The department adopts the vision of the University "Excellence and Service" and its Mission as "a nurturing ground for an individual's holistic development to make an effective contribution to the society in a dynamic environment". In doing so it strives to  is to promote high academic standards and scholarship in psychology, by creating an optimal and enriching learning environment, foster ongoing professional and personal development, and contribute effectively to societal needs

The MSc in Clinical Psycho-oncology is an multidisciplinary programme designed for those planning careers in psychosocial care of persons affected by cancer and pallatieve care. The programme is especially useful for psychologists, Counsellors, social workers, nurses, doctors, and persons from allied health fields with an interest in oncology. The programme is benchmarked to International Standards in Psycho - oncology practise and contexualised to meet local and regional needs.

Programme Objectives 

1. To train in communication skills in oncology
2. To enable understanding of the scope of the intervention in psycho-oncology.
3. To enable understanding the  spectrum of distress in psycho-oncology.
4. To ensure understanding of the impact of the disease and it's treatments on patients and their families
5. To identify the main theories and psychological interventions in oncology
6. To acquire knowledge on psychopharmacological strategies and organicity in oncology
7. To aquire theortical and practise frameworks of Psycho-oncology and Palliative care
8. To distinguish between normal and complicated grief.

 Programme Outcomes

PO1. Disciplinary Knowledge: Exhibit competence in the discipline Analyze seminal pieces of work in the area Apply disciplinary principles to conduct academic inquiry Evaluate aspects of social reality using the principles of the discipline

PO2.Critical Thinking: Recognize and examine the social structures underlying our society and how they shape our existence Reflect upon lived experiences with reflexivity Analyze and engage with their social surroundings, problematize and raise questions based on academic inquiry

PO3: Research Skills Exhibit problem solving skills, reflective thinking Apply analytical and scientific thinking Demonstrate technical skills in terms of handling data, working with various research related software Conceptualize, design, and execute research project/s

PO4. Communication and social Interaction: Communicate effectively across media in varied contexts Collaborate as members or leaders in teams in multidisciplinary settings Work in multicultural spaces

PO5. Effective Citizenship: Act with an informed awareness of issues Engage with the community effectively using expertise drawn from the discipline Undertake initiatives that encourage equity and growth for all

PO6. Ethics: Recognize and respect different value systems including one?s own, Take cognizance of the moral implications of our decisions Use ethical values aligned with the values of the University in academic initiatives

PO7. Environment and Sustainability: Demonstrate awareness of local, regional, national, and global needs Engage with socio-cultural contexts Focus on the concerns of the environment and sustainability

PO8. Self-directed and Life-long Learning: Engage in lifelong learning Work on strategies for career enhancement Adapt to changing professional and societal needs

Programme Specific Outcomes 

PSO 01: Demonstrate knowledge and range of communication and assessment skills to identify psychological distress, offer a problem solving interview and if required to appropriately refer the patient to a member of the multidisciplinary team for symptom alleviation and control;

PSO 02: Have detailed knowledge and skills in using a range of assessment tools for identifying psychological distress, pain, depression and anxiety in the patient with cancer to be able to appropriately treat and refer the patient as necessary.

PSO 03: Evaluate and be able to deliver education regarding cancer screening and prevention programmes to health care professionals, laypersons and patients and their families

PSO 04:Demonstrate the ability to access and deliver a range of specific psycho-educative/health promotion interventions for patients with cancer and for prevention, particularly related to smoking cessation, alcohol misuse, diet and exercise.

PSO 05: Analyse the challenges and opportunities of delivering supportive and psycheducative services via videotechnology for populations, especially older persons, living in remote regions.

Formative and Summative assessments are conducted by the department to ascertain the readiness for learning and the attainment of learning outcomes. Assessments are examinations are based on competency framework and principles of outcome-based education. Attainment of learning outcomes/ expected competencies is evaluated using either holistic or analytic rubrics, grading schemes or attainment criteria specified to the students at the beginning of the semester. Learning outcomes (Course outcomes) of each course are mapped to programme outcomes and programme specific outcomes. Assessments and examinations follow the principle of constructive alignment and outcomes are mapped to higher-order thinking skills. The most common frameworks used in this programme include Revised Blooms Taxonomy and Structure of Observed Learning outcomes (SOLO) and ICAP framework.

 Assessment is based on the performance of the student throughout the semester.

Credit Structure

Normally 15 hours of classroom teaching in a semester is considered as one credit for theory courses.

• Courses with 30 hours per semester will earn the candidate 2 credits.
• Courses with 45-50 hours per semester will earn the candidate 3 credits.
• Courses with 51 hours and above per semester including practical will earn the candidate 4 credits.
• Dissertations/Practical equivalent to one course will earn the candidates 4-6 credits.

This course introduces the basic principles and methods of biostatistics, providing students with a sound methodological foundation for practice in health care settings. The purpose of the course is to teach fundamental concepts and techniques of descriptive and inferential statistics with applications in health care, public health, and epidemiology. Basic statistics, including probability, descriptive statistics, inference for means and proportions, and regression methods are presented.

·       Distinguish between numerical and categorical data, including which methods to use for each.
·       Know the appropriate application and limitations of hypothesis tests and regression methods.
·       Choose an appropriate graphical or tabular display for a given data set and question.
·       Determine which basic statistical method(s) is/are most appropriate to analyse the data at hand.
·       Use standard statistical software, such as SPSS, to implement the statistical methods.
·       Draw conclusions from statistical analyses and place them into the appropriate public health context.

Looking at your data – Types of data, tables and graphs, central tendency and dispersion

Probability – Bayes theorem, sensitivity and specificity, odds ratio and relative risk

Distributions – Binomial, poisson, normal, central limit theorem, standard scores/z scores

Statistical inference – Samples and populations, power, confidence intervals, p values, type 1 and type 2 error

One and two groups – One sample population mean, paired sample t test, independent sample t test

Comparing more than two groups - One way ANOVA, two-way - ANOVA

Comparing two groups (categorical outcomes) -Chi square, Mc Nemar’s test, odds ratio, relative risk

Correlation, Linear Regression, Multiple Regression

Nonparametric tests – sign test, Wilcoxon test, Kruskal Wallis, Rank Correlation

SPSS labs

CIA 1: 20 marks

CIA 2: 25 Marks

Class participation & Attendance: 5 marks

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with an overall CIA mark of 25/50 to pass the course.

This course provides students with an opportunity to learn new concepts and skills and further develop concepts and skills acquired in core courses. The course is specifically intended to meet the needs of students planning a career in Psycho-oncology. However, the flexible design of the course accommodates students having diverse career plans and interests. Students will review and present research articles that can help broaden their understanding of the field and keep themselves up to date with evidence-based practices in the field of psycho-oncology.

• Review articles in a scientific manner
• State and explain some factual knowledge the student has learnt in this course.
• State and explain how what the student has learned in this course can be applied to thinking, problem solving, or decisions. 
• State and explain some specific skills, competencies, and points of view needed by psycho-oncology professionals.

 Reviewing and presenting articles in psycho-oncology and discussing the merits, demerits, significance, and implication of these articles in a scientific manner.

CIA 1: 20 marks

CIA 2: 25 Marks

Class participation & Attendance: 5 marks

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with an overall CIA mark of 25/50 to pass the course.

This course gives a foundation for counselling, the basic theoretical orientation towards different schools of thoughts in counselling. Different philosophical, sociological and psychological foundations for counselling will be discussed in this course. The theoretical understanding of counselling across settings, differences in the application of counselling in psychiatric and health care settings, the theoretical basis of counselling with chronic and life-limiting conditions will be discussed.

·            trace the evolution of counselling as a helping process

·            demonstrate an understanding of the different schools of thoughts in counselling

·            understand their role as counsellors across different settings

·            recognise ethical and practical issues which can come up in different settings of counselling.

·            Initiate their professional identity as counsellors and try and link theories they learn to practice counselling techniques.

Concept of counselling; the difference between guidance, counselling and psychotherapy; Development of the profession of counselling: historical perspective and the stages; Relevance of counselling in different settings; perspectives of counselling in different specialities.

Philosophical foundations of counselling: dignity and value of individual; Sociological foundations: Social development, socialization, social approval, and social milieu; Psychological foundations of counselling: Psychoanalytic perspectives, Behaviouristic perspective, Humanistic and existential perspective; Cognitive and social perspective; Eclectic approach to counselling.

Ethical and legal issues in counselling, licensing in India and abroad, ethical dilemmas in counselling, advance care directives, living will. Ethicality in decision making and the role of surrogates, Ethical issues in Online counselling.

Counselling for diverse groups; Supervision- personal and professional; Group counselling: theories, techniques and skills, brief counselling, trauma and bereavement counselling, Supportive counselling, Grief counselling, Technological advances in counselling, Online counselling

Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA)

CIA 1: 30 marks

CIA 2: 30 Marks

Class participation: 5 marks

Attendance: 5 marks

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with a minimum overall CIA mark of 33/65 including class participation marks, to be eligible to write the ESE.

End Semester Examination (ESE)

The passing grade for the ESE is 40%

An overall grade of 50% is required to pass the course. (CIA+ESE)

Course Description:

This course introduces trainee helping professionals to human growth and development across the lifespan, focusing on typical and atypical development, major milestones and life cycle stages. Students will gain an enhanced knowledge of the stages and domains of human development. We will examine major theories and approaches in physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development and emphasize the interdependence of all domains of development. We will also discuss the impact of chronic illness, adverse life events and developmental challenges individuals' face in the life cycle stage and its effects on growth and development. The lifespan developmental perspective provides students with a foundation to conceptualize and apply developmental theory and research, emphasizing its usefulness in answering questions that address changes in an individuals' health and wellbeing.

By the end of this course, students will be able to

• Identify the primary reasons for studying human development across the lifespan.

• Explain major terms, concepts, and theories in developmental psychology.

• Describe culture, systemic and environmental factors that affect human development.

• Evaluate various issues in lifecycle stages using theories in developmental psychology.

• Apply theories of developmental psychology to real-life examples.

The study of human development; Biological foundations: heredity-environment correlations- twin studies, genetic influences, prenatal development, birth, physical milestones, and changes including growth spurts, puberty, brain development; critical and sensitive periods, the pattern of physical development; Challenges for cognitive and psycho-social development, the role of nutrition, poverty, illness, lifestyle and disability on development across the lifespan.

Cognitive development- Piaget and Vygotsky; Moral development and reasoning-Kohlberg and Gilligan; Development of identity- Erickson and Marcia, emerging adults-Arnett, positive youth development model, adolescent risk behaviour; Gender development and gender role socialization; the role of culture, play, education, and peers on development across the lifespan.

Emotional regulation and dysregulation, temperament, attachment theories and styles- Bowlby, Ainsworth, factors that affect attachment, adult attachment patterns and relationship- Shaver and Fraley, Sternberg; Caregiving and parenting-Baumrind; Social contexts of lifespan development-Bronfenbrenner’s ecosystems model, the role of family patterns, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), resilience on development across the lifespan.

Adult developmental tasks- Havighurst; Life stages-Levinson, quarter and mid-life crisis, sexuality and menopause; Gains and losses in later adult life, biological and social theories of ageing, positive and successful ageing

Death, understanding of death and causes for death across the life span, grief, mourning and bereavement, facing one's death, coping with death and dying- Kubler Ross; Cultural issues; Dying with dignity- palliative care and hospice care.

Broderick, P.C., & Blewitt, P. (2010). The life span: Human development for helping professionals. (3rd Ed.). Pearson.

Santrock, J.W. (2011). A topical approach to lifespan development. Tata McGraw-Hill Edition.

Papalia, D.E., Olds, S.W. & Feldman, R.D. (2017). Human Development (Ninth Edition). Tata McGraw-Hill

Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA)

CIA 1: 30 marks

CIA 2: 30 Marks

Class participation: 5 marks

Attendance: 5 marks

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with a minimum overall CIA mark of 33/65 including class participation marks, to be eligible to write the ESE.

End Semester Examination (ESE)

The passing grade for the ESE is 40%

An overall grade of 50% is required to pass the course. (CIA+ESE)

The course on ‘Neurobiological Basis of Cognition, Affect and Behaviour’ orients the student to the Neurobiological understanding of human behaviour, emotion, and cognition. This course is offered in the first semester and introduces the student to the Human Nervous system and the neurophysiological underpinnings of psychological processes.  This course is also designed to help the learner apply this understanding to the field of Clinical Psycho-oncology.

• Understand the foundations of human neurophysiology.
• Develop a biopsychological understanding of human behaviour and its implications for clinical psycho-oncology.
• Develop a biopsychological understanding of human affect and its implications for clinical psycho-oncology.
• Develop a biopsychological understanding of human cognition and its implications for clinical psycho-oncology.

The biological approach to behaviour, affect and learning; Basic structure of the nervous system; The cells of the nervous system: Neurons, Glia, The blood-brain barrier; The Nerve Impulse: The resting potential, The Action Potential; Synapses: Properties of Synapses, The role of Neurotransmitters.

Sleep and Wakefulness: The physiological basis of the biological clock; Stages of Sleep; The physiological basis of Hunger; The physiological Basis of Thirst; The physiological Basis of Reproductive Behaviours; Implications of the physiological bases of human behaviour in the field of clinical psycho-oncology

Emotions and autonomic arousal; The functions of emotions; The physiological basis of aggression; The physiological basis of fear and anxiety; The role of stress on health; Implications of the physiological bases of human affect in the field of clinical psycho-oncology.

The Neurophysiological Basis of Learning and Memory: The role of the hippocampus; Intelligence; Language; Lateralization; Understanding circuitry pathways of the brain; Implications of the physiological bases of human cognition in the field of clinical psycho-oncology

Kolb, B., & Whishaw, I. Q. (2019). An Introduction to Brain and behavior (6th ed.). Worth.

Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA)

CIA 1: 30 marks

CIA 2: 30 Marks

Class participation: 5 marks

Attendance: 5 marks

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with a minimum overall CIA mark of 33/65 including class participation marks, to be eligible to write the ESE.

End Semester Examination (ESE)

The passing grade for the ESE is 40%

An overall grade of 50% is required to pass the course. (CIA+ESE)

Professional health psychologists require a working knowledge of research skills in specific application to health and health care. This course provides an introduction to research in healthcare. The course will include both qualitative and quantitative research methods, using examples of research across a range of areas in health. Students will be introduced to the most common research designs used in health care service, evaluation and public health. This course will be followed by an advanced course in Evidence-based research in health and wellness in the second semester, building upon the foundations laid in this course. This course will be supplemented by the course Biostatistics as well as the course in Ethics offered in the current semester.

1. Develop research questions to address contemporary health and health care concerns

2. Distinguish and choose designs suitable for solving health care and public health issues

3. Describe methodologies that can address a range of public health and health care challenges, including but not limited to determinants of mortality and morbidity; leading causes of health disparities among regional, national, and global populations; and transmission for infectious and chronic diseases.

Foundations of Health Research

Qualitative and Quantitative methods

The Research Process

Formulation of Research Questions

Sampling Methods, Recruitment Procedures and External Validity

Experimental Designs and Randomized Controlled Trials (Intervention Studies)

Surveys and Quasi-Experimental Designs

Single Case (n=1) Designs

Epidemiological Research Observational Research ( Case-Control studies, Case - Crossover studies)

Cohort Studies (Cross-Sectional studies, Ecological studies)

Qualitative Research

Questionnaires and Survey Designs

Mixed Methods

Interviewing Techniques

Measurement and Observation.

Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA)

CIA 1: 30 marks

CIA 2: 30 Marks

Class participation: 5 marks

Attendance: 5 marks

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with a minimum overall CIA mark of 33/65 including class participation marks, to be eligible to write the ESE.

End Semester Examination (ESE)

The passing grade for the ESE is 40%

An overall grade of 50% is required to pass the course. (CIA+ESE)

To provide students with foundational knowledge and skills in ethical and professional behaviour that will enable them to competently reflect upon, address and resolve the socio-cultural issues that students will confront during their training and professional practice. This ethics course involves teaching rudimentary knowledge and skills in ethical theory and practice in health care  

·       communicate a personal understanding of the moral significance and ethical responsibilities of being a health care professional.

·       communicate an understanding of the goals of health care, including the influence of culture and diversity on health care practice.

·       demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to make ethically responsible patient care decisions.

·       examine interprofessional approaches to health care and work in interprofessional groups to address ethical issues in health care.

The history and development of clinical ethics; modern research ethics, codes and guidelines; role of religion in ethics – Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism;  culture and bioethics

Indian law and its implication on clinical practice and research; Disparity in health, health care and access to health; Disparity in resource allocation for health -macro, meso and micro levels, public health policy and resource allocation; ethical analysis of policies

IRB and its functions; ethical issues in health care; vulnerable populations, risks and benefits; authorship; contemporary issues in research ethics

Functions of a clinical ethics committee; ethical issues at the end of life; ethical issues at the beginning of life; reproductive medicine and ethics; euthanasia; professionalism.

2.     Tom L Beauchamp, James F Childress. (2008) Principles of Biomedical Ethics.

3.     

Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA)

CIA 1: 30 marks

CIA 2: 30 Marks

Class participation: 5 marks

Attendance: 5 marks

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with a minimum overall CIA mark of 33/65 including class participation marks, to be eligible to write the ESE.

End Semester Examination (ESE)

The passing grade for the ESE is 40%

An overall grade of 50% is required to pass the course. (CIA+ESE)

In this course students will engage in supervised community service for 15 hours during the semester. Students are encouraged to work on any health care issue in the community and develop and implement a module for health promotion. Reflections on their interactions are an integral part of this course. Student engagement will be assessed by a supervisor.

• Understand health and psychosocial issues prevalent in our society.
• Identify the needs and challenges faced by economically disadvantaged sections of society. 
• Address health care needs that are present in the community through awareness building and education.

Students in small groups may either partner with various NGO’s and organizations working in health care or identify a need in the community on their own. They will have to develop modules to increase awareness of a targeted health issue and deploy this in the community. Students will gain hands-on experiences in working with various issues in the community.

Reflection is a core component of community service. It is a period of critical thinking performed by the student and is based on a specific or overall experience of the student. It guides students towards greater personal development by coming to a better understanding of their own values, opinions, and assumptions. The types of reflection which can be used are, class discussion, brainstorming, sharing of critical personal and group incidents and so on. The students are expected to submit a report at the end of this course using the following guidelines. Reason for choosing the particular health issue • Stakeholders/beneficiaries • The planning phase of community service initiatives • Logistics for the initiative of the action • Execution of the action initiative • Specific learning outcome • Impact assessment/Evaluation 

CIA 1: 10 marks

CIA 2: 15 Marks

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. 

The primary goal of this two-credit course is to provide the students support to develop a clear and concise research proposal that addresses an important health care issue. The research proposal is expected to be converted into a project which is then converted into a manuscript and ready for publication by the end of the third semester of their programme. Each student is attached to a faculty advisor who holds the lab once a week with a  group of students attached to him/her/them. This course is followed by Research lab 2 in the third semester and the Manuscript and Publication course in the final semester of the programme. Students are encouraged to present their key research ideas in the form of poster presentations in colloquia organized by the Department of Psychology in association with health care centres. The course will use a seminar format and dwell on peer feedback and faculty supervision. This is not a lecture-based course.

●      Identify and create the key components of a research proposal

●      Demonstrate the ability to conduct literature reviews and gather the critical scientific information related to the research proposal

●      Demonstrate writing skills by writing, a clear, concise research proposal with scientifically defensible aims, methods and conclusions

●      Develop the skills to objectively review and write a scientific critique of a colleague’s proposal

●      Describe the important concepts related to using human subjects in scientific research

Choosing research questions based on evidence

C.A.R.S model

Literature review

Choosing Research design based on evidence

Consultation skills

Informed consent

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) and CHRIST University Code of research Conduct and Ethics

Scientific poster

Selecting journals for manuscript publication

Publication ethics, predatory publishing

Community of Publication Ethics (COPE)

Indexing agencies, Impact Factor and publication indices

 Aveyard, H. (2014) Doing a Literature Review in Health and Social Care: A Practical Guide. 3rd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Education,

Ballenger, B, P.(2015) The Curious Researcher: A Guide to Writing Research Papers. 8th edition. Boston, MA: Pearson

Yagoda, B. (2013) How to Not Write Bad: The Most Common Writing Problems and the Best Ways to Avoid Them. New York: Riverhead Books.

Turabian, K. L. (2018) A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers. 9th edition. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

CIA 1: 20 marks

CIA 2: 25 Marks

Class participation & Attendance: 5 marks

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with an overall CIA mark of 25/50 to pass the course.

The Journal club is a student-driven and faculty-supervised mandatory activity. Each student in the programme will choose a published empirical article in the area of health psychology or health care from a journal available in the University library and preferably indexed in PubMed. The students will present the article in turns weekly and facilitate a group discussion of the article. A research  blog will be created on the Learning Management System of the University (Moodle) and the blog will be open till the end of the week. The student presenting the article must make article available for the class to read a week in advance after gaining approval of the instructor, and all students  will  place their critical views of the article in the discussion thread prior to the journal club meeting.

●      critically read, interpret, and present published data;

●      discuss the strengths and weaknesses of publications;

●      enhance critical thinking and problem solving skills; and

●      demonstrate skills in interpreting and critically evaluating scientific data

Critical evaluation and presentation of an empirical article in the area of and health care.

CIA 1: 10 marks

CIA2: 15 Marks

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA

This course introduces students to various aspects of Clinical Psycho-oncology. It is aimed at giving students an understanding of what actually goes on in psycho-oncology practice. It will involve a series of lectures from practitioners in the field. This course is meant to enhance their professional development as they work to becoming practising psycho-oncologists

●      Demonstrate an understanding of various practice issues in Clinical Psycho-oncology

●      Articulate their roles as clinical psycho-oncologists in a medical setting

●      Develop an awareness of their professional competence and an understanding of what competencies they need to further develop.

 Guest lectures by experts in the field of  Psycho- oncology

CIA: 25 marks

A must-pass assessment with a passing grade of 50%. 

This course introduces students to the various systems of the body. A basic understanding of how the body works is essential to understand health, diseases and how a health psychologist can contribute to the health and wellness of clients.

●        Define body systems and describe the types of body parts that makeup body systems

●        Summarise how the various body systems work.

●        Identify and describe various common illnesses linked to body systems.

●        Discuss the role of a psychologist in maintaining health and wellness of the body.

Endocrine System: Overview, Adrenal Glands, Other Glands, Disorders involving the Endocrine System – Diabetes, Role of the health psychologist.

Digestive System: Overview, Functioning of the Digestive System, Related Diseases – GI diseases, IBS, Role of the health psychologist.

Cardiovascular System:  Overview, Structure and Functions – The Heart and Blood Vessels, Blood Pressure, Related Diseases - CHD, Role of the health psychologist

Respiratory System: Overview, Structure and Functions, Related Diseases, Role of the health psychologist

Renal System: Overview, Structure and Functions, Related Diseases – Kidney Disease, Role of the health psychologist

Reproductive System: Overview, The Ovaries and Testes, Fertilization and Gestation, Disorders of the Reproductive System – Infertility, PCOS, Role of the health psychologist

Immune System: Overview, Infection, the course of infection, Antigens and Immunity, Disorders related to the Immune system.  Role of the health psychologist

Nervous System:  Overview, Related Disorders – Epilepsy, Paralysis, Dementia, Role of the Health Psychologist

Genetics and Health; Overview, Genetics and Susceptibility to Disorders

End semester examination (ESE) - 30%   

Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA)

CIA 1: 30 marks

CIA 2: 30 Marks

Class participation: 5 marks

Attendance: 5 marks 

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with a minimum overall CIA mark of 33/65 including class participation marks, to be eligible to write the ESE. 

End Semester Examination (ESE)

The passing grade for the ESE is 40%

An overall grade of 50% is required to pass the course. (CIA+ESE)

Cancer is defined as uncontrollable cell growth.  The complexities of the causes and the different types of cells that give rise to this disease have underscored the need for a better understanding of the basic biology of cancer.   Advancements in basic and biomedical research have led to more effective treatments, enhanced detection methods, and better prevention strategies.  This course aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the biology and pathology of cancer.  This course will explore the role of mutations in cancer cells, and how they lead to the dysregulation of essential biological properties like programmed cell death, cell proliferation and differentiation.   Classical treatment methods will be compared with newer treatment strategies like targeted therapies.  This course will also explore the challenges associated with diagnosing cancers, as well as ways in which to prevent cancer.  The ever-expanding role of “omics” and bioinformatics in areas such as tumor classification, prognosis and treatment will also be discussed.

the common cellular and molecular mechanisms that are deregulated in cancerous cells and how does their deregulation contribute to the development of cancer

●      the role gene mutation plays in the development of cancer and ways in which can cancer be considered a “heritable” trait?

●       Ways in which environmental factors influence cancer susceptibility and how may we use this information to prevent cancer

●      How cancer manifests itself in the human body and what features of cancer lead to high mortality rates

●      the biological rationale for both traditional chemotherapies and novel targeted therapeutic approaches and the benefits and limitations of each option

●      ways can genomic technologies provide insight into cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment and the limitations of these technologies

Cancer definition

Overview of the hallmarks of cancer
Mutagens, carcinogens, and mutations
Tumor viruses and the discovery of oncogenes
Tumor cells possess genetic abnormalities
Mechanisms of oncogene activation
Role of growth factors and receptors in carcinogenesis
RAS signalling in cancer
Familial cancer syndromes and the discovery of tumor suppressors

Cell cycle control and the pRb tumor suppressor

Apoptosis and the p53 tumor suppressor

Cellular senescence

Telomeres, cellular immortalization, and tumorigenesis

Multi-step tumorigenesis and the evolution of cancer

Tumor-promoting  stimuli

Cancer stem cell

DNA repair mechanisms

DNA repair defects and their relationship to cancer

Angiogenesis

Metastasis

Tumor Immunology

Cancer cell metabolism

Treatment- traditional chemotherapeutics

Treatment- Immunotherapies

Treatment-targeted therapy.

New Genomic and proteomic technologies

Applications of new technologies in prevention, assessing risk, diagnostics, and treatment.

Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA)

CIA 1: 30 marks

CIA 2: 30 Marks

Class participation: 5 marks

Attendance: 5 marks

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with a minimum overall CIA mark of 33/65 including class participation marks, to be eligible to write the ESE.

End Semester Examination (ESE)

The passing grade for the ESE is 40%

An overall grade of 50% is required to pass the course. (CIA+ESE)

This course will introduce students to mental health issues normally found in general health care. The course will address issues of comorbidity, common mental health issues found across populations seeking general health services.

●      Identify and describe common mental health (Psychiatric) issues encountered in general health care

●      Identify appropriate treatment strategies to manage common mental health (Psychiatric) concerns

 Clinical Assessment for Psychiatric symptoms, Mental Status Examination, Safety Assessments

Capacity evaluation and Informed consent

Psychiatric Emergencies: Delirium, Agitation, Catatonia, Intoxication, overdose and withdrawal, suicide.

Anxiety, Dementia, Depression, Disordered eating behaviours, Dissociation, Mania, Obsessions and Compulsions,

 Personality disorders, problems with sexual function and behaviours, psychosis, sleep disorders,

unexplained medical symptoms

Psychopharmacology, Somatic Treatments, Psychotherapeutic treatments.

End semester examination (ESE) - 30%   

Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA)

CIA 1: 30 marks

CIA 2: 30 Marks

Class participation: 5 marks

Attendance: 5 marks 

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with a minimum overall CIA mark of 33/65 including class participation marks, to be eligible to write the ESE. 

End Semester Examination (ESE)

The passing grade for the ESE is 40%

An overall grade of 50% is required to pass the course. (CIA+ESE)

This course gives the students an opportunity to examine the foundations and application of evidence-based practices in healthcare.

●      be able to evaluate clinical research from a quality perspective

●      demonstrate strategies to conduct reliable and valid research in health care

●      demonstrate strategies to examine evidence and its application in healthcare planning and implementation

Writing focused clinical questions.

Planning steps to locate relevant evidence

Searching for evidence in databases

Evidence-based point of care resources

Recording search strategies

Organising relevant evidence

Types of diagnostic procedures

Diagnostic tool selection factors

Diagnostic guidelines, algorithms, and standards of care

Diagnostic biostatistics

Treatment research

Treatment selection

Studies of harm

Studies of prevention

Biostatistics In the treatment of harm and prevention

Appraising trustworthiness of quantitative evidence

Synthesising evidence: systematic reviews, meta-analysis and preference analysis

Structure of a quantitative research report

comparison of quantitative and qualitative research evidence

Appraising trustworthiness of qualitative research

critical analysis of qualitative study

implementation and evaluation

Jolley, J. (2013). Introducing Research and Evidence-Based Practice for Nursing and Healthcare Professionals (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315846996

APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice. Evidence-based practice in psychology. Am Psychol. 2006 May-Jun;61(4):271-85. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.61.4.271. PMID: 16719673.       

Drake, R. E., Merrens, M. R., & Lynde, D. W. (Eds.). (2005). Evidence-based mental health practice: A textbook. W. W. Norton & Company.

End semester examination (ESE) - 30%   

Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA)

CIA 1: 30 marks

CIA 2: 30 Marks

Class participation: 5 marks

Attendance: 5 marks 

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with a minimum overall CIA mark of 33/65 including class participation marks, to be eligible to write the ESE. 

End Semester Examination (ESE)

The passing grade for the ESE is 40%

An overall grade of 50% is required to pass the course. (CIA+ESE)

This course provides an opportunity for students to practise counselling and communication skills (under supervision) required while working in health care settings with patients, family members and significant others. Based on communication models in psychology, this course is hands-on and experiential and used competence- mastery training model in a lab setting.

●      demonstrate under supervision basic counselling and communication skills required in a variety of settings outlined in the course

●      demonstrate multicultural competence while communicating with patients and family members in lab setting

Doctor-Patient Communication

Information gathering and clinical reasoning

Self-care strategies

Multicultural counselling competence

Relationship building

Listening to stories about illness and health

Listening skills (Basic listening sequence: Attending skills, Paraphrase,)

Responding to emotions (Empathy, Reflection of feelings, reflection of meaning, reframing structuring)

Solution focussed brief therapy skills

Communicating about ethical dilemmas

Communicating about risk and uncertainty

Working with infertility

Breaking bad news in health care settings

Conveying  the diagnosis

Facilitating Behaviour Change through Motivational Interviewing

Responding to medical error and complaints

Counselling and Communication Skills for Medical and Health Practitioners.(1998). Bayne, R., Nicolson, P., & Horton, I (Eds). United Kingdom, Wiley. 

End semester examination (ESE) - 30%   

Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA)

CIA 1: 30 marks

CIA 2: 30 Marks

Class participation: 5 marks

Attendance: 5 marks 

All CIAs are must pass assessments with a passing grade of 50%. If a student does not meet the passing grade for CIA, s/he will have to repeat the CIA again before moving to the next CIA. The student must pass all the CIA components with an overall CIA mark of 38/70 to be eligible to write the ESE. 

End Semester Examination (ESE)

The passing grade for the ESE is 40%

An overall grade of 50% is required to pass the course. (CIA+ESE)