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Developmental Psychology

Course Description

The Developmental Psychology course, PSYC 251/3.0, provides a general introduction to the field of Developmental Psychology. This course covers both theories and research concerning infancy, childhood, and adolescence. It has three major learning objectives: to describe the onset and changes in various behaviors, to examine and critically evaluate theories that explain children's behavior and age-related changes, and to learn how developmental psychologists conduct experiments.

Course Details

• Code/Units: PSYC 251/3.0
• Prerequisites: PSYC 100/6.0
• Language: English
• Discipline: Psychology
• Faculty: Arts and Science
• Program Year: 2

Overview

The course reflects the influence of biology, anthropology, computer science, sociology, and medicine in the field of developmental psychology. Students will learn about the general course of typical development from conception to late adolescence in the cognitive, linguistic, emotional, and social domains.

Learning Outcomes

After completing PSYC 251, students should be able to:

1. Describe the general course of typical development from conception to late adolescence in the cognitive, linguistic, emotional, and social domains.
2. Compare and contrast the major developmental theories and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each theory.
3. Discuss the different methods used in developmental psychology research and evaluate how these research methods are dependent upon the theoretical approach of the researcher, developmental age of the participants, and research question being asked.
4. Recommend ways to promote children's well-being and successful development, based on developmental research and theory.
5. Critically discuss a variety of materials related to child development and effectively communicate ideas to different audiences.
6. Collaborate with peers through problem-based learning activities to explore concepts and research related to child development.

Terms

• Winter 2026
  • Course Dates: January 5 April 6, 2026
  • Exam Dates (if applicable): April 9 23, 2026
  • Delivery Mode: Online

Evaluation

• 30% - Discussion Forums (x2)
• 20% - Essay (best 1 of 2)
• 10% - Midterm Exam
• 40% - Take-Home Final Exam
• 2% (Bonus) - Volunteer Research Participation Evaluation Subject to Change

Textbook and Materials

• Required Textbooks: Siegler, R. S., Saffran, J., Eisenberg, N., Gershoff, E., Graham, S. (2020). How Children Develop, Canadian Edition, 6th edition. Macmillan Learning.

Time Commitment

Students can expect to spend approximately 10 hours a week (120 hours per term) in study, listening, and online activity for this course.