Argosy University

COURSE SYLLABUS
PC 6200
Human Sexuality
1/21 to 1/23/2011 & 2/25-2/27/2011
Fridays: 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday: 8:30 to 5:00 PM
Location: As Assigned

Faculty Information
Faculty Name: David Moore, Ph.D., CDP
Campus: Seattle
Contact Information: [Home] dmoorephd@yahoo.com; 253.632.7208
[Campus] ddmoore@argosy.edu; 206.393.3548

Office Hours: Tuesdays and 2 PM to 5 PM and Fridays by appointment

[Additional times by arrangement]
I will be available to you by email and by telephone through the dates listed above and
the week prior to the course beginning. I tend to return emails in the early morning,
afternoon (1-4 pm) and weekend hours. Please use my campus number on class days and
Thursdays. Otherwise, if you need to speak to me in the next day, please call my home
number. I am available to meet in person at my office at Argosy University—Seattle or
my Clinical Office in South King County by arrangement. Regular office hours during
Spring Semester are Tuesdays, 2-5 PM.

Short Faculty Bio: Dr. Moore is an Associate Professor of the Counseling Psychology
Department at Argosy University/Seattle. He was awarded both his M.Ed. and Ph.D. in
Counseling Psychology from the University of Washington/Seattle.

He is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Licensed Chemical Dependency Professional, &

Board Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor II. He is a member of the American
Psychological Association. He has conducted 20+ years of national field research in
developing school-community prevention and intervention systems at the Universities of
Washington and Johns Hopkins. Along with teaching graduate-level behavioral science
courses in the College of Education at the Universities of Washington and Puget Sound,
he served as a research faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health’s
Department of Mental Health.
Dr. Moore is a published researcher in human sexuality education and treatment: Substance
impairment and female victimization therapy.” Journal of Sex Education and Therapy,
Volume 15, Number 3. He has had 25 years as a practicing clinician assisting individuals,
couples and triads across many cultures and sexual orientations to enhance their unique
paths of intimacy. He has pioneered the use of Existential Erikson therapy to resolve
developmental delays and gaps in identity created by sexual traumas prior to age 16.

Note: Instructors reserve the right to make syllabus and assignment adjustments which in her/his
judgment are appropriate and are supported in terms of learning objectives.
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Course description:
Human Sexuality is a graduate-level survey course providing an introduction to a wide
variety of sexual concerns, interests, and issues which present in therapy. The educational
learning objectives are developed around the credentialing standards for Sex Educators,
Counselors and Therapists. Topics to be either addressed in the readings and/or discussed
include: basic sexual anatomy and physiology; sexual orientation, sexuality and aging,
gender and sexual diversity issues, STDs and safe sex, the impact of prescription and
recreational drugs on sexuality, atypical, problematic, traumatic and illegal sexual
behavior; as well as the history and current practice of modern sex therapy, and sexual
transference and counter-transference in the therapeutic setting.
Cautionary Note: Portions of sexually explicit videos are shown and presenters are often
explicit in describing their sexual traumas, intimate activities and recovery. Persons who
have values conflicts with this type of learning, or with sexual behavior and orientations
between consenting adults, would be better served by taking a different course.
Course goal: Successful completion of Human Sexuality will demonstrate a minimum of
90 hours of classroom and study education [3 Semester Credits] covering the 13 core
areas of human sexuality education required for certification as a Sex Educator,
Counselor or Therapist by the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and
Therapists [AASECT].
Course Outcome: Students who complete the course will receive a course portfolio
comprised of all the students work, as well as a Certificate attesting to completion of the
AASECT educational requirements.
For the vast majority of professionals in health care and human services, certification is a
prerequisite to practice. AASECT credentials sexual health professionals on the basis of
rigorous standards for academic preparation, supervised training and consultation, field-
related experience and applied skills. Whether or not the student intends to pursue formal
credentialing, this course provides a wide range of learning experiences that will inform
their diagnosis, treatment planning and therapy provision. Actual case vignettes will be
presented for diagnosis and treatment planning, both by full class participation, and later
in small group treatment planning sessions. Students are expected to bring questions and
to actively participate in both classroom and small group treatment planning discussions.
Students will also present a paper in which they will create a vignette of sexual
dysfunction and an appropriate treatment plan which will highlight an aspect of sexual
dysfunction of their particular interest.
Course Pre-requisites: A course on human development [PSY300, PC6025, C7421,
PP7050, PP7010], personality development [PSY310, PC6220, PC6003, C7432,
PP7060, PP8041] or permission of the Instructor.
Required Textbooks:
Crooks, Robert and Bauer, Karla. (2005). Our Sexuality. 10th Edition.
Wadsworth. Casebound Ed: ISBN 0495095540 Paperback Edition: ISBN 0495103268
Charlton, Randolph S., ed, and Irvin D. Yalom, general ed. (1997). Treating Sexual
Disorders. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. ISBN 0-7879-0311-6
Note: Instructors reserve the right to make syllabus and assignment adjustments which in her/his
judgment are appropriate and are supported in terms of learning objectives.
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Recommended Textbooks:

Sandra R. Leiblum, Editor (2006). Principles and Practice of Sex Therapy, Fourth
Edition. The Guilford Press. ISBN-10: 1593853491

Wincze, John and Carey, Michael (2000). Sexual Dysfunction, Second Edition: A Guide
for Assessment and Treatment. The Guilford Press. ISBN-10: 1572305401

American Psychological Association (2001). Publication manual of the American

Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. ISBN 1557987912

Westheimer, R & Lopater, S. (2007). Human Sexuality: A Psychosocial Perspective, 2nd

Edition. Philadelphia PA: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. ISBN 0781756820.

American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental

disorders (4th ed., Text Revision). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
ISBN: 0890420254.

Technology: Pentium III CPU/ Windows 98; 128MB RAM printer; Microsoft Office:
Acrobat (full version); Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 (PC), 5.0 (MAC), or Netscape
Navigator 4.08; Norton Antivirus.

Course length: 7.5 Weeks

Contact Hours: 45 Hours

Credit Value: 3.0

Mission Statement
The Counseling Psychology program embraces a range of relevant theory and techniques
applicable in the three major areas of counseling psychology: a) the remedial (assisting in
remedying problems in living), b) the preventive (anticipating, circumventing, and
forestalling difficulties that may arise in the future), and c) the educative and
developmental (discovering and developing potentialities). Counseling Psychology
focuses on a) a wide range of client issues, and developmental life stage challenges, b)
assets, strengths, and positive mental health, c) relatively brief interventions, and d)
context, sociocultural and political influences, diversity, and person-environment
interactions, rather than exclusive emphasis on the individual.

Counseling Psychology Program Expectations for Professional Development

Counseling psychology students should be aware that since the program is clinically
oriented faculty will create assignments that ask students to reflect upon aspects of their
emotional reactions to clinical material, address aspects of their history or current life
Note: Instructors reserve the right to make syllabus and assignment adjustments which in her/his
judgment are appropriate and are supported in terms of learning objectives.
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relationships, or to discuss personal reactions to a class. We believe such assignments are
an essential component of professional development as a clinician. Such self observations
are central in helping students gain a deeper appreciation of clinical theory and
phenomena, and to develop empathy towards others.
At times students will find that such assignments create considerable personal discomfort.
For this reason, we encourage students to monitor their reaction to such assignments and
seek additional assistance when warranted.
We encourage ongoing interpersonal reflection of how students respond to the world
around them. It is expected that students will develop social and therapeutic support
networking that allows for personal growth.

Counseling Psychology Program Outcomes:

Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
Program Outcome One: Professional Practice
Competency 1 Assessment and Skills.
Formulate assessments of psychological functioning and apply therapeutic
intervention strategies when working with individuals, couples, families,
and groups, toward the development of optimal mental health.
Competency 2 Theory.
Interpret and apply psychological and developmental theories to
therapeutic intervention strategies.
Competency 3 Writing.
Employ media and technology when presenting counseling information
orally and in writing, so that the presentation is concise, organized, well
supported, professional, and appropriate to the audience.
Program Outcome Two: Research
Competency 1. Analyze research, and translate research findings for
improvement of counseling services using statistics and program evaluation
methods.
Program Outcome Three: Interpersonal Effectiveness and Professional
Development
Competency 1: Students will develop positive relationship skills that
promote personal and professional development via effective
communication, encouragement, empathy, respect for others, self-
awareness, and other-awareness. These skills will be evidenced by students’
ability to:
a. Apply active listening communication skills in interpersonal
scenarios to establish empathetic relationships.
b. Analyze the importance of effective nonverbal communication
skills in interpersonal relationships.
c. Solicit and utilize feedback to build and maintain interpersonal
relationships.

Note: Instructors reserve the right to make syllabus and assignment adjustments which in her/his
judgment are appropriate and are supported in terms of learning objectives.
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 d. Utilize effective communication and relationships skills in order
to promote the growth of others and effect change.
Program Outcome Four: Ethics
Competency 1. Using the American Counseling Association’s Standards of
Practice or the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Code, as well
as local state law as it applies to the behavior of mental health professionals,
identify ethical dilemmas and apply ethical decision-making strategies while
engaging in professional activities.
Program Outcome Five: Diversity
Competency 1 Multicultural Skills.
Provide assessment, counseling, and consultation services for clients by
applying psychological and multicultural theories and research to diverse
populations, and modifying interventions as needed to work effectively with
diverse clients.
Competency 2 Multicultural Awareness.
Examine personal values and biases, reflect on personal beliefs, and
understand how they impact work with clients and other interpersonal
relationships (e.g., other students and faculty).
Competency 3 Multicultural Knowledge.
Identify and assess the complexity and multidimensionality of
cultural/diversity theories and issues in the field of counseling psychology
while working with clients and developing interpersonal relationships with
other students and faculty.

Course Objectives:

The primary objective of this course is to introduce students to the basics of human
sexuality and to increase their awareness of how issues of sexuality arise and are
addressed in clinical settings.
Upon completion of this course students should be able to:
Ψ Know basic factual sex information: anatomy and physiology of sex, STDs and their
prevention, safe sex, and how to access additional resources; including at least 3 hours of
study in each of the core areas of sexuality education required for AASECT
credentialing:
A. Sexual and reproductive anatomy/physiology.
B. Developmental sexuality (from conception through old age) from a
psychological, sociological, and biological perspective.
C. Dynamics of interpersonal relationships.
D. Gender-related issues.
E. Sexual orientations and gender identities.
F. Socio-cultural factors (ethnicity, culture, religiosity, socioeconomic status) in
Note: Instructors reserve the right to make syllabus and assignment adjustments which in her/his
judgment are appropriate and are supported in terms of learning objectives.
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 sexual values and behavior.
G. Relationship and family dynamics.
H. Health factors that may influence sexuality including illness, disability, drugs,
abortion, pregnancy, contraception, fertility, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmissible
infections , and safer sex practices.
I. Sexuality research principles.
J. Sexual exploitation, including sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual
assault.
K. Learning theory and application.
L. Presentation skills.
M. Diversity in sexual expression
Ψ Identify how the therapist’s attitudes, biases, lack of information in sexual matters
may impact therapy.
Ψ Identify when to refer to a therapist more skilled or comfortable with a particular
sexual issue or sexual orientation or a sex positive medical professional: urologists;
gynecologists; endocrinologists; proctologists; internists.
Ψ Discuss issues of the right to responsible sexual expression: (sex and the disabled, sex
and aging, unusual consensual sexual interests, etc.)
Ψ Understand the crucial role of therapist-as-educator and the importance of providing
clients with accurate information and helpful resources.
Ψ Exercising caution about assuming that a sexual problem is psychological.
Ψ Know the laws and professional ethics which govern sexual issues in the therapy
office.

Students are expected to exemplify professional behaviors in their acquisition of the

course content and demonstration of learning. Such behaviors include: the ability to
receive and integrate feedback, the ability to maintain appropriate boundaries, the ability
to modulate affect (appropriate to the activities of the course), openness to different
perspectives, and demonstration of collegial and respectful relationships with faculty and
peers. When group work is required, students are expected to work collaboratively,
contributing effectively to the group and actively learning from others.

Course Requirements:

Attendance [20 Points]

Students are expected to attend all class meetings and to be on time for class. Attendance
is considered an important aspect of the learning experience. Because this class is
taught in a weekend intensive format, any absence or tardiness may result in your
being required to retake the class. In truly extenuating circumstances (illness, death in
the family, etc.), you are requested to inform the instructor at the earliest opportunity that
you will not be present. As soon thereafter as possible, please arrange to discuss with the
instructor the impact of your absence, and what, if any, steps must be taken either to
withdraw or if possible, to remediate any missed work. In all cases, the decision on
whether or not you may continue following an absence is at the sole discretion of the
Note: Instructors reserve the right to make syllabus and assignment adjustments which in her/his
judgment are appropriate and are supported in terms of learning objectives.
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instructor, based upon her understanding of the course requirements and your ability to
complete the course. The student is responsible for remaining current with the class
(making arrangements to obtain class notes from another student, keeping up with the
assigned reading and assignments).

Class participation [20 Points]

Active participation is required by each student. This includes preparatory readings.
Criteria for Class Participation:
A = 18-20
Student actively participated in discussions in 80% or more of class
sessions; nearly all comments were thought provoking and incorporated
material from the assigned readings.
B= 15-17
Student actively participated in discussions in 80% or more of class sessions;
most of the comments were thought provoking and incorporated material
from the assigned readings.
C = 12-14
Student participated in discussions in 70% or more of class sessions;
comments/questions demonstrate a surface level understanding of course
topics
F =0-11 less than Student participated in less than 70% of class sessions;
comments/questions did not demonstrate an understanding of course topics, or
student did not participate in class discussions and activities.

Midterm and Final Examinations [30 Points; 15 Points Each]

On Sunday Afternoon of the first weekend and Sunday Afternoon of the second weekend,
there will be 15-item multiple choice tests with each item worth ½ point. The items will
be drawn from the readings for that weekend. The students will be given a list of
approximately 30-50 study items on the Saturday Afternoon preceding the test. The 15
final test items will be drawn from this group. Students are allowed to collaborate in
identifying the answers prior to the test, but not during.

Example Case Vignette Presentation and Paper [30 Points]

Students will present a short (7-10 page) paper in APA style and form, offering a clinical
vignette illustrating an aspect of sexual dysfunction which is of particular interest for
them. It is an example vignette and should NOT be done as an actual therapeutic
intervention with an actual client.
The paper will have the following composition:
A. (1 page) Clinical vignette illustrating how a particular problem may present in therapy
with either an individual or couple. Therapy models and a list of potential dysfunction
issues will be presented in the first weekend. The vignette should include sexual
psychoeducation AND treatment intervention so both sex education and therapy is
addressed in the paper.

Note: Instructors reserve the right to make syllabus and assignment adjustments which in her/his
judgment are appropriate and are supported in terms of learning objectives.
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B. (1/2 to 1 page) Working DSM IV Diagnoses with potential rule-outs. All diagnoses to
highlight the sexual dysfunction being addressed. Diagnoses must be substantiated
from material contained in the vignette. Although it may appear that diagnoses other
than a specifically sexual one may be present, for purposes of this paper and class,
focus only on the applicable sexual diagnosis, please.
C. (4-5 pages) Background on the potential problem causing the dysfunction (such as,
menopause, medical treatments and medications, cultural and religious influences, false
information, interpersonal conflict, etc, and how this leads to sexual dysfunction. You
must reference at least one PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL. DO NOT JUST
DOWNLOAD AN WEB ARTICLE FROM THE INTERNET!
D. (2-3 pages) Treatment plan and anticipated difficulties with plan. Couples are treated
together. Do not suggest that you would separately treat the couple. Focus on
the sexual issue, NOT any other possible DSM diagnosis.
E. (1-2 pages) Transference and countertransference issues. Address your competency to
treat the problem and the person or the couple.
Note: Your vignette and the topic to be addressed which your vignette illustrates (which
will be the basis of your research paper) will be submitted to the instructor no later
than the Sunday of the first weekend of instruction. (Just the one page vignette and
a clear statement of your topic.)

Preparatory Activities

 Activities are found online at the Companion Web Site for Our Sexuality:
http://www.wadsworth.com/cgi-
wadsworth/course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20bI&flag=instructor&product_isbn_issn=
9780495095545&discipline_number=10

At the beginning of class, we will take a virtual tour through online and local resources.
www.aasect.org
http://www.sexuality.org/
http://www.sexuality.org/seattle.html
http://www.sexpositiveculture.org/
http://www.eros-events.org/tour.htm
http://www.horizonsclub.com/index.php?sid=
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munch_(BDSM)

Class readings

First Weekend. Read Chapters 1-11 in Our Sexuality for weekend I, with particular focus
on the Chapters where the Midterm Test items will largely be drawn from: Chapters 3, 6
[Physiology] and 9 [Orientation]. Read Chapters 1 and 2 in Treating Sexual Disorders. It
is absolutely necessary to read these two chapters before you will be able to effectively
engage in classroom participation. As noted in “Class Participation”, each student will
need to score at least 10 of 20 items correctly to receive an A range Participation score

Note: Instructors reserve the right to make syllabus and assignment adjustments which in her/his
judgment are appropriate and are supported in terms of learning objectives.
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Second Weekend. Read Chapters 12-18 in Our Sexuality for weekend II; with careful
reading on chapters relating to sexual trauma [17 and 18]. Read Chapters 6-9 [Treatment
Content Areas] in Treating Sexual Disorders.

Grading Criteria
Grading Scale
Grading requirements

A 100 – 93 Attendance/Participation 20/20

A- 92 – 90 Midterm/Final 15/15
B+ 89 – 88 Final paper 30
100%
B 87 – 83
B- 82 – 80
C+ 79 – 78

Library
All resources in Argosy University’s online collection are available through the Internet.
The campus librarian will provide students with links, user IDs, and passwords.

Library Resources: Argosy University’s core online collection features nearly 21,000
full-text journals and 23,000 electronic books and other content covering all academic
subject areas including Business & Economics, Career & General Education, Computers,
Engineering & Applied Science, Humanities, Science, Medicine & Allied Health, and
Social & Behavior Sciences. Many titles are directly accessible through the Online
Public Access Catalog at http://library.argosyu.edu. Detailed descriptions of online
resources are located at http://library.argosyu.edu/misc/onlinedblist.html.

In addition to online resources, Argosy University’s onsite collections contain a wealth of

subject-specific research materials searchable in the Online Public Access Catalog.
Catalog searching is easily limited to individual campus collections. Alternatively,
students can search combined collections of all Argosy University Libraries. Students
are encouraged to seek research and reference assistance from campus librarians.
Information Literacy: Argosy University’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed
to teach students fundamental and transferable research skills. The tutorial consists of
five modules where students learn to select sources appropriate for academic-level
research, search periodical indexes and search engines, and evaluate and cite information.
In the tutorial, students study concepts and practice them through interactions. At the
conclusion of each module, they can test their comprehension and receive immediate
feedback. Each module takes less than 20 minutes to complete. Please view the tutorial
at http://library.argosyu.edu/infolit/

Academic Policies

Note: Instructors reserve the right to make syllabus and assignment adjustments which in her/his
judgment are appropriate and are supported in terms of learning objectives.
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Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: In an effort to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity
during the learning process, Argosy University requires that the submission of all course
assignments represent the original work produced by that student. All sources must be
documented through normal scholarly references/citations and all work must be
submitted using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th
Edition (2001). Washington DC: American Psychological Association (APA) format.
Please refer to Appendix A in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association, 5th Edition for thesis and paper format. Students are encouraged to
purchase this manual (required in some courses) and become familiar with its content as
well as consult the Argosy University catalog for further information regarding academic
dishonesty and plagiarism.

Scholarly writing: The faculty at Argosy University is dedicated to providing a learning

environment that supports scholarly and ethical writing, free from academic dishonesty
and plagiarism. This includes the proper and appropriate referencing of all sources. You
may be asked to submit your course assignments through “Turnitin,”
(www.turnitin.com), an online resource established to help educators develop
writing/research skills and detect potential cases of academic dishonesty. Turnitin
compares submitted papers to billions of pages of content and provides a comparison
report to your instructor. This comparison detects papers that share common information
and duplicative language.

Americans with Disabilities Act Policy

It is the policy of Argosy University to make reasonable accommodations for qualified
students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
If a student with disabilities needs accommodations, the student must notify the Director
of Student Services. Procedures for documenting student disability and the development
of reasonable accommodations will be provided to the student upon request.
Students will be notified by the Director of Student Services when each request for
accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a designated form. To receive
accommodation in class, it is the student’s responsibility to present the form (at his or her
discretion) to the instructor. In an effort to protect student privacy, the Department of
Student Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student with
instructors. Faculty may not make accommodations for individuals who have not been
approved in this manner.

The Argosy University Statement Regarding Diversity

Argosy University prepares students to serve populations with diverse social, ethnic,
economic, and educational experiences. Both the academic and training curricula are
designed to provide an environment in which students can develop the skills and attitudes
essential to working with people from a wide range of backgrounds.

Note: Instructors reserve the right to make syllabus and assignment adjustments which in her/his
judgment are appropriate and are supported in terms of learning objectives.
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