COURSE NAME: Professionalization Group I

COURSE NUMBER: PP 7110

COURSE NAME: Professionalization Group I

TERM: Fall 2008

INSTRUCTOR:

Mirjam Quinn, Ph.D.

PHONE:

773-474-9840

EMAIL:

FAX:

312-777-7748

ALT PHONE:

REQUIRED TEXTS: NONE

This Course Requires the Purchase of a Course Packet: YES NO

Argosy University

COURSE SYLLABUS

PP7110-7111

Professionalization Group

Faculty Information

Faculty Name: Mirjam Quinn, Ph.D.

Campus: Chicago

Contact Information:

Phone: 312-777-7676

E-Mail:

Office Hours: By Appt.

Course description: These discussion groups for first year students are led by a core faculty and meet once a week for one hour. Students discuss topics related to professional psychology and the development of a professional identity. The faculty leading the group will help students with academic and field training planning, general consultation on problems or difficulties in the program, and questions emerging during the student’s first-year academic experience.

Course Pre-requisites: none

Technology: Pentium III CPU/ Windows 98; 128MB RAM printer; Microsoft Office: Acrobat (full version); Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 (PC), 5.0 (MAC), or Netscape Navigator 4.08; Norton Antivirus.

Course length: 28 Weeks

Contact Hours: 28 Hours

Credit Value: 2.0

Doctoral Program Mission Statement: The Doctoral program in Clinical Psychology at Argosy University Chicago Campus is an APA accredited program (APA, 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002, 202-336-5500). This program is designed to educate and train students so that they may eventually be able to function effectively as clinical psychologists. To ensure that students are prepared adequately, the curriculum provides for the meaningful integration of theory, training and practice. The Clinical Psychology program at Argosy University Chicago Campus emphasizes the development of attitudes, knowledge, and skills essential in the formation of professional psychologists who are committed to the ethical provision of quality services. Specific objectives of the program include the following:

·  Goal 1: Prepare professional psychologists to accurately, effectively, and ethically select, administer, score, interpret, and communicate findings of appropriate assessment methods informed by accepted psychometric standards and sensitive to the diverse characteristics and needs of clients.

o  Objective 1a: Accurately and ethically administer and score various psychodiagnostic instruments.

o  Objective 1b: Accurately interpret and synthesize assessment data in the context of diversity factors, referral questions, and specific objectives of the assessment, and organize and communicate results in writing and orally.

o  Objective 1c: Examine psychometric properties of psychological assessment instruments, and use that knowledge to evaluate, select, administer, and interpret psychological tests and measures appropriate for the client, the referral question, and the objectives of the assessment.

·  Goal 2: Prepare professional psychologists to select, implement, and evaluate psychological interventions consistent with current ethical, evidence-based, and professional standards, within a theoretical framework, and with sensitivity to the interpersonal processes of the therapeutic relationship and the diverse characteristics and needs of clients.

o  Objective 2a: Synthesize the foundations of clinical psychology, including psychopathology, human development, diagnosis, diversity, ethics, and various therapeutic models in clinical applications.

o  Objective 2b: Select, plan, and implement ethical and evidence-based interventions with sensitivity to the diverse characteristics and needs of clients.

o  Objective 2c: Demonstrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes to effectively implement and participate in psychological consultation and supervision.
Objective 2d: Demonstrate personal development and self-reflective capacity, including growth of interpersonal skills, and therapeutic relationships.

·  Goal 3: Prepare professional psychologists to analyze the complexity and multidimensionality of human diversity, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to understand diverse worldviews and the potential meaning of social, cultural, and individual differences for professional psychological services.

·  Goal 4: Prepare professional psychologists to examine the historical context and the current body of knowledge of biological, cognitive, affective, developmental, and social bases of human functioning.

·  Goal 5: Prepare professional psychologists to critically evaluate the current and evolving body of scholarly literature in psychology to inform professional practice.

Purpose: The professionalization group serves many functions.While the group offers a structure within which students obtain advisement with respect to academic and training issues, it also provides an opportunity for students to gain personal and professional support as they begin their graduate education in this broad, complex, and dynamic field.Throughout the course of the year, the group will meet to discuss questions and concerns that arise as you embark on this stage of your professional development.We will also talk about your observations, prepare for some of the milestones in your PsyD training (such as practicum, comprehensives, and CRP), and read and discuss articles pertaining to important issues in professional psychology. In addition, the pro group provides opportunities for you to offer and receive feedback on some of the related, but not specifically academic, skills we think a clinician should possess (e.g., critical self-evaluation; being able to articulate your ideas clearly, etc.).

Objectives:

1. To provide a forum for advisement and discussion with regard to school policies, courses, training issues, and professional development.

2. To become familiar with ISPP-Argosy University/Chicago’s mission statement and philosophy, as well as the practitioner-scholar model underlying our professional psychology programs.

3. To promote students’ own development in examining and clarifying professional values and goals.

4. To introduce students to the scope and nature of the theory and practice of professional psychology.

5. To sensitize students to issues of diversity as an important component of graduate education in clinical psychology, and to invite students into a process of self-reflection with respect to their own social and cultural identities.

6. To facilitate adherence and commitment to the ethical codes and professional standards of psychology.

7. To respond to the concerns identified by the group members in order to support the professional development of each member.

In this class, we will have the flexibility to address the issues which particularly interest (or trouble) group members. The topics may include but are not limited to the following (in no particular order):

·  Prevention/wellness (including compassion fatigue, burnout, etc.)

·  Expanding areas of practice

·  Supervision and administration

·  Understanding and influencing the public’s perception of psychology

·  Managed Care and other factors influencing the delivery of health care

·  Psychology and social responsibility

·  Political involvement and activism

·  Prescription and Hospital privileges, and other “turf” issues

·  Alternative models of scientific inquiry

·  Innovation / Trends in assessment and treatment

·  Optimizing use of resources at ISPP (e.g., Library, ASC, Career Services, Training)

·  Understanding diversity and privilege as they pertain to personal identity and the practice of psychology (including but not limited to social class, race, religion, age, ethnicity, physical difference, gender, etc.)

·  Ethics and professional standards

·  Major controversies/debates within the field (e.g., repressed memories, EST’s)

·  The role of personal therapy in the training of therapists

·  Other areas of interest to the students.

Format: The group meets for one hour each week, for two semesters. Within the first few weeks, the group will generate a tentative schedule of the topics for each week of the term. At times, a guest speaker [either from the faculty or staff, or an outside speaker] will come to the group to address specific topics. However, we also have some flexibility in order for the group to be responsive to pressing concerns of group members (e.g., a group member brings in an ethical dilemma they face immediately, or questions about a particular school policy that concerns several group members).Additionally, the group leader will meet with each student individually at least once during the Fall semester. The faculty member will remain your advisor until you begin diagnostic practicum. At that point, your seminar leader assumes the role of advisor.

Expectations:

a. Consistent attendance and active participation in discussions: Class can only be missed for the most legitimate reasons and this needs to be cleared with the instructor prior to the missed class.Unexcused absences will constitute failure for the course. Everyone is expected to participate. Each group member has something to offer, and it is important for you to speak, both for your own development (clinicians need to be able to speak up in a group and assert their opinions), but also for the benefit of your peers who will learn from you.

b. Completion of any reading assignments by assigned date.

c. Completion of written assignments (on time, typewritten, free of typos, grammatical errors, etc., and in APA style.)

d. Effort both to understand and appreciate, as well as critically evaluate varied perspectives in the theory and practice of professional psychology.

e. Openness and effort to develop skills in critical self-appraisal which allows for recognition and acknowledgment of both strengths and areas in need of further development.

f. Respectful treatment of peers and faculty.

Additionally, students should feel free to make suggestions about topics, specific articles, or other activities for the group.

Evaluation: While I will not assign a letter grade to the students’ performance in the group, each member will receive specific feedback with regard to the specific course objectives and expectations outlined above. The assessment of student’s performance will be based mostly on contributions to discussions, along with the assignments outlined below.

Fall term assignments

1. Scientific Inquiry Assignment - more information to follow as we discuss the assignment and requirements in class

Due Date: October 19, 2009

2. CV and Cover Letter – in preparation for the practicum application process, each student is asked to prepare a CV and cover letter. These documents should be brought to class on the assigned due date for a discussion and review of the materials in class. Students will then take the materials home to be revised and turn in the revised versions of the CV and cover letter the following week.

Due Date: November 2, 2009

3.  End of Semester Self-Evaluation - Write a brief (3-5 pages, 12 pt font, double-spaced) self-evaluation of your academic and personal growth during Fall semester. You may discuss specific courses, (lectures, assignments, exams, and discussions), as well as more general learning that has occurred in formal or informal discussions, pro group, osmosis, etc. Consider also your own personal reactions (excitement, growth, anxiety, panic?) that have shaped your initial adjustment to your education at ISPP. Give some thought to how much or how little you choose to disclose. You are not required to bare your soul here! You are welcome to address deeply personal issues if you choose, though it is not necessary for the purposes of this assignment. Due Date: December 7, 2009.

Spring term assignments: to be determined.

September 8 Welcome, Introductions, and Overview, Program Questions and Answers,

Determination of schedule for the semester

September 14

September 21

September 28

October 5

October 12

October 19

October 26

November 2

November 9

November 16

November 23

November 30

December 7

December 14

Library Resources: Argosy University’s core online collection features more than 21,000 full-text journals, 23,000 electronic books and other content covering all academic subject areas including Business & Economics, Career & General Education, Computers, Engineering & Applied Science, Humanities, Science, Medicine & Allied Health, and Social & Behavior Sciences.All electronic resources can be accessed through the library’s website at www.auchicagolib.org. User IDs and passwords are distributed during orientation, but can also be obtained at the circulation desk, calling 312-777-7653, or by e-mail at .

In addition to online resources, Argosy University’s onsite collections contain a wealth of subject-specific research materials searchable in the Library Online Catalog. Catalog searching is easily limited to individual campus collections.Alternatively, students can search combined collections of all Argosy University Libraries. Students are encouraged to seek research and reference assistance from campus librarians.

Information Literacy: Argosy University’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed to teach fundamental and transferable research skills, including selecting sources appropriate for academic-level research, searching periodical indexes and search engines, and evaluating and citing information. In the tutorial, students study concepts and practice them through interactions. At the conclusion of each module, they can test their comprehension and receive immediate feedback. Each module takes less than 20 minutes to complete. Please view the tutorial at http://library.argosy.edu/infolit/

Academic Policies: Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: In an effort to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity during the learning process, Argosy University requires that the submission of all course assignments represent the original work produced by that student. All sources must be documented through normal scholarly references/citations and all work must be submitted using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition (2001). Washington DC: American Psychological Association (APA) format. Please refer to Appendix A in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition for thesis and paper format. Students are encouraged to purchase this manual (required in some courses) and become familiar with its content as well as consult the Argosy University catalog for further information regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

Scholarly writing: The faculty at Argosy University is dedicated to providing a learning environment that supports scholarly and ethical writing, free from academic dishonesty and plagiarism. This includes the proper and appropriate referencing of all sources. You may be asked to submit your course assignments through “Turnitin,” (www.turnitin.com), an online resource established to help educators develop writing/research skills and detect potential cases of academic dishonesty. Turnitin compares submitted papers to billions of pages of content and provides a comparison report to your instructor. This comparison detects papers that share common information and duplicative language.

Americans with Disabilities Act Policy: It is the policy of Argosy University to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student with disabilities needs accommodations, the student must notify the Director of Student Services. Procedures for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodations will be provided to the student upon request.

Students will be notified by the Director of Student Services when each request for accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a designated form. To receive accommodation in class, it is the student’s responsibility to present the form (at his or her discretion) to the instructor. In an effort to protect student privacy, the Department of Student Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student with instructors. Faculty may not make accommodations for individuals who have not been approved in this manner.