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Canyon College

online Adlerian Theory and Techniques course at Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS: Adlerian Theory and Techniques


Course Title: PY519 - Adlerian Theory and Techniques
Department: Social Work, Counseling, Psychology
Instructor: LaFawn Hamm, MSW, LCSW, E-Mail -- Vita
Office Hours: Tue, Wed, and Thu evenings; other times by appointment
Prerequisites: BS in Social Work, Counseling or a related field; open to Bachelor students by permission of instructor.


Required Texts   Online Bookstore

Adlerian Psychotherapy an Advanced Approach to Individual Psychology, by Ursula E. Oberst and Alan E Steware. Taylor & Francis, Inc. (2003). ISBN-13: 9781583911228   ISBN: 1583911227

Course Objective:

Upon completion of this course the student will have an understanding of Adler’s theories and interventions including historical roots and how it has become one of the leading psychotherapy approaches today. This course is designed to give an overview of Adler’s place in the history and development of psychology theory and practice. Students will have a basic understanding of how Adlerian Theory and interventions can benefit clients.

Method: Adlerian Theory and Techniques:
  1. Reading Assignments
  2. E-mail correspondence (one-on-one) with the instructor during the eight week course
  3. Message board and/or chat room for individual and group questions and discussions.
  4. Two written papers worth 20 points each
  5. Exams: Midterm and Final worth 30 points each
Grading Scale:

A 100 - 90 points
B 89 - 80 points
C 79 - 70 points
D 69 - 60 points
F 59 or less points
Writing Assignments:

Two written papers of 5-8 pages (doubled space) are due during this course. Use APA format for the papers.

Paper one is due by Friday of week 4 and must be completed before you can take the Mid-term test. Paper two is due by Friday of week 7 and must be completed before you can take the Final Exam.

For paper one you may choose to write about one of the following. Use the assignment name as the title of your paper.
  1. A comparison of Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler as peers and how their theories were different
  2. Why Sigmund Freud’s theories became well accepted and Alfred Adler’s theories didn’t become well accepted in more recently.
You may choose to write about one of the following. Use the assignment name as the title of your paper.
  1. An overview of Alfred Adler’s theory and how it does or doesn’t fit into your personal counseling theories.
  2. How you feel Alfred Adler’s therapy would work with people in other culture. Support you feelings with examples of that culture or society’s behavior patterns, beliefs and interactions.
Reading Assignments:

At the end of each week post your reaction to what you have read on the message board or join in the chat room. This only needs to be a short paragraph or two.

Week 1: Week 2: Week 3: First paper due before you can take the Midterm Exam

Week 4: Week 5: Week 6: Week 7: Second paper due before you can take the Final Exam

Week 8: Grading:

Papers are worth a maximum of 20 points each
Midterm Exam = 30 points
Final Exam = 30 points
Total points possible = 100

Extra Credit is available upon request and with permission from the instructor. Points available are: 10 points for an exam on Adlerian terms or 20 points for writing another paper on one of the four choices given under writing assignments that you didn’t choose before. Extra credit will only be allowed if all other reading and written assignments have been completed.

Exams:

Exams will have 30 questions each. They will be a True/False or Multiple Choice. There will be no essay questions and all questions will come from the text reading assignments. You will not be able to pass the exams if you do not do the required reading.

Due to security you will need to notify your instructor during “office hours” prior to taking exams so you have access when you are ready to take the test. Your are only allowed to take the exam once. There is a “sample exam” you may take to practice marking your answers.

Although all exams are automatically timed, I do not subtract points if it takes you longer. So go slowly and read carefully. There are no “trick” questions.

After completing the exam and clicking on the submit button, both you and the instructor will receive, via e-mail, a corrected graded copy of the exam.