Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PSYCHOLOGY OF CHILDHOOD
Monday/Wednesday
2:15 - 3:35 PM
Contact Information:
Instructor: Joshua Felver, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Telephone: 315.443.3615
E-mail: jcfelver@syr.edu
Office: Shemin Auditorium, Shaffer Building
Office hours: By appointment
Dr. Felver is most accessible by email during weekdays. Course changes will be
announced during class and posted to the online Blackboard website.
Course Description:
Child psychology is the scientific study of how and why humans change over the course
of childhood. This course is designed to introduce students to the field of child
psychology by exploring normal and abnormal patterns of development. The class will
begin by introducing principles, themes, and seminal theories in child psychology. We
will then investigate the typical physical, cognitive, and social-emotional developmental
patterns that occur during childhood, covering all stages from the prenatal period to
early adolescence. The course will conclude by exploring atypical patterns of child
development and special topics in the field. The study of psychology during childhood
provides insight into why children behave as they do, and this knowledge is useful for
those interested in working with children as educators, clinicians, policy makers, or
social scientists.
Course Goals:
You will obtain a both a broad understanding of child development and an in-depth
understanding of several special aspects of child psychological science and practice.
PSY 335 SPRING 2016 Course Syllabus
Other articles and readings will be posted on the courses Blackboard site at least two
weeks before class.
There will be three non-cumulative exams over the course of the term, each of which
will account for 20% of your total grade, for a total of 60% of your final grade in the
course. The exam format will be multiple choice questions that draw from assigned
readings and lecture materials. The first two exams will occur during scheduled class
times (see Calendar below). The third exam will date will be during the final class of
the term (05.02.16).
instructor in person within 1 week of the exam date if you intend to make-up the
missed exam. If you know you are going to miss an exam date for any reason, please
meet with the instructor ahead of time. Make-up exams will not be arranged via
email; you must schedule a meeting with the instructor in person to arrange this.
Providing students with the opportunity to complete a make-up exam is at the discretion
of the instructor.
Both the Direct observation paper and the Childhood in media paper are expected
to be succinct, that is no more than 2 pages (double-spaced) in length, and will be
expected to be very well-written and constructed. Thorough details on this
assignment including a grading rubric will be provided during class. Papers will be
graded using the provided rubric and an emphasis will be placed on the quality of
writing. The paper will be due at the beginning of class on the date listed on the
Calendar (see below).
assignment was originally given. Otherwise, the only way students can receive class
participation points is by attending class and completing the assignment for that day.
Grading Calculation:
Grading Scale:
A 93.0 100 C+ 77.0 79.9
A- 90.0 92.9 C 74.0 76.9
B+ 87.0 89.9 C- 70.0 73.9
B 84.0 86.9 D 60.0 69.9
B- 80.0 83.9 F 59.9
electronic signature agreeing to abide by them twice a year during pre-term check-in on
MySlice. For more information and the complete policy,
see http://academicintegrity.syr.edu.
Students in this course who cheat on exams or submit written work that is not
their own will receive a failing grade and will be immediately reported to the
Academic Integrity Office without exception.
Accommodations:
If you believe that you need accommodations for a disability, please contact the Office
of Disability Services (ODS), located in Room 309 of 804 University Avenue, or call
(315) 443-4498 for an appointment to discuss your needs and the process for
requesting accommodations. ODS is responsible for coordinating disability-related
accommodations and will issue students with documented Disabilities Accommodation
Authorization Letters, as appropriate. Since accommodations may require early
planning and generally are not provided retroactively, please contact ODS as soon as
possible. You are welcome to contact the instructor privately to discuss your academic
needs, although he cannot arrange for disability accommodations.
Religious Observances:
SUs religious observances policy is available at
http://supolicies.syr.edu/emp_ben/religious_observance.htm
Syracuse University recognizes the diversity of faiths represented among the campus
community and protects the right of students, faculty, and staff to observe the holy days
according to their tradition. Students can make up any examination, study, or work
requirements that may be missed due to a religious observance, provided they notify
their instructors before the end of the second week of classes. An online
notification form to notify instructors is available in students MySlice
https://myslice.syr.edu
PSY 335 SPRING 2016 Course Syllabus
Course Calendar:
Note: (1) Assigned readings should be completed before class, (2) if changes are made
to this calendar, this will be announced during class and an updated syllabi will be
posted to the courses Blackboard site, (3) readings labeled Children are in reference
to the core required reading textbook, Children, 13th edition by John Santrock, (4)
readings labeled N2N are in reference to the supplemental textbook From Neurons
to Neighborhoods, with the exception of the first and last chapters of N2N book:
Executive Summary and Conclusions and Recommendations.
Infancy
02.10.16 Children - Chapter 5 Physical development
in infancy
Week 5 Infancy
02.15.16 Children - Chapter 5 Physical development
in infancy
Week 6 Midterm 1
02.22.16
MIDTERM 1 (Children Chapters 1-5)
Infancy
02.24.16 Children - Chapter 6 Cognitive development
in infancy
Week 7 Infancy
02.29.16 Children - Chapter 7 Socioemotional
development in infancy
03.02.16 Infancy
Children - Chapter 7 Socioemotional
development in infancy
Week 9
03.14.16 SPRING BREAK!!! HAVE FUN!!!
&
03.16.16
Week 10 Early Childhood
03.21.16 Children - Chapter 9 Cognitive development
in early childhood
Early Childhood
03.23.16 Children - Chapter 9 Cognitive development
in early childhood
03.30.16
Midterm 2 MIDTERM 2 (Children Chapters 6-9)
Week 12
04.04.16 Early Childhood Children - Chapter 10 Socioemotional
development in early childhood