School Psychology Doctor of Psychology

This course provides an overview of consultation theory, research, and practice in psychology and education. In this course, learners study the rationale and techniques used in consultation and collaboration with teachers, parents, administrators, and other school personnel for the purpose of preventing and remediating the learning and adjustment problems of school-aged children. Learners familiarize themselves with the history and status of consultation, conceptual foundations and models, processes, intervention and evaluation considerations, practice and ethical issues, and training approaches to consultation.

This course focuses on the development of children and adolescents from infancy through adolescence. Learners apply a developmental framework to the process of designing, evaluating, and monitoring interventions to address complex school needs and apply information about developmental skills to evidence-based school- and district-level interventions. In addition, learners analyze the impact of multiple complex and challenging family issues on student development and apply an understanding of types of diversity along a developmental continuum to student needs at the school and district level.

This course introduces learners to the diagnostic schema used with children and adolescents in mental health and school psychology professions. Learners examine the DSM-5, focusing on developing mastery of diagnostic criteria for childhood disorders and applying this criteria to case studies, methodology, research, historical, and political aspects of diagnosis. Learners consider alternatives to the current diagnostic system in order to develop comprehensive counseling plans, and identify crisis prevention and intervention models used within the educational setting.

In this course, learners study current theories, research, and methods used in the neuropsychological assessment of various mental disorders in adults, children, and adolescents. Learners review various neuropsychological screening and assessment instruments, clinical interviewing methods, and neuropsychological test batteries that are commonly used in the evaluation and assessment of neuropsychological disorders. Learners are introduced to functional neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, as well as to common syndromes and disease processes that can impair the human brain and central nervous system functioning. In addition, learners investigate the role of emotional functioning and effort within the context of the overall neuropsychological assessment process and gain an understanding of how to write a neuropsychological report. For PsyD learners only. Prerequisite(s): PSY8230. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.

Learners in this course examine the biological factors related to psychopathology. The course emphasizes research problems and methods currently being explored in biological psychology. Topics include the role of genetic factors in psychopathology, the influence of physical and emotional trauma on brain function, biological considerations in treatment planning, addictive phenomena, and other clinically relevant subjects. Prerequisite(s): PSY7310. Learners in the PsyD in School Psychology degree program are exempt from this prerequisite. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.