SWK 509 Psychopathology
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY (3 hrs). The general purpose of this course is to help students develop a refined and well-developed appreciation and understanding of mental illness that will reflect the latest and evolving biological, clinical, psycho social knowledge, research, and perspectives on mental illness. Students will be taught to understand the continuing and complex interactions between body, mind, and environment (social and physical) in the appearance and course of mental disorders as well as in the development of mental health. A thorough understanding of major mental disorders and pathways to recovery can help keep families in-tact and prevent unnecessary disablement by promoting early recognition, meticulous assessment, and, if necessary, appropriate referral. While the diagnosis of mental disorders is not meant to describe the whole person, a social work appreciation obligates us to understand the mental disorder as fully as we can in the context of a person¿s life.