Availabilities:

Location Domestic International
Coffs Harbour Session 1 Session 1
Online Session 1,  3 Session 3

Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Intermediate

Former School/College

Former School of Health and Human Sciences

Unit aim

Provides an overview of human development from conception, through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. Introduces students to the scientific study of cognitive, social and physical development applying to human lifespan development. Biological, social and psychological factors which influence the course of human development are considered.

Unit content

  • The study of human development in general
  • Research methodologies
  • Biological and environmental influences
  • Pre-natal development
  • Cognitive and physical development
  • Emotional and social development
  • Early childhood development
  • Middle-childhood development
  • Development in adolescence
  • Development in adulthood
  • Development in late adulthood
  • Death, dying and bereavement

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 describe and discuss the fundamental theories of developmental psychology and how they relate to the real world context
2 critically review and evaluate the relative benefits and disadvantages of the different research methodologies used to explore developmental processes in psychology
3 identify some of the significant changes that occur across an individual's lifespan in the domains of cognitive, social and physical development
4 explain how social and cultural factors influence development
5 explain the role of genetics in development, including pre-natal and brain development
6 write an APA lab report
7 critically discuss and communicate the ideas from contemporary papers in developmental psychology journals.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. describe and discuss the fundamental theories of developmental psychology and how they relate to the real world context
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  2. critically review and evaluate the relative benefits and disadvantages of the different research methodologies used to explore developmental processes in psychology
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  3. identify some of the significant changes that occur across an individual's lifespan in the domains of cognitive, social and physical development
    • GA4:
  4. explain how social and cultural factors influence development
    • GA4:
  5. explain the role of genetics in development, including pre-natal and brain development
    • GA4:
  6. write an APA lab report
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  7. critically discuss and communicate the ideas from contemporary papers in developmental psychology journals.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:

Prescribed texts

  • Peterson, C, 2013, Looking forward through the Lifespan , 6th edn, Pearsons. ISBN: 9781442556508.

  • Peterson, C, 2013, Looking forward through the Lifespan , 6th edn, Pearsons. ISBN: 9781442556508.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.