Academic Programs
In addition to the undergraduate and graduate academic programs, the DMHI recognizes the need for continuing education for professionals in the field. The Disaster Mental Health Institute is approved by the American Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. The DMHI maintains responsibility for the program.
Undergraduate Components |
Graduate Components |
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Disaster Response Minor
The undergraduate minor in Disaster Response requires 18 hours (15 required, 3 elective) of courses in disaster response, including both theoretical and practical course work. It provides skills useful in any career and to any citizen, as well as skills that will be useful to students hoping to pursue a career in mental health. This minor is not available to psychology majors (see Specialization in Disaster Response for Psychology Majors below).
Required and Elective Courses
Performance Requirement
Students pursuing the Minor in Disaster Response are required to maintain a "B" average in courses applied to the minor.
Eligible Courses for Psychology Major Electives
Three of these courses are also acceptable psychology electives for psychology majors (at USD):
- Psychological First Aid
- Children and Trauma
- Introduction to Disaster Mental Health
Psychology Majors: Specialization in Disaster Response
Since the undergraduate Minor in Disaster Response is a psychology minor, psychology majors may not use it as a minor. The USD Department of Psychology will allow undergraduate psychology majors to complete a Specialization in Disaster Response. (Psychology departments at other campuses are also welcome to offer this specialization if they choose.) This specialization requires six hours beyond the 31 hours, which is the minimum requirement for psychology majors at USD.
Required and Elective Courses (same as for undergrad minor)
Performance Requirement
Students pursuing the Minor in Disaster Response are required to maintain a "B" average in courses applied to the minor.
Doctoral Specialty Track, Clinical/Disaster Psychology
Within the USD American Psychological Association-accredited doctoral Clinical Psychology Training Program in psychology, a doctoral specialty track in Clinical/Disaster Psychology is offered.
Required and Elective Courses
If a student chooses all her or his elective courses from this pool of disaster courses, he or she only needs to take nine hours beyond the minimum courses required for the doctoral clinical degree. Students in the specialty track are required to complete all requirements for the clinical doctoral degree as well as the requirements for this track. Doctoral students pursuing this specialty track are required to complete their theses and/or their dissertations in a trauma- or disaster-related field of psychology.
Performance Requirement
A grade of "C" or lower in any course required for the doctoral specialty track in Clinical/Disaster Psychology will be unacceptable and will necessitate the student repeating the course if he/she wishes to complete the specialty track.
Capstone Exercise
Students in the doctoral specialty track in Clinical/Disaster Psychology are required to complete a tabletop disaster response scenario simulation for the DMHI faculty and national figures in the field. This will provide a capstone measure of the student's mastery of Clinical/Disaster Psychology. The goal for this assessment is that all students will be evaluated by the national team members as superior to entry level disaster mental health personnel.
Graduate Certificate, Disaster Mental Health
The DMHI offers a Graduate Certificate in Disaster Mental Health to graduate students in accredited master's level counseling, psychiatric nursing, and marriage and family therapy programs, to students in doctoral programs in clinical and counseling psychology, and students in psychiatric residency programs. (The actual certificate is not awarded until graduation from one of these programs.) This certificate is also available to existing licensed mental health, school psychology and school counseling professionals. Licensed mental health professionals may complete the graduate certificate through continuing education or for graduate credit.
Required and Elective Courses
| required courses: 9 hours | |
| PSYC 655 | Crisis Intervention, 3 credit hours |
| PSYC 656 | Disaster Mental Health, 3 credit hours |
| PSYC 658 | Serving the Diverse Community in Disaster, 3 credit hours |
| elective courses: 3 hours | |
| PSYC 659 | International Disaster Psychology, 3 credit hours |
| PSYC 657 | Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, 3 credit hours |
| PSYC 755 | Management in Disaster Mental Health, 3 credit hours |
| PSYC 757 | Directed Readings in Disaster Psychology, 3 credit hours |
| PSYC 758 | Directed Research in Disaster Psychology, 3 credit hours |
| PSYC 759 | Selected Topics in Disaster Psychology, 3 credit hours |
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total semester credit hours |
12 |
All graduate students enrolled in mental health programs who wish to receive the Graduate Certificate in Disaster Mental Health are required to complete all requirements for their degrees in addition to the requirements for the proposed certificate.
Performance Requirement
A grade of "C" or lower in any course required for the graduate certificate is unacceptable and necessitates the student repeating the course if she/he wishes to complete the certificate.
Capstone Exercise
Students in the Graduate Certificate program are required to complete a tabletop disaster response scenario for the DMHI faculty and national figures in the field. This provides a capstone measure of the success of the graduate certificate program. The goal for this assessment is that all students will be evaluated by the national team members as superior to entry level disaster mental health personnel.