This course is designed to develop beginning practice skills in structural, strategic, systematic family therapies; and assessment and treatment skills necessary to manage specialized problems (e.g., divorce, remarriage, substance abuse, suicidal behavior) encountered in practice.

This course provides an in-depth understanding and appreciation of the most significant classic and emerging theoretical frameworks concerning the family and family dynamics. The application of each theory to work in the areas of marriage and family therapy and child and adolescent development will be examined in depth.

This course examines the evidence developed through the lens of outcomes research relative to clinical care and public/population health initiatives. It explores the development of study design, developing a workable research question and associated proposed study methods. The course explores frequently used study designs, techniques for evaluating/selecting health outcomes measures, and analytical approaches appropriate to conducting health outcomes research. Students will construct an independent research protocol, which will be developed in increments as course evolves.

This course will be designed by the student and the instructor. Course topics and deliverables will be established together and approved by the supervising faculty. Credit hours (not to exceed 6-credit hours) will be determined by the supervising faculty based on the size and scope of the student's intended project.