Course Sequence
Graduate Certificate in Professional Studies in PVR

Fall

Psychiatric Rehabilitation of People with Mental Disorders              3 Credits

This laboratory experience is called a pre-practicum, and is designed to provide basic training in helping skills, following the model presented in the course textbook. Class activities will include discussion of a weekly topic and practices, completed on your own or with a partner. Through completing the practice activities, you will develop a foundation for further specialized training and practicum experiences in counseling and psychiatric rehabilitation.

Introduction to Counseling Skills                                                      1 Credit

The primary focus of the course is on the adult diagnosed with significant mental health disorders that interfere with functioning in work, educational, and social roles in the community.  The course examines evidence-based practices, including diagnosis, planning, and interventions used in psychiatric rehabilitation and mental health services, as well as the individual, program, cultural, and systems variables that affect the recovery of people with significant mental health disorders. A particular focus is on psychiatric vocational rehabilitation interventions.

Spring

Substance Abuse Counseling                                                           3 Credits

This course is designed to provide student with background information about effects of alcohol. The course will provide an overview of theories and models, effects of alcohol and other drugs, treatment modalities, evaluation and assessment, and caseload management to address issues pertaining to gender, age, family, ethnicity, prenatal exposure, dual diagnosis, and adult children of addicts. Emphasis will be place on a study of alcohol dependence.

Summer I

Job Development and Placement                                                     3 Credits

This course is designed to complement and build on previous courses offered in the certificate program, and focuses specially on the principles of state-of-the-art job development and placement to assist youth and adults to secure and maintain competitive employment. Course content will include the employment process, assessment strategies and tools, career development strategies employer relationship development, fundamental skills for job developers, and connecting with community resources. Students will be required to complete a field-based internship that will be comprised of a series of practical application activities that complement the course content unit.

Summer II

Capstone Project                                                                            2 Credits

This course is a capstone experience for students to integrate knowledge, research, and program development in rehabilitation counseling. Students will identify a research problem or counseling issue, conduct and prepare a review of the literature, design an intervention or a research study, and propose evaluation of outcomes of the intervention or research study.   In this particular course section, the Capstone Project will focus on designing an individual or group intervention with people with psychiatric disabilities that facilitates vocational readiness, development, and/or recovery, or a training intervention with PR staff. This intervention should be one that will meet a need or needs of participants in the agency in which the student works, and that can be implemented in the agency after completion of the Project. Students will also define intervention outcomes and evaluate their project based on class, instructor, and agency feedback.

Total: 12 Credit Hours