– syllabus is attached (date 3/4) shows what chapters to look at 

-name of book(s) located in syllabus as well

– a minimum of one page double spaced, of your critical analysis of your emerging understanding of LGBTQ issues.

Topics could include: your emerging understanding of your role as an ally and advocate. The week’s readings, lecture content, your understanding of your multicultural identity as it relates to LGBTQ issues, or current LGBTQ-related topic. Attend to issues of systemic privilege and oppression, intersection of identities, personal growth and understanding, and/or professional considerations. These assignments may help you develop your multicultural identity paper 

Please make sure submission is one page double spaced for all points. 

Spring 2020

Carlow University

Department of Psychology & Counseling

Professional Counseling Program

LGBT Lives Cultures & Theories

PRC-742-G1, PY-235-DA, WS-237-DA

3 Credits; No Prerequisites

Course Syllabus- Spring 2020

Wednesday’s 6:00pm-8:30pm

Instructor: Michelle Colarusso, Ph.D., LPC, NCC Office: TBD

Cell phone: 724-396-9769 E-mail:

mmcolarusso@carlow.edu

Office hours: By appointment only Location: Antonian Hall 403

Carlow’s Mission Statement

The mission of Carlow University, a Catholic liberal arts university, is to involve persons, primarily women, in a process of self-directed, lifelong learning which will free them to think clearly and creatively, to discover and to challenge or affirm cultural and aesthetic values, to respond reverently and sensitively to God and others, and to render competent and compassionate service in personal and professional life.

Course Description

This course will address issues related to counseling gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender clients. These include issues of sexual identity development, coming out, homophobia and heterosexism, family and relationship issues, multicultural issues, youth, aging, spirituality, HIV/AIDS, and substance abuse as well as ethical and professional issues in working with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender clients through affirmative counseling/therapy.

Learning Outcomes and Assessment

Class Participation, Reflection Journals, Exam

Readings, Experiential Activities, Class Discussions

Class Participation, Reflection Journals, Exam

Readings, Experiential Activities, Class Discussions

Class Participation, Reflection Journals, Exam

Readings, Experiential Activities, Class Discussions

Class Participation, Reflection Journals, Exam

Readings, Experiential Activities, Class Discussions

Class Participation, Reflection Journals, Exam

Course Requirements and Resources

Methods of Involvement & Examination

Methods of Instruction

Classes will consist of didactic and experiential elements, including lectures, large and small group discussions, modeling, structured role-plays and simulations, live or video demonstrations, and student presentations in class and on CelticOnline/Schoolology. Primary methods include lecture/discussion, readings, and a variety of experiential exercises. Students will immurse themselves into the LGBTQ Culture and will be asked to share the results with others, within their own comfort level. These instructional methods make your attendance and active participation essential to your learning.

Readings and Class Participation
Students are expected to have read assigned material by the date noted in the syllabus prior to class. All additional readings will be provided in class or online. A large portion of learning will take place through class discussions, which each student has equal responsibility for facilitation. Contributions to the discussion should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the material.
Lack of informed participation in class discussions will negatively impact earned grade.

1. Textbooks

· Dworkin, S. H., & Pope, M. (2014). Casebook for Counseling Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons and Their Families. Wiley. (PDF in Celtic)

· Kort, J. (2018). LGBTQ clients in therapy: Clinical issues and treatment strategies. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

· Roland, C. B., & Burlew, L. D. (Eds.). (2017). Counseling LGBTQ adults throughout the life span. Retrieved from http://www.counseling. org/knowledge-center/lgbtq-resources (PDF in Celtic)

Assignments
1. Experiential Cultural Paper. Students are being asked to immerse themselves in the LGBTQ culture in order to truly experience the culture from a phenomenological perspective. This can include attending LGBTQ community events, local establishments for LGBTQ, LGBTQ organizations, etc. Location must be approved by the instructor ahead of time. Submit a 3-5 page reflection on your experience.
2. Reflection Journal. Students are asked to submit five (5) journal entries, a minimum of one page double spaced, of your critical analysis of your emerging understanding of LGBTQ issues. Topics could include: your emerging understanding of your role as an ally and advocate, the week’s readings, lecture content, your understanding of your multicultural identity as it relates to LGBTQ issues, or current LGBTQ-related topic. Attend to issues of systemic privilege and oppression, intersection of identities, personal growth and understanding, and/or professional considerations. These assignments may help you develop your multicultural identity paper (see below).
3. Multicultural Identity Research Paper. Students will provide a critical self-reflection about your development of multicultural competence regarding LGBTQ issues over the past few years and your current assessment of your strengths and areas for growth with this diverse population. Integrate relevant models and theories reviewed in this course. Include your self-assessment of your role as an ally, member, and/or advocate for the LGBQ community, if applicable. Describe your plan for continued growth in your LGBTQ competence in the coming years and how this course has changed, altered, or enhanced your worldview in working with LGBTQ Clients. This response should include relevant citations from academic and non-academic sources (3 Total). Please include personal reflections in relation to your narrative. A narrative rather than scholarly academic style is appropriate for this assignment. (Graduate Students: 6-8 Pages, Undergraduate Students: 4-6)

4. Exam. There will be one comprehensive final exam at the end of the course. The Exam will be 100 points and consist of multiple choice, essay, and short answer questions.

Additional Important Information

Submitting Assignments
Students will submit assignments and receive grades via Carlow email and CelticOnline. All assignments submitted via email are expected to 1) have the course name in the subject line and 2) should be saved as Microsoft Word documents and be “saved as”/given the same name as the student’s AND the name of the assignment. For example, Colarusso- Individual paper.

Policy regarding work that is submitted late
Work that is submitted after the due date will not be accepted. Due dates are listed on the syllabus ahead of time and should be completed in a timely manner. Exams are also not able to be made up. Arrangements for Final Exam to be taken on the day listed on the syllabus should be made ahead of time.

Academic Integrity
Carlow University aims to educate and challenge students to reach their highest potential by guiding students along a path of honesty and integrity throughout their intellectual pursuits. Students are thus expected to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. Forms of academic misconduct include (but are not limited to):
· Cheating—providing or receiving inappropriate assistance on any coursework.
· Plagiarism—submitting another’s work as one’s own; not properly citing sources, using exact wording without quotations or proper attribution, paraphrasing without proper citation, or improper paraphrasing; attributing citations to inaccurate or misleading sources.
· Self-plagiarism—unauthorized use of one’s own work or part of a work, either from the same course or from another course, in more than one assignment.
· Academic deceit—use of false or altered information or withholding information critical to the processes of the University; providing false information or documentation with the intent to obtain an exemption, extension or exception to one’s coursework; signing other students into classes or on group reports.
· Fabrication of data—using falsified or fabricated data, forgery, or unsanctioned documents for research or other coursework.
· Interference with other students’ learning or achievement—sabotaging (including failing to contribute to) group projects or laboratory work, disrupting in-class work, altering computer files or online posts, or making educational materials unavailable to others.
· Unauthorized acquisition or exchange of coursework—purchasing, borrowing, stealing, or otherwise obtaining material with the intent to use as one’s own coursework; selling, lending, or otherwise offering one’s own coursework to others with the intent of allowing the recipient to use the work as one’s own; obtaining a copy of one’s own completed tests and exams (either a physical copy, an electronic image, or a screenshot) without explicit permission from the course instructor.
· Copyright violation—distributing copyrighted material, including course material provided by the instructor or obtained from the textbook, without explicit permission from the copyright holder.
All violations of Carlow’s academic integrity policy will be kept on permanent record. Serious or multiple violations will be forwarded to the Academic Integrity Committee for a judicial hearing.
It is the student’s responsibility to become familiarized with Carlow’s Academic Integrity Policy. The full policy can be found in the Course Catalog.

Attendance Policy
All Students are expected to regularly attend class and to participate in class discussions. The “give & take” of the class discussion is a key learning experience and cannot be fully experienced unless the student regularly attends class and contributes to the discussion. There will be no make-up work for missed classes. Poor attendance/participation will negatively impact your grade.

Policy on Sharing of Course Material Syllabus Statement
All course material, including but not limited to presentation slides, lecture notes, handouts, audio or video recordings, syllabi, assignments, quizzes, tests, and exams, are the legal property of the instructor who developed them, the University that commissioned the work, or the textbook publisher. Students may use this material for their own learning and for discussion with other students in the class, but may not redistribute it in any way, including uploading it online for others to access. Doing so violates the copyright law and Carlow’s policy on sharing of course material. In addition, sharing or accessing course material for the purpose of gaining an unfair advantage in the course or allowing others to gain an unfair advantage in the course violates Carlow’s academic integrity policy.

Center for Academic Achievement
The Center for Academic Achievement (CAA), 4th floor University Commons, offers free in-person tutoring for improving writing skills and understanding course content. We also offer academic coaching for time management and learning skills. Make an appointment through https://carlow.mywconline.com at least 48 hours in advance, or call 412-578-6146. Cancellations can be made online within 8 hours of the appointment time. For last minute cancellations, please call 412-578-6146. Students can also access “CAA Resources” under Groups on celticonline for guides on college survival skills, reading, learning strategies, math, and writing/research.
If a student has a grade of C- or lower at the mid-term point (8 weeks) they will receive an email indicating a mid-term report has submitted by their faculty. Students who receive a mid-term report are encouraged to speak with their faculty to discuss a plan for improvement and to see a CAA tutor and/or academic coach (appointments at www.carlow.mywconline.com).
Students with Disabilities Policy
Carlow University makes every effort to provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. This includes individuals with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and mental health disorders who meet the definition of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students with disabilities have the same responsibility as other students to meet the University’s academic, technical, and behavioral standards and to follow the University’s general policies and guidelines regarding standards of conduct. Students who plan to request accommodations should contact the Disabilities Services Office at the beginning of each semester since accommodations cannot be granted retroactively. To determine whether you qualify for accommodations, or if you have questions about services and procedures for students with disabilities contact:
Jacqueline M. Smith
Disabilities Services Office
University Commons, 4th floor
Phone – 412.578.6257 (Office line)
412.578.6050 (Direct line)
Fax – 412 578.2027
dso@carlow.edu

Carlow University Temporary Disability Policy
Carlow University values each student and is invested in encouraging his or her academic success in line with the Mercy mission “to respond reverently to God and others; and to embrace an ethic of service for a just and merciful world.” In keeping with the mission, the University has chosen to offer assistance to those with temporary conditions such as short term illnesses, injuries, or other temporary medical conditions. While the University is not required to provide such support under the Americans with Disabilities Act, some assistance may be arranged via the Disability Services Office (DSO). Each situation will be reviewed; however, the office cannot guarantee that services will be provided.
In order to determine if a student with a temporary condition may receive some assistance via the DSO, he/she should contact the office at 412 578-6257. The student will be asked to meet with Jackie Smith, Disabilities Services Representative, and to provide the requisite documentation of his/her condition. Mrs. Smith will review the documentation and may consult with the student accommodation committee to determine what, if any, assistance may be provided. All documentation will remain confidential.

Carlow University Email Statement
You are expected to read email sent to your Carlow email account. The instructor WILL NOT send email to alternate email accounts. If you would like to forward your email from your Carlow account to another, more convenient, email account, please use the following documentation for assistance: http://www.it.carlow.edu/quicktips/forward.html.

Graduate Grade Scale

A = 94-100

B = 84-87

C = 74-77

A- = 91-93

B- = 81-83

F = 73 and below

B+ = 88-90

C+ = 78-80

Special note: It is the University’s Graduate School policy that no grade below a B- can be applied towards graduation.

Undergraduate Grade Scale

A+ = 97-100

B += 87-89

C+ = 77-79

D+= 67-69

A = 93-96

B = 83-86

C = 73-76

D= 66-63

A-= 90-92

B- = 80- 82

C-= 70-72

D-=60-62

F= 59 & Below

Assignment Grading Scale

Assignments

Total Points- 250

Multicultural Identity Paper

50

Experiential Cultural Paper

25

Reflections (5)

25

Final Exam

100

Attendance/Participation

50

Course Schedule

*Subject to Change

Date

Topic

Assignments Due for Class

1/15

Introduction to Course; Syllabus

1/22

Therapy for LGBTQ

Chapter 1 (Kort)
Casebook Ch. 13

1/29

Therapy for LGBTQ; Clinical Practice

Chapter 2 & 12 (Kort)
Reflection 1 Due
Casebook Ch. 3

2/5

Growing Up/Family Influences

Chapter 3 (Kort)
Casebook Ch. 10

Experiential Cultural Paper Due

2/12

Transgender

Chapter 14 (Kort)
Reflection 2 Due
Casebook Ch. 10

Wellness Event- 5:30p-6:30p

2/19

Trauma; Culture and Sexual Abuse

Chapters 4 & 5 (Kort)
Pgs. 20, 52, 85 (Life Span)
Casebook Ch. 9 & 26

2/26

Developmental Challenges/Milestones

Chapter 6 (Kort)
Pgs. 13, 43, 74 (Life Span)

3/4

Coming Out

Chapter 7 (Kort),
pgs. 3, 27, 61 (Life Span)
Casebook Ch. 2
Reflection 3 Due

3/11

Spring Break

No Class

3/18

LGBTQ Families and Couples

Chapters 8 & 10 (Kort)
pgs. 16, 46, 80 (Life Span)
Guest Speaker

3/25

Sexuality

Chapter 9 (Kort)
Reflection 4 Due
Casebook Ch. 5 & 6

4/1

Marriage and Relationship

Chapter 11 (Kort)
Casebook Ch.
Multicultural Identity Paper Due

4/8

Working with Teens

Chapter 13 (Kort)
Casebook Ch. 1

4/15

Religion and Health

Reflection 5 Due
pgs. 10-16, 40-46, 71-80 (Life Span)

4/22

Bisexual/Sexual Fluidity

Chapter 15 & 16 (Kort)

4/29

Final Exam