Graduate Course Descriptions

Overview of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, brain-mind-behavior relationships; diagnostic and clinical issues. Open only to Psy.D. students in Clinical Psychology.

Review of cognitive psychological processes and paradigms for learning, memory, sensation, decision making, perception, reasoning, and information processing. (Prerequisite: PSYC 700) Open only to Psy.D. students in Clinical Psychology.

Review of APA ethics code, Pennsylvania psychology and legal issues; specialty guidelines; ethics-law distinction; diversity and; professional issues; practice considerations in which students are encouraged to reason through case applications of ethical dilemmas. Open only to Psy.D. students in Clinical Psychology.

This course explores theories and techniques of psychological measurement. Concepts of reliability and validity; classical and contemporary measurement theories; and test standardization processes will be examined. Qualitative and quantitative scale development strategies will be explored. Relevant laws and ethical principles will be reviewed. Open only to Psy.D. students in Clinical Psychology.

This is an as-needed course for students beginning practicum on or around July 1.

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.

This course is the first course in a 2-course series. Topics include developing research questions; designing experimental and nonexperimental 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.

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.

This course first reviews and sharpens skills in diagnostic reasoning using the DSM-5 and critically reviews the DSM-5 categorical approach to psychopathology. A more science-based, in-depth approach to psychopathology will be explored through recent theoretical and empirical advances in developmental psychopathology and affect neuroscience, and through a dimensional and therapeutic approach to assessing personality functioning. Psychopathology is addressed as based in the individual’s context including gender, ethnicity, race, socio-economic and community factors. Implications for the psychotherapy process are also addressed. Open only to PsyD students in Clinical Psychology (Pre-requisite PSYC 608).

Course includes group theory and member selection; ethics; group leadership; techniques for coping with group process and individual group members; diversity; application of concepts to organizational systems; role playing. Open only to Psy.D. students in Clinical Psychology.