Neuropsychology

Curriculum

All students must fulfill requirements of URI’s Graduate School, Psychology Department, and Program Area. A graduate course in Cognitive Psychology (e. g., URI’s PSY 604) also is recommended as a part of the graduate program of study. In addition, the Neuropsychology Focus Area includes four aspects:

  1. Coursework
  2. Practicum/internship experience
  3. Comprehensive examinations
  4. Dissertation requirements

All of these requirements are fulfilled within the context of URI’s programs of study in Clinical Psychology, School Psychology, or Behavioral Science, leading to the Ph.D. degree in Psychology.

A. Coursework

A minimum of the following four courses:

  • (1) PSY 601: Physiological Psychology
  • EITHER
    • (2) BIO/NEU 547: Vertebrate Brain and Mammalian CNS Neuroscience
      and
    • (3) PSY 690: Applied Cognitive Neuroscience/Neuropsychology: Basic
  • OR
    • (2) PSY 690: Applied Cognitive Neuroscience/Neuropsychology: Basic
      and
    • (3) PSY 690: Applied Cognitive Neuroscience/Neuropsychology: Advanced
  • (4) PSY/EDC 544: Reading Acquisition and Reading Disability: Research and Implications for Practice
    or
  • (4) PSY 607: Advanced Psychopathology
    or
  • (4) PSY 665: Developmental Psychopathology
    or
  • (4) PSY/EDC 687: Topics in the Psychology of the Exceptional Individual (relevant to neuropsychology)
    or
  • (4) CMD 583: Acquired Cognitive Communication Disorders
    or
  • (4) CMD 585: Language Disorders in Adults
    or
  • Other approved course in an area of neuropsychologial disability

B. Practicum/Internship Experience

Participation in neuropsychology focused practica and (for applied students) neuro-psychology focused internships:

  1. PSY 670: Field Experience in Psychological Services: Neuropsychology Rotation (applied students)
    or
    PSY 672: Individual Clinical Practicum: Neuropsychology Rotation (applied students)
    or
    PSY 692, 693: Directed Readings and Research: Neuropsychology Focus (Behavioral Science students)
  2. Internship including a neuropsychology rotation (applied students) [For applied students (i.e., Clinical and School Psychology), completion of PSY 690: Applied Cognitive Neuroscience/Neuropsychology: Advanced, or permission of neuropsychology faculty, must be completed prior to participating in a practicum experience.]

C. Comprehensive Examinations

At least one (of four) written comprehensive examinations on a topic primarily relevant to neuropsychology.

D. Dissertation Requirements

Dissertation in an area relevant to neuropsychology.

Non-Psychology and PSY 690 Courses

CMD 583: Acquired Cognitive Communication Disorders

Study of acquired cognitive problems resulting from neurological disorders and diseases; differential diagnoses; assessment of the domains of cognition; and therapeutic strategies for cognitive rehabilitation.

CMD 585: Language Disorders in Adults

Provides basic information on the characteristics, assessment, and treatment of adults with acquired language disorders secondary to stroke, head injury, and progressive neu-rological diseases.

BIO/NEU 547: Vertebrate Brain and Mammalian CNS Neuroscience

Second semester of year-long, team-taught seminar for INP students that focuses on ver-tebrate brain and mammalian CNS neuroscience. Proposed topics include the following (a) Introductory Neuroanatomy, (b) Neural Development, including embryology, plastic-ity and regeneration, (c) Movement, (d) Sensory Systems, (e) Language, Cognition, and Attention, (f) Neuropharmacology and Disease, (g) Neuroengineering, and (h) Neuropsy-chology and Behavior.

PSY 690: Applied Cognitive Neuroscience/Neuropsychology: Basic

Covers basics of applied clinical neuropsychology, such as range of applications, varying general approaches to assessment, tests and methods used across areas, and interpretive strategies. Cognitive neurosciences and brain function and are emphasized. Intake and interview procedures are also covered. Assessment of not only cognition but also affect and behavior are emphasized. Major conditions are covered (e.g., head injury, seizure disorder, etc.). Both adult and child assessment are covered, and about 35% of the read-ings are adjusted on a student-by-student basis depending on populations of interest. Additionally, mental status/bedside exams, assessment of effort, and neuropsychological screening are covered. Throughout, a major emphasis is placed on methodological issues in assessment and review of literature, all with a very strong applied emphasis. Throughout the class, cases are analyzed and illustrated.

PSY 690: Applied Cognitive Neuroscience/Neuropsychology: Advanced

Case work and interpretation are emphasized. Cases of increasing complexity are pre-sented, and students must analyze these cases in detail, identify strengths and weaknesses in the evaluations, and practice interpretive approaches and strategies. Of course, all of this is tied in intimately to the decision literature and the literature in neuropsychology, psychology, and the neurosciences.