Summer 2026 - PSYC 461 D100
Advanced Topics in Social Psychology (4)
Class Number: 2375
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
May 11 – Jun 19, 2026: Mon, Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Rebecca Cobb
rcobb@sfu.ca
Office: RCB 8304
Office Hours: Monday 12:30pm - 1:20pm
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Prerequisites:
PSYC 201, 210, 260, 60 units, and a CGPA of 3.0. Other prerequisites vary by topic offering.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
Course can be repeated for credit. Students may not take this course for further credit if similar topics are covered. See Psychology department website for course description.
COURSE DETAILS:
General Description: This course will focus on research on couples therapy and its application. You will learn about a variety of therapeutic orientations, focusing on empirically supported treatments (e.g., cognitive-behavioural couple therapy, emotion-focused therapy). Special issues such as ethics, affairs, divorce, violence, and individual psychopathology or health issues will also be discussed.
Topics: History of couples therapy; ethical issues in couples therapy; assessment of couples; empirically supported couples therapies; relationship education; treatment of special issues (aggression, sexual dysfunction, infidelity, individual issues); diversity in couples therapy; divorce and separation.
COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:
Students will be able to describe the basis for and the general components of several empirically supported couples' therapies, to discuss and analyze the outcome research on couples therapies, conduct basic informational interviews with couples. You will NOT be able to work clinically with couples at the end of this class.
Grading
- Participation: 24%
- Analytical papers (3x4%): 12%
- Group project: 26%
- Couple interview paper: 38%
- The full schedule will be available at the start of the course. The evaluation breakdown below is tentative.
NOTES:
PREREQUISITE WAIVERS: No prerequisite waivers are accepted for this course.
REQUIREMENTS:
Prerequisites for PSYC 461: PSYC 201, 210, 260, 362, 60 units, and a CGPA of 3.0.
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
Clinical Handbook of Couple Therapy (6th edition). eText ISBN: ISBN 9781462550128
Vitalsource.com: clinical-handbook-of-couple-therapy-jay-l-lebow-v9781462551453
There are older versions of this text, but they may not have the same chapters as the newest version. There is a copy of this ebook in the SFU library.
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.
To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit:
- SFU’s Academic Integrity Policy: S10-01 Policy
- SFU’s Academic Integrity website, which includes helpful videos and tips in plain language: Academic Integrity at SFU
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.