MU Catalog » Course descriptions »
PS 500 Research and Evaluation (3)
Provides an overview of various research approaches, methods and techniques, with an emphasis on interpretation of published research data. Topics include methods of data analysis, research designs, data collection techniques, and writing research reports.
PS 501 Bases of Psychopathology (3)
Examines various contemporary views of abnormal behavior such as the medical, behavioristic, and humanistic models, and theories of personality. Disorders are examined in terms of individual, biological, and socially causative factors. Must be completed prior to or concurrent with any clinical and professional skills courses.
PS 502 Foundations, Ethics, and Professional Issues in Community Counseling (3)
Examines contemporary views of behavior in a sociocultural and historical perspective, enabling the student to acquire a holistic overview of the counseling field. Addresses professional and ethical issues confronting human service providers. Must be completed prior to or concurrent with any clinical and professional skills courses.
PS 503 Advanced Human Growth and Development (3)
A survey of research and findings in the field of development across the life span. Topics include philosophical models of development such as the organismic and contextual models; the nature-nurture and continuity-discontinuity controversies; and state theories of development such as those of Kohlberg, Piaget, Freud, and Erikson.
PS 505 Advanced Study of Individuals with Exceptionalities (3)
Examines the relationship between normal psychosocial development and the development of various exceptionalities including sensory handicaps, mental deviations, communication disorders, behavior disorders, learning disabilities, health impairments, and the gifted/talented. Emphasis is placed on etiology, diagnosis, and intervention techniques, as well as on the sociocultural and vocational aspects of disabilities. Field experience: 10 hours.
PS 507 Applied Social Psychology (3)
Focusing on how social and individual factors influence behavior, the course addresses topics such as attitudes, conformity, prejudice, relationship formation, sex roles, age, and cultural and ethnic influences.
PS 508 Crisis Intervention (3)
Familiarizes the student with the different aspects of crisis intervention, including the life cycle of an emotional crisis, the effective crisis therapist, and crisis assessment and intervention strategies and techniques.
PS 509 Substance Abuse Assessment and Intervention (3)
The goal is to familiarize the student with the various aspects of substance abuse and its treatment. Topics include definitions and conceptualizations of substance abuse; medical, social, and behavioral models of addiction; psychopharmacology of drugs; and intervention strategies and techniques.
PS 510 Survey of Testing and Assessment (3)
An overview of test design, construction, and interpretation. Emphasis is placed on intellectual, cognitive, and educational tests, while personality, vocational, and interest inventories also are introduced. Practical issues of testing, including ethical concerns, are examined.
PS 511 Psychoeducational Assessment and Instructional Programming (3)
Designed to help the teacher develop techniques of formal and informal assessment, data collection and interpretation, and individual educational planning for exceptional learners. Clinical practice in use of appraisal instruments is provided.
PS 513 Assessment of Personality and Social Functioning (3)
Further develops knowledge of the administration, scoring, and interpretation of personality tests, interest inventories, and vocational tests. Emphasis on test administration and interpretation. Prerequisite: PS 510.
PS 515 Techniques for Behavioral Diagnosis and Intervention (3)
Develops skills in ascertaining and managing a student’s emotional overlay through individual and group behavior management techniques. Emphasis is placed on the development of competencies relative to individual and group management including self-monitoring skills and the use of classroom peers as behavior change agents.
PS 516 Adolescent Psychology (3)
The purpose of this course is to develop an advanced level of understanding of theoretical and practical knowledge of adolescent psychology and how it relates to human growth and development. Emphasis is on helping the student to understand and apply the results of research studies to current issues facing today’s adolescents. Biological, emotional, psychological, cognitive, and social development will be examined along with critical issues and topics determined by the interest of the class.
PS 517 Neuropsychological Issues, Treatments, and Assessments (3)
The impact of biological and physiological factors on human psychological functioning is investigated with primary focus on how these factors impact on the etiology of psychiatric disorders. Assessment of neurophysiological factors and available treatment options also are discussed.
PS 519 Personality Theories (3)
A systematic study and analysis of the major theoretical approaches to the study of personality, personality development, and individual differences. Particular emphasis is given to applications of these theories to current situations.
PS 520 Theories of Counseling (3)
Furnishes an overview of theories of counseling and psychotherapy and examines the philosophical systems underlying those models. The course also provides a background in professional ethics and standards and knowledge of issues related to the application of psychological services to diverse populations. Must be taken prior to or concurrent with any clinical and professional skills courses.
PS 522 Counseling for Individuals (3)
Focuses on skills necessary for effective interaction and communication in a variety of situations, with the emphasis on individual counseling. A special section for School Counseling students addresses the skills necessary to carry out individual counseling in the school setting. A minimum grade of B is required. Corequisites: Counseling — PS 501 and PS 520; Prerequisite: School Counseling — PS 520.
PS 523 Group Counseling Techniques (3)
By combining discussions of various techniques of group counseling with in-class experiences in group dynamics, this course enables the student to develop skills for working with clients of diverse backgrounds in various settings. A special section for School Counseling students addresses the skills necessary to carry out group counseling in the school setting. A minimum grade of B is required. Prerequisite: PS 522.
PS 524 Theories and Techniques of Family Counseling (3)
Provides an eclectic view of family dynamics and counseling strategies while also providing the student with practical skills for working with families of diverse backgrounds. Prerequisite: PS 522.
PS 529 Psychopathology of Childhood and Adolescence (3)
A systematic study of behavioral and emotional disorders in children and adolescents including identification of factors impacting on deviance: genetic, biological, cognitive, familial, and social. A field experience is required.
PS 530 Career Development Counseling (3)
Presents a framework for understanding how career development issues unfold, what the appropriate counseling procedures are at each stage, and use of various assessment procedures. A special section for School Counseling students addresses the skills necessary to carry out career counseling in the school setting.
PS 534 Counseling Children and Adolescents (3)
Provides an overview of the assessment, treatment, and ethical issues unique to counseling children and adolescents in mental health or educational settings. It provides students with relevant information about child and adolescent development and strategies for dealing with at-risk populations. Also explores the techniques used to understand and evaluate child and adolescent behavior. Prerequisites: PS 522 and PS 529.
PS 536 Advanced Counseling: Theories and Techniques (3)
This course will emphasize the clinical issues that arise in counseling, including issues of alienation from the self, lack of effective coping skills, and interpersonal difficulties. It will include the various components of the patient-counselor interaction, including how to understand the client, how to form a working alliance, and how to set and achieve goals in counseling. It will help the student-counselor to understand his or her own reactions and attitudes toward the client, as well as the client’s experiences during counseling. Prerequisites: PS 522, PS 523, and PS 597.
PS 540 Contemporary and Historical Religious Perspectives (3)
Offers students an overview of the various religious and spiritual perspectives from the religions of the world. Students will explore beliefs, traditions, rituals, and practices from various religious and spiritual frameworks. Students will also be expected to share and explore personal religious and spiritual belief systems as they relate to their identity as a pastoral counselor.
PS 541 Pastoral Counseling Integration (3)
Prepares students to integrate counseling theory with spiritual and theological principles. Taught in seminar format, this course includes spiritual and religious perspectives in the field of counseling, theoretical counseling applications in spiritual settings, and applied exercise in personal and professional development for pastoral counselors. Course to be taken at the end of the student’s program.
PS 542 Grief and Loss (3)
Designed to provide a foundation for practice in the area of grief and loss. The practice of grief counseling is based on an in-depth understanding of the various theories and models associated with grief and loss and the applications of those models. Major and minor types of losses related to grief and loss will be explored as well as differing reactions across developmental stages. Self-exploration of personal experiences, responses, and reactions to grief and loss will be examined.
PS 549 Moral and Spiritual Development and Ethical Issues in Counseling (3)
Offers a foundation into the theories and models of moral and spiritual development and addresses the common ethical issues associated with these theories as they relate to the counseling profession. Prerequisite: PS 503.
PS 551 Multicultural Counseling (3)
A survey of minority mental health literature concerning the role of cultural, ethnic, and racial influences on behavior, coping, symptoms, assessment, psychopathology, and treatment. Focus is on developing an understanding of the impact of ethnicity on the mental health status of minority individuals.
PS 560 Foundations, Ethics, and Professional Issues in School Counseling (3)
An introductory overview of school counseling programs at the elementary, middle, and secondary levels. Philosophy and basic principles in school counseling are addressed. This course requires a 20-hour field experience in a school setting. Offered fall semester only
PS 561 Practices of School Counseling (3)
This course provides an overview of counseling practices necessary to function at the elementary, middle, and secondary levels. Focus is on facilitating the continuing advancement of professional knowledge and skills through the presentation of techniques and strategies for working with elementary, middle, and secondary students in all areas of the school setting. Offered spring semester only. Prerequisites: PS 560 and PS 522. Corequisite: PS 597.
PS 580 Introduction to Forensic Psychology (3)
Introduces the students to the field of forensic psychology. Basic areas covered are an overview of the American legal system; an overview of the American mental health system; legal research and writing; psychological research and writing; academic integrity and ethical issues in forensic psychology; legal ethics; locating and applying for an internship; security clearances, career issues, and networking; understanding the Student Handbook; issues in the Marymount Forensic Psychology program; and various specific topics in the field.
PS 581 Psychology and the Law (3)
This course provides an introductory understanding of the interrelationships between psychology and the law in criminal, civil, juvenile, and family law settings. Particular attention is given to issues of insanity and incompetence in criminal proceedings, civil commitment, rights of mental patients, ethical issues for forensic psychologists, and legal regulation of mental health practice.
PS 582 Advanced Issues in Forensic Psychology (3)
Assumes knowledge of the basic concepts and research in the field. The primary purpose is to give the student greater comfort and familiarity with the American legal system and the opportunity to participate in various role simulations or a mock trial. With the help of a group of attorney advisors, students will examine the role of the judge, the jury, the attorney, and the psychologist/mental health expert witness as well as various other participants in a trial.
PS 584 Psychology of Criminal Behavior (3)
Provides basic understanding of the origins and consequences of criminal behavior including biological, cognitive, behavioral, psychosocial, and developmental perspectives.
PS 585 Forensic Assessment (3)
This course will develop the capacity and competence of students to analyze and understand the psychological assessments most frequently required in forensic settings. Students will become familiar with test administration and interpretation as well as test design, methodology, and standardization data on a variety of assessment tools.
PS 586 Field Experience in Criminal Court (3)
Offers the student an opportunity to spend a significant amount of time observing in criminal court under the mentorship of a judge. Students will study trial advocacy (the parts of the trial; effective advocacy; and the role of the lawyers, judges, parties, and witnesses) and critically evaluate the court system. Students who take this course should be prepared for multiple readings and additional hours undertaking course activities. Students will have the opportunity to talk with judges and attorneys on a regular basis.
PS 587 Psychology, Social Policy, and Law (3)
Introduces the student to issues in the development and implementation of public policy in the legal system, with special emphasis on the role of psychological knowledge. The course will acquaint the student with theoretical issues of policy development and the basics of the legislative process, as well as provide an opportunity to work on a selected policy issue.
PS 588 Police Psychology (3)
Provides the student with a foundation in the field of police psychology, specifically the role of the psychologist and the use of psychological principles and concepts in the police department. Traditional roles of the psychologist, as well as new and emerging functions, will be addressed.
PS 589 Behavioral Criminology (3)
This elective is an introduction to behavioral criminology, the analysis of criminal behavior and its underlying motivations from an investigative as well as a psychological perspective. The techniques involved in this field can be used to help solve crimes and identify offenders.
PS 590 Issues in Criminal Assessment and Investigation (3)
This team-taught course offers an in-depth analysis of several important areas of forensic psychology: false confessions, investigative interviewing and the polygraph, and violence risk assessment. Combining both theoretical knowledge and practical application of current research in these fields, it demonstrates the appropriate use of the polygraph and other techniques used in assessment and interrogation, paying special attention to the complex ethical issues in this area of forensic psychology.
PS 592 Foundations of Political Psychology (3)
This elective offers the students a foundation in the field of political psychology, an interdisciplinary behavioral science that provides psychological profiling and assessment of political leaders and group behavior. In addition, this course covers aspects of the field of psychological operations and the role of culture in political personality profiling.
PS 597C Practicum (3)
The practicum in Counseling provides students with beginning practical experience in a counseling setting. The practicum totals 180 hours over one semester, including 40 hours of direct client contact. Weekly on-site supervision by the on-site supervisor and weekly individual and group supervision by the University supervisor are involved. A minimum grade of B is required. Prerequisites: PS 501, PS 502, PS 520, PS 522, PS 551, completion of 24 credits, and permission of the graduate Counseling faculty. Corequisite: PS 523.
PS 597PC Pastoral Counseling Practicum (3)
Provides the student with beginning practical experience in a pastoral counseling setting. Practicum hours take place over one semester and include a weekly seminar. The practicum in Pastoral Counseling facilitates the continuing advancement of professional knowledge and skills through an on-site field experience that enables students to observe and practice various techniques and strategies utilized in a pastoral and spiritual setting. Students complete 300 hours of supervised field experience in a pastoral counseling setting and attend a weekly seminar on campus. A minimum grade of B is required. Prerequisites: PS 501, PS 502, PS 520, PS 522, PS 540, completion of 24 credits, and permission of the graduate Counseling faculty.
PS 597S School Counseling Practicum (3)
The practicum in School Counseling facilitates the continuing advancement of professional knowledge and skills through an on-site field experience that enables students to observe and practice various techniques and strategies utilized by school counselors in the school setting. Students complete 100 hours of supervised field experience in an elementary, middle, or high school setting and attend a weekly group supervision seminar on campus. In addition, students will meet individually with a University supervisor each week. Offered spring semester only. A minimum grade of B is required. Prerequisites: PS 522, PS 560, completion of 24 credits, and permission of the graduate Counseling faculty. Corequisite: PS 561.
PS 598 Project (3)
Individually arranged seminar to explore in greater depth an area of interest to the student. May only be taken after 75 percent of the program requirements are fulfilled. Prerequisite: permission of the dean of the School of Education and Human Services.
PS 599 Internship (6)
Provides the student with practical experience in an applied setting. Internship hours must be done over a minimum of 8 months. Students attend a weekly seminar. Internships must have prior approval of the internship coordinator. A minimum grade of B is required. Prerequisites: successful completion of PS 597, 30 credits in the program, and permission of the faculty.
PS 599F Internship: Forensic Psychology (3)
Designed to give the student supervised experience working in a forensic setting. The internship requires a total of 300 hours, including attending a seminar at Marymount. Internship sites will be selected in conjunction with the Forensic Psychology faculty. In order to be admitted to the internship, the student must have completed the internship application process that includes a review of the student’s progress, submission of appropriate paperwork, documentation of student professional liability insurance, and permission of the faculty.
PS 599PC Internship: Pastoral Counseling (6)
Provides the student with practical experience in an applied pastoral counseling setting. A total of 600 hours must be completed in the internship over a minimum of eight months. Students attend a weekly seminar. Internships must have prior approval of the internship coordinator. A minimum grade of B is required. Prerequisites: successful completion of PS 597PC, 30 credits in the program, and permission of the faculty.
PS 599S Internship: School Counseling (3-6)
Provides a transitional school counseling experience by engaging the student in a practical, day-to-day work schedule under close supervision. In order to be admitted to the internship, the student must have completed the internship application process that includes a review of the student’s progress, submission of appropriate paperwork by January 15, documentation of student professional liability insurance, and permission of the faculty. Offered fall and spring semesters only: 600 hours. A minimum grade of B is required. Prerequisites: PS 522, PS 523, PS 560, PS 561, and PS 597, completion of 30 credits, and permission of the graduate Counseling faculty.