching students basic interviewing skills in clinical health psychology. Students are taught how to make psychiatric and medical diagnoses using structured interviews. The course also covers the fundamental skills of cognitive-behavior therapy, referral to other health care providers, and record keeping.
Graduate Statistics and Experimental Design I, PS723
This course is designed as a first course in graduate-level statistics for students in psychology. It assumes that students have completed an introductory statistics course. Provides in-depth coverage research design of regression analysis and the general linear model. Addresses simple linear regression, partial and semi-partial correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, pre- and post-test diagnostics, stepwise models and, hierarchical regression analysis.
Research Design and Program Evaluation, PS725
This course provides an in-depth coverage of program evaluation methods. It addresses issues such as designing and using process evaluation, using qualitative approaches, outcome monitoring, constructing natural experiments, quasi-experimental designs, methods of data collection, methods of data analysis, and planning and managing evaluation for maximum effectiveness.
Graduate Statistics and Experimental Design II, PS726
Students will learn the theory, mechanics, and applications of multivariate research and statistical procedures. These techniques form the foundation for applied field research on the epidemiology, etiology, and theoretical mechanisms of physical and mental illness. In addition, multivariate research methods are the foundation for constructing reliable and valid tests and surveys. The course will cover these topics: principal components analysis, factor analysis, canonical correlation analysis, cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling, discriminant analysis, multivariate analysis of variance, advanced regression topics (path analysis, experimental design coding, and advanced diagnostics), and structural equation modeling.
Ethics and Legal Issues, PS733
This course gives students an in-depth understanding of the American Psychological Association ethical standards and code of conduct for psychologists, with special emphasis on the ethical dilemmas in health care and ethical care delivery.
Master's Research, PS799
This course provides a platform for MS health psychology thesis track students to propose, conduct, write up, and present independent scientific research on a topic in health psychology. A minimum of 10 credit hours is required for graduation in the MS health psychology thesis track program.
Crisis Intervention, PS801
Students will learn techniques for assisting individuals in times of severe threats to emotional well-being, utilizing state-of-the-art procedures, such as controlling affect, focusing on options, and mobilizing social-support networks. Stress-management techniques will be emphasized.
Health Psychology Treatment Interventions II, PS803
Cognitive-behavioral therapy seeks to change the cognitions,
i.e., the thoughts that are maintaining conditions of
psychological disorders. Students in this course will learn
about the two basic models of this therapeutic approach,
cognitive restructuring and cognitive coping skills therapy.
Current research in these areas will be stressed.
(Prerequisite:
PS706; open to psychology majors)
Psychopathology, PS812
The course will review historical and current concepts,
research, and theory in psychopathology. Major theoretical
perspectives (e.g., psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive,
sociocultural, and genetic/biological) on abnormal behavior
will be covered. The course will emphasize descriptive
psychopathology, namely phenomenology, epidemiology,
etiology, and course of disorder, as well as empirically
supported treatment approaches. Students will learn how
to conduct the Structured Clinical Interview for Psychiatric
Disorders (SCID) during this course.
(Prerequisites: graduate
student status and permission of instructor)
Health Psychology Treatment Interventions III, PS829
This course focuses on advanced psychological intervention
techniques such as behavioral medicine, group therapy,
family therapy, pain management, couples therapy, and
interpersonal therapy for psychiatric and psychological
disorders and medical disorders. The exact content of
the course will vary depending of the orientation of
the instructor.
(Prerequisites: PS706 and PS803; open to
psychology majors)
Health Psychology Professional Seminar, PS830
This is a special topics seminar in health psychology. This seminar allows for specialization within the health psychology program and is designed to give students cutting-edge information about current issues in health psychology. Sample topics might include psychoneuroimmunology, psychosocial interventions for cancer, stress management, eating disorders, pain management, neurobehavioral recovery from head injury, hypnosis, alternative health treatments, interventions for chemical dependency, and the epidemiology, etiology, and treatment of depression.
Independent Study in Health Psychology, PS885
This course provides a platform for students to study specialized, advanced topics in health psychology with a faculty member. Typically, students will be expected to write a 20-page paper describing the results of their specialized study. This course will allow students in the MS health psychology program to pursue issues such as neuropsychological testing with older adults, family therapy, group therapy, or adolescent psychology at the graduate level.
