Course Title: Developmental Psychology

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Developmental Psychology

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
BESC1179	Bundoora Campus	Postgraduate	150H Health Sciences	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 1 2010, Sem 1 2011, Sem 1 2012, Sem 1 2013, Sem 1 2014
BESC1181	Bundoora Campus	Undergraduate	150H Health Sciences	Distance / Correspondence or Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 1 2010
BESC1181	Bundoora Campus	Undergraduate	150H Health Sciences	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2011, Sem 1 2012, Sem 1 2013, Sem 1 2014, Sem 1 2015, Sem 1 2016
BESC1182	City Campus	Undergraduate	150H Health Sciences	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 1 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 1 2010, Sem 1 2011, Sem 1 2012, Sem 1 2013, Sem 1 2014, Sem 1 2015, Sem 1 2016
BESC1182	City Campus	Undergraduate	173H School of Health and Biomed	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2018, Sem 1 2019, Sem 1 2020, Sem 1 2021, Sem 1 2022, Sem 1 2023, Sem 2 2023
BESC1374	City Campus	Postgraduate	150H Health Sciences	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 1 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 1 2010, Sem 1 2011, Sem 1 2012, Sem 1 2013, Sem 1 2014, Sem 1 2015
BESC1541	RMIT University Vietnam	Undergraduate	173H School of Health and Biomed	Face-to-Face	Viet3 2022

Course Coordinator: Nikos Thomacos

Course Coordinator Phone: +613 9925

Course Coordinator Email: nikos.thomacos@rmit.edu.au

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

Your learning associated with this course is designed to focus on a number of areas of human development throughout the lifespan. These areas include perceptual-motor, psychosocial and cognitive development. Historical issues, current perspectives, environmental factors and the major research designs used in developmental psychology will also be considered. During this course you will progress through the lifespan, addressing the major areas of development. You will commence with an emphasis on development from infancy through to adolescence. Issues related to adulthood, old age, death and dying will then be considered. This course will extend your knowledge of concepts as identified in the core content areas, your capacity to critique reporting of psychological research and your academic literacy and communication skills.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the development of the following Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):

PLO1: Apply breadth and depth of psychology theories, concepts and evidence in various real-world settings using a scientific approach.

PLO2: Apply evidence-based knowledge to conceptualise safe and effective practice in a variety of contexts, independently and collaboratively, with emerging technological advancements. 

PLO3: Demonstrate the ability to generate and evaluate solutions to all aspects of disciplinary practice while complying with ethical, legal and regulatory standards.

On successful completion of this course you should be able to:

1. Describe, reflect about, and critique the nature of development and describe the major domains.
2. Outline major developmental theories and discuss them in relation to fundamental issues and key questions within the field of developmental psychology.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of human development within each of the developmental domains at various stages of the lifespan, and the role of context-related influences on development.
4. Describe and discuss the application of research designs to specific research questions within the field of developmental psychology.
5. Critically read and review research studies in developmental psychology, and do so with reference to conceptual and design principles that are characteristic of the field.

Overview of Learning Activities

Your learning activities associated with this course are primarily focused on lectures and tutorials, as well as supporting online tasks and interactions that facilitate your engagement with the material presented.  Through participation in lectures you will acquire a framework of relevant knowledge and an understanding of underlying theoretical / conceptual material. Tutorial participation provides you an opportunity to engage in critical analysis of relevant knowledge and underlying theoretical / conceptual material, and application of theories and concepts to real-world settings.  Assessment in this course may encompass individual and/or group work to support core learning outcomes.

Overview of Learning Resources

The learning resources associated with this course will include targeted readings taken from a range of both primary and secondary sources. Material chosen may be digitally available to you.

Practice learning activities will be provided in a variety of ways. RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.

Additional learning resources are located via the Part B course guide and Canvas course pages. These include supplemental learning activities, online resources, practical tasks and case scenarios, as well as other useful resources.

Overview of Assessment

This course has no hurdle requirements.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Short Literature Review

Weighting 30%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

Assessment Task 2: Lab Report 

Weighting 45%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

Assessment Task 3: Team Assessment Task – Debate

Weighting 25%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5