Certificate Description, Courses and Portfolio

The Certificate in Mental Health will require the successful completion of 18 credits (four required courses and two elective courses) as listed below.  Students must achieve a 3.0 GPA or better in these courses to receive the certificate.

Each of these classes has an experiential element as well as the didactic material necessary to support the student's efforts to apply his/her understanding.

PSYC 318--Psychological Assessment: This course provides an introduction to the methods and principles of psychological assessment, including tests of personality, intelligence, ability, and vocation.  As part of the course, students are required to complete two group projects aimed at developing practical skills in analyzing test data and in constructing objective tests.  The culmination is a paper involving a comprehensive, critical analysis of a selected psychological test.

PSYC 330--Interviewing: This course introduces interviewing as a skill that is important in many different areas.  Students in the course participate in three recorded interviews--    a qualitative research interview, a selection interview, and a diagnostic/problem solving interview.  Each interview is critiqued by the student, a group of fellow students, and the professor.

PSYC 331--Counseling Psychology: The student in this course participates in two projects.  The first involves the application of change processes to the student him/herself.  The second project requires the student to function as a counselor to a fellow student who is seeking to make some change in his/her life.  Each project is monitored on a weekly basis with feedback from the instructor to the student as an integral part of the course.

PSYC 360--Abnormal Psychology: This course provides an overview of the field of abnormal psychology.  Students learn about theoretical models, methods of study, diagnostic classification, and the various forms of mental disorder.  The course follows and is organized around the current diagnostic system, the DSM-IV, which is used by most mental professionals today. An important part of the course is a case study project in which students are presented with a case and required to perform an in-depth, diagnostic analysis.  The result is a paper, which is returned at the end of the course with critical feedback.

The Portfolio

The Psychology department has committed itself to ensuring that the core courses will be staffed with experienced instructors. Further, these courses will continue to have 'hands-on' components that will encourage and assess skill development.  Thus, in the completion of the Mental Health Certificate, the student will build a portfolio comprised of work samples from each of the four core courses.  Prior to granting the certificate, this portfolio will be reviewed by the department's clinical faculty (currently, Ed Conrad and/or Michael Gurtman).  The student will be given constructive feedback on the quality of skills demonstrated in these classes.  The certificate and portfolio will then be part of what the student can present to a prospective employer when applying for jobs in the mental health area.

THE PORTFOLIO FOR THE CERTIFICATE IN MENTAL HEALTH SKILLS

THE PURPOSE OF THE PORTFOLIO: The portfolio is made up of items that demonstrate your ability to apply the skills you have learned in your psychology classes to practical situations in the field.  It is a tool that you can use when you are applying for a job or seeking admission to graduate level training.  In competitive employment or admissions interviews, a well-crafted portfolio can help you stand out from the competition.  It allows you to present your experience with various entry level skills in psychology and demonstrate that you have done more than pass tests and write papers.

WHAT YOU SHOULD INCLUDE IN YOUR PORTFOLIO: The portfolio should include the 'applied' elements of the four courses required for the Certificate In Mental Health Skills.  The four courses and the relevant materials are:

• PSYC 318:  Psychological Assessment-Include the graded paper you wrote analyzing a specific assessment tool (or a copy).

• PSYC 330:  Interviewing-Include the graded critiques you wrote analyzing the strengths and weakness of your three interviews (Be sure there is no identifying information on the people you interviewed.).

• PSYC 331: Counseling Psychology-Include the papers (counselor's reports only) submitted for the two behavior-change projects done during the semester (Be sure there is no identifying information about your client)

• PSYC 360: Abnormal Psychology-Include the case study/diagnostic work-up you wrote (or a copy).

WHAT TO DO WITH THE PORTFOLIO: When you have all of the elements that get included in the portfolio, put them together neatly in a binder.  Present that binder to either Michael Gurtman or Edward Conrad for review.  When the review is completed, the Registrar's office will be notified that the portfolio has been reviewed.

EXCEPTIONS: If you transferred in any of the core courses, you may not have the specific materials listed above to include in the portfolio.  Exceptions to the required materials will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Quick Summary | Objectives | Description, Courses and Portfolio | Worksheet (PDF) |
Entire Certificate requirements (PDF)