Required (30 credits)

Credits

IMH 101

Human Development - Basic Theory and Concepts: An Integrated Bio-psychosocial Model

This course introduces students to the theoretical constructs of a comprehensive conceptual framework, a bio-psychosocial model to understand healthy and disordered infancy and early childhood development. It gives students an overview of its practical application in understanding and promoting normative child development, working with caregivers and families, as well as in providing services to children with special needs. The course will combine lectures, reading materials, group discussions, videotapes examples, and related assignments to achieve its learning objectives.

2

Reflective Adult Learning

this is a core orientation course for all students participating in the PhD Program. Topics will include: cirriculum structure, personal goals and planning, mentorship and self reflection, case presentations and overarching developmental perspective of an intergrated bio-psychosocial model. This course will also be devoted to understanding the tools for studying and time management, video presentations, different faculty roles, clinical placements, and reviewing a range of case that will equip students tools to build their professional futures.

IMH 201

Motor and Sensory Processing Development - History, Neuroscience, Developmental Models, Theoretical Constructs, Including Exploration of Healthy and Disordered Functioning

This course will provide the students basic background information on the history, neuroscience foundations, the different developmental models and theoretical constructs involved in understanding gross and fine motor development, as well as the sensory processing mechanisms that occur during infancy and early childhood, both in normal and disordered functioning. The course will combine lectures, reading materials and videotapes examples to achieve its learning objectives.

2

IMH 203

Language Development - History, Neuroscience, Developmental Models, Theoretical Constructs, Including Exploration of Healthy and Disordered Functioning

2

Social-Emotional Development - History, Neuroscience, Developmental Models, Theoretical Constructs, Including Exploration of Healthy and Disordered Functioning

This course will provide the students basic background information on the history, neuroscience foundations, the different developmental models and theoretical constructs involved in understanding the different aspects of social-emotional development occurring during infancy and early childhood, both in normal and disordered functioning. The course will combine lectures, reading materials and videotapes examples to achieve its learning objectives.

IMH 207

Educational and Cognitive Development - History, Neuroscience, Developmental Models, Theoretical Constructs, Including Exploration of Healthy and Disordered Functioning

This course will provide the students basic background information on the history, neuroscience foundations, the different developmental models and theoretical constructs involved in understanding the different aspects of cognitive development, as well as the critical educational opportunities occurring during infancy and early childhood, both in normal and disordered functioning. The course will combine lectures, reading materials and videotapes examples to achieve its learning objectives.

2

IMH 209

Visual-Spatial Processing Development - History, Neuroscience, Developmental Models, Theoretical Constructs, Including Exploration of Healthy and Disordered Functioning

This course will provide the students basic background information on the history, neuroscience foundations, the different developmental models and theoretical constructs involved in understanding the different aspects of visual-spatial processing development occurring during infancy and early childhood, both in normal and disordered functioning. The course will combine lectures, reading materials and videotapes examples to achieve its learning objectives.

2

IMH 211

Family Systems Theory and Functioning - History, Neuroscience, Developmental Models, Theoretical Constructs, Including Exploration of Healthy and Disordered Functioning

This course will provide the students basic background information on the history, neuroscience foundations, the different developmental models and theoretical constructs involved in understanding the different aspects of family functioning and its impact on child development during infancy and early childhood, both in normal and disordered functioning. The course will combine lectures, reading materials and videotapes examples to achieve its learning objectives.

2

Neuroscience and Early Social-Emotional and Cognitive Development

This course will helps students to understand the relationship between brain structures and social-emotional and cognitive development. Students will learn how the brain structures are developed during pregnancy, infancy, early childhood, and the critical role of each structure in regulating emotions, thinking, communication, and overall behavior. The course will review recently published peer-reviewed articles on brain research and neuroscience to achieve its learning objectives.

IMH 213

Individual Differences and Psychopathology

This course will help students to understand motor, sensory, and visual-spatial processing, language, cognitive, and social-emotional individual differences, both in normal and disordered functioning and their contribution to psychopathology. The course will combine lectures, reading materials and videotapes examples to achieve its learning objectives.

2

IMH 301

Ethics, Values, Cultural Competency and Legal Aspects of Professional Clinical Practice

This course exposes students to develop critical ethical, cultural, and legal competencies when working with infants, young children, and their families. It includes discussion on the value and best practices related to consultation and supervision, as well as review of California law and professional ethics for marriage, family, and child counseling. The course will combine lectures, reading materials and videotapes examples to achieve its learning objectives.

1

IMH 302

An Integrated, Developmental Approach to the Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnostic Process

This advanced level course will provide the students an opportunity to integrate the concepts and skills learned in previous first, and second level courses into a comprehensive, developmental framework that will guide their learning of advanced assessment, evaluation, and diagnostic skills. Students will be exposed to different diagnostic approaches (ICDL-DMIC, Zero To Three, DSM-IV, and ICD-10), analyzing their comparative advantages to infancy and early childhood mental health and developmental disorders. Students will also review the most relevant psychological assessment tools available for infants, children and families.

2

IMH 304

An Integrated, Developmental Approach to Intervention I - Fostering Basic Functional Emotional Capacities

This advanced level course will provide the students an opportunity to integrate concepts and skills acquired during the previous courses and learn how to formulate a comprehensive intervention program for children who show early signs of developmental constraints in their first six basic functional emotional capacities. The course will use several case studies, supported with videotapes, to achieve its learning objectives.

2

IMH 305

An Integrated, Developmental Approach to Intervention II - Intervention with Challenging Cases

This advanced level course will provide the students an opportunity to integrate concepts and skills acquired during the first, second and third level courses. Participants will learn how to formulate a comprehensive intervention program for children who have multiple risk factors or slower to show progress. The course will use several case studies, supported with videotapes, to achieve its learning objectives.

2

Biomedical Evaluation and Interventions

This course will explore the developmental pathways leading to thinking, oral and written expression, reading, and math capacities. Emphasis will be placed on early identification and preventive oriented interventions. The course will combine lectures, reading materials and active group discussions to achieve its learning objectives.

IMH 306

Learning Disorders: Differences and Strengths in Infants and Young Children - How to Observe, Assess, and Intervene

This course will explore the developmental pathways leading to thinking, oral and written expression, reading, and math capacities. Emphasis will be placed on early identification and preventive oriented interventions. The course will combine lectures, reading materials and active group discussions to achieve its learning objectives.

2

IMH 308

Federal, State, Community, and School Regulations and Administrative, and Social Patterns

This course reviews current federal, state, community and school regulations, within the context of the Individual Disability Education Act (IDEA), providing an opportunity to students to understand infants and young children’s rights and opportunities to access funding for rehabilitation and education services.

1

IMH 309

Consultation and Supervision

This course will prepare students to provide effective consultation and supervision to a range of professionals, coming from different disciplines, working with infants, children, adolescents, and families to improve their development, functional emotional capacities, and overall mental health.

1

Electives (4 credits minimum)

Credits

IMH 401

An Integrated, Developmental Approach to Intervention IV -Providing Services to Minorities and Bilingual Families

This advanced elective level course will provide the students an opportunity to review the particular needs to take into account when formulating and applying a comprehensive intervention program for infants and young children living with bilingual and minority families.

2

IMH 402

An Integrated, Developmental Approach to Intervention V - Providing Services to Families with Mental Health Problems

This advanced elective level course will provide the students an opportunity to review the particular needs to take into account when formulating and applying a comprehensive intervention program for infants and young children living with families that have significant mental health problems. It includes a review of alcohol/drug abuse and its related disorders within the family unit. The course discusses therapeutic issues associated with chemi­cal dependency as it relates to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, along with various techniques for in­tervention, and characteristics of a strong aftercare program. This class is designed to meet the requirement for the California MFT license.

2

IMH 403

An Integrated, Developmental Approach to Intervention VI -Strengthening Community Resources to Improve Infant Mental Health

This advanced elective course offers student the opportunity to discuss how to strengthen community resources to improve infant mental health for young children living in vulnerable situations, like poverty, discrimination and violence.

2

IMH 404

Transformational Leadership in Infant Mental Health

This advanced elective course offers students and opportunity to discuss the core elements of transformational leadership necessary to empower interdisciplinary networks working towards a common vision to improve infant mental health, early detection, and comprehensive services for children with special needs.

2

IMH 405

Grant Writing

This advanced elective course provides students with an opportunity to develop necessary competencies to apply for funding that would support research, educational, preventive services, or community interventions for infants and young children.

2

IMH 406

Introduction to Family Therapy - Theories of Marriage, Family and Child Counseling

This class will review the major psycho­therapeutic approaches in marriage, fam­ily, and child counseling. It will include the review of family systems theories, interpersonal and human communication theories, and how each informs work with individuals, couples, families, and children. This class provides training require­ment for the California MFT license.

2

IMH 407

Advanced Family Therapy

This course discusses applications of family systems approach to the treatment issues facing families in crisis and transition. Special emphasis is placed in understanding the crisis of families with children with developmental delays, including aspects of grief and loss. Stressful lifecycle events are also addressed, developing intervention strategies to support families through difficult periods of life. This class provides training require­ment for the California MFT license.

2

IMH 408

Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Assessment, Detection and Intervention

This course reviews early signs and different types of established domestic violence, as well as its impact on infants, children, adolescents, and family life. The discussion includes consideration of cultural and gender differences, as well as risk and protective factors. The course also reviews in depth critical aspects of assessment and method of reporting different types of child abuse. Students will be able to recognize physical and behavioral indicators of abuse, acquire basic crisis counseling techniques, and knowledge of community re­sources. The course addresses intervention alternatives and legal responsibilities for the men­tal health practitioner, including understanding the rights and responsibilities of re­porting, consequences of failure to re­port, and caring for a child’s needs after report is made. This class provides training require­ment for the California MFT license.

2

IMH 409

Psychological Testing

This course introduces students to basic concepts for using psychological tests, including projective, cognitive, and personality structured assessment as well as understanding the mental status examination. Students will also review the elements of psychological assessment reports and diagnostic classifications available in mental health.

2

IMH 410

Psychopharmacology

This course provides an overview of clin­ical psychopharmacology in the context of providing professional support to treatment prescribed by psychiatrists. It focuses on the use of psychiatric medications for specific mental health disorders, diag­nostic issues, and treatment plans, as well as the ex­tent and impact of side effects in the life of infants, young children, and parents. This class is designed to meet the requirement for the California MFT license.

2