Introduction to Behavioral Health

3 Units
Online Fixed-Date

Course Description

Supporting Behavioral Health Patients in Your Ministry

Learn how to understand and better serve patients with behavioral issues and disorders.  This course provides participants with basic behavioral health literacy.  The rationale for why hospital chaplains benefit from basic knowledge of behavioral health is explored.

This is a 7-week course with synchronous meetings (via Zoom) and asynchronous assignments.

Course Details

Number of Units:  3.0 graduate level extension credit(s) in semester hours

Who Should Attend:  This course provides continuing education for chaplains working in behavioral health settings.

Course Materials: Text, Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care in Mental Health Settings edited by Jean Fletcher available at Amazon.com or your local bookstore

Refund Policy: To receive a refund, students need to drop the course at pce.sandiego.edu through their student account portal before midnight (11:59PT) on the third day of the course. The refund of the course fee will be returned less a processing fee of 10% of the course tuition. No refunds will be issued after this deadline.

Enrollment Open Through: The first day of class or until maximum enrollment has been met. If maximum enrollment has been met then please add yourself to the Waitlist.

Technical Requirements

PLEASE NOTE: Due to regulations from the U.S. Department of Education, the University of San Diego is unable to enroll students in its online programs who reside in Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. This restriction does not apply to applicants interested in a campus-based program.

Prerequisites:

A) Participants must have completed an undergraduate degree from a college, university, or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the CHEA. Equivalencies for the undergraduate and/or graduate level theological degree will be granted by the individual professional organizations according to their own established guidelines.
AND
B) are currently serving in an official capacity as a Chaplain in health care, educational, military or human services settings.

Course Options

Course Date Units Price

What You Will Learn

  • Understand the diagnostic classification of common psychiatric disorders and related medical terminology
  • Understand the prevalence, etiology and natural history of major psychiatric and behavioral health disorders
  • Apply general health knowledge to spiritual care provided by chaplains

Instructors

Professional development courses offered by the University of San Diego’s Division of Professional & Continuing Education are taught by faculty that possess a depth and breadth of academic and real-world professional experience.

Why USD?

The Professional and Continuing Education program nurtures key partnerships on the local, national, and international level. The goal is to better serve working professionals who seek to enhance or build their careers and help achieve their highest value and potential. Contact us today to learn more.

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Learning Method Information

Courses offer a convenient, yet rigorous style of learning that allows you to structure your education to suit your schedule while keeping you on pace toward achieving your educational.

Online Fixed-Date

Online Fixed-Date: Online fixed-date courses offer a convenient, yet rigorous style of learning that enables you to collaborate with your instructor and other students in a shared, online learning environment. These courses have fixed start and finish dates, but as an online student you will have 24/7 online access to your classroom assignments, syllabus and course resources. Our online fixed-date courses allow you to work on your assignments anytime, although you are required to complete the assignments by specific dates.

How is the learning structured? In an online fixed-date course, you and your classmates will proceed through the curriculum together, collaborating in a shared learning experience. Each online fixed-date course is asynchronous, meaning that you can work on your assignments anytime, although required to complete the assignments by specific dates. The course is designed with learning modules where all of the content is grouped into weekly assignments. Each module covers one or more topics. Within each of the learning modules, you can expect the following components:

  • Module introduction that outlines what you can expect to learn in the module.
  • Required readings (textbook, articles, journals, etc.) and presentations (audio and/or video).
  • Assignments with due dates (which may include: written assignments, journal entries, research, blogs, etc.) based on the readings and presentations.
  • Discussion forum where you answer prompts from the instructor and interact with your classmates.
  • Module conclusion to review the topics and what you should have learned.
  • Typically, there is a final project, paper, or exam due in the last module that culminates all of the topics covered in each of the learning modules. You’ll find that the design of the learning modules has a rhythm to help you manage your time in the course.

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