UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
SAMPLE SYLLABUS
CPSY 2301
INTRODUCTION TO CHILD PSYCHOLOGY
MW 11:15am-12:30pm; Rapson Hall 100
Instructors: Sample Instructor,
XXXE ChDev
Sample Instructor, Ph.D.
XXX ChDev
Office Hours: Mondays 10-11am
& by appointment
Wednesdays 10-11am
& by appointment
Teaching Assistants (Office hours by appointment):
Whom to contact for what:
Questions about assignments, grading, missing class, & general course questions, and to report
emergencies related to missing an exam or paper deadline: Your discussion section instructor
Confidential matters related to academic integrity, concerns, incompletes, disabilities: sample
instructors
Email is the best way to reach all of us. We will do our best to get back to you within 24 hours,
though at times (especially weekends) a longer response time may be expected. When emailing
instructors, please email BOTH instructors and include course number in subject line (ie. Cpsy
2301).
Course Website: Handouts, readings, and assignments will be posted on Moodle. In addition,
lecture outlines will be posted about 24 hours prior to lecture. It is recommended that you
print a copy of the outline and bring it to class. Copies of the outline will not be distributed in
class. To access Moodle, go to myU Portal at http://myu.umn.edu, login with your Internet ID,
and click on the My Courses tab to see the links to the Moodle sites to which you have access.
COURSE OVERVIEW:
The primary goal of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive introduction
to the developmental sciences and to the scientific study of child psychology. We will survey
development from the prenatal period through adolescence. This course is intended to be a
foundation for future courses in Child Psychology. A variety of topics will be covered, giving
you an opportunity to learn about different domains that developmental scientists study. Because
this course is designed to provide an overview of the field of developmental psychology, no
single topic is covered in depth. Students who are especially interested in pursuing specific areas
in greater depth are encouraged to take more advanced courses in Child Psychology.
Class sessions will include a mixture of lectures, discussion, videos, and group activities.
Regular class attendance is strongly encouraged. Everyone is responsible for participating in
class activities. For this purpose, please do the readings before class and participate in class
activities actively and thoughtfully. Throughout this course, you will be asked to think critically
about the concepts in child development. Our goal is to help you develop an integrated
understanding of child development.
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
SAMPLE SYLLABUS
TEXT:
Lightfoot, C., Cole, M., & Cole, S.R. (2013). The development of children: 7th edition. NY:
Worth.
Online Resources: The website (from the publisher) contains helpful study materials, such as
free online quizzes, interactive tutorials, animations and simulations, Web links, and other
helpful tools: http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/thedevelopmentofchildren7e/#t_735809____
Note: Additional readings will be posted on Moodle throughout the semester.
EVALUATION/ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Exams (3 @ 100 points each): There will be a total of 3 closed-book exams, worth 100
points each. Exams will be multiple choice and will cover material discussed in class,
recitations, and assigned readings. Exams are not cumulative.
2. Writing assignments (3 @ 30 points each): To promote a deeper understanding of child
psychology research, you will be assigned to analyze a popular press article and critique
two scientific articles on specific topics in child development. Papers are to be typed in
paragraph format with 12-point font and 1” margins, double-spaced, and should be two to
three pages in length. Further instructions will be posted on the course website. Writing
assignment due dates are noted in the course schedule.
3. In-Class Activities (12 @ 2 points each): Individual and small group activities (ICAs)
will be assigned periodically and will be completed during class time. These ICAs will be
collected for credit randomly throughout the term. There will be a total of 14 ICAs
throughout the semester, worth 2 points each. Only 24 ICA points will be counted in the
final grade tally, so you can miss up to two ICAs with no effect on your grade. Due to
their nature, in-class activities cannot be made up.
4. Discussion sections (12 @ 3 points each): Weekly discussion sections are designed to
provide an opportunity for students to discuss and apply course material in the context of
smaller groups. Active participation will be worth 36 points toward your final course
grade. Discussion sections begin Friday, January 23rd; further details will be provided in
discussion sections.
SUMMARY OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
2301:
Exams
300 pts
Writing assignments
90 pts
Discussion sections
36 pts
In-class activities
24 pts
TOTAL
450 points
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
SAMPLE SYLLABUS
The following cutoffs will be used to assign your final grade. No extra credit will be offered.
Grades will be assigned according to the University’s official grading system.
93% A
83% B
73% C
60% D
90% A80% B70% C59% or less F
87% B+
77% C+
67% D+
COURSE CALENDAR
Date
Week 1, Wed
Week 2, Mon
Week 2, Wed
Week 3, Mon
Week 3, Wed
Week 4, Mon
Week 4, Wed
Week 5, Mon
Week 5, Wed
Week 6, Mon
Week 6, Wed
Week 7, Mon
Week 7, Wed
Week 8, Mon
Week 8, Wed
Week 9, Mon
Week 9, Wed
Week 10, Mon
Week 10, Wed
Topic
Introduction to child
development
Basic issues in
developmental science I
Basic issues in
developmental science
II
Prenatal devt &
Childbirth I
Prenatal devt &
Childbirth II
The Newborn I
The Newborn II
Infant cognitive
development I
Infant cognitive
development II
EXAM #1
Infant social
development I
Infant social
development II
Language development I
Language development
II
Cognitive devt in early
childhood I
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK
Social development in
early childhood I
Social development in
early childhood II
Assignment
Ch. 1, pp. 1-29
Ch. 2, pp. 68-73
Ch. 1, pp. 29-44
Kidd et al. 2013
Ch. 3, pp. 79-104
Ch. 3, pp. 104-118
Ch. 4, pp. 123-140
Ch. 2, pp. 49-57; Ch. 4, 140-148;
150-158; Morelli et al. (1992)
** Popular press analysis due Fri
2/13
Ch. 5, pp. 161-181
Ch. 5, pp. 181-196
Ch. 6, pp. 199-207, 224-230;
Ch. 4, pp. 148-150
Ch. 6, pp. 207-224
Matas, Arend & Sroufe (1978)
Ch. 7, pp. 235-247, 261-268
** Research critique #1 due Fri
3/6
Ch. 7, pp. 247-261
Werker et al. (1994)
Ch. 8, pp. 277-302
Ch. 9, pp. 305-320
Ch. 9, pp. 320-340
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Week 11, Mon
Week 11, Wed
Week 12, Mon
Week 12, Wed
Week 13, Mon
Week 13, Wed
Week 14, Mon
Week 14, Wed
Week 15, Mon
Week 15, Wed
Week 16, Mon
Week 16, Wed
Socialization within the
family
Family issues &
transitions
EXAM #2
Context, Risk &
Resilience
Cognitive development
in middle childhood
Schools as a
developmental context
Social development in
middle childhood I
Social development in
middle childhood II
Physical & cognitive
development in
adolescence
Social development in
adolescence
Developmental
Psychopathology
EXAM #3
SAMPLE SYLLABUS
Ch. 10, pp. 343-358
Ch. 10. pp. 358-369;
Ch. 13, pp. 499-500
Ch. 10, pp. 369-372; 380-384
Rutter et al. (2001)
Ch.11
Ch. 12 **Research critique #2
due Fri 4/17
Ch. 13, pp. 465-481
Ch. 13, pp. 481-502
Ch. 14, pp. 507-539
Ch. 15, pp. 551-585
Reading TBA
* Course schedule is subject to change with advance notice
COURSE POLICIES:
Course notes: PowerPoint slides are not provided. Outlines for taking notes will be posted
online approximately 24 hours prior to class. It is highly recommended to print and bring the
outlines to class. If you miss a class, you are encouraged to obtain notes from a classmate.
Use of technology: The use of laptops, tablets, and cell phones will not be permitted in class,
except in special circumstances with prior permission from instructor. Please see summary of
research on use of laptops in class: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morningmix/wp/2014/04/28/why-students-using-laptops-learn-less-in-class-even-when-they-really-aretaking-notes/
Writing Center: The Student Writing Center is an excellent resource that provides tutoring and
other aid throughout all stages of the writing process. All students are strongly encouraged to
visit the Writing Center when working on their paper for this course. For more information and
additional links on writing, see http://writing.umn.edu/sws/
Late assignments: All assignments are to be submitted as a hard copy at the beginning of class
on the date they are due. Late assignments will be penalized 10% a day, including those handed
in after the beginning of class. Late assignments can be handed in at ICD, and should be dated &
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
SAMPLE SYLLABUS
signed by an ICD staff person before being placed in the instructor’s mailbox. It is the student’s
responsibility to provide a replacement copy should a paper be misplaced. Assignments will not
be accepted via email unless arrangements have been approved in advance.
Makeup exams: Absence from examinations can be excused only in case of serious and
unavoidable cause, such as confining illness. In such cases, you must notify (via email) your
instructors PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED TIME OF THE EXAM, if at all possible.
Documentation of the emergency will be required. Make-ups for exams will be essay exams and
will be scheduled at the convenience of the instructors.
Grading disputes: If a student disagrees with a grade received on an assignment or with points
taken off on an exam, challenges to the grade must be made IN WRITING. Thus, a student who
wants to challenge a grade must explain their reason(s) in detail on paper, and turn in the original
assignment and their type-written justification WITHIN ONE WEEK following return of the
exam or paper. Challenges will be considered carefully, and students will be provided with a
written response for adjusting or not adjusting the grade.
Final Grades: Grades will not be changed after final grades for the semester are submitted
except in cases of documented errors in recording grades or in computation of total course
points. There is no opportunity for extra credit. Please retain all returned papers and other
materials relevant to your scores on exams and assignments until you have confirmed that your
final grade has been computed and reported accurately. In addition, throughout the semester,
please be sure to check that our Moodle records match your own and notify us immediately of
any discrepancies.
Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the instructors to
discuss special arrangements that may be needed for their work in the course.
Incompletes: A grade of "Incomplete" will be granted only in the most severe emergencies and
at the discretion of the instructor. Written documentation is required. Students seeking an
Incomplete must make specific arrangements with the instructor before the end of the semester.
Students will have one semester in which to complete the requirements to convert the Incomplete
to a letter grade. CLA policy dictates that incompletes not made up within one semester
automatically become F’s.
Workload: For undergraduate courses, one credit is defined as equivalent to an average of three
hours of learning effort per week (over a full semester) necessary for an average student to
achieve an average grade in the course. Cpsy 2301 is a 4-credit course that meets 3.5 hours per
week. To achieve mastery of the materials for this course, you should plan to spend
approximately 8.5 hours per week engaged in reading, writing, and other preparation outside of
class. For further information on University policies regarding courses and academic work,
consult http://www.gen.umn.edu/courses/
Academic Dishonesty. Academic misconduct will not be tolerated. To avoid problems, please
be sure you understand the University’s scholastic dishonesty polices and/or ask the instructor
for clarification. Please remember that it is your responsibility to know the rules, and that
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
SAMPLE SYLLABUS
appropriate action must be taken if a student is in violation of the scholastic dishonesty code. For
more information, see
http://www1.umn.edu/regents/policies/academic/StudentConductCode.html.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
University policy defines academic dishonesty as "any act that violates the rights of another
student with respect to academic work or that involves misrepresentation of a student's own
work. Academic dishonesty includes (but is not limited to) cheating on assignments or
examinations; plagiarizing (misrepresenting as one's own anything done by another [including
quoting from required readings] without acknowledging your source); submitting the same or
substantially similar papers for more than one course without consent of all instructors
concerned; depriving another of necessary course materials; or sabotaging another's work." In
this course, it is expected that students will not submit work on which they have collaborated
with other students, except in cases where this is specifically encouraged or required. In written
assignments, students must NOT duplicate passages of more than five words from another source
without quotation marks AND proper attribution. Papers that do not meet these standards will
receive a grade of zero, with no possibility of making it up. This applies to all required
assignments. University policy states: “Academic dishonesty in any portion of the academic
work for a course shall be grounds for awarding a grade of F or N for the entire course.”
Class Cancellation: Weather-related or other emergency cancellations will be announced via
email from University officials and/or instructor.
Student Mental Health and Stress Management: As a student you may experience a range of
issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety,
alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These
mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or
reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. University of Minnesota services are
available to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. You
can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus
via http://www.mentalhealth.umn.edu.
Sexual Harassment. Definition: “Sexual Harassment means unwelcome sexual advances,
requests for sexual favors and/or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature…” The
policy strictly prohibits sexual harassment by or toward a member of the University community
and requires appropriate reporting and investigation of such reports. The definition and policy
can be viewed