Department of Health and Human Services

Professors: Cinzia Pica, Maria Parmley (Chairperson); Associate Professor of Practice: Alison Myette; Assistant Professors: Christian Williams, Shuhan Yuan, Mark Leary; Lecturers: Barbara Colombo-Adams, Kayla Cetrone, Molly Domineck, Thea Hickey, Karla McAuliffe, Philip McCue, Katie Moss, Ryan Paskins, Gary Senecal, Tempe Staples, Alexandria Vassallo, Michael Wood; Clinical Coordinator for HUS: Susan Sabelli; Clinical Coordinator for HSC: Katelyn Stevens.

Mission Statement 

The Department of Health and Human Services is based upon the philosophy that all humans have the potential to thrive. The undergraduate programs offered in the Health and Human Services Department are committed to preparing students to maximize the participation, inclusion, and functioning of all individuals in the community. The Health Sciences and Human Services curriculum incorporates a humanistic, strengths-based, social justice framework to working with all individuals. It is within this context that the liberal arts are integrated with the study of health and human services.

The Department of Health and Human Services encompasses two majors: Human Services and Health Sciences. Additionally, we offer a minor in Human Services and a number of other concentrations that may be paired with the major in Human Services as well as the major in Health Sciences as well as other majors across the institution. Concentrations in our department include Communication Sciences and Disorders, Pre-Physical Therapy, Pre-Occupational Therapy, Patient Advocacy, and Working with Children and Adolescents in Community Settings. Finally, we offer a Six-in-Five Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Counseling that begins in the final year of undergraduate studies.

Six-in-Five Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Counseling 

The Department of Health and Human Services has an accelerated path toward helping undergraduate students earn a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. The Six-in-Five Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Counseling is open to all undergraduate students at Assumption University regardless of their declared major. Undergraduate students that are on-track to complete general education/core requirements in addition to the required courses for their major may begin the graduate program in Rehabilitation Counseling during their senior year. Graduate coursework during the senior year counts toward the undergraduate degree as well as the graduate degree so students in this program will graduate with their bachelor’s degree on schedule. Then, upon completion of one additional year of graduate study (the fifth year), students will be awarded a Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling. Students are then eligible to take the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Examination and become nationally certified as a Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC).

Upon completion of this nationally accredited program in Rehabilitation Counseling, students have a number of professional options. Students can gain employment as a professional rehabilitation counselor in educational settings, independent living centers, insurance-based settings, private settings, rehabilitation hospitals, state rehabilitation agencies, and other settings. The master’s degree will enable students to achieve professional counselor status and improved prospects for advancement into supervisory positions. Students can also use the Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling for entry into a doctoral program.

Students interested in the Six-in-Five Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Counseling should seek advising with the chair of the Department of Health and Human Services no later than February 1 of their junior year at Assumption University. It is necessary to delineate a program of study as soon as possible to ensure that all requirements are fulfilled. It is also possible to modify this accelerated path to a Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling should students have outstanding undergraduate requirements that preclude them from taking 8 graduate level courses during their senior year. Academic advising is a critical piece to pursuing this program. Students with a declared major in HSRS do not complete the undergraduate field-based internship requirement (HUS 490), thus providing room for 4 graduate level courses. HUS students pursuing the Six-in-Five program will gain field-based experience as part of the graduate program (100-hour counseling practicum during the spring semester of senior year and a 600-hour rehabilitation counseling internship during the fifth year).

Admission to the Six-in-Five Program in Rehabilitation Counseling requires a strong undergraduate record of academic success. Interested students will apply to the program by submitting a personal statement, resume, two letters of recommendation, and transcripts to Nicholas Cioe, director of the Rehabilitation Counseling Program. Interested students should contact Prof. Cioe in advance of applying to the program as well as discuss this option with their academic advisor. Application materials are due early in the spring semester of junior year.

Once admitted to the Six-in-Five Program in Rehabilitation Counseling, students will begin taking graduate courses during their undergraduate senior year. On-going evaluation of student progress will take place during the senior year to ensure students are successfully completing graduate level coursework. During the spring semester of the senior year students with successful achievement will make application to Assumption University’s Graduate School and be admitted as graduate students. Financial support, such as grants and scholarships, are available to qualified students.

Policy on Major/Minor/Concentration Internship Requirements 

The following policy applies only to declared Human Service and Health Sciences majors with a declared minor or concentration that has an internship requirement. This applies to the minor in Human Service and to the concentrations in Pre-Occupational Therapy and Pre-Physical Therapy. The HUS and HSC Major Internship Requirement Supersedes Minor and Concentration Field Experience Requirements. For Human Service and Health Sciences majors, the required internship for the major will satisfy the internship requirement for the minors and concentrations listed above. Students should plan to complete the major internship requirement of their respective major; Human Service (HUS 490; 12-credits; 400-hours) and Health Sciences (HSC 450; 6-credits; 200-hours). Students who satisfy their major internship requirement are not required to complete the field experience requirement for their minor and/or concentration but are required to fulfill the total credit requirement to satisfy the minor (18 credits). Students are encouraged to identify electives within the minor/concentration to satisfy the credit requirements.

Minor/Concentration Internship Option 

While not required, students may submit a special request to complete a minor/concentration internship. The minor/concentration internship is suitable for students who want to gain additional experience in a field placement that they did not receive from the major internship experience.

  • The student should submit a MINOR/CONCENTRATION REQUEST FORM to the clinical coordinator (Susan Sabelli, Switzer Building 108; ssabelli@assumption.edu).
  • Requests will be processed on an individual, first-come-first-serve basis. Minor/concentration internship placements are determined by the number of available placements for the semester in which a student is requesting the internship.
  • Requests should be submitted one semester prior to the start of the minor/concentration internship. Using the HSRS departmental MINOR/CONCENTRATION REQUEST FORM, please indicate how the minor/concentration internship will differ from your major internship experience along with how the additional minor/concentration internship experience may help you with professional and/or graduate-school endeavors.

Programs of Study

Courses

ABA 340: INTRODUCTION TO BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS AND THERAPY

Credits 3
This course introduces students to fundamental practices in using behavioral principles to create socially significant interventions for people. The course provides an overview of behavioral assessment procedures for determining environmental factors that influence both skill deficits and challenging behavior. Students will learn to identify behavioral interventions to promote positive behaviors related to a variety of self-care, communication, academic, and social skills. In addition, students will learn to identify interventions for reducing challenging behavior. There will be a focus on identifying pivotal skills to teach and prioritizing intervention goals. There will be an emphasis on application of behavioral interventions across multiple domains, including autism and other developmental disorders, intellectual disability, education, parenting, health, and other areas.

ABA 350: SURVEY OF BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS

Credits 3
This course focuses on real world applications of behavioral principles across topics relevant to modern society. Students will explore behavioral interventions in a variety of areas, including autism, developmental disabilities, mental health, language development, parenting, play, education, feeding disorders, sports, marketing, organizational behavior management, and animal training. Within this context, students will explore what it means to say that an intervention is “behavior analytic” and evidence based and will learn how to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention based on visual data analysis and experimental design.

ABA 350: SURVEY OF BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS

Credits 3
This course focuses on real world applications of behavioral principles across topics relevant to modern society. Students will explore behavioral interventions in a variety of areas, including autism, developmental disabilities, mental health, language development, parenting, play, education, feeding disorders, sports, marketing, organizational behavior management, and animal training. Within this context, students will explore what it means to say that an intervention is “behavior analytic” and evidence based and will learn how to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention based on visual data analysis and experimental design.

ABA 450: ADVANCED TOPICS IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

Credits 3
In this course, students will further explore topics related to behavior-analytic assessment and intervention, with a focus on integrating issues related to ethics and cultural competence into service delivery. There will be emphasis on case conceptualization and application of behavioral principles to assessment and the development of treatment options within the context of case analyses. Critical thinking regarding interventions will be fostered by contrasting evidence-based behavior-analytic interventions with those based on pseudoscience. Finally, students will practice developing solutions to common ethical problems that occur during service delivery.

ABA 450: ADVANCED TOPICS IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

Credits 3
In this course, students will further explore topics related to behavior-analytic assessment and intervention, with a focus on integrating issues related to ethics and cultural competence into service delivery. There will be emphasis on case conceptualization and application of behavioral principles to assessment and the development of treatment options within the context of case analyses. Critical thinking regarding interventions will be fostered by contrasting evidence-based behavior-analytic interventions with those based on pseudoscience. Finally, students will practice developing solutions to common ethical problems that occur during service delivery.

HSC 100: SYSTEMS APPROACH TO DELIVERING HEALTH CARE IN AMERICA

Credits 3
How is healthcare delivered, funded, and legislated within the United States? What is working and what is not in our current system? This course will address the framework and structure of contemporary healthcare delivery systems in the United States and abroad. Key issues surrounding healthcare legislation, public vs. privatized insurance, and the differences with universal healthcare. Disparities in access and quality of care, health outcomes in the United States, and the role of technology in healthcare delivery will all be introduced. Students will gain an appreciation of the complexity of interacting systems that comprise health care delivery today with special attention toward the challenges and opportunities for patient-centered care.

HSC 150: INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH

Credits 3
This course provides an overview of the basic principles in Public Health, a field focused on health promotion and disease prevention. Students will learn the concepts and methods for measuring health in populations. Environmental, socio-economic, and behavioral determinants of health will be discussed, as will the role of health care systems, public policy, and government. Students will engage in the public health approach to issues by learning to define the problem, establish the cause, identify mitigating factors, develop evidence-based recommendations for interventions, and use appropriate methods to evaluate the impact of the intervention.

HSC 220: PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF CHRONIC ILLNESS AND DISABILITY

Credits 3
This course explores chronic illness and disability in light of its psychological and social impact. Historical and current perspectives on chronic illness and disability are studied. Disability models are presented. The major determinants associated with the psychological adaptation to chronic illness and disability are examined in this course. The impact that chronic illness and disability has on personality and development, sexual functioning, family functioning, social functioning, and other significant areas of function are covered. The role of gender on psychological adaptation to chronic illness and disability are covered. The role of gender on psychological adaptation to chronic illness and disability is addressed. The course will also study stigma and the attitudes of others toward people with disabilities and sever and chronic health conditions.

HSC 222: ADVOCACY FOR PATIENT-CENTERED CARE

Credits 3
The Institute of Medicine frames healthcare quality as being patient-centered, timely, efficient, effective, safe, and equitable. Patient advocacy is a central organizing vehicle for negotiating patient navigation and systemic improvements in healthcare organizations and across health care systems. This course will advance the place and role of patient advocacy in the United States health care system with an emphasis on specific tasks, skills and actions. The advocacy focus for/with consumers will attend to protecting the ethical rights of patients, improving patient quality of life, developing cultural competence in health care, promotion of disease prevention and health literacy, assistance with financing health care, integrating behavioral health services with primary care, and improving access to community-based care. Policy advocacy in healthcare, community and government settings will also be introduced.

HSC 310: EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTH CARE

Credits 3
Evidence-based practice in health care is the synthesis of best available research evidence with current knowledge and clinical experience for health promotion and quality health care services. It is a predominant clinical and administrative consideration for improving health care delivery and practice. While unprecedented developments in the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of disease provide the opportunity for longer and healthier lives, access to health care that is most appropriate is too often impeded by ignorance, inequity, and economic constraints. The Institute of Medicine finds this gap, “due to our failure to apply the evidence gathered about the medical care that is most effective – a failure related to shortfalls in provider knowledge and accountability, inadequate care coordination and support, lack of insurance, poorly aligned payment incentives, and misplaced patient expectations.” For students who are participants of the U.S. health care system, as patients or prospective providers, understanding the research process and the critical appraisal of research to support the practice implications in health care is imperative.

HSC 360: LEGAL AND ETHICAL ASPECTS OF HEALTH CARE

Credits 3
This course will address relevant legal and ethical issues in current healthcare practice and systems. The course will provide an introduction to a broad scope of legal principles and obligations required by health care professionals and consider the professional ethics involved in modern health care delivery. Primarily, federal health care policies that will impact contemporary health providers in their everyday work will be reviewed. The rights and responsibilities of organizations, health care providers, and patients will be examined. Additionally, contemporary ethical dilemmas will be explored along with developing an understanding of how ethical issues are resolved using ethics committees in modern health systems.

HSC 370: PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH EDUCATION AND PROMOTION

Credits 3
This course provides a foundational understanding of the professional field of health education. The historical, philosophical, ethical, theoretical and practical issues of the field of community health education will be explored. The course covers health education principles and addresses the application of these principles to health challenges faced by individuals, groups and communities. The course provides a fundamental understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the health education specialist and the need for implementing a wide range of targeted health education activities in the community.

HSC 450: INTERNSHIP IN HEALTH SCIENCES

Credits 6
During the final year of the Health Sciences major, students complete a required internship experience to gain firsthand experience in an area of interest. Internship experiences may be completed in selected health care work environments, e.g., public health departments, clinics, hospitals, not-for-profit organizations, and community health organizations. This course is a field-based, professional opportunity for students to apply the theories, models, knowledge, concepts, and strategies learned through their coursework in the Health Sciences. Students apply their classroom and laboratory learning in a health, allied health, or health care environment. This internship is an intensely supervised and supported experience as students are supervised by both college faculty and an onsite supervisor. There are three phases to the internship experience: orientation, observation, and performance. Students will complete 200 hours on site during the Fall or Spring semester. Registration Preference for HSC Majors

HUS 119: INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Credits 3
This course is an introduction to the theory, practice, and systems of health and human services. The information covered in this course is geared toward students in all majors so that they may become more socially, politically, culturally, and humanly aware of the issues that people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and challenging life circumstances experience. This course utilizes social justice frameworks to consider the barriers and inequities faced by individuals typically marginalized, disenfranchised, and limited from full participation in society. The history, legislation, and mission of health, human, and rehabilitation services will be examined along with the major models and theories of helping and providing services in community-based health and human service agencies. Current issues and trends in health and human services provision are covered.

HUS 121: HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND DISABILITY ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

Credits 3
This course will cover the basic principles of developmental theories in addition to the major theories of human growth and development. Piaget, Erikson, Bronfenbrenner, Maslow, and Kohlberg are some of the theorists studied in this course. Demographic shifts across history are identified with the intent of demonstrating the increased population of individuals living and living longer with chronic illness and disability. Typical development across the lifespan is studied with each stage of life covered from pregnancy and infancy to older adulthood. Disabilities and chronic illnesses common to each stage of life will be studied with discussion of the ways in which the disability and illness experience affects passage through life stages.

HUS 125: PROFESSIONAL ORIENTATION TO PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Credits 3
This course will cover the history, principles, philosophies, and ethics of occupational and physical therapy. The physical and occupational therapists’ relationship to other health care providers will also be covered. This introductory course will provide a foundation for understanding the role of the physical and occupational therapist within a variety of professional treatment sites. Theories, models of practice, and the OT and PT processes will be covered. This course will also provide an overview of professional issues and current trends and will highlight the legal and ethical responsibilities related to health care service.

HUS 200: ADDICTION: ETIOLOGY, ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT, AND REHABILITATION

Credits 3
This course will provide an overview of addictions and addictive behavior. Topics such as the historical, psychological, social, societal, physiological, family, and relationship aspects of addictions will be covered. The pharmacology, treatment, prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation related to substance abuse, alcohol dependence, eating disorders, gambling addictions, steroid use, etc. will also be explored. This course will introduce students to the different theories of addiction (e.g., biological, psycho-dynamic, social-learning, and socio-cultural) and the implications for successful intervention. Ethical issues related to addictions and addiction counseling will also be discussed.

HUS 210: MEDICAL ASPECTS OF HUMAN FUNCTIONALITY

Credits 3
The goal of this course is to assist students in acquiring an understanding of chronic illness, disability, and health impairments. The course provides information about the medical aspects and characteristics of chronic illnesses and disabling conditions along with treatments and interventions aimed at ameliorating the resulting functional limitations. Students will study chronic diseases and disabling conditions that are commonly encountered in health care and rehabilitation service settings. In addition to emphasizing the medical aspects and characteristics, treatment and intervention strategies will be covered. Basic medical terminology will be studied. This course will focus on disease, chronic illness, and physical impairments.

HUS 215: INTRODUCTION TO GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

Credits 3
This course will examine the problem of Gender Based Violence (GBV) from a theoretical, historical, sociopolitical, sociological, and psychological framework. We will delve into intimate partner violence, sexual assault and rape, stalking and other forms of gender-based violence. We will consider how social identities and experiences of intersectionality and discrimination impact GBV. We will consider whether and how survivors access support infrastructure and how social institutions may present barriers in help seeking.

HUS 219: REHABILITATION STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTIONS

Credits 3
This course explores the full range of rehabilitation strategies and interventions that occur across the lifespan of individuals with disabilities. Educational and rehabilitation strategies aimed at maximizing independence for people with disabilities will be covered. Early intervention, inclusion, and transition services will be examined as critical educational strategies aimed at minimizing the impact of disability and enhancing independence. The course will provide critical knowledge and skills related to employment and independent living options for people with disabilities, including related legislation. Supportive strategies for assisting and maintaining individuals with disabilities in educational and employment settings will be addressed. Rehabilitation and assistive technology options will also be covered.

HUS 220: PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF CHRONIC ILLNESS AND DISABILITY

Credits 3
This course explores chronic illness and disability in light of its psychological and social impact. Historical and current perspectives on chronic illness and disability are studied. Disability models are presented. The major determinants associated with the psychological adaptation to chronic illness and disability are examined in this course. The impact that chronic illness and disability has on personality and development, sexual functioning, family functioning, social functioning, and other significant areas of function are covered. The role of gender on psychological adaptation to chronic illness and disability are covered. The role of gender on psychological adaptation to chronic illness and disability is addressed. The course will also study stigma and the attitudes of others toward people with disabilities and sever and chronic health conditions.

HUS 222: ADVOCACY FOR PATIENT-CENTERED CARE

Credits 3
The Institute of Medicine frames healthcare quality as being patient-centered, timely, efficient, effective, safe, and equitable. Patient advocacy is a central organizing vehicle for negotiating patient navigation and systemic improvements in healthcare organizations and across health care systems. This course will advance the place and role of patient advocacy in the United States health care system with an emphasis on specific tasks, skills and actions. The advocacy focus for/with consumers will attend to protecting the ethical rights of patients, improving patient quality of life, developing cultural competence in health care, promotion of disease prevention and health literacy, assistance with financing health care, integrating behavioral health services with primary care, and improving access to community-based care. Policy advocacy in healthcare, community and government settings will also be introduced.

HUS 225: INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION AND ITS DISORDERS

Credits 3
This course is an introduction to human communication across the lifespan with emphasis on the linguistic rule systems of pragmatics, semantics, syntax, morphology, and phonology. An overview of normal and disordered speech, language, cognitive-linguistic, and hearing skills is provided. This overview includes etiologies, characteristics, assessment, and treatment using case studies, video, DVD, and audio-taped examples as well as hands-on materials.

HUS 230: APPLIED INTERVIEWING AND HELPING SKILLS FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE PRACTITIONERS

Credits 3
This course is designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of the interview process. A strong emphasis will be placed on developing skills in applying and utilizing specific interviewing skills and techniques in human and rehabilitation service settings. Students will understand the impact of diversity, culture, and individual lifestyles on the helping process. The course will assist students to apply effective interpersonal skills in interviewing and communicating with persons with disabilities, their families, related professionals, and the general public. Client choice and consumer self-direction will be emphasized in interviewing and counseling situations. Students will be taught to incorporate cultural sensitivity into daily practice and interactions with clients. Ethical principles and decision making will be discussed and practiced.

HUS 235: NORMAL SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Credits 3
This course provides an in-depth coverage of normal speech and language development, including theories of acquisition, development of the linguistic areas of content, form and function, cognitive-linguistic development, the development of literacy skills, and basic analysis techniques for measuring the speech and language development of a child. Learning is achieved through lecture, reading, and video/audio taped examples.

HUS 241: PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION: MODELS AND APPROACHES WITH YOUTH

Credits 3
This course will provide students an overview of professional settings that employ counselors and youth workers to work with children and adolescents. Settings such as public, private, and alternative schools, early intervention programs, afterschool programs, and youth facilities will be covered. The role of professionals working in these settings will also be explored. The course will provide an overview of a variety of issues associated with early childhood and adolescence. Basic guidelines for working with children will be covered in addition to an overview of specific prevention and intervention models for counseling children and adolescents. The course will focus on the practical application of developmental theory within the context of a social justice and multicultural counseling framework. The course will also address effective intervention techniques to work with all youth within our socio-political contexts of schools and communities. Effective and collaborative family intervention models will also be covered.

HUS 301: VICTIM ADVOCACY: WORKING WITH SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE

Credits 3
This course is designed to prepare students with the knowledge, theory-driven skills, and understanding of community resources to support survivors of violence in community settings. Topics covered in class reflect credentialing standards for victim advocates. This course prepares students to work with survivors of violence by providing an understanding of the phenomenon of violence more broadly, as well as providing students with a knowledge base that is essential in working with survivors in future careers in fields such as the criminal justice system, human services, health care, education and more. This course will cover the sociopolitical context of violence, the complex and layered impact of victimization and violence on a survivor, the family and community, the role and responsibilities of victim advocates, understanding and applying ethical principles to victim advocacy work, understanding interventions and community services, community utilization processes as well as understanding and demonstrating referral processes, as well as victims’ rights, victims services and compensation and navigating the criminal justice system—all required content knowledge by the National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP).

HUS 305: CLIENT INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENT

Credits 3
This course is intended to provide the student anticipating a professional role in the human and rehabilitation services with an opportunity to develop awareness, understanding, and skills related to the use of assessments and evaluation tools. Clients utilizing human and rehabilitation services are in need of professionals with skills in utilizing assessment results in order to plan and provide appropriate interventions. This course will utilize a lifespan approach to provide an overview of common assessment and evaluation tools used in a variety of human service and applied settings such as schools, early intervention programs, and rehabilitation agencies.

HUS 320: PSYCHOLOGICAL PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND ADVOCACY

Credits 3
As an introduction to psychiatric rehabilitation, this course emphasizes understanding of lifespan development with appreciation for the complex interaction of biological, social, and psychological variables that influence human behavior. From this bio-psycho-social framework, the course will review major psychiatric and developmental disorders with attention to diagnostic and intervention strategies. This course will also address the co-occurrence of psychiatric disorders and substance use disorders in individuals. The challenging nature of treatment and rehabilitation for individuals with co-occurring disorders will be identified and covered. Educational and vocational factors will also be covered. Students will gain an understanding and appreciation of the personal experience of psychiatric disability and recovery, including an understanding of the core principles and motives of psychiatric rehabilitation.

HUS 321: SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES FOR YOUTH

Credits 3
Social Skills Training is a psycho-educational approach to scaffolding pro-social behaviors of youth and adolescents with behavioral challenges. Social skill development as an approach supports youth to be successful in social interactions. Specifically, social skill development as an approach provides youth with strategies for building resilience and for dealing with teasing and bullying, starting conversations, asking for help, dealing with peer pressure, practicing effective problem solving, etc. The course will provide students with the theoretical, evidentiary, and practical background to engage with youth in social skill development and interventions. Students will be introduced to assessment strategies to determine the social skills needs of youth and adolescents. The course will also introduce interventions for specific behavioral challenges of students with disabilities (ADHD, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders, for example). Students will also be introduced to other relevant evidence-based interventions for working with youth.

HUS 325: CLINICALLY-BASED PHONETICS OF AMERICAN ENGLISH

Credits 3
This course is the study of sounds of the American English Language. Using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), students will learn to analyze and transcribe the physical properties of American English, including the production of sounds, acoustics, and perception of speech.

HUS 331: BASIC CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES IN APPLIED BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS

Credits 3
The field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) grew out of the scientific study of the principles of learning and behavior and is now an evidence-based method for changing people’s behavior, including the behavior of children and adults with a variety of developmental, cognitive, and behavioral disabilities. This course first introduces students to the core concepts, terminology, and methods of ABA. Students then learn how to use behavioral principles to address the behavioral needs of a variety of individuals being served in diverse community settings. Students will learn functional assessment methods and methods to assess reinforcer preference and adaptive, social, and communication skills. Students will learn how to assimilate information derived from these methods to develop a hypothesis regarding the function of behavior and how to select and implement an intervention method based on the assessment results while using evidence-based practices. Students will complete exercises and practical application-based projects so that they can develop basic behavior-analytic skills prior to implementing these skills in real-world settings. Interventions that are geared toward reducing problem behaviors and generalizing and promoting positive behaviors that enhance the development, abilities, and choices of children and adults with developmental and behavioral disabilities will be covered.

HUS 335: ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF SPEECH AND HEARING MECHANISMS

Credits 3
This course is an in-depth study of the muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems as they pertain to speech, hearing ,and swallowing. This course covers the normal anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanisms with emphasis on respiration, phonation, resonance, articulation, hearing, swallowing, and audition.

HUS 340: PRINCIPLES OF CASE MANAGEMENT

Credits 3
This course is designed to assist students in developing the necessary case management skills that are essential to the human and rehabilitation services fields. It will provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to facilitate client movement from initiation of services to case service termination. Students will be exposed to case management practices across human service agencies. Efficient case documenting, case recording, and time management approaches will be developed along with case planning skills that recognize individual client needs. Community resource utilization, goal development, action planning, advocating, service coordination, and utilization of assessment information will also be covered. This is a skills-based course that aims to teach organizational principles, practices, and processes to students, thus enabling them to be effective in human and rehabilitation service delivery systems.

HUS 345: OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY: OCCUPATION, THEORY, INTERVENTION, AND ASSESSMENT ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

Credits 3
The course will explore occupation, context and activities that have meaning and purpose in an individual’s life across their lifespan. Students will compare, analyze and practice using Occupational Therapy assessment tools and intervention strategies. The course addresses standards for testing, types and levels of assessment and a brief introduction to report writing for various practice settings. This course explores the occupational therapy theoretical literature, which includes the Model of Human Occupation, the occupation based models of Occupational Adaption, the Ecology of Human Performance model and the Person-Environment-Occupation Model. These theories will be studied with an emphasis on their usefulness in addressing issues in both the disability and able-bodied populations. Students will also examine the Third Edition of the Occupational Therapy Framework (OTPF-3) which guides OT best practice. Students will utilize this framework to examine environmental factors that facilitate physical access, improve psychological awareness and empowerment, and utilize advocacy for positive change across the lifespan.

HUS 390: EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY

Credits 4
This advanced course is designed to provide students with applied knowledge relative to humans’ physiologic responses to acute and chronic exercise stress. Students’ basic knowledge of neuromuscular physiology, energy metabolism, and cardiovascular and respiratory physiology will be honed to focus on human exercise response with the focus of the course being on applications to exercise training and programming, sport, nutrition, youth, aging, and disease. Laboratory exercises will enable practical skills to be gained in measuring and testing for physiological markers of human readiness and response to exercise.

HUS 400: FIELD EXPERIENCE IN HUMAN SERVICES

Credits 3
This course is a supervised 100-hour field placement experience in an approved human or rehabilitation service agency. The field placement will provide students with an opportunity to become oriented to the human and rehabilitation services by observing and participating in the provision of services to client groups. As students develop they will have the opportunity to use their skills and knowledge to provide services within a highly supervised setting. This field placement enables students to work with staff representing a variety of human service fields. Students will also participate in a weekly seminar that provides group supervision, instruction, and discussion of the field placement experience.

HUS 405: INTRODUCTION TO AUDIOLOGY

Credits 3
This course is intended to offer students an introduction to the theoretical and practical aspects of the field of Audiology. This course will introduce methods of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of both audiological and vestibular disorders. This course will cover a variety of important topics for the beginning diagnostic audiologist, including air and bone conduction audiometry, speech audiometry, otoscopy, tympanometry, hearing aids, cochlear implants, and an introduction to electrophysiologic measurements and vestibular disorders/assessments.

HUS 415: HEARING SCIENCES

Credits 3
This course will provide students with the fundamental principles of hearing science. This course is designed to review auditory anatomy and introduce students to physical acoustics (sound and its measurement), physiological acoustics (physiology of the auditory and balance systems), and psychoacoustics (the perception of sound).

HUS 420: FAMILY SYSTEMS: THEORY, INTERVENTIONS AND PRACTICE

Credits 3
This course uses a family systems approach to cover the life cycle of the family. Students will learn to develop and use a genogram to better understand the family system. The course also takes a specific focus on the complex challenges that families face when a family member has a chronic illness, severe disability, or substance use disorder. The course will examine family risk factors and interventions employed to prevent and mitigate the effects associated with these factors. The course will focus on developing specialized skills and techniques for working with families in an attempt to foster family cohesion to confront challenges. This course attempts to provide students with a context and a philosophy for facilitating families as they move through time. Furthermore, the course aims to teach professionals to assist family members in becoming a positive resource and support for each other as they confront the many challenges associated with disability, chronic illness, or substance use disorders. The course covers a variety of family assessment and intervention models. The course includes an analysis of relevant and critical issues to consider when working with families during the treatment, intervention, and/or rehabilitation processes. Specific attention is given to the family life cycle and the effect of risk factors, such as disability, chronic illness, or substance use disorders on the family.

HUS 421: GRIEF AND LOSS

Credits 3
This course will address the topics of loss, grief, bereavement, aging, and the dying process from a humanistic perspective. The course will examine the role of spirituality, culture, gender, and developmental stage in responding to loss. This course will address the role that helping professionals and fellow human beings can play in facilitating and encouraging the natural, healthy, and healing expression of emotions related to loss. In this course, students will learn that grieving evokes strong emotions and strong emotions can be overwhelming if they are not spoken in the presence of someone who can accept and not judge. Therefore, students in this course will be taught how to be present with someone experiencing strong emotions related to loss and death, how to respond to feelings shared by others experiencing grief and loss, and how to encourage others to accept and cope with strong emotions related to loss and grief.

HUS 425: SPEECH SCIENCE

Credits 3
This advanced course will provide students with the fundamental principles of speech science. This course is designed to introduce students to the objective measurements of human speech and voice production and perception from acoustic and physiological instrumentation. Readings, lectures, course work, and discussions are designed to demonstrate the ways in which this empirical data relates to research in the field of communication science as well as to its clinical applications.

HUS 430: CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS CAPSTONE SEMINAR

Credits 3
In seminar format, students will work closely with the instructor, and with each other, to integrate and reflect on their previous coursework and experiences in the Working with Children and Adolescents concentration as well as areas of current interest to create a final research project. This course will help students to increase their mastery of theoretical and professional competencies in working with children and adolescents in school, family, or community settings. This course will also help students develop a sense of how this knowledge applies to professional practice and practical issues related to working with children and adolescents in community settings. This course will incorporate concepts such as current trends in working with children and adolescents, promoting well-being and resilience in children and families, risk and protective factors, addressing developmental assets and challenges facing youth, and crisis management, as well as prevention and intervention strategies. (Consult department chair)

HUS 431: TREATMENT STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTIONS FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

Credits 3
This advanced course will focus on the theories, approaches, strategies, and interventions currently utilized for the effective treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders. Specific attention will be paid to change theory and the importance of motivating individuals for change. Evidence-based interventions, such as motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral techniques, will be highlighted. Content covered will deepen students’ understanding of substance use disorders and facilitate the development of skills and competencies associated with addiction intervention strategies. A variety of individual and group treatment modalities will be covered with specific attention paid to psycho-educational strategies. This course will also introduce crisis intervention for treating clients with substance use disorders.

HUS 435: CRISIS INTERVENTION

Credits 3
This advanced course provides students, anticipating a role in the human and rehabilitation services, with an opportunity to combine knowledge of assessment and rehabilitation with an understanding of the personal and systemic dynamics of crises. Additionally, the course prepares students to respond to the immediate presenting needs of clients and systems experiencing crisis, to access community resources, to make the necessary referrals, and to engage in consultation and collaboration. Students also learn to recognize the effects of stressors and service delivery on human services and rehabilitation professionals, emphasizing the importance of self-care strategies, and burnout prevention skills.

HUS 485: SPECIAL TOPICS IN HUMAN SERVICES

Credits 3
Special topics courses are elective courses designed to address special issues, skills, and knowledge needed in the human and rehabilitation services. These courses are designed for junior and senior level students as independent research and inquiry are required.

HUS 490: INTERNSHIP IN HUMAN SERVICES

Credits 12
This course is a field-based, professional opportunity for students to apply the theories, strategies, interventions, and knowledge learned through the HSRS coursework. Students will be applying their classroom learning in a professional human and/or rehabilitation service setting. The internship is an intensely supervised and supported experience as students are supervised by both faculty and an agency supervisor. There are three phases to the internship experience: orientation, observation, and performance. Students will perform all aspects of the human and/or rehabilitation specialists job, e.g., intake interviewing, assessment, action planning, service planning, case management, and case closure. Students will complete a minimum of 400 hours on site during the fall or spring semester. The internship is a competency driven experience and specific skills related to the direct provision of services will be evaluated.

HUS 499: DIRECTED STUDY IN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

This course allows students to explore an area of interest along with the guidance of a faculty member. Students will work with their faculty advisor to develop a research or other project that provides immersion into a topic area of interest. Students, along with their faculty advisor, will develop a project proposal to be approved by the department chairperson and the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.