Course Syllabus

Summer 2026 | PSY-1050-VU01 - Human Growth & Development

In Person Class

Standard courses meet in person at CCV centers, typically once each week for the duration of the semester.

Faculty

Brendan Finn
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Gilberto Diaz Santos

General Education Requirements

Social Science

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course is a survey of human growth and development throughout the life cycle including physical, cognitive, linguistic, ethical, and psychosocial dimensions.

Essential Objectives

1. Compare and contrast two major theories of developmental psychology.
2. Identify and discuss issues in human growth and development arising from differences in gender, race, and socioeconomic status.
3. Select one theory and discuss the major aspects of each stage of growth according to physical, cognitive, language, and social dimensions.
4. Explain how both environmental and genetic factors influence growth and development.
5. Apply the main concepts and principles of one developmental theory to the development of an individual.
6. Describe the process of empirical and ethical research (both cross-sectional and longitudinal) as it is commonly practiced and applied in the field of developmental psychology, including how that research informs contemporary issues.
7. Distinguish between fact and opinion, recognize unstated assumptions, and evaluate arguments according to the quality of supporting evidence in the literature.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

*** This is a no cost textbook or resource class. ***

This course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

Methods

A variety of instructional methods will be employed including lecture, discussion, and video presentation.

Evaluation Criteria

Students will be evaluated through attendance/participation, exams, and a short written research paper. Evaluation and grading will occur through earning points within these three areas.

Attendance is paramount to success in this in-person class. Students will be expected to attend each class and participate. Active participation means listening, taking notes, and being involved in class discussions. If students are not active participants, they will lose points. For each class session, attendance/participation is worth 10 points (120 total points). One emergency absence will be allowed without a point loss. Please contact me if you need to miss class. Subsequent absences will result in a point loss for that class session.

There will be three exams. The mid-term exam (exam1) and final exam (exam 3) will be worth 80 points each. Exam 2 will be worth 40 points. Therefore, the total points for exams is 200. Exams will consist of multiple choice, true-false, and short answer essay questions. Exams may be traditional, open notes, or take-home. A review of material will be provided one week prior to each exam as well as a study guide. One exam may be re-taken on the last day of class. The higher grade will be recorded.

A short research paper is required, which is worth 40 points (see more detailed description in module 1). The paper should be three to four pages in length and include at least two sources of information. Topics must be related to the field of Human Growth and Development. The research paper is due July 22, 2026.

*****There is no extra credit option for this course.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/student-support/accessibility-services/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

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