Core/General Curriculum

The Core Curriculum is an essential part of each graduate program and provides a framework for both creative and critical thinking.  This interdisciplinary approach brings students together from various academic disciplines in Core courses in the finest tradition of Immaculata’s holistic approach to education.  Faculty and students in the Core share their unique perspectives to assist one another in understanding essential aspects of ethical professionalism such as personal development, human interaction, and rigorous research standards.

General Core Student Learning Outcomes and Requirements

Based on a personalized educational program emphasizing student commitment to individual development through reflection, demonstration of growth toward appropriate interpersonal behavior, moral responsibility and service to others.

Students will demonstrate:

• Advanced knowledge of the major methods and theoretical foundations of scholarly inquiry integrating this knowledge through research and professional practice.
• Higher order critical thinking in applying information literacy skills.
• Application of advanced knowledge and skills to achieve professional competence through appropriate university and program specific requirements.
• Involvement in current social issues through coursework, competent and ethical professional practice, and research initiatives.
• Ability to make ethical decisions in their life experiences that respect the values of others in accordance with codes of professional practice.

Core Courses

Course Descriptions

GEN 501               Human Development (3)

This course provides opportunities for students to understand and appreciate the developmental experiences of all people across the lifespan. This course includes: development theories related to the human growth process, and salient biological and environmental factors which affect the process of human growth and development.

GEN 502               Methods of Research (3)

This course is designed to examine comprehensive methodological approaches to qualitative and quantitative research and the basic research process. Skills in critiquing research, evaluating the research outcomes as valid, reliable, and useful and the application of this knowledge and skill in the creation of a literature review are included. Students who receive a grade of B- or below in Methods of Research at the master’s level will be required to repeat the course.

GEN 503               Interpersonal Relations (3)

This course is a study of the meaning of interpersonal relationships, focusing on key concepts; raising the level of one's self-awareness, and developing a basic framework for understanding person-to-person and group interactions.

GEN 506           Interprofessional Health Care Research (3)

This course focuses on the processes of research in healthcare professions and evidence-based practice. The historical, scientific, and theoretical context of healthcare research is examined. Ethical issues involved in the conduction of research are explored. The use of scientific evidence to improve healthcare practice and patient outcomes is emphasized.

EDL 702                Methods of Doctoral Research (3)

An overview of methods used to conduct educational research with emphasis on locating and evaluating research literature.  Course content includes the scientific method, development of research questions, formulation of research designs with ethical considerations, and professional critiques of methodologies.  Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method designs will be reviewed.  Design of an action research project will be required.  Scholarly writing and APA formatting will be a focus.  (Course must be taken within the first 12 credits of the doctoral program.

HED 702               Methods of Research (3)

This course provides an overview of methods used to conduct and evaluate research in the area of social science. This course will include discussion on the scientific method, development of research questions, exploration of literature, formulation of research designs, and professional critique of methodologies. Additionally, the focus of this course will be on the continuum of designs from the least to most constraint. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method designs will be reviewed.

PSYC 705              Human Development (3)

This course covers some of the major concepts and lines of research and inquiry within the field of human development, mainly for a theoretical and research-based perspective. Development is considered as an overarching construct with which to view cognition, affect, social relatedness, etc. Recent theorists and researchers are studied especially for their clinical relevance. Issues related to diversity will be addressed specifically throughout the course. Open only to Psy.D. students in Clinical Psychology.

PSYC 706              Research and Statistics I (3)

This course is the first course in a 2-course series. Topics include developing research questions; designing experimental and non-experimental research studies; identifying threats to validity; conducting and writing systematic literature reviews; and applying research findings to psychological practice. Students will gain familiarity with research ethics, meta-analysis, data screening, univariate statistical tests, power analysis, and the use of technology in data analysis. Each student will begin a two-semester individual research project, to be completed in PSYC 707, in this course. (Prerequisite: PSYC 703). Open only to Psy.D. students in Clinical Psychology.

PSYC 707              Research and Statistics II (3)

This course is the second course in a 2-course series. Students will gain familiarity with effect size calculation and advanced and multivariate statistical tests, including MANOVA, factor analysis, discriminant analysis, and regression techniques. Students will also become familiar with qualitative research models, methods, and data analysis techniques. Students will complete the individual research projects begun in PSYC 706 in this course. Prerequisite: PSYC 706. Open only to Psy.D. students in Clinical Psychology.

EDL 734                Dissertation Research Seminar (3)

Guidance of student efforts to translate theoretical constructions and research ideas into useful plans to be incorporated into the research proposal. Focus will be placed on developing effective APA writing skills as well as methods of defense of written plans.  Course includes preparation for all aspects of the dissertation process. Grading is Pass or Fail.  (Prerequisite: successful completion of required course work and comprehensive examination.)

HED 794               Dissertation Research and Evaluation (3)

In-depth exploration of research related to the dissertation topic culminating in a comprehensive literature review suitable to serve as Chapter 2 of the dissertation; pro and con arguments from the literature are explored; student’s written work, the qualifying paper, serves as the basis for an oral defense of the need for the study. The defense fulfills the requirement of the qualifying examination for candidacy; the student is only permitted to participate in the qualifying hearing twice. In order to be eligible for HED 794, the student must have completed all required course work with a GPA of 3.3 or higher, and also must secure the approval of the Program Director. (See Dissertation Handbook for guidelines.) Grading is “pass/fail.”

PSYC 790             Dissertation Research Seminar (3)

This seminar is designed to prepare students for beginning their dissertation in the Fall and Spring semesters. Students review the Dissertation Handbook, including dissertation requirements, formatting, information technology, committee selection, ethical issues in research and the department’s timeline for completing the dissertation process. Students work in seminar format to refine dissertation topics and methodology and write a significant portion of their literature review. Grading is "Pass" or "Fail." . Open only to Psy.D. students in Clinical Psychology.

EDL 797/PSYC 797         Degree Candidacy Application / Comprehensive Examination (0)

A culminating experience which assesses the student’s ability to synthesize and integrate knowledge. Grading is “Pass” or “Fail”. See specific department for details.