Main Content
Syllabus
The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.
Psych 481: Introduction to Clinical Psychology:
Diagnostic procedures, treatment approaches, occupational settings, and ethical considerations relevant to the profession of the clinical psychologist.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Library Resources | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Accommodating Disabilities | Policies
Overview
The field of clinical psychology is not always well understood and there is sometimes confusion around the role of the clinical psychologist. This may be due, in part, to the proliferation of portrayals in movies and television that tend to stereotype psychologists as psychoanalysts with mystical insight into human behavior.
To define the field of clinical psychology, we must look at the historical roots of the field, which have influenced some of the unique aspects of what differentiates clinical psychologists from similar helping professions. This includes an understanding of the evolution of assessment and the role it plays in both diagnosis and intervention for mental illness.
Another important area of exploration is the scientific foundation of clinical psychology. This course will explore the increasing emphasis on empirical research to help identify and support both assessment methods and clinical interventions used by the clinical psychologist. An understanding of basic research methodology will set the stage to subsequent topics of interest to help the student understand how important empirical support is with regards to treatment of patients. This ties into the ethical issues faced by clinicians in the field and this, too, will also be a topic of exploration.
Other topics of study will include types of assessment techniques, an overview of ethics and the resolution of ethical dilemmas based on the American Psychological Association’s (APA) 2002. We will look at interventions and the different styles of psychotherapy used to treat patients. Students will also have an opportunity to use what they have learned to “diagnose” a real patient and to create a treatment plan based on their knowledge of the patient’s disorder.
This course will use a combination of methods to assess knowledge and comprehension. Since the field of clinical psychology has to do with treatment of patients, developing clinical judgment, learning the elements to establishing rapport, diagnostic skills, and an overview of interventions, this course will employ some interactive elements as well as videos and vignettes to help teach these concepts.
Course Objectives
After taking this course, the student should be able to
- explain why the field of clinical psychology exists and how it developed.
- describe methods of research in clinical psychology and be able to analyze empirical research in the field.
- understand the basics in diagnosis and classification of various mental illnesses.
- understand the unique contribution of clinical psychology to the development of assessment techniques that help with diagnostic procedures.
- have an understanding of diagnostic assessment techniques.
- have an understanding of the various perspectives on interventions for mental illness.
- have a basic understanding of the various subspecialties in the field of clinical psychology.
Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
This course requires that you access Penn State library materials specifically reserved for this course. You can access these materials by selecting Library Resources in your course navigation, or by accessing the Library E-Reserves Search and search for your instructor's last name.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
Technical Support
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Assignments
Quizzes
There are a total of five quizzes at 25 points each (for a total of 125 points). You will have one attempt to complete the quiz, so before opening it, ensure you have a reliable Internet connection and 60 minutes of uninterrupted time. You must complete the quiz once you begin (the timer does not stop if you leave the quiz). You may save the quiz as you progress so that you do not accidently lose your work. The quiz is open book/notes, but there will not be sufficient time to look up all of the answers, so please be prepared by having read and reviewed the readings. All of the quizzes have a hand-graded component, so I should have those graded and back to you by Wednesday of the following week. Once all parts of the quiz have been graded, you will be able to review them until the end of that week (Sunday night, ET). After that, the quizzes will no longer be viewable.
Essays, Diagnoses and Reports
A number of the assignments in this course are essays. There are a total of 9, at various point values, for a total of 180 points. You should follow the directions carefully and make sure you are answering the questions being posed. Although these are not formal APA essays, you should use APA citations if you use additional sources to help answer the question. I typically have to remind people that they must cite anything that isn't coming out of their own thoughts—if you present facts and do not properly cite the source, you are implying that these are your thoughts rather than someone else's.
The best essays are the ones that are well written (grammatically correct) and that answer the question thoroughly and concisely. It is also a good idea to bring in additional sources to underscore the points you are making in your essay. Some of the assignments will require you to “diagnose” a patient and you should be very detailed in how you describe how the patients meets the DSM-5 criteria. You may organize the essay in any manner you would like, but you must make sure you have made all the points that are required according to the assignment question. Detailed feedback will be given on essays, so please allow up to a week for me to post essay grades and comments.
Discussions
During the course of this semester, you will participate in a number of discussions. There are a total of 3 discussions at 5 points each (for a total of 15 points). I want to provide some guidelines for your participation. In order to get full credit on any of the discussions you must adhere to the following instructions:
- You must make at least two posts for the discussions. This is the minimum requirement. You are certainly welcome and encouraged to post more than twice.
- In order to give your classmates time to respond and for a discussion to ensue, your postings should be evenly distributed during the discussion period (not concentrated all on one day or at the beginning and/or end of the period). Your first post is due by 11:59 pm the fourth day of the lesson (Thursday if the lesson started on a Monday, Saturday if the lesson started on Wednesday) so that your classmates have time to read and respond in a thoughtful conversation. The remaining post are due by 11:59 pm the last day of the lesson.
- Avoid postings that are limited to "I agree" or "great idea," etc. If you agree (or disagree) with a posting, then say why by supporting your statement with concepts from the readings or by bringing in a related example or experience.
- Try to use quotes from the readings that support your opinion. Include page numbers when you do that.
- Build on others' responses to create threads.
- Bring in related prior knowledge (work experience, prior coursework, readings, etc.).
- Address the questions as much as possible—try to avoid letting the conversation stray.
- Cite appropriately.
Final Project
The final project is worth 50 points. This project will incorporate various components of what was learned in the course. Students will first be placed in small groups. They will then be assigned a video "case" of a patient presenting with a constellation of symptoms. The group will render a diagnosis of the patient and then research the disorder that they are working with. Students will prepare a report that includes the diagnosis, a lit review of treatments for that particular diagnosis, and a treatment plan for their "patient." Students will also be required to submit a "diagnosis" for the other groups' patients as part of the assignment. Peer evaluations will be used in this assignment and will factor in to the total grade.
Late Work
This is a semester-based course with deadlines. Students are expected to complete work by posted deadlines. Please check the course schedule for the times and dates that assignments are due in this course (times are listed in North American Eastern Time). Please contact your instructor to discuss legitimate and unavoidable situations that may cause lateness (such as illness, injury or family emergency). If you know that you are going to miss a deadline, please contact your instructor in advance of that deadline to discuss an extension (or if you are not able to contact the instructor before the deadline, as soon as you are able). Decisions regarding extensions will be made at the discretion of the instructor on a case-by-case basis.
In the absence of a legitimate and unavoidable situation, late work will be accepted at the discretion of the instructor and will be penalized up to 10% of the total assignment points for each day of lateness. Unless there is a legitimate and unavoidable situation that causes prolonged lateness, work more than 1 week late will not be accepted.
Grading
To calculate your grade at any point in the semester, add the total points you have earned and divide by the total points available at that point. Your final grade at the end of the semester will be determined by dividing total points earned by 380. Assignments points are distributed as follows:
| Activity | Quantity | Points | Percent of Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quizzes | 5 | 125 | ~34% |
| Essays, Diagnoses and Reports | 9 | 180 | ~49% |
| Discussions | 3 | 15 | ~4% |
| Final Project | 1 | 50 | ~13% |
| Total | 18 | 370 | 100% |
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Percentage of Total Points
|
Letter Grade
|
|---|---|
|
94–100%
|
A
|
|
90–93.9%
|
A-
|
|
86–89.9%
|
B+
|
|
83–85.9%
|
B
|
|
80–82.9%
|
B-
|
|
76–79.9%
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C+
|
|
70–75.9%
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C
|
|
60–69.9%
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D
|
|
below 60%
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F
|
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Course Schedule
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Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
| Lesson 2: | Conducting Research in Clinical Psychology |
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| Lesson 3: | Ethical and Professional Issues in Clinical Psychology |
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| Lesson 5: | The Clinical Interview |
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| Lesson 8: | General Issues in Psychotherapy |
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| Lesson 10: | Health Psychology |
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Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Additional Policies
Course Communication Tools
The purpose of course communication tools is to provide students with a quick method for contacting faculty, teaching assistants, and other students of the class, in regards to course related questions, comments, and concerns. Please note that, according to University policy AD95/AD96, course communication tools may not be used as a method for emailing unauthorized content including but not limited to: solicitation for businesses, advertisements, selling or distributing personal or class materials, transmitting offensive, obscene, or harassing materials, chain letters, news posts, or other forms of “spam” email. Doing so will be considered a violation of course and/or University policies, and might also violate the student code of conduct and the expectations expressed in the Penn State Principles. Resulting penalties might include the suspension or termination of system access, as well as disciplinary or academic sanctions. When appropriate, information about violators will be passed on to University Police Services. If you have any questions in regards to whether or not a particular email you wish to send would violate University policies, please check with your instructor before sending messages to others through the University system.World Campus Student Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Privacy
In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.Reporting Bias
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
Mental Health Services
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Veterans and Military
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Student Responsibilities and Conduct
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
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For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Values.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.