I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Understanding Psychological Disorders

2. Course Prefix & Number:
PSYC 2470

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

4. Course Description:

This course examines psychological disorders, their causes and available treatments. Topics covered include anxiety, mood disorders, substance-related disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia and disorders of childhood and adolescence. The difference between normal and disordered functioning and relevant social, economic, cultural and historical contexts will also be discussed. Applicable research will be reviewed in terms of cultural diversity implications from both historical and current perspectives.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

No placement tests required

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

St. Cloud State University, PSY 490 Psychological Disorders, 3 credits

Century College, PSYC 2021, Psychological Disorders, 3 credits

North Hennipen Community College, PSYC 2320, Psychological Disorders, 3 credits

Minneapolis Community and Technical College, PSYC 2250 Introduction to Psychological Disorders, 3 credits

 

2. Transfer - regional institutions with which this course has a written articulation agreement:

In accordance with the Laws of Minnesota 2015, Chapter 5, Article 3, Section 21 all Minnesota State Colleges and Universities agree to the following principles governing the transfer pathways for baccalaureate degrees.  The transfer pathway specifically ensures that a student who successfully completes an Associates of Arts (AA-P) in Psychology can transfer the full degree into a parallel baccalaureate degree program in Psychology at a Minnesota State university.  The transfer pathway degree program will transfer to the following designated baccalaureate degree majors:

• Bemidji State University: BA Psychology, BS Psychology
• Metropolitan State University: BA Psychology
• Minnesota State University, Mankato: BA Psychology, BS Psychology
• Minnesota State University, Moorhead: BA Psychology
• Southwest Minnesota State University: BA Psychology
• St. Cloud State University:  BA Psychology
• Winona State University:  BA Psychology

3. Prior Learning - the following prior learning methods are acceptable for this course:
CLEP

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

 Psychology Transfer Pathway AA

 

2. MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:

• Goal 5 – History and the Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Goal 7 – Human Diversity

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate reading and listening skills	Read and summarize concepts from psychological and behavioral sources.
Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills	Interact, share, and exchange ideas in both the classroom as well as in an online course room.
Apply abstract ideas to concrete situations	Describe the psychiatric classification system and how it is applied to diagnosis and treatment of disorders.
Discuss/compare characteristics of diverse cultures and environments	Explain the need for diagnostic sensitivity in the application of labels to various cultural groups.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Evaluate major historical and contemporary theoretical and treatment perspectives associated with the field of abnormal psychology.(MnTC Goals 5, 7)
• Identify principal research methods and types of questions that emerge in the science of abnormal psychology.(MnTC Goal 5)
• Distinguish between normal and abnormal behavior. (MnTC Goal 5)
• Identify the characteristics, strengths and limitations of the current diagnostic system (DSM).(MnTC Goal 5)
• Describe the epidemiology, etiology, assessment, symptoms, and scientifically validated treatments of specific psychological disorders.(MnTC Goal 5)
• Describe how diversity in age, race, culture, gender and class is related to understanding psychological processes.(MnTC Goals 5, 7)
• Explain how psychologists use their understanding of the APA Ethics Code and legal system to guide decisions in clinical and legal situations.(MnTC Goals 5, 7)
• Apply psychological constructs to understand and improve intrapersonal, interpersonal and intercultural dysfunction (e. g. case studies). (MnTC Goals 5, 7)
• Apply the critical thinking approach to problem solving within the field of abnormal psychology especially in relating connections between facts and theories and consideration of cultural diversities.(MnTC Goals 5, 7)

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

• Psychological disorders in historical context
• An integrative approach to psychological disorders
• Clinical assessment and diagnosis
• Research methods
• Anxiety disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders
• Truma-and stressor-related disorders
• Somatic symptom and related disorders
• Dissociative disorders
• Depressive, bipolar, and related disorders
• Feeding and eating disorders
• Sleep-wake disorders
• Physical disorders and health psychology
•  Sexual dysfunctions and gender dysphoria