Welcome to Psychology 250: Life Span Developmental Psychology. This is a sophomore/junior-level course in human development. This means two things. First, during the semester students will be looking at all aspects of human development, from the point of conception to the end of life in quite a bit of detail. This is not a broad overview, or a general survey of developmental psychology. Details are important, and it is expected that students will be able to explain core concepts with a fair amount of accuracy and attention to detail. Second, it means that students are responsible for mastering the material found in the course outcomes, even if there are no specific assignments that relate to that material as they work through the course.

This course is required in many of the health professions (nursing, occupational and physical therapy, social work, etc.) so that you have a rudimentary knowledge of developmental issues facing clients in a variety of age groups. It is also useful to psychology majors/minors and to anyone who is interested in developmental issues (say, anyone who will ever be a parent or uncle or aunt).

If you're a traditional-age college student, you may find it challenging to consider the perspective of middle-aged and elderly adults, but addressing those challenges is the essence of this course.