PSYC 3850 Community Psychology

Winter 2024

This course aims to introduce you to Community Psychology and help you discover how psychological principles are carried out within the community setting.

The course will be delivered in conjunction with the Applied Studies office and a lecture portion and placement:

• An in-person class: Monday | 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
• Community-based work placement (volunteer or paid): 96 hours by the end of the semester (Approx. 8 hours/week)

Course Requirements: Psychology 2800 AND Two additional courses (6.0 credit hours) in Psychology at the 2000 level AND Third-year standing (a minimum of 60.0 credit hours). Note: This course will have an applied community component and will be jointly delivered by the Department of Psychology and the Applied Studies program. Interested students should contact the Applied Studies Office (AH 151 or Chelsea Le Francois) for more information and to register for this course. Registration includes completing the necessary paperwork and having an applied community component approved by an Applied Studies Coordinator and the course instructor.

Application Deadline: December 20, 2024

Course Overview

Academic Deliverables (60%)

• Oral Presentation: You will give a one-hour presentation on your work placement. Areas covered may include but are not limited to:
  • description of the agency, the purpose of the agency, your role, how that role contributes to the day-to-day working of the agency, your interactions with clients, how the agency fits within the mosaic of social services, and the social, financial and organizational structure of the agency.
    
• Written Paper: You will write a paper (APA Format, 15 text pages, minimum 15 references) on larger issues related to our work placement, generally entitled “Why does your organization need to exist?” You will write and submit an outline, first draft, and final draft, due at different times during the semester. The final draft will be due near the end of the final exam period.
  
• Reflective Journal: You will keep a Reflective Journal as you move through the semester and are expected to write a minimum of one entry per week. Some of the Journal will reflect on your interactions at the workplace (What is your role? How effective were you? Did your interaction assist the clients? What did you discover about the clients, and about yourself? Do the agency’s formal aims match its day-to-day implementation? How has this experience helped shape your future aims?). Other Journal entries will come from the class experience (What is Community Psychology? How do the agencies that class members work at fit within the community? How do you and the community at large view them? What are the values of and problems for not-for-profit agencies? How do practical and academic experiences mesh and complement one another?). A self-evaluation will be the final Journal entry.
  • Journals will be collected for informal evaluation and feedback halfway through the semester and then due near the end of the exam period.

NOTE: How the 60% is divided amongst these three components will be decided during the first class meeting via a group discussion.

Student Performance Evaluation and Monitor Visit (20%)

• Your volunteer or paid work placement needs to be with an organization that is approved by the Applied Study Instructor and Dr. Mather.
• Commitment to the organization for at least 96 hours over the semester (approx. 8 hours per week).
• Information to discuss with your Employer:
  • Discuss the position (paid or volunteer) description.
  • Ask if they agree to support your Applied Studies course by reviewing and approving the Work Placement Application. This application will be sent to your employer by email to verify, sign, and provide additional safety information.
  • A Monitor visit is a meeting between the Applied Studies instructor, the student, and the employer to discuss your experience, skills development, areas of improvement and development (approx. 45 minutes).
  • Your employer needs to submit a final performance evaluation at the end of the semester.

Monthly Reflective Reports (20%)

By submitting your monthly reports, you create an opportunity to set learning objectives for your work placement and academic goals as well as to reflect upon their progression based on feedback from your Applied Studies Instructor.

• Monthly Report #1
  • Reflect on prior experiences, set learning goals, and evaluate initial progress.
    • Preparation Reflection: Reflect on previous courses and experiences that have prepared you for this course.
    • Learning Objectives: Set clear learning objectives and outline how you plan to achieve them.
    • Workplace Supervisors: Optionally, list any additional workplace supervisors.
    • 300-Word Reflection: Reflect on the progress you have made towards your learning objectives and discuss the value of your work experience(s) for your professional and academic development.

• Monthly Report #2
  • Evaluate your progression towards your learning objectives, analyze skill development, and connect academic training with practical experience.
    • Format: Choose between a minimum 750-word essay (approx. 2-5 pages) or a 6-10 minute reflective video (upload YouTube URL link). Select the format that best suits your communication style and allows you to effectively convey your reflection and analysis.
    • Learning Objectives Reflection: Reflect on your progression towards the learning objectives you set in Monthly Report #1.
    • Skill Development Analysis: Demonstrate your skill development through specific examples. Provide a detailed analysis of your skill development, citing specific instances where you have applied new skills or knowledge.
    • Connections: Make connections between your academic training and practical experience, providing concrete examples. Clearly illustrate how your academic training has informed your practical experiences and vice versa. Use examples to show these connections.

• Monthly Report #3
  • Reflect on the impact of the project on your development as a learner, professional, team member, and community member.
    • Format: Choose between a minimum 750-word essay (approx. 2-5 pages) or a 6-10 minute reflective video (upload YouTube URL link). Select the format that best suits your communication style and allows you to effectively convey your reflection and analysis.
    • Impact Reflection: Discuss one aspect of this course that impacted you as a learner, a future business professional, a team member, and a member of your community. How could you leverage what you have learned for future opportunities?
    • Skill and Competency Development: Reflect on how this course strengthened specific skills and competencies, such as career awareness, personal development, leadership, skill development, conflict resolution, and community interaction. Use specific examples to illustrate your development.
    • Challenges Reflection: Reflect on the challenges faced during the project and how they were overcome (or not). Reflect honestly on the challenges you faced, how you addressed them, and what you learned from these experiences.

Registration Process