PY 780 SUMMARY PORTFOLIO
UNIVERSITY OF SAINT MARY
Summer 2009
Master of Arts in Psychology
Instructor Information
Name Leslie L. Hemphill, Ph.D.
Office location Overland Park Campus
Office phone number and email Tel-(913) 319-3015 Email- hemphill48@stmary.edu
Office hours Tuesday; Wednesday, Thursday 1-5, and by appointment
Course Description
The summary portfolio serves as the culminating experience for students in the Master of Arts in Psychology program (general track). Its purpose is for students to both demonstrate what they have learned and to reflect on how they have changed as a result of participating in the program. The portfolio is pursued within the last two semesters of the student’s involvement in the graduate program. It is worth one credit hour and is graded pass/fail.
Mission Statement
The University of Saint Mary educates students of diverse backgrounds to realize their God-given potential and prepares them for value-centered lives and careers that contribute to the well being of our global society.
Values Statement
The University of Saint Mary believes in the dignity of each person’s capacity to learn, to relate and to better our diverse world. These values include community, respect, justice, and excellence.
University of Saint Mary Learning Goals
Participation in this course will advance University of Saint Mary goals (select those that apply) by enabling students to engage in the following areas of investigation:
a. the human imagination, expression in literature and the arts, and other artifacts of cultures;
b. inductive and deductive reasoning to model the natural, social, and technical world especially through but not limited to mathematics, the natural sciences, the behavioral sciences, information systems and technology;
c. the values, histories, and interactions of social and political systems across global cultures, with emphasis on American democracy;
d. spirituality, faith, and the wholeness of the human person, understanding interconnections of mind, heart, and hand;
e. ethical and moral dimensions of decisions and actions.
University of Saint Mary Learning Outcomes
University of Saint Mary graduates will:
1. Demonstrate ability to use written and oral communication in a variety of
settings, to a range of individuals and within groups and teams, using
various models,
2. Demonstrate ability to formulate questions that reveal an intelligent curiosity
about texts or concepts and to analyze questions with imagination and
creativity,
3. Demonstrate ability to apply both qualitative and quantitative analysis in a
variety of disciplines and situations,
4. Demonstrate ability to use, evaluate and interpret complex information, solve
complex problems, and understand complex systems,
5. Demonstrate intellectual and emotional flexibility and adaptability to
understand and shape lives within a culture of change,
6. Demonstrate ability to evaluate information from disparate sources, to
transform information into meaningful knowledge,
7. Demonstrate ability to connect theory and practice,
8. Demonstrate intellectual honesty, responsibility and accountability in learning
and life.
Departmental/Program Learning Outcomes
The student will
1. Identify short and long term career goals and provide reasonable strategies to achieve these goals which take into account the student’s self-identified strengths and weaknesses. (I 2)
2. Articulate an awareness of how credentialing, collegial relationships and continuing education impact on ongoing professional development. (I 4)
3. Articulate an understanding of basic concepts used in behavioral research, statistics and assessment. (II 1)
4. Evaluate empirical research in psychology. (II 2)
5. Conduct effective literature reviews. (II 3)
6. Design research proposals in psychology. (II 4)
7. Communicate ideas successfully in writing adhering to APA style. (II 5)
8. Demonstrate knowledge of a range of psychological concepts and their applications. (III All)
Course Outcomes
Upon completion of the summary portfolio, students will:
1. Be able to present themselves professionally through the development of a resume or curriculum vita, cover letters for different employment positions, and a professional brochure. (PO 1)
2. Have demonstrated an understanding of research in the field of psychology. (PO 3,5&6)
3. Have demonstrated an ability to write a paper addressing a topic in considerable depth in at least two different areas of psychology. (PO 4&5)
4. Have demonstrated an ability to communicate in writing following APA style.(PO 7)
5. Have articulated career goals and a strategy to meet those goals. PO 2)
6. Have provided a reflection paper evaluating their educational experience and how they have changed as a result of it. (PO 1&8)
Course Policies
Instructors should include the following areas. If your guidelines are more detailed than the catalogue, they should be outlined as well.
Academic Honesty:
Academic dishonesty is prohibited by the University of Saint Mary. Violation of the school academic honesty policy may be grounds for disciplinary action including a failing grade for the course. For a complete description of the Academic Honesty Policy students should consult the school catalogue.
Attendance and Participation:
Prompt attendance at academic appointments (classes, lectures, or conferences) is an essential part of academic work. It is expected that students will keep all academic appointments in a timely manner. Faculty may take appropriate action, including adjusting a student's grade, based on and punctuality. Regarding absences, in an eight-week class, two absences are considered
excessive and may result in grade adjustments, recommended withdrawal from the course, or failure. The responsibility for work missed because of absence, regardless of the reason, rests with the student. Participation in classroom activities may also be used as a basis for determining grades.
Course Evaluation and Grading
All internships, practicum, and weekend workshops are graded Pass (P) or Fail (F). A “P” is not included in the grade point average calculation. An “F” is included in the grade point average calculation. Students will need to earn at least 70 of the 100 points available to earn a passing grade. Assignments turned in late will receive a 2 point reduction for each day after the due date.
Accommodation for Disabilities
All students requesting accommodation for a disability need to register their documentation with the Office of Student Life (Berchmans Hall). After the paperwork has been evaluated, the student, with the assistance of the Academic Resource Center, will create a plan regarding his or her academic needs for the semester. Students who do not register their paperwork and create their plan are not eligible for academic accommodations.
Course Requirements
The portfolio should include a title page, table of contents and pages designating the start of each section. The pages of the portfolio do not need to be numbered. A hard copy should be turned in to the instructor for the final review. Upon approval, a hard copy and an electronic final copy should be submitted to the instructor. The word processing system used by the student needs to be compatible with Microsoft Word 2003 or Microsoft Works. The electronic submission should be by email attachment to the instructor’s Saint Mary email account. The student should also sign a form granting or denying permission for the portfolio to be reviewed by other students for learning purposes. The portfolio will consist of four sections
1. Professional Profile. (40 points) This section will consist of a current resume or curriculum vita. The resume will be worth a maximum of 20 points. The student will also develop two cover letters that would be applicable for two different types of employment positions in his/her chosen field. The student should take adds for two positions from newspapers and/or professional journals. The letters should be in response to the ads and summarize the student’s strengths and skills relevant to the requirements listed in the ads. Because the ads will be for different jobs it is expected that the letters will reflect those differences. The letters will be worth 10 points each.
2. Academic Artifacts (20 points). There are four topics listed below. The student may select papers that have been previously prepared for other classes that address those topics and polish them correcting any mistakes or write new papers if they have no previously written papers addressing a particular topic. Requirements for the papers are as follows:
a. At least one paper should demonstrate that the student can conduct an effective literature review and can also evaluate empirical research in the field of psychology.
b. One paper should be a research proposal that includes information regarding what statistical technique will be used to analyze the data.
c. Two papers should demonstrate knowledge in at least two different areas of psychology. The two areas should be chosen from the following; knowledge about the history of psychology; counseling theory; group, social or cultural influences; professional ethics; the etiology of and treatment of mental disorders; or cognitive, developmental, or biological factors influencing behavior.
d. All papers should follow APA format.
e. A cover sheet should be presented with each artifact addressing the learning experience
f. Each paper will be worth five points for a total of 20 points.
3. Professional Brochure (20 points). This section will consist of a brochure developed by the student presenting a professional service related to the field of psychology that the student could provide. For example, the brochure could provide information about a presentation, workshop, or psycho-educational group led by the student. The portfolio instructor should approve ideas for the brochure in advance. The student’s credentials need to be accurately presented and materials must be in line with ethical guidelines. A cover sheet should accompany the brochure explaining why the student chose the topic and a reference page should be included as applicable.
4. Summative Reflection (20 points). In this section, the student will write a seven to ten page summary discussing why he or she entered the graduate psychology program and identifying ways in which eh or she has changed as a result of this education. Highlights, disappointments and turning points may also be discussed. The student should evaluate his or her experience in the University of Saint Mary Graduate Program and include information about which courses were the most meaningful. The final section of the reflection should address the student’s short and long-term career goals. Strategies for meeting these goals need to be provided and self identified strengths and weaknesses considered. The role of collegial relationships and continuing education in professional relationships should also be discussed.
Tentative Course Schedule
May 26- Please plan on bringing a copy of your resume or examine resume templates on the internet in Microsoft Word and prepare a rough draft resume. Bring two ads for psychologically related jobs taken from newspapers or journals and be prepared to discuss the kind of letter you might write if you were seeking the positions.
June 1 Turn in resume and rough drafts of letters.
June 8 Turn in finished letters and bring in rough drafts of four articles for discussion.
June 15 Have two articles prepared to turn in and rough drafts of the remaining two. Be prepared to discuss difficulties you are experiencing in preparing the paper and questions about APA format.
June 22 Turn in last two articles and rough draft of your brochure
June 29 Turn in brochure and prepare rough draft of your Summative Reflection article
July 6 Continue to refine Summative Reflection article
July 13 Turn in completed Portfolio and email electronic version to the instructor
This is a tentative schedule and as the semester progresses it may be necessary to make adjustments depending upon weather, illness and how rapidly we progress through the material.