COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:   My primary goal in this course is to provide students with information regarding the symptoms, causes, and treatment of what is generally recognized as abnormal behavior. Students will be expected to think critically about the research evidence with regard to various explanations and treatments of mental illness, and to develop clinical rationale for diagnostic choices you might hypothetically make as a treatment provider. Additionally, you will become familiar with the major assessment index for psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers (DSM-V) and learn how to apply its categories to several client cases we will be discussing in class.