Skagit Valley College

Catalog Course Search Details

 Course Title:   Lifespan Psychology

 Title Abbreviation:   LIFESPAN PSYCHOLOGY

 Department:    PSYC&

 Course #:    200

 Credits:    5

 Variable:     No

 IUs:    5

 CIP:    420701

 EPC:    n/a

 REV:    2018


 Course Description  

A systematic study of the developmental processes in humans from conception to late adulthood. Special emphasis will be given to the topics of physical development, cognitive development, and personality/social development.

 Prerequisite  

Prerequisite: Completed ENGL& 101 with a grade of 2.0 or higher. PSYC& 100 with a grade of 2.0 or higher.

Additional Course Details

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 55

Lab: 0

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0


Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Academic Social Sciences  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Other Institution Equivalencies Table
Institution Course # Remarks
CWU 314
U of W 306
WSU T
WWU 316

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Discuss the concept of development
  2. Understand a number of important problems in the course of development
  3. Describe the progression of physical, social, personality and intellectual development over the life span
  4. Appreciate the diversity of ""normal"" development
  5. Use critical thinking to evaluate evidence regarding theories of developmental psych
  6. Understand the interaction of heredity and environment in determining development

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2008 and affects outlines for 2008 year 1 and later.

0. Application and Integration

Definition: Applying information from one or more disciplines and/or field experiences in new contexts (Outcome 0.1); developing integrated approaches or responses to personal, academic, professional, and social issues (Outcomes 0.2-0.5).

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
0.3 Identify and evaluate the relationships among different perspectives within a field of study and among different fields of study.

2. Critical Thinking

Definition: The ability to think critically about the nature of knowledge within a discipline and about the ways in which that knowledge is constructed and validated and to be sensitive to the ways these processes often vary among disciplines.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
2.1 Identify and express concepts, terms, and facts related to a specific discipline.

3. Communication

Definition: Understanding and producing effective written, spoken, visual, and non-verbal communication.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
3.1 Recognize, read, and comprehend academic and/or professional writing.

4. Community & Cultural Diversity

Definition: Recognizing the value of human communities and cultures from multiple perspectives through a critical understanding of their similarities and differences.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
4.1 Identify and express concepts, terms, and issues associated with the diverse perspectives of race, social class, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, and culture.

Course Contents

  1. Concept of development
  2. Review of major personality and learning theories
  3. Discussion of nature-nuture concept
  4. Basics of genetics and inheritance
  5. Prenatal development
  6. Infancy
  7. Language development
  8. Intellectual development
  9. Childhood
  10. Adolescence
  11. Adulthood
  12. Aging and death
  13. Cognitive and moral development
  14. Physical changes across the life span
  15. Special problems in development such as child abuse, anorexia, drug abuse, and euthanasia