Developmental Psychology - Basic, 7.5 Credits

Contents

The course explores the development of children from birth through adolescence, in a wide range of areas including biological, cognitive, linguistic, and socio-emotional development. It also covers the effects of genes, experience, and social context on children’s development. 
The course presents an opportunity to understand the age-related behavior of children and youth and to identify the challenges associated with different stages of development. 
Fundamental issues regarding the conditions for development are covered, such as the significance of innate and environmental factors. Cognitive, emotional, social, and cross cultural aspects of development are covered. An overview of development from a gender perspective will be presented Current psychological research findings are a vital part of the curriculum and an integration of the different developmental facets is aimed for/strived for 
Methods for the study and the assessment of cognitive, social and emotional development will be introduced.

Expected learning outcomes

After the course the student should show:
• Familiarity with principal theories of developmental psychology.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of various models of innate and environmental factors influence during development.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of the early development of the brain, including the development of the normal brain and different types of developmental disorders and their etiology.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of cognitive development from the perspective of classical theories (Piaget and Vygotsky) and from findings of later research pertaining to socio-cognitive development.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of development from a cross-cultural perspective, including expanded knowledge of theory and methodology concerning children’s development in different cultures.
• Understanding of development from a gender perspective, including children’s gender role development, the parental perspective in gender role development and relevant studies of methodology.
• Familiarity with different theoretical perspectives applicable to children’s social and emotional development.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of language development from different theoretical perspectives and children’s development of lexicon, syntax and communicative competence.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of general/prevalent problems of methodology in psychology, research designs specific to developmental psychology and different modes of observation.

Required Knowledge

Course prerequisites is an introductory course in psychology corresponding to 15 ECTS or basics in behavior sciences - social psychology 7,5 ETCS and methods in behavior sciences 15 ETCS or equivalent

Form of instruction

Classes will have the form of lectures and seminars .Requirement of mandatory participation is indicated in the schedule.

Examination modes

The examination is based on individual performance, during participation in mandatory classes/sessions and by means of a written exam. 
Mandatory classes/sessions are indicated in the class schedule. Final grading of the course will take place when the written exam and all mandatory assignments have received a passing grade. There will be three grading levels, Pass, fail and Pass with distinction. The students are entitled to retake the exam five times. 
In accordance with University regulations, for students who has not attained a passing grade at the first attempt , an additional opportunity will be arranged. A student, who after two attempts has failed to attain a passing grade in a course, or part of a course, may request an alternative examiner, provided there are no extraordinary grounds for denial of such a request. (HF 6 kap. 22 §) Any requests for an alternative examiner should be addressed to Grundutbildningsutskottet (Undergraduate Advisory Committee), Department of Psychology. 
The student is entitled to re-evaluation according to the guidelines specified in the Syllabus in effect at the prescribed time of examination, on at least two occasions, up to two years after his/her initial registration with the Department of Psychology. Exceptions from this rule may apply, e.g. when the course has undergone fundamental modifications in scientific content. 

Requests for transfer of credits will be reviewed individually. Application form is available from the Department of Psychology. In order to be registered, the application should be sent to Registrar at University of Umeå (Registrator, Umeå Universitet, 901 87 Umeå) by the student. The application will then be forwarded to the department concerned. The student counselor will prepare the matter and the director of studies make a decision regarding the application. Decision will be made within two months of application. Application should specify which course(s) or course element(s) the application refers to. An official course transcript or its equivalent, where accredited institution, date of issuing, main subject, level, number of credits and grades are stated should be enclosed, as well as Syllabus and Course literature pertaining to the course in question and, when applicable, Undergraduate thesis(es).