Module Descriptors
TYPICAL AND ATYPICAL DEVELOPMENT
PSYC70805
Key Facts
Health, Education, Policing and Sciences
Level 7
15 credits
Contact
Leader: Daniel Herron
Hours of Study
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: 30
Independent Study Hours: 120
Total Learning Hours: 150
Pattern of Delivery
  • Occurrence A, Stoke Campus, PG Semester 1
  • Occurrence AZ, Stoke Campus, PG Semester 1
Sites
  • Stoke Campus
Assessment
  • Examination - Multiple-choice Paper 1 (30 minutes) weighted at 25%
  • Examination - Multiple-choice Paper 2 (30 minutes) weighted at 25%
  • Examination - Examination Essay (1 hour) weighted at 50%
Module Details
Indicative Content
This module takes a life-span perspective covering a range of typical and atypical developments (e.g., physical, biological, cognitive, social, emotional, health and clinical) within the following periods of development: pre-natal, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and older people. Each lecture will consider atypical variants to typical patterns, with exception of childhood onset disorders that will focus on the atypical. Furthermore, historical and conceptual issues relating to development will be addressed.
Learning Strategies
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: (30)
20 hours Lectures (20 x 2hour)
4 hours Seminars (2 X 2hr)
2 hours Mock Exam
2 hours drop in sessions

Additional 2 hour seminar which will focus on Masters level skills

Guided Independent Study: (120)
58 hours Reading including research (using library and web facilities) into specified topic areas

30 hours Integration and reflection

32 hours Assessment Preparation

Each 2 hour lecture will present material on a topic of a life-span development in which issues, debates and theories will be addressed by research evidence. Where relevant practical applications to real-word contexts will be made . Whenever appropriate for the student learning experience interactive tasks and activities will be presented. Some lectures will include multi-media material, including videos of developmental topics.

Formative work will include tutor feedback on student group-led poster on an examination question. In addition, the tutor will give feedback on how to answer questions in the mock exam. Students can get feedback on their plans and questions relating to the assessment (in the drop-in session or separately arranged meeting with the tutor). y.

During independent study students will be expected to (i) read some key articles/ book chapters suggested by the tutor relating to each of the topics introduced in the lectures, (ii) do their own literature searches (e.g., Scopus) (iii) contribute to the seminars, (ivi) Prepare for the assessment.
Resources
Blackboard
Learning Resource Centre and Main Library
Access to Psychology databases
Videos and CD Roms as directed
Texts
Smith, P.K, Cowie, H. & Blades, M. (2015, 56th Ed.). Understanding children's development. Wiley.

Boyd, D. & Bee, H. (2015). Lifespan development (Global 7th Ed.). Pearson.
Mash, E.J. & Wolfe, D.A. (2017). Abnormal child psychology (International 7th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Special Admissions Requirement
Be registered on the MSc Psychology Award
Learning Outcomes
1. DEMONSTRATE A SYSTEMATIC AND CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THEORY AND RESEARCH AT THE FOREFRONT OF TYPICAL AND ATYPICAL DEVELOPMENT (SGA 1)
KNOWLEDGE
UNDERSTANDING

2. DEMONSTRATE ORIGINALITY WHEN CRITICALLY ANALYSING AND APPLYING A NUMBER OF CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, DEBATE AND RESEARCH EVIDENCE WITHIN THE FIELDS OF TYPICAL AND ATYPICAL DEVELOPMENT (SGA 4, 7)
ANALYSIS
APPLICATION

3. SYSTEMATICALLY, COHERENTLY AND ANALYTICALLY COMMUNICATE IDEAS AND DEBATES WITHIN TYPICAL AND ATYPICAL DEVELOPMENT, AND TO TAKE MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES AND INTERPRET MEANINGFUL PATTERNS (SGA 2, 6)
COMMUNICATION
LEARNING
Assessment Details
1. Multiple-choice Paper 1 25% Examination (30 mins) (university week 6)

2. Multiple-choice Paper 2 25% Examination (30 mins) (university week 13)

3. Essay 50% Examination (1 hour) (university week 18)

Assessment numbers 1 and 2 will assess learning outcome 1. The multiple-choice examinations will be held separately to the essay examination. The multiple-choice examination will be split into 2 papers presented in the middle and at the end of the module. Assessment number 3 (Essay) will assess learning outcomes 1, 2 and 3.
Web Descriptor
This module takes a life-span perspective covering a range of typical and atypical developments (e.g., physical, biological, cognitive, social, emotional, health and clinical) within the following periods of development: pre-natal, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and older people. Each lecture will consider atypical variants to typical patterns, with exception of childhood onset disorders that will focus on the atypical. Furthermore, historical and conceptual issues relating to development will be addressed.