Psychotherapy 1, 45 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Entry requirements

• Higher education qualification at university level comprising at least 180 ECTS credits, including a bachelor's thesis (in-depth level)
• Proceeding work with psychotherapeutic tasks. I.e. applicants must have the possibility to carry out longer treatments (at least 25 hours) with individual patients. These should clear be confirmed with a certificate from the employer that also certifies that the employment is expected to continue for the entire education.
• English and Swedish corresponding to the level of English and Swedish in Swedish upper secondary education (Engelska 6/B and Svenska 3)

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• apply acquired skills in information retrieval and communication via the Internet
• describe the individual's psychological development from a life perspective.
• explain how mental health and illness can be referred to the individual's development, sex, gender, stress, traumas and other specific living conditions
• assess the patient's level of mental function and demonstrate awareness of to make a diagnosis
• account for cognitive and behavioural, interpersonal and relational views on psychotherapy
• account for basic treatment theories and treatment principles in the central therapeutic specialisations.
• account for knowledge and scientific theoretical issues with relevance to psychotherapy and psychotherapy research
• account for ethical questions concerning treatment actions and be able to rules and legislation concerning treatment responsibility, medical records keeping and confidentiality
• plan and carry out a smaller advanced study project with a focus on a field of psychotherapy based on an own patient care.

Course content

Theme 1: Introduction, 5 HE credits

(Introduktion)
The course includes orientation in student active teaching and learning, in particular problem-based learning (PBL). The existing possibilities to work via the library and via the Internet as well as to search, find, and evaluate scholarly literature are also studied. There will also be a focus on perspectives on general aspects of psychotherapeutic treatment. Orientation in ethical and scientific theoretical issues that relate to the current research situation in psychotherapy research and research methodology.

Theme 2: Human Psychosocial Development - Perspectives on Lifespan and Health, 7 HE credits

(Människans psykosociala utveckling i ett livs- och hälsoperspektiv)
The course includes seminars about the individual's psychological development and learning theoretical principles related to it. Questions about health and illness are also studied, as well as how these phenomena can be related to the individual's development and living conditions.

Theme 3: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 12 HE credits

(Kognitiv Beteendeterapi (KBT))
The course covers case conceptualisation and behavioural analysis as well as certain assessment and evaluation tools. Manual-based and individual-based treatments are also studied. The applicability of the method on therapeutic work with children, youth and families will also be studied.

Theme 4: Relational and Interpersonal Psychotherapy, 12 HE credits

(Relationell och Interpersonell psykoterapi)
Assessment and treatment concerning relational and interpersonal psychotherapy are studied in the course. The importance of the treatment relation for the psychotherapy process and the treatment outcome is given particular importance. Focus is also on applications in treatment of children, youth and families

Theme 6: Psychotherapy Research and Evaluation, 3 HE credits

(Forskning och utvärdering i psykoterapi)
The course provides an orientation of current psychotherapy research

Theme 5: Module 5: Individual Thesis, 6 HE credits

(Individuellt fördjupningsarbete)
With the own patient care as a starting point, the student should write a smaller thesis with focus on a field of psychotherapy.

Teaching and working methods

The education is carried out as a distance education with teaching in the form of lectures, seminars, work in tutorial groups, literature studies and extends over four semesters. The education is based on PBL (problem-based learning).

Examination

The course is examined through written and/or oral tests and application assignments. A passing grade in the course requires active participation in the tutorial group work according to PBL and at least 80% attendance in the timetabled lectures.

If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it. If the coordinator has instead recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.

Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course twice are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus. 

The course is carried out in such a way that both men´s and women´s experience and knowledge is made visible and developed.

Department