COURSE DESCRIPTIONS BY SEQUENCE

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE SEQUENCE

This sequence of courses critically analyzes and synthesizes the biopsychosocial theories that explain human behavior. Emphasis is given to the integration of theories of human behavior and clinical practice. Selected theories provide explanation and understanding of developmental issues across the life span, intrapsychic processes, social functioning, biological factors, sociocultural differences, and personal and interpersonal dynamics.

FIRST YEAR

BSS 511- DEVELOPMENTAL THEORIES

This course provides a critical review of life-cycle theories of normal and abnormal development. The full spectrum of each developmental stage from infancy, early childhood, latency, adolescence, and adulthood is addressed. Particular emphasis is given to sociocultural and biological variables that may influence the achievement of the central tasks of each life stage.

BSS 512-PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOLOGY I: FREUD AND EGO PSYCHOLOGY

This course, the first of five courses on psychodynamic psychology, approaches the study of ego psychology from an historical perspective, highlighting its relevance to clinical social work practice. The emphasis is on ego psychology as a theoretical framework for understanding of both normal and pathologic personality development and the implications for social functioning. The course focuses on a dynamic view of intrapsychic conflict and mental functioning within a developmental context. Readings include seminal works as well as contemporary extension, modification, and critique of ego psychology.

BSS 513-SOCIAL SCIENCE THEORIES

This course explores sociocultural variables as they pertain to the understanding of interactional processes in clinical practice. Theories are drawn from the fields of sociology, anthropology, and social psychology. These theories are examined in the light of students’ clinical cases. Concepts such as race, ethnicity, and gender, and theories such as systems, symbolic interaction, and conflict are discussed. Included are critical reviews from the perspectives of feminism, constructivism, and postmodernism

BSS 514-PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOLOGY II: OBJECT RELATIONS THEORY-INTERPERSONAL

Relational theory is an extension and variation of psychodynamic theory drawn from the British School of Object Relations. Emphasis is on understanding the interaction between internal and external object images and on how concepts such as introjection, projection, holding environment, transitional phenomena, attachment, and affect regulation are applicable to clinical social work practice.

BSS 515-PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOLOGY III:  OBJECT RELATIONS THEORY-INTRAPSYCHIC

This course considers major figures in object relations theory who have conceptualized and elucidated the role of object relations in the formation of psychic structure.  The work of various theorists is considered from an historical perspective with an emphasis on the integration of object relations theory with classical psychoanalytic theory.  The course highlights maternal-infant interaction and the nature of the internal object world, adaptation, the role of the environment on the psychic economy, and affect as a source of motivation.  Current observational, neurobiological, and experimental findings are considered.

SECOND YEAR

BSS 611-PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOLOGY IV:  SELF PSYCHOLOGY

This course examines the pioneering theoretical and technical contributions of Heinz Kohut, as well as post-Kohutian developments in self-psychology. The impact of infant research on understanding the dyadic co-constructed nature of relationships, including therapeutic relationships, is explored. The centrality of the use of “empathy as a mode of perception,”self object transferences, the self-psychological view of aggression and the importance of the disruption-restoration sequence are examined through the use of clinical material.

BSS 612-NEUROSCIENCE THEORIES I

This course is part one of a two semester sequence of courses which explore the contemporary neuroscience theories from clinical social work’s biopsychosocial perspective on human functioning in health and illness. Students study issues related to the brain’s major structures and functions and its experience dependent normal growth and development. Integrating current multidisciplinary research in infant caregiver transactions and using psychological and sociocultural theories relevant to the subjective and intersubjective life experiences across the life cycle, particular attention is given to the biological aspects of processes important in the development of the mind including emotion, cognition, memory, perception, and language.

BSS 613-NEUROSCIENCE THEORIES II

This course, following BSS 612, examines the contributions of contemporary neuroscience theories to our understanding of the etiology, development, and treatment of emotional disorders. Framed by the biopsychosocial perspective, highlights are the exploration of issues related to gene/environment transactions, the neuroscience of vulnerability and resiliency factors, and the mind/body/ context dynamics related to major categories of emotional disorders. The relevance of these understandings to the mental health policy development, program planning and service delivery is examined.

BSS 614-PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOLOGY V: RELATIONAL THEORY

This course is designed within the context of a biopsychosocial perspective and the long history of the concept of “relationship” in the development of social work theory and practice. The course focuses on the contemporary multidisciplinary thinking regarding the basic assumptions and concepts of Relational Theory, the contributions of its major proponents, and the usefulness of its formulations for clinical social work theory and practice. Relational Theory is explored as an organizing principle, which integrates intrapsychic and interpersonal processes. It is considered from the perspectives of psychodynamic theory, feminist theory, neuroscience, social science concepts, and post modernism.

THIRD YEAR

BSS 711-ETHICS AND ADVOCACY

This course addresses ethical issues in social work practice, policy, and research from theoretical perspectives as well as decisions involved in the moment to moment of clinical process. Highlighted are: social work’s organizing principle of social justice; boundary crossings and violations; confidentiality; conflicts of interest; duty to warn, presentation and publication of clinical data; fiduciary matters; ethical blind spots and resolution of ethical dilemmas.

BSS 712-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY

This course describes the role of psychopharmacology in the treatment of emotional disorders. It focuses on the basic principles underlying the use of psychotropic medications. Students explore the neuroscience understanding of the mechanisms of action of psychotherapeutic medication. Furthermore, consideration is given to indications for client referral for medication evaluation, the classes and types of medications used for various emotional disorders, side effects, contraindications, and related issues.

BSS 713-MENTAL HEALTH LAW

This course addresses legal issues that arise in clinical social work practice. Topics include: sources of the law such as statutes, cases and rules; incompetence in criminal proceedings including the insanity defense; confidentiality and privilege; social work records; duty to warn; civil commitment; malpractice issues; court testimony; and family law.

ADVANCED CLINICAL PRACTICE SEQUENCE

This sequence advances an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of clinical social work practice methodology.

FIRST YEAR

ACP 511-ADVANCED CLINICAL PRACTICE I: EGO PSYCHOLOGY

This course begins with an overview of the psychodynamically oriented approaches to social work treatment and the underlying psychoanalytic principles. The primary focus is on diagnostic assessment and the manner in which a thorough evaluation informs treatment technique. Concepts include ego functions, drive derivatives, intrapsychic conflict, affects, defenses, development, compromise formations, and transference-countertransference. Clinical material is used to illustrate the concepts.

SECOND YEAR

ACP 611 -ADVANCED CLINICAL PRACTICE II: COMPARATIVE PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY

This course provides students with the opportunity to compare, contrast, and critically assess psychodynamic theories and models of practice. Students will demonstrate the ability to conceptualize, evaluate, and effectively communicate the unfolding of the psychodynamic process in social work treatment; organize a coherent picture of the clinical process; and acquire flexibility in the application of various theories to each individual patient and clinical situation.

ACP 612 -COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT

Based on theoretical knowledge and research findings, this course offers a range of cognitive and behavioral assessment and intervention skills. Students are introduced to each component of the cognitive behavioral model including case formulation, treatment planning, therapeutic intervention, and outcome evaluation. In the context of clinical social work values and ethics, particular emphasis is placed on consideration of socio-cultural factors such as race, ethnicity, age and gender in cognitive behavioral treatment

THIRD YEAR

ACP 711-ADVANCED CLINICAL PRACTICE III: MODELS OF BRIEF PSYCHOTHERAPY

This course examines and critiques the principles and models of brief, goal-oriented psychotherapy, focusing on the appropriateness of each model for specific types of interventions.

ACP 712-ADVANCED CLINICAL PRACTICE IV: FAMILY THERAPY

The emphasis in this course is on the critical analysis and synthesis of various theoretical underpinnings of family dynamics in health and dysfunction. The course emphasizes Family Therapy as a late twentieth-century movement in mental health, and as a treatment approach to client systems with mental disorders and other psychosocial problems. Family Therapy and the Family System perspectives represent a profound theoretical and epistemological shift in the understanding of emotional health and illness and psychosocial functioning. The course offers a frame of reference for clinical treatment, providing both integration with and alternative to psychodynamic or behavioral approaches. OR

ACP 713- ADVANCED CLINICAL PRACTICE IV: COUPLES THERAPY

This course explores theoretical and practice issues involved in working with couples who present a variety of difficulties. Attention is paid to the clinical application of the various models of therapy in this modality. OR

ACP 716-ADVANCED CLINICAL PRACTICE IV: GROUP THERAPY

This course explores the theory of group therapy in its historical context. Various models of group therapy and its use as the modality of choice, alone or in conjunction with individual therapy, will be addressed through both experiential and didactic components. It examines special issues and groups as they relate to developmental stages throughout the life span. Focal issues include: disabilities, ethnic and cultural identity, gender and age, terminal illness, addictions, children and the military. OR

ACP 717-ADVANCED PRACTICE IV: CHILD THERAPY

This course focuses on psychodynamic psychotherapy with children from early childhood through latency and preadolescence. The course explores the therapeutic relationship; interpretation and intervention; working with parents; treatment phenomena (including resistance, transference and countertransference) and particular clinical challenges. With illustrative clinical data, the interplay between theory, clinical concepts and practice is emphasized. Specific mental syndromes and disorders of children from early childhood through preadolescence are included.

CLINICAL CASE CONFERENCE SEQUENCE

The goal of this sequence is the integration of theory and practice in clinical social work. Emphasis is placed on issues such have potential for further research and model building

FIRST YEAR

CCS 511-CLINCIAL CASE CONFERENCE I Through case presentations and class discussions, this course focuses on the beginning phase of clinical practice, emphasizing those issues that aid in the student’s ability to make a biopsychosocial diagnostic evaluation, formulate the understanding of clients’ problems, and develop a clinical social work treatment plan.

CCS 512-CLINICAL CASE CONFERENCE II

A continuation of CCS 511 (512), this course emphasizes the clinical skills needed to make precise biopsychosocial diagnostic formulations. Issues such as transference, countertransference, enactments, and therapeutic alliance are addressed. Case material focuses on cross-racial, cross-gender, cross-ethnic and cross-sexual orientation treatment dyads in order to gain appreciation of the complexity associated with these elements of difference in the therapist client mix.

SECOND YEAR

CCS 611-CLINCIAL CASE CONFERENCE III CCS 612-CLINCICAL CASE CONFERENCE IV

This two semester course considers technical ways of working with selected clients from the ego psychological, object relations, and self-psychological theoretical models as applied to specific cases presented by the students. The class will discuss and develop the clinical judgments that guide the choices in clinical social work interventions. Students present material from the middle phases of treatment.

CLINICAL RESEARCH METHODOLOGY SEQUENCE

This progression of courses provides students with the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills for the process of scientific inquiry, critical evaluation of existing research, and independent clinical social work research.

Understanding the history and philosophy of social work research, gaining knowledge of important current research pertinent to clinical practice, and developing an appreciation of the ethical issues involved in conducting clinical research are emphasized. Students are expected to develop a thorough knowledge of the following: qualitative and quantitative research methodology, data collection, and data analysis; foundations of research measurement; statistical principles and procedures; and computer technology in clinical research.  Integration of this sequence with the material from other sequences, along with a clear understanding of the relationships among theory, practice, and research, are major foci of this component of the program.

Institutional Review Board and Protection of Human Subjects

Research designed to increase knowledge of human behavior and/or to improve clinical practice must also ensure the protection of any human subject or respondents involved. In considering and implementing dissertation projects and other research activities, students, faculty, and the staff of the Institute must avoid jeopardizing the physical, emotional, and economic well- being of all persons involved in any study. In addition, the protection of human subjects’ autonomy, privacy, confidentiality rights, and continued access to service must be safeguarded. As an institution committed to the ethical standards for the conduct of research, CSWI’s Institutional Review Board must review and approve all dissertation proposals and other research projects regarding compliance with protection of rights of human subjects.

FIRST YEAR

RMS 111- INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a basic introduction to the social work research process from a biopsychosocial, evidenced based perspective. This course provides the basic knowledge and skills needed to evaluate research and conduct research projects. This includes report writing, library utilization, problem identification, research questions, hypotheses, concepts, operational definitions, research design, sampling, data collection, processing, and analysis. This course addresses both underlying philosophical issues in social work research as well as practical issues of both qualitative and quantitative methodology.

RMS 112- METHODS OF CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH I

This course focuses on the conceptual understanding and acquisition of skills regarding descriptive and inferential statistics, such as frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion and tests of association and significance. This course builds skills in data collection, processing and analysis, using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

SECOND YEAR

RMS 212- METHODS OF CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH II: QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

This course will cover the classical techniques of multivariate analysis as they apply to the social work researcher. Techniques such as multiple regression, analysis of variance, factor analysis and other advanced techniques will be the central topics of discussions and form the problems for several SPSS computer assignments. Students will critique quantitative social work research, solve class problems and develop a quantitative research design.

RMS 213- METHODS OF CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH III: QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with knowledge and skills for both evaluating published qualitative research and performing qualitative research. In this course the student will be introduced to current issues concerning qualitative research methods. Furthermore, the students will concentrate on looking at the rigor and validity of qualitative research, the differences between quantitative and qualitative research, and some of the other problems connected with qualitative research including issues of internal and external validity, a small n in a group of subjects, and ethical dilemmas. Students will produce a research proposal using qualitative methodologies

THIRD YEAR

RMS 311- RESEARCH SEMINAR
RMS 312- RESEARCH SEMINAR

Each student formulates and designs a dissertation proposal using a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methodology. Students make several oral and written class presentations of their proposals and critique other student’s class presentations throughout the year. By the end of the year they are expected to produce a dissertation proposal ready for a dissertation proposal committee oral defense.

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH LEADING TO THE DISSERTATION

The dissertation is a major component of the Institute’s program. Its completion is considered evidence of the candidate’s competency in conducting independent research and of their capacity to contribute to the knowledge base of clinical social work. In addition to research and methodology sequence, students will receive guidance in developing a particular area of interest for their dissertation.

RESEARCH COMPETENCY

After the fourth semester students will take a two hour written research competency examination. The exam will be given twice a year, usually in September and January. Students who fail can retake the examination at least once a semester.

TEACHING AND SUPERVISION SEQUENCE

The goal of this sequence is to prepare students for making further contributions to the field of clinical social work through teaching and supervisory activities. In addition to studying didactic material, students will have opportunities to both teach and supervise in these courses.

THIRD YEAR

ESS 711-TEACHING AND LEARNING IN CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK

This course offers students advanced knowledge about the theory and practice of teaching in the profession of social work. The focus is on current issues and trends in social work education and the development of teaching skills. Content also includes teaching methodology, curriculum development, evaluation of students, issues of diversity and suggestions for profession development as a teacher.

ESS 712-CLINCIAL SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISION TRAINING

This course enables students to function as skilled supervisors in a variety of settings. The course content focuses on conceptualization, experiential and integration aspects of supervision. The students consider issues such as the place of field instruction in clinical social work education; supervisor-supervisee relationship in terms of learning style and parallel process; teaching tools and evaluation instruments in clinical supervision; and principles of ethical conduct in the supervisory process including diversity and oppression.

ELECTIVES SEQUENCE

These courses provide further opportunities for more comprehensive study of fields of particular interest. These course offerings may change year by year. Elective courses begin in the second semester of the third year and may include the following topics:

Adolescent Treatment
Clinical Administration
Ethnicity and Race
Forensic Social Work
Gender development
Severe Psychopathology
Psychosomatic Disorders
Sexual Dysfunction
Mood Disorders
Substance Abuse
Woman and Psychopharmacology
Writing for Publication
Non-Verbal Communication in Psychotherapy
Child Therapy
Trauma, Relationality, and the Brain
The Neuroscience of Infant-Caregiver Transactions and Adult Psychotherapy