COUC 521 is Liberty's graduate course in assessment techniques in counseling. Its written work is a sequence of assessment projects on yourself or a fictional character: a 3 to 5-page initial interview, a 2 to 4-page mental status exam and a 4 to 7-page psychological report, plus a 2 to 4-page reliability and validity analysis of a test manual, a 7 to 10-page test critique, and four short forums.
Liberty's catalog lists the course as COUC 521 Assessment Techniques in Counseling, 3 credit hours; Canvas and the course guide file print it as COUC521.
What COUC 521 covers
The catalog description: This course is designed to provide an understanding of individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation in a multicultural society. Comprehension and application of basic concepts of standardized and nonstandardized testing and other assessment techniques, including norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessment, environmental assessment, performance assessment, inventory methods, psychological testing, and behavioral observations are examined. Social and cultural factors related to the assessment and evaluation of individuals, groups, and specific populations are discussed. Identification of applicable ethical strategies for selecting, administering, and interpreting assessment and evaluation instruments and techniques in counseling are evaluated.
The course covers assessment in counseling: intake interviewing, mental status examination, psychometrics (reliability, validity and norms), standardized and nonstandardized testing, and ethical, culturally relevant use of assessment results. The text is Drummond, Sheperis and Jones, Assessment Procedures for Counselors and Helping Professionals.
Eight quizzes (240 points) have no guide here. Each week runs Monday to Sunday, and the final week ends Friday.
COUC 521 assignments, week by week
Every graded written assignment in the published guide has its own how-to guide below. Quizzes, exams, checklists and class introductions are left out because there is nothing to write.
| Week | Assignment | Points | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discussion Board Forum 1 | 40 | Thread 200 to 250 words; reply 75 to 100 words |
| 2 | Project 1: Initial Interview | 100 | 3 to 5 pages, double-spaced |
| 3 | Discussion Board Forum 2 | 40 | Thread 200 to 250 words; reply 75 to 100 words |
| 3 | Exploring Reliability and Validity | 40 | 2 to 4 pages, double-spaced |
| 4 | Mental Status Exam | 100 | 2 to 4 pages, double-spaced |
| 5 | Psychological Report | 180 | 4 to 7 pages |
| 6 | Discussion Board Forum 3 | 40 | Thread 200 to 250 words; reply 75 to 100 words |
| 7 | Test Critique | 180 | 7 to 10 pages |
| 8 | Discussion Board Forum 4 | 40 | Thread 200 to 250 words; reply 75 to 100 words |
Week 1: Discussion Board Forum 1
A 200 to 250-word thread on the instructor's prompt, then a 75 to 100-word reply to one classmate. How to write COUC 521 Week 1 Discussion Board Forum 1.
Week 2: Project 1: Initial Interview
A 3 to 5-page report of an intake interview with yourself or a fictional character, answering one of three referral questions. How to write COUC 521 Week 2 Project 1: Initial Interview.
Week 3: Discussion Board Forum 2
A 200 to 250-word thread on the instructor's prompt, then a 75 to 100-word reply to one classmate. How to write COUC 521 Week 3 Discussion Board Forum 2.
Week 3: Exploring Reliability and Validity
A 2 to 4-page analysis of the psychometric properties in a test manual and the test's usefulness for clinical practice. How to write COUC 521 Week 3 Exploring Reliability and Validity.
Week 4: Mental Status Exam
A 2 to 4-page mental status exam of your Week 2 subject, covering appearance, manner, orientation, alertness, thought processes, mood and affect. How to write COUC 521 Week 4 Mental Status Exam.
Week 5: Psychological Report
A 4 to 7-page psychological report on your subject, using the IPIP-NEO, the Jung Personality Test and two more assessments you select and interpret. How to write COUC 521 Week 5 Psychological Report.
Week 6: Discussion Board Forum 3
A 200 to 250-word thread on the instructor's prompt, then a 75 to 100-word reply to one classmate. How to write COUC 521 Week 6 Discussion Board Forum 3.
Week 7: Test Critique
A 7 to 10-page APA critique of one standardized test in six sections, citing at least 3 professional journal articles. How to write COUC 521 Week 7 Test Critique.
Week 8: Discussion Board Forum 4
A 200 to 250-word thread on the instructor's prompt, then a 75 to 100-word reply to one classmate. How to write COUC 521 Week 8 Discussion Board Forum 4.
How COUC 521 is graded
The published guide totals 1,010 points. The four forums are 40 each (160), the initial interview 100, the reliability and validity analysis 40, the mental status exam 100, the psychological report 180, the test critique 180, quizzes 240 and the checklist 10.
| Graded item | Points |
|---|---|
| Discussion Board Forums (4) | 160 |
| Initial Interview | 100 |
| Exploring Reliability and Validity | 40 |
| Mental Status Exam | 100 |
| Psychological Report | 180 |
| Test Critique | 180 |
| Quizzes (8) | 240 |
| Course Requirements Checklist | 10 |
The published scale puts an A at 940 to 1010 points.
Week timing in the published guide: Each course module/week begins on Monday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Sunday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final module/week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.
How to approach COUC 521
The initial interview, mental status exam and psychological report build on one another and on one subject (yourself or a fictional character) and referral question, so choose them carefully in Week 2.
Pick the standardized test for your critique early and get access to its manual or a published review.
Questions students ask
What is the COUC 521 psychological report?
A 4 to 7-page report on your Week 2 subject and referral question, based on self-administering the IPIP-NEO and the Jung Personality Test plus 2 assessments you select and interpret.
What is the COUC 521 test critique?
A 7 to 10-page APA critique of one standardized test, citing at least 3 professional journal articles, in six sections: general test information, test description, technical evaluation, practical evaluation, summary evaluation and critique, and references.
Working through COUC 521 now?
Tell us the week and the assignment. A tutor who knows the course replies with a plan for the draft.