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Developmental Psychology (PSYC20008)
Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Dr Abi Brooker
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject examines cognitive, biological, and social developmental psychology in infancy, childhood and adolescence.
Contemporary theories as well as recent and historical accounts of development will be reviewed. Subject topics will highlight major themes that have shaped thinking in developmental psychology. These themes are:
- How do nature and nurture together shape development?
- How do children shape their own development?
- In what ways is development continuous, and in what ways is it discontinuous?
- How does change occur?
- How does the socio-cultural context influence development?
- How do children become so different from each other?
- How can research promote children’s well-being?
This subject will also provide students with experience in the collection, analysis and interpretation of developmental data in either an applied or laboratory setting.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject students should be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:
Knowledge
- Explain some of the factors that influence cognitive, biological, and social development
- Identify historical as well as contemporary accounts of development
- Identify ethical considerations of developmental research with children and young people
Skills
- Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of adopting different perspectives for studying developmental processes
- Demonstrate an ability to conduct a constructive peer review of an academic piece
- Write essays under exam conditions critically evaluating a proposition and/or proposing an answer using scientific evidence
- Analyse and interpret data relevant to developmental inquiry
Application of knowledge and skills
- Provide constructive feedback of an academic piece
- Use developmental theory and analytic techniques to understand how children and young people change
Generic skills
Students should further develop generic skills in:
- analysing research literature
- interpreting research data
- evaluating research methodology
- writing reports
Last updated: 19 March 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
512221 Developmental Psychology 2
512227 Developmental Psychology
Recommended background knowledge
Prior coursework in the two Level 1 psychology subjects, Mind Brain and Behaviour 1 and Mind Brain and Behaviour 2 is recommended.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 19 March 2024
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
An examination
| During the examination period | 60% |
An assignment
| From Week 7 to Week 11 | 40% |
An online hurdle module
| From Week 4 to Week 7 | N/A |
Hurdle requirement: Each piece of assessment must be submitted. | N/A | |
Hurdle requirement: Attendance of at least 80% of laboratory classes. In case of failure to meet the attendance requirement, additional work related to the missed activities (e.g., an essay whose length is 500 words for each tutorial missed) will be required before a passing grade can be awarded. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 19 March 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Abi Brooker Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 24 hours of Lectures and 12 hours of Practical/Tutorial Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 March 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020 Semester 1 contact information
Dr Abi Brooker
Time commitment details
36 contact hours with an estimated 170 hours time commitment
Last updated: 19 March 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Siegler, Saffran, Eisenberg, DeLoache, Gershoff. How Children Develop. (5th ed.) Worth Publishers 2017
Recommended texts and other resources
PDFs of research articles available via the Library's portal.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Graduate Diploma in Psychology Informal specialisation Science-credited subjects - new generation B-SCI Major Psychology Major Psychology - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Biomedicine
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 19 March 2024