Department of Psychology and Counseling < Valdosta State University

This is an archived copy of the 2015-2016 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.valdosta.edu.

Dr. Kate Warner, Head
Room 2104, Converse Hall

The Department of Psychology and Counseling provides programs of study at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. At the undergraduate level, the department offers B.A. and B.S. degrees with a major in psychology.

At the graduate level, the department offers the M.S. degree with a concentration in clinical/counseling psychology or in industrial/organizational psychology. Graduates are prepared to perform services in mental health settings, businesses, community colleges, government or industries that require graduate training in psychology at the subdoctoral level.

The department also offers programs leading to the M.Ed. and Ed.S. degrees with a major in school counseling. These programs train and endorse program graduates specifically for employment in the public school setting and community. Students in these programs are required to satisfy all Georgia Professional Standards Commission requirements for certification as a component part of the degree programs. These programs are approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, and the College of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The school counseling programs are approved by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Department faculty instruct courses and serve on doctoral committees for students enrolled in the College of Education doctoral programs. All department faculty hold the doctorate. Information concerning these programs, their admission requirements (which differ by degree program), continuing education, and other services offered by the department can be obtained by contacting the department.

Admission Requirements for the Master of Science Degrees

Regular Admission

To be considered for admission, the applicant must submit:

An appropriate undergraduate degree. Usually those holding either the B.S. or B.A. degree in psychology, or an undergraduate degree in a related field with a minimum of 15 semester hours in psychology, would meet this requirement. Specific prerequisite courses will be determined by the department admissions committee.
The applicant must have earned a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA on a 4.0 scale, calculated on all work attempted in which letter grades were awarded, and must present a minimum score of 153 (62nd percentile) on the combined Verbal Reasoning section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and a minimum score of 145 (32nd percentile) on the Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE.
Three letters of recommendation from professionals (at least two of which should be from faculty, if possible) acquainted with the applicant’s academic or vocational background and interests. These letters must reflect the ability, interest, and motivation of the applicant to be successful in the program of study and the career field.
A written statement of no more than 250-500 words describing the applicant’s interest in this program and post-degree plans. This written statement must demonstrate articulation, writing skill, and goals consistent with the outcomes of the degree program.

Probationary Admission

For consideration for probationary admission, applicants should submit the three letters of recommendation (A-3) and the written statement (A-4) as set forth above, and meet one of the two following conditions. (NOTE: An applicant scoring below the necessary minimum of 400 on the Verbal scale of the GRE may receive probationary admission, if a score of 3.5 or better is obtained on the GRE analytic writing section.)

undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above and scores of at least 145 on the Verbal Reasoning section of the GRE and 141 on the Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE.¹

undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or above and scores of at least 153 on the Verbal Reasoning section of the GRE and 145 on the Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE.¹

¹In addition to standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and GPA, the Admission Committee may consider the applicant’s TOEFL score (where appropriate) and disaggregated characteristics of academic transcripts (with special attention to grades in the last two years of the applicant’s undergraduate program and psychology coursework).

Departmental Requirements in Addition to University Admission Requirements

Admission to departmental programs requires 15 semester hours of undergraduate psychology courses appropriate to the graduate major.

Retention Policy

The university faculty has the duty and responsibility to provide the public with ethical and competent practitioners. To achieve these goals, the university adopts selective admissions, retention, and graduation policies. The delivery of psychological and counseling services, especially of a clinical nature, in schools, mental health settings, and organizations requires the practitioner to meet both academic and professional standards of competence. Accordingly, the faculty of the Department of Psychology and Counseling has adopted requirements that candidates must meet in order to graduate from one of the department’s graduate programs. These requirements include that candidates must demonstrate professionally appropriate behavior and may be terminated for academic and non-academic reasons. To read the complete policy, click here .

Academic progress is determined by grades earned in the program of study for which the candidate is currently enrolled, as well as performance on comprehensive examinations as required by the specific program. No grade below a “C” will be credited toward a graduate degree offered by the Department of Psychology and Counseling. Candidates will be dismissed from the program if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points. A grade of “C,” while credited toward the degree, will result in one deficiency point. A grade of “D” is two deficiency points; a grade of “F” or “WF” or “U” is three deficiency points. Candidates must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 in the departmental program of study to graduate. If a candidate wishes to withdraw from a class with a grade of “WP,” it is the candidate’s responsibility to initiate and complete the withdrawal process prior to the midterm deadline. “WP” grades do not affect academic deficiency points or grade point average.

Gifted In-Field Endorsement

Pyschology

PSYC 5400. Abnormal Psychology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Open to graduate students from any major. The nature and etiology of the various of behavior disorder, mental deficiency, and other deviations. Critical evaluation of current theories.

PSYC 5500. Statistical Methods in Psychology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Open to graduate students from any major. Uni- variate and bivariate statistical methods for research in the behavioral sciences.

PSYC 5700. Rehabilitation Psychology. 3 Hours.

The course focuses on biological, personality, cognitive, and social effects of disabilities on adult development. Em- phasis is placed on sensory and motor disabilities and the roles played by vocational rehabilitation programs, indepen- dent living initiatives, and the community integration move- ment on rehabilitation. Implications of theory, research, and program implementation on rehabilitation outcomes are made.

PSYC 5800. Industrial/Organizational Psychology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Open to graduate students from any major. Theory and application of psychological principles to in- dustrial and organizational settings.

PSYC 6500. Special Topics. 1-3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Approval of advisor and instructor.

PSYC 7000. Methods in School Psychology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Graduate Program in the Department. An introduction to the modern role of school psychologists to include response to intervention strategies and current special education law. Historical, current, and future status of psychological services in the schools will be explored. Professional, ethical, and cultural issues will be presented for discussion with particular attention to recent developments in federal and state laws that affect the delivery of services in the school.

PSYC 7010. Learning and Assessment. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: RSCH 7100. This course assists the in-service educator (teacher, administrator, coach, curriculum supervisor, etc.) to understand the learning and assessment as they apply in educational settings.

PSYC 7020. Conditions of Learning. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: RSCH 7100 or PSYC 5500. This course is designed to aid the inservice educator in predicting, understanding, and controlling the fundamental principles of learning and human development as they apply to schools. The emphasis is on studying the variables shown by research to affect students and educators in the teaching/learning process.

PSYC 7030. Measurement and Evaluation. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: RSCH 7100, or PSYC 3500, or PSYC 5500. An overview of issues related to assessment, measurement, and evaluation in educational and school counseling settings, including supervised experience in instrument selection, use, and outcomes analysis.

PSYC 7040. Adult Learning and Assessment. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: RSCH 7100 or PSYC 3500 or PSYC 5500. Course is designed to aid the in-service educator in predicting, understanding, and controlling the fundamental principles of learning and assessment as they apply in the education and training of adults.

PSYC 7100. Intellectual Assessment. 4 Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Clinical/Counseling Psychology or School Psychology. A combination of lectures and supervised practical experiences on conducting psychological evalua- tions. Primary emphasis on the administration, scoring and interpretation of traditional and process oriented intellec- tual measures. Additional training on clinical interview and report writing skills as well as functional mastering of selected psychometric instruments.

PSYC 7110. Personality Assessment. 4 Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Clinical/Counseling Psychology or School Psychology. An introduction to the theory, administration, scoring, and interpretation of personality assessment instruments, with primary emphasis on objective measusres. The course is designed to familiarize students with projective and objective assessment instruments and to enhance development of clinical interviewing skills. Stdents will administer several personality assessment batteries and produce final reports based on their scoring and interpretation.

PSYC 7120. Academic and Behavioral Assessment. 4 Hours.

Prerequisites: A previous graduate assessment course and permission of instructor. Advanced intensive study of the administration and interpretation of individual academic and behavioral assessment instruments with attention to multimethod, multisource, and multisetting methodologies; emphasis on the measurement of change within individuals and system levels of intervention.

PSYC 7130. Infant and Preschool Assessment. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing, permission of instructor, and prior coursework in measurement, evaluation, and child development. Training on the administration, scoring, and interpretation of instruments assessing cognitive, visual- motor ability, and adaptive behavior of infants, toddlers, and preschool-ages children.

PSYC 7200. Psychopathology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Clinical/Counseling Psychology or School Psychology or Permission of the Instructor. Overview of formal psychopathology classification systems across the life span with emphasis on the integration of multivariate, empirical approaches, and medical and psychological models. The course is designed to familiarize students with evolving information such as criteria, co-morbidity rates, and issues of differential diagnosis accrued from the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and the developmental psychopathology literature. Case studies are used to illustrate diagnosict issues.

PSYC 7400. Counseling Theory and Practice. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Admission to Graduate Program in Department. Introduction to major theoretical approaches to counseling and psychotherapy. Theories of personality and the causes of mental illness and emotional distress will be reviewed as frameworks for intervention. Specific case examples will illustrate applications of theory to professional practice.

PSYC 7420. Child Counseling. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: PSYC 7200 or PSYC 7400. Theories, methods, and techniques of psychotherapy with children. Emphasis will be placed on a multidimensial view of intervention with child- ren, giving attention to developmental, cognitive, behavior- al, affective, organic, educational, social, and environ- mental issues.

PSYC 7450. Group Counseling. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: PSYC 7400. Group dynamics and their importance in the counseling process and counseling outcome is studied. Emphasis is given to the application of various counseling and psychotherapeutic approaches within the group setting.

PSYC 7470. Counseling Culturally Diverse Populations. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: PSYC 7400. Survey of the cultural context of relationships, issues, and trends in a multicultural and diverse society. Emphasis placed on a knowledge base related to theory, techniques and skills utilized in working with culturally diverse populations.

PSYC 7500. Consultation Theory and Practice. 3 Hours.

This course is designed to be an introduction to consultation and collaboration. Effective development of indirect intervention strategies employed by human service workers will be reviewed in this course.

PSYC 7600. Personnel Selection. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor. This course address- es personnel selection from predictors to criterion measures of job performance; measurement issues; job and task analysis; and the legal and social context for the process.

PSYC 7610. Performance Appraisal. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor. Methods, theory, and applications in the measurement of work performance as related to administrative, developmental, and feedback functions.

PSYC 7670. Social Psychology. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: Open to graduate students from any major. Integration of classic and contemporary theories, research, and application relating groups, organizations, culture, and society to individual behavior.

PSYC 7690. Professional Issues in I/O Psychology. 1 Hour.

Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor. Current issues in the provision of I/O services.

PSYC 7791. School Psychology Practicum. 1 Hour.