CAMS COURSES

The introductory course, Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, V05.0101 (see description below), first offered in fall 2006, is the primary prerequisite, upon which the other CAMS courses will build. These subsequent courses, which will be phased in over the next several years, will deal with such topics as the following: children and the media; research methods and evidence-based treatments in child and adolescent psychopathology; behavior modification; the literature of children and adolescents; psychopharmacology; and divorce in America. Many of the CAMS minor courses (including those on children and the media, divorce in America, and the literature of children and adolescents) will be available to all undergraduates.

Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
V05.0101  Prerequisite: V89.0001. Shatkin. Offered every fall. 4 points.

While psychopathology courses are commonplace among undergraduate psychology curricula, courses focusing on child and adolescent psychopathology are relatively rare. More novel still is the opportunity to receive instruction in child and adolescent psychopathology from practicing psychiatrists and psychologists at an internationally renowned clinical and research center. Through lecture presentations and discussions, this course focuses on disease etiology, epidemiology, phenomenology, nosology, and diagnosis. It engages students in a critical review of common child and adolescent psychopathology and challenges social and cultural assumptions of what constitutes "normal" vs. "pathological" behavior, cognition, and emotion. Students also complete one practicum by participating with a clinician (psychologist or psychiatrist) during the evaluation of a child or adolescent patient at the NYU Child Study Center.

Research Methods and Evidence-Based Treatments in Child and Adolescent Mental Health

V05.0120 Prerequisite: V05.0101. Given every spring. 4 points.

Clinical practice and public policy in child mental health is too often driven by the media, convential wisdom, and prejudice rather than by scientific data. Evidence-based clinical care seeks to guide practitioners in the critical appraisal of data on risk factors, prevention, and treatment. This course is designed for those who wish to read the health research literature and draw their own conclusions. It provides a practical means to learn and apply research methods. It focused on the knowledge and skills neeeded to design, carry out, and evaluate a research study. Discussions of topical "hot button" issues, such as the apparent "epidemic" of certain diagnoses, the influence of the environment or culture on child mental health, or the risk-benefits of widely prescribed medications, are combined with a systematic review of the existing evidence based on current empirically supported treatment for child mental health problems.

OTHER COURSES

Up to two courses from the following list may be applied to the minor (many of them have prerequisites, which are noted in the course descriptions of the sponsoring departments).

College of Arts and Science:

Neural Science

Introduction to Neural Science
V80.0100  4 points.

Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience
V80.0210  Identical to V23.0202. 4 points.

Developmental Neurobiology
V80.0303  Identical to V23.0303. 4 points.

Psychology

Introduction to Psychology
V89.0001  4 points.

Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
V89.0025  4 points.

Developmental Psychology
V89.0034  4 points.

Learning
V89.0050  4 points.

Abnormal Psychology
V89.0051  4 points.

Psychology, Neuropsychology, and Medicine
V89.0055  4 points.

Clinical Interventions in Psychological Disorders
V89.0081  4 points.

Psychology of Adolescence
V89.0085  4 points.

Child Development and Public Policy
V89.0095  4 points.

Sociology

The Family
V93.0451  4 points.

Childhood
V93.0465  4 points.

Juvenile Delinquency
V93.0504  4 points.

Steinhardt School of Education:

Applied Psychology

Personality Development
E63.1039  3 points.

Women and Mental Health: A Life Cycle Perspective
E63.1041  3 points.

Survey of Developmental Psychology: Introduction
E63.1271  3 points.

Adolescent Development
E63.1272  3 points.

Abnormal Psychology
E63.1038  3 points.

Sexual Identities Across the Lifespan
E63.1110  3 points.

Special Education

Behavior Modification in Special Education Settings
E75.1160  3 points.

Strategies for Teaching Children with Challenging Behavior
E75.1161  3 points.

Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Introduction to Language Disorders in Children
E43.1207  3 points.

Teaching and Learning

Language Acquisition and Literacy Education in a Multilingual and Multicultural Context
E27.1030  4 points.