Advanced Child Developmental Psychology

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop an advanced understanding of contemporary theory and research in child and adolescent developmental psychology. Emphasis will be placed on the critical evaluation of research and understanding the developmental processes that shape child development from conception to adolescence for application in real world contexts. Developmental processes will span brain development and plasticity, prenatal programming, epigenetics and gene-environment interactions, parenting, family functioning, peer/school influences, as well as the cumulative effects of childhood adversity. The application of this knowledge to contemporary issues relating to children from diverse social and cultural backgrounds will be considered. This course is designed for individuals who wish to pursue a professional or research career in the areas of developmental psychology, child health, and/or child clinical psychology