Overview

Students will gain familiarity with the main theories of human development and the processes, periods, and issues in development. The unit will address topics in relation to the biological, cognitive and socio-emotional development of individuals from infancy to adulthood. Students will be given the opportunity to develop professionally relevant skills and experience in applying statistical knowledge to answer research questions relevant to developmental psychology. This unit will help students develop their understanding of key theories and research methods in developmental psychology, and adapt skills learned in previous studies to the analysis and communication of contemporary problems in the area.

Requisites

Prerequisites
PSY70011 Brain and Behaviour
PSY70012 Fundamentals of Psychology
STA70006 Foundations of Statistics

Rules

Pre-requisite
PSY70011 Brain and Behaviour
AND
PSY70012 Fundamentals of Psychology
AND
STA70006 Foundations of Statistics

Concurrent Pre-requisite
PSY70010 Introduction to Research Methods

Teaching Periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Start and end dates
08-July-2024
06-October-2024
Last self-enrolment date
21-July-2024
Census date
02-August-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
23-August-2024
Results released date
29-October-2024
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
04-November-2024
09-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-November-2024
Census date
29-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
27-December-2024
Results released date
04-March-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Compare and contrast the main theories of human development
  • Evaluate how research on the lifespan is conducted using different research designs and methods
  • Identify and analyse the most important processes, periods and issues in development across the lifespan
  • Describe biological, cognitive and socioemotional development in infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood
  • Apply statistical knowledge to a human development-related research question and communicate this in a clear and concise manner

Teaching methods

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Live Online
Class
1.00 4 weeks 4
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning
12.17 12 weeks 146
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
ExaminationIndividual 40% 1,2,3,4 
ReportIndividual 25% 2,3,5 
Research ReportIndividual 35% 1,2,5 

Content

  • Introduction to the lifespan perspective
  • Theories of human development
  • Research designs and methods related to human development
  • Biological development in infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood
  • Cognitive development in infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood
  • Socioemotional development in infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood
  • Contemporary issues in developmental psychology

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.