Developmental Psychology (PSYC2030)

Course overview

This introduction to lifespan developmental psychology focuses on key issues in development and ageing, including early social development, the role of early input in language acquisition, attachment and intimate relationships, child-rearing, moral reasoning, memory and problem-solving. A cross-cultural focus is adopted wherever possible.

This course provides an introduction to lifespan developmental psychology, emphasising recent theory and research. It is not possible to cover all aspects of human lifespan development within any one course, and so lectures will feature key issues, sometimes focusing on some age ranges more than others, but using examples from other ages. Throughout, the course will emphasise developmental psychology as a research discipline. Students will learn to understand and think critically about theoretical issues and empirical research and to communicate this understanding.

EXPECTATIONS

A typical week in PSYC2030 will consist of a 2-hour lecture (RECORDED) and a 2-hour tutorial (NOT RECORDED), both of which will be delivered in person. All information presented in lectures and tutorials are assessable, and students are expected to be available to attend and engage with lectures and tutorials each week.

Tutorials will not be recorded, as they are designed to be interactive. A significant portion of the tutorial hours will be dedicated to group work. Therefore, you will need to be present in class for the duration of each tutorial, and we expect that you will engage with your classmates and tutors. Given that tutorials are not recorded, information presented in tutorials will only be available through attending the tutorial sessions. You must sign on to a tutorial session using the standard UQ signon procedure via Allocate+.

You will need to spend between 6 to 10 hours per week engaging with the lectures and tutorials, completing relevant readings for tutorials, and preparing for and completing assessments for this course. Theﾠactivities and assessments are designed to build on your learning throughout the semester.ﾠThere is no final exam, so you cannot delay your study until the end of the semester.

Course requirements

Assumed background

Students are strongly advised not to undertake PSYC2030 unless they have completed PSYC1030. PSYC2030 assumes a basic knowledge of developmental topics covered in PSYC1030, as well as familiarity with searching for research articles and writing research papers. Students who disregard this warning may find some of the material difficult, and will not be given special help to compensate.

Recommended prerequisites

We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:

NEUR1020 or PSYC1030

Companion or co-requisite courses

You'll need to complete the following courses at the same time:

PSYC1040, if not taken in first year

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Aims and outcomes

(1) To acquaint students with the basic concepts, theories, and research methods in lifespan developmental psychology, highlighting links between developmental processes in childhood and later life and development in socio-cultural context.
(2) To provide opportunities for students to develop an understanding of research methods used in developmental psychology and an awareness of ethical considerations when conducting research.
(3) To provide opportunities for students to develop written and oral communication skills.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment details

Online knowledge acquisition tests

• Online

Mode

Written

Category

Quiz

Weight

27%

Due date

12/03/2026 1:00 pm

19/03/2026 1:00 pm

26/03/2026 1:00 pm

2/04/2026 1:00 pm

16/04/2026 1:00 pm

23/04/2026 1:00 pm

30/04/2026 1:00 pm

14/05/2026 1:00 pm

21/05/2026 1:00 pm

28/05/2026 1:00 pm

In each week of the test, you will be able to log into Blackboard to access the test between 1PM on Tuesday and 1PM on Thursday. Once you open the test on Blackboard, you will have 30 minutes to complete the test. Please note that each test will only be available for 48 hours. Tests must be submitted BEFORE Thursday 1PM sharp in each week of the test.

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06

Task description

Submission guidelines

Once you open the test on Blackboard, you will have 30 minutes to complete the test. Tests must be submitted BEFORE Thursday 1PM in each week of the test.

Deferral or extension

You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.

Pamphlet

Mode

Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation

Weight

15%

Due date

15/04/2026 3:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Submission guidelines

Electronically through Blackboard.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

For full details please review the School of Psychology Student Guidelines - Extensions and Deferred quiz/examc (the web link can be found on the Policies and Procedures tab).

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item will be applied for every day or part thereof past the submission deadline, including weekends and public holiday. Assignments submitted more than 7 calendar days after the submission deadline, without an approved extension, will receive 0%. Assignments will not be accepted for marking after results have been released to the rest of the class.

Exposure to Online Content and Children's Development

Mode

Written

Category

Essay/ Critique

Weight

30%

Due date

13/05/2026 3:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06

Task description

Submission guidelines

Essay to be submitted electronically via TurnItIn (through Blackboard). NOTE: You will not receive an automatic submission receipt from Turnitin confirming your assignment has been received. You should download a copy of the digital receipt from the Assignment Dashboard and keep this as a record.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

For full details please review the School of Psychology Student Guidelines - Extensions and Deferred quiz/exam (the web link can be found on the Policies and Procedures tab).

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

Assignments will not be accepted for marking after results have been released to the rest of the class.

In-Class Quizzes

• Identity Verified

Mode

Written

Category

Quiz

Weight

28%

Due date

Students will complete the quizzes in their tutorials in weeks 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06

Task description

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Additional assessment information

Appealing Assignment Marks

If you are unhappy with your mark for the written assessmentﾠin the course, or would like more feedback, you must correspond withﾠyour tutor first. We askﾠthat you take your assignment away for at least 48 hours andﾠread the comments carefully before you contact your tutor.

If you still feel that there are points of contention after taking the time to reflect on your work in light of your tutor's comments, we ask that you write an email to your tutor specifying (i) the specific marking criteria you are unsure about; and (ii) your justification for why you believe your mark for the criteria should be re-evaluated. Tutors will NOT respond to queries that do not address these points.

If you are unable to resolve your queries via written correspondence with your tutor, you can then apply for yourﾠassignment to be remarked. Please note that, as part of your application for remark, you will be required to attach a copy of the written correspondence with your tutor. Applications without evidence for written correspondence with your tutor will not be accepted. Please consult my.UQ Websiteﾠfor information on how to apply for a remark (UQ Policy and Procedures Library (PPL) - Assessment Procedure, Section 3 Part G atﾠAssessment Procedure / Document / Policy and Procedure Library (uq.edu.au).ﾠAlso note that this remark is final and your mark (and possibly your grade for the course) can go up or down.

Academic Integrity

Written assessment in the course will be electronically screened for potential academic misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, collusion) using TurnitIn. Any assignments that are flagged by TurnitIn to have substantial overlap in content with other sources will then be manually examined by the course coordinator and the course tutor(s). If the nature of overlap is deemed to be of valid concern by course staff, then your assignment, along with the TurnitIn report and any other relevant documentation (e.g., overlapping sources) will be sent to the UQ School of Psychology's Academic Integrity Officer to be formally investigatedﾠfor academic misconduct. You will not receive any marks for the criteria (based on the marking rubric) whichﾠcontainﾠwork concluded as non-original. Further penalties may apply depending on the nature of the case. All students will be required to submit an originality statement along with their written assignment--more information on this will be provided on Blackboard and in the tutorials.

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do I have to sign on for a tutorial?

Yes, you need to sign on to a tutorial via Allocate+. You must attend the same tutorial session you are signed on for each week.ﾠThe tutor who runs the tutorial you sign on for is the person who will be marking your written assessment, so you want to get instruction directly from that person.

Should I really attend all my tutorials?

Yes! They are vital to your final result and will contain information that is separate toﾠtheﾠlectures. It’s particularly important that you attend the tutorials as the content is designed to help you prepare for the assessments in this course (i.e., quizzes, written assessment). Tutorial sessions will not be recorded, given that much of the learning will take place via engagement in in-class activities and group discussions. If you want to do well in the course, you should attend all tutorials and engage.

I can’t make it to my usual tute this week.ﾠWhat can I do?

If you have a legitimate reason, you may sit in on another tutorial in the same week. You will need to contact the PSYC2030 lead tutor to arrange for and receive the details for an alternative tutorial session that suits you that week.

How do I contact my tutor? Can I have their email address?

Tutors don’t have weekly consultation times outside of tutorials. You can find their email addresses on Blackboard -> Course Staff Contacts, however, you should endeavour to raise issues in class or directly afterwards. You can also use the Discussion Forum on Blackboardﾠto raise questions about course content and to communicate your queries to your tutor and other students in your tutorial.

I received an overall failing grade of 3 in this course. What can I do?

You may be eligible to sit a supplementary exam.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
• AI for Assessment Guide

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.

School guidelines

Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course:

• School of Psychology Student Guidelines