Course Descriptions

3900 Child Guidance (5 credits): Students in this class explore effective child guidance theories and factors that impact their classroom application with young children from birth to age 8. Empirically-based positive guidance techniques and strategies are reviewed and applied to everyday practice, especially as they relate to establishing prosocial environments, classroom management, and meeting the needs of children and families from diverse backgrounds.
3910 Early Childhood Nutrition (3 credits): Young children have specific nutritional and physical needs. This course covers the nutritional needs of children, such as how to ensure that they get all the nutrients they need to stay healthy. The course explores what consists of safe foods at various stages in childhood, especially when not all foods can be eaten by infants and toddlers. Learn about the best practices in the field of early education regarding what foods to serve young children that promote positive health, hygiene and physical development.
3991 Independent Study (1 to 10 credits)
3992 Directed Study (1 to 10 credits)
4000 Assessment for Non-Psychlgsts (2 credits): Foundation and methodology of assessment are considered in the context of informing practices of professionals who construct a variety of test formats including assessment of cognitive abilities, achievement testing, vocational assessment, and assessment of personality.
4301 Professional & Ethical Issues (3 credits): This course examines professional issues pertinent to working with early childhood through adolescent populations in school and community settings. Professional issues and contemporary service models pertinent to the field of early childhood and school psychology are reviewed, including an introduction to ethical issues, federal mandates, professional training, and roles and responsibilities. Students learn and are involved in casework discussion pertinent to the application of best practices in the delivery of assessment, intervention, and consultation services. Special emphasis is given to current mental health and education regulations and reforms. Controversial issues highlighted in the field are covered including differential issues facing early childhood and school psychology professionals in urban and rural settings. Students become acquainted with a variety of ethical issues affecting practice in the public schools; in hospital, agency, and private settings; and in higher education. Attention is focused on ethical standards, reasoning processes, and conduct in applied settings.
4302 Legal Issues in Education (2 credits): This course is designed to acquaint students with a variety of legal issues affecting practice in the public schools; in hospital, agency, and private settings; and in higher education. Attention is focused on federal and state legislation, special and regular education case law, psychological practice case law, and ethical standards, reasoning processes, and conduct in applied settings. Special consideration is given to the nonequivalence of ethical standards of practice as they relate to legal mandates and court decisions concerning practice in the schools.
4303 Risk, Resiliency & Prevention (3 credits): This course examines the history and theoretical bases of resiliency research and the characteristics of children at significant risk of delays, disorders, and low-incidence disabilities. Participants obtain practical information regarding the assessment, identification, amelioration, facilitative responses, and intervention in school and community settings for these populations. The course moves beyond a pathology approach that focuses on the deficits of children and families to an empowerment perspective that focuses on strengths. The course is grounded in child development research and educational and family systems Prevention principles, curriculum, and policy agendas are discussed that build on a model of collaboration between and among disciplines in community and school settings.
4304 Diversity Schl & Cmmty Stgs (3 credits): This course explores diversity in children and families, and the impact of culture on personal and family development. Emphasis is placed on the intersection of school and community settings' cultures and those of children and families, and how this affects learning and development for individuals and groups of children. Attention is given to students' cultures and cultural experiences, and how these affect the work they do with children and families in school and community settings.
4305 Exp Child: Biomed & PsySoc Asp (3 credits): This course provides a broad survey of the field of exceptionality and special education. Included are discussions of current issues and controversies in the field, characteristics, classification, diagnosis, and educational interventions for early childhood and school-aged children with high-incidence and low-incidence disabilities who have exceptional educational needs. Biomedical and psychosocial etiologies are reviewed. Implications for child and family interventions and supports also are addressed.
4308 Early Academic Completencies (3 credits): This course provides an overview of early academic competencies across diverse settings and stakeholders, such as families, teachers/providers, programs, and communities. A comparative analysis of evidence-based early literacy strategies, environments, curriculum, and a review of current evaluation and instructional language and math literacy practices for working with teachers, families, and young children is undertaken. Play-based and other informal methods of assessment and intervention are covered, including the integration of technology and strategies to promote early skill development with language and math with infants, toddlers and preschoolers in natural environments.
4310 Infant Development (3 credits): This course provides an overview of theorectical, research, and practice issues in the field of child development. Attention is given to sensorimotor, cognitive, language, and social-emotional development. The focus of the course is on typical development of children from early childhood to early adolescence. The course will emphasize the synthesis of past research into current findings and accepted theories and will allow the student to broaden their understanding of the impact of research on current policies and practices.
4311 Child Development (3 to 5 credits): This course provides an overview of the growth and development of the child from conception to twelve years. Attention is given to physical/sensorimotor, cognitive, language, and social-emotional development domains with a focus on typical as well as atypical development. Research and policy are reviewed as it relates to developmentally appropriate practice addressing the whole child and the creation of supportive environmental contexts. Guided observation and individual case work allow for application and integration of developmental theory and practice.
4312 Learning Appl & Analysis (3 credits): This course examines learning theories and applied behavioral principles. Students learn to apply theories to case studies and fieldwork relating to infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children with and without disabilities. Students work in teams to analyze and solve problems relating to learning and behavior at home and school, and to develop positive behavioral support and effective learning plans.
4314 The Nature of Intelligence (3 credits): This course investigates the following questions about human intelligence: (1) What is the fundamental nature of human intelligence? (2) What is the best way to measure intelligence? (3) What is the role of genes and environment in the making of intellegence? (4) Are there group differences in intelligence? (5) Can we teach intelligence? Students will develop answers to these questions by reading, studying, and discussing the ideas of major theorists.
4315 Prof & Ethical Issues in ECSE (3 credits): This course provides students with an understanding of the role of an Early Childhood Special Educator Specialist and serves as the foundation for students who are interested in pursuing this as a profession. This includes the profession's ethical and professional practice standards, and understanding of the multiple roles and complex situations across wide age and developmental ranges. This course also covers the historical laws and legal issues associated with the profession. The course also highlights why special educators engage in professional activities and learning communities that benefit individuals with developmental issue and their families, colleagues, and their own professional growth. This course promotes the idea that special educators are lifelong learners and regularly reflect on and adjust their practice.
4320 Infant & Preschool Assessment (6 credits): This course is designed to teach students how to assess infants using a variety of standardized and non-standardized methods. The entire assessment process including screening, evaluating, writing results, and interpreting the results to families and to professionals are addressed. Tests are examined with consideration for when and why specific instruments should be used. Students are trained in-depth in the administration and interpretation of a variety of instruments for assessment of cognitive, language, social-emotional and motor development. Prerequisite: CFSP 4310
4321 Trnsdicplnry Play-Based Assmnt (3 credits): Play-based assessment is a functional, observational approach to assessment of infants and preschoolers. In this course students will learn how to be part of a transdisciplinary team, observe children in playful interactions with parents, adults, and peers, determine developmental levels and needs, and plan a functional intervention plan. Students will observe children and work with families in teams to learn the guidelines for observation of cognitive, communication, social-emotional, and sensorimotor development.
4322 Psychoeducational Assessment I (5 credits): This course is one of two required courses designed to provide students in School Psychology with expertise in individual intelligence and achievement test administration, scoring, interpretation, and report writing. Each student has an opportunity to administer various cognitive and achievement measures, with particular emphasis on the Wechsler Scales. Contemporary issues pertinent to the assessment of intelligence are covered. Emphasis is placed synthesizing and integrating information from cognitive and acheivement assessment with other sources to produce effective educational recommendations. In addition, the role of these tools in the special education qualification process is highlighted. Important issues regarding the use of such tests are discussed, as well as the use of tests in schools and clinical practice. The focus of the class is primarily on the assessment of school-aged children. Lab fee required.
4323 Psychoeducation Assessmnt II (5 credits): This course is the second of two required courses designed to provide students in School Psychology with expertise in individual intelligence and achievement test administration, scoring, interpretation, and report writing. Each student has an opportunity to administer various cognitive and achievement measures, with particular emphasis on the Woodcock Johnson Scales. Nontraditional forms of assessment, as well as adaptive behavior measures, are also covered. Integrating results of assessments with other data to provide effective educational recommendations continues to be an emphasis. The focus of the class is on the assessment of school-aged children. Lab fee required.
4324 Social-Emotional Assessment (5 credits): This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of the major approaches to assess a school-aged student's social and emotional status. Instruction includes underlying theories, use and interpretation of interviewing techniques, observation methods, objective behavior ratings, self-report measures, sociometric procedures and selected projectives. Emphasis is placed on the integration and interpretation of multimethod, multisource and multisetting data to improve diagnostic accuracy, and the use of assessment results in developing effective intervention strategies. Students learn to incorporate such assessment information using case studies. In addition, students develop skills in writing case reports and in making effective presentations of social-emotional assessment results. Consideration is given to contemporary issues in the assessment of children's social emotional functioning. Lab fee required.
4326 Preschool Assessment (3 credits): This course is designed to teach students how to assess preschoolers using a variety of standardized and non-standardized methods. The entire assessment process including screening, evaluating, writing results, and interpreting the results to families and to professionals are addressed. Tests are examined with consideration for when and why specific instruments should be used. Students are trained in-depth in the administration and interpretation of a variety of instruments for assessment of cognitive, language, social-emotional and motor development. Prerequisites: CFSP 4311 and CFSP 4320.
4330 Fam-Sch Partnering & Consult (3 credits): This course is designed to familiarize educational, mental health, and early childhood service providers with essential attitudes, approaches, and actions necessary to form successful family-school-community partnerships that can foster development and learning, especially for children with disabilities. Ecological, family systems, and family-centered theory and principles serve as the foundation for working collaboratively with families from diverse cultural and social backgrounds within school and community settings. Students gain skills in family interviewing; consultation to identify family strengths, needs, and resources; collaborative problem-solving; and multi-systemic learning. Evidence-based family involvement, education, and intervention strategies contribute to positive family-school partnering relationships are reviewed within a multi-tiered, school-based service delivery framework.
4332 Classroom Mgmt & Consultation (4 credits): This course is designed to acquaint students with current directions in classroom management and school-based consultation. Covered are issues related to consultant and consultee characteristics, consultation practices and processes, models and stages of consultation, facilitating desired outcomes in consultation, and evaluation of consultation outcomes. Special emphasis is also given to problems of classroom management and collaboration with parents, teachers and other educational and community personnel. Case analysis and practice are required. (Permission of Instructor).
4333 Models/Methods in Early Chldhd (3 credits): This course provides an overview of educational and service delivery models for infant and preschool children. Students will critique curricula for early childhood programs, including those for children with special needs or children at risk. Fieldwork involves observation of models in the community and comparison of inclusion practices and program strengths and weaknesses. Students review and design observational tools to determine the model fidelity and to learn standards for develomentally approprate practice.
4335 Infant & Family Interventions (3 credits): This course will describe various models for intervention with infants and toddlers with disabilities, emphasizing intervention within natural environments. Working with children and families in home, childcare, and other community settings will be emphasized and contrasted with intervention in more clinical settings. Students learn how to consult with parents and community professionals in providing coordinated transdisciplinary services when working with children in home and community settings. All areas of development will be addressed. Field experiences with children and families are expected to practice the skills addressed in class. Families will be asked to share their experiences to enable students to gain the "human" side of theory and practice.
4336 Preschool Interventions (3 credits): This course covers early childhood interventions applicable within community, preschool and home environments. A hierarchy of intervention strategies is addressed including universal, targeted, and intensive approaches. There is a focus on building supportive networks, routine-based intervention strategies, and collaboration to enhance family resources. Students review empirically validated early interventions and curriculum for young children exhibiting both normal and delayed development.
4337 School-Age Academic Competencs (4 credits): The purpose of this course is to review theories of learning disability and response to intervention approaches that incorporate environmental, curriculum-based, standardized, analytical or diagnostic assessments. Students learn to link assessment data to targeted empirically-valid learning and behavioral; interventions and strategies for students exhibiting difficulties or delays in literacy, written language, or math skills. Students evaluate learning environments, formulate instructional hypotheses, and plan interventions and strategies in regards to phonemic awareness, decoding/phonics, word recognition, reading fluency, listening/reading comprehension, study skills, written expression, mathematical calculation or problem-solving. Guidelines to promote differentiated classroom instruction and for working with students with limited English proficiency are reviewed. Effective family-school partnering and home-school consultation practices are highlighted to further facilitate learning. These goals are accomplished through critical readings and assignments, classroom case discussion, demonstrations, modeling, practice with hypothetical cases, and individualized tutoring with a referred student.
4338 Low-Incidence Disab & Interven (3 credits): This course reviews a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorders and low-incidence disabilities including autism, fragile X syndrome, and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, visual and hearing impairment, along with syndromes associated with chromosomal deletions. Implications for assessment and intervention are outlined including diagnostic criteria, prevalence, and treatment and intervention strategies. Research on identification and treatment including state of the art interventions and assitive technology are addressed. Experts and researchers on specifice disabilities, from the community will be used as guest lecturers. Students observe children within community sites and also work with local families affected by low-incidence disabilities.
4339 Introduction to Play Therapy (3 credits): This course examines the history and theoretical bases of major theories of play to enhance children's social-emotional and adaptive functioning. Child-centered, interpretive, and structured play therapy models are reviewed. Information is covered regarding preparation, selection of materials and toys, playroom characteristics, facilitative responses, and how to adapt play therapy in school, home and clinical settings. The play therapy process is illustrated from the initial referral and contact through termination, including observing and responding during sessions, facilitation and interpretation, therapeutic limit setting, and group play therapy strategies. Case studies, role play, video and script analysis are incorporated as is brief play therapy and applications with special populations. Efficacy, evaluation and future areas for professional development are reviewed. This course is designed as an introductory experience to prepare students for further supervised practica in play therapy.
4340 Counseling Children & Adolesnt (4 credits): This course provides students with counseling theory and practice strategies related to contemporary, empirically validated approaches to improve interpersonal, emotional and social functioning in young children to adolescents. Students review and develop skills necessary to conduct professional, developmentally informed and theoretically driven individual and group mental health intervention in school and community settings. Students participate in an initial supervised counseling experience with a child or adolescent as a prerequisite experience during their supervised advance practicum. (Permission of Instructor).
4342 Crisis, Intervention & Prevent (3 credits): This course provides the knowledge and skills needed to respond effectively and to be a member of a school or community crisis team. Crisis theory, models, conceptualizations and current research are covered with a focus on the components of the crisis response and specific individual and group counseling skills needed to provide crisis intervention and postvention. Essential guidelines and components of a comprehensive community/ school safety and crisis play, national and local policies and programs and effective prevention strategies are reviewed.
4349 Practica I (1 credits): Taken during the first year of entry, the Practica is a supervised initial year field experience designed to expose students to a variety of home-, community- and school-based settings that serve families with children who have developmental and special needs, and in the CFSP Clinic. Each week for up to four hours, students are expected to attend, observe, and participate in a range of site-specific team meetings and services offered to families and children. For the MA in Educational Psychology degree, students, during the fall or winter quarter, identify, develop and initiate a research project with input from the faculty. The MA project culminates during the fourst quarter (summer) and serves as the final project in lieu of a comprehensive exam.
4351 CFSP Clinic (2 to 3 credits): Supervised field experience in the CFSP Clinic working with preschool through high school-aged students and their families. Casework includes assessment, intervention, and consultation on a variety of psychoeducational problems of school-aged children and youth.
4353 Practica II (2 credits): This is a 300-hour supervised field experience taken after the successful completion of core courses and Practica I experience. Practica is considered a critical professional transition year to help consolidate learning and professional competencies in preparation for a subsequent Internship. Students work throughout the year with Clinic Faculty and a licensed Field Supervisor within the University of Denver psycho-educational clinic and infant, preschool, elementary, middle or high school settings and also attend weekly Practicum seminars or individual supervision sessions with a University Faculty member. Supervision is designed to provide ongoing professional feedback, case analysis, peer consultation, continued professional development pertinent to the successful practice of School Psychology in urban and rural settings.
4354 Child, Fam & Comm Internship (1 to 6 credits): Supervised advanced Child and Family field experience in a community medical, mental health, or educational agency setting. (Permission of Instructor).
4355 School Psychology Internship (1 to 6 credits): Supervised advanced School Psychology field experience in a public or private school/community setting. Advanced standing in the program and 1200 clock hours of intership experience required. (Permission of Instructor).
4356 School Psych Field Experience (4 or 8 credits): Part-time, 20-hour-per-week or full-time, 40-hour-per-week supervised advanced School Psychology field experience in a public or private school or community setting. Students register for 4 credit hours for half-time enrollment or for 8 credit hours for full-time enrollment. This course is not graded. Advanced standing in the program and 600 or 1200 hours of internship experience is required. Department approval is required for registration. Must be registered with CFSP 4355.
4357 Early Childhood Practicum (2 credits): The practicum in Early Childhood Special Education is an individualized 300-600 hour supervised field experience taken after the successful completion of core courses. The field practicum is considered a critical professional transition year to help consolidate learning and professional competencies in preparation for employment. All students work with a licensed Field Supervisor. Students are placed in infant, preschool, elementary school settings. During practicum, students provide direct and indirect services that support children and/or families in a variety of settings. All students attend weekly practicum seminars facilitated by a University Supervisor. Supervision is designed to provide ongoing professional feedback, case analysis, peer consultation, and continued professional development and experiences pertinent to successful practice.
4361 Seminar: CFSP Supervision (1 to 2 credits): This is an advanced seminar for Ph.D. students in Child, Family and School Psychology focusing on supervision of psychological and educational service provision in school, hospital, and community agency settings.
4363 CFSP Program Dev. & Eval. (3 credits): This course focuses on theory and practice of program development and evaluation in school and community agency settings. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of program evaluation are discussed. Students have the opportunity to collaborate on a comprehensive evaluation of a specific educational, health, or mental health program.
4991 MA Independent Study (1 to 17 credits): This course allows MA or EdS Child, Family, and School Psychology students to study a specific topic area in detail in conjunction with a cooperating faculty member.
4992 Directed Study (1 to 10 credits)
4995 Research - M.A. Thesis (1 to 17 credits): This course is for students whose program requires completion of a masters level thesis.
4XXX CFSP Transfer (1 to 10 credits)
5991 PhD Independent Study (1 to 17 credits): This course allows PhD Child, Family, and School Psychology students to study a specific topic area in detail in conjunction with a cooperating faculty member.
5992 Directed Study (1 to 10 credits)
5995 Dissertation Research (1 to 20 credits): This course is for PhD Child, Family, and School Psychology students engaged in completing their doctoral dissertation.

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