NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Course title: Lifespan Growth & Development

Course prefix, number, and section number: PSYC2314-0340

Semester/Year of course: Spring 2024

Semester start and end dates: January 16 - May 10, 2024

Modality (Face to face/Synchronous or Asynchronous online/Hybrid): Online

Class meeting location, days, and times: Virtual, see ‘Course Plan’ for due dates.

Lab meeting location, days, and times: None

Semester credit hours: 3

Course description: Life-Span Growth and Development is a study of social, emotional, cognitive, and physical factors and influences of a developing human from conception to death.

Course prerequisites: none

Required course materials: Registration in the course gives you access to the e-book needed for PSYC 2314. You do not need to purchase a separate textbook.

Inclusive Access is a partnership between NCTC and McGraw-Hill Education, to provide the best
learning resources on the first day of class. Students can gain access to McGraw-Hill’s adaptive
online platforms with the latest version of the eBook at a discount. If students would like to
purchase a physical copy of the textbook, they can order a discounted loose-leaf version through the bookstore.

Students who drop before the add/drop date will have their book fees credited back to their
student account, and students who remain in the course will be charged a materials fee by the

school to have continued access of the online platforms. If you remain enrolled in the course but wish to opt-out of access to the book please email the NCTC Bookstore with your name and student number to nctc@texasbook.com. 

Name of instructor: Catherine Whitten

Office location: N/A

Telephone number: Contact through CANVAS

E-mail address: Message through CANVAS preferred, cwhitten@nctc.edu

Office hours for students: By appointment. Message instructor through CANVAS to schedule.

SYLLABUS CHANGE DISCLAIMER

The faculty member reserves the right to make changes to this published syllabus if it is in the best interest of the educational development of this class. Any such changes will be announced as soon as possible in person and/or writing.

SUMMARY OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

List of graded assignments:

Discussion Posts                                                                                                                             20%

SmartBook Assignments                                                                                                               25%

Quizzes (lowest score is changed to a 100)                                                                            40%                    

Institutional Assessment                                                                                                              15%                    

Extra Credit Opportunities                                                                                                           TBD

Final grade scale: 

A = 90-100

B = 80-89

C = 70-79

D = 60-69

F =  0-59

Late work policy: Late work will incur a penalty of 10% per day it is late. Please note that there are no extensions for the Institutional Assessment, quizzes or tests beyond the week that they are due. It is your responsibility to contact the instructor to make arrangements ahead of time if you know that you will need to miss a due date.  

SEE CANVAS FOR THE COMPLETE COURSE CALENDAR, OUTLINE, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GRADED WORK, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL.

COURSE POLICIES

Academic Integrity Policy: Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion.  Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected of being engaged in academic dishonesty.  See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”. 

If you are struggling academically or personally, please let me know, don’t risk your academic status!

Attendance Policy: Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered.  All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor.  It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgment by the faculty member.  Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence.  Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up the required work.  Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor.  A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance, if possible, for permission to postpone the exam.  Students will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives.    Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for college officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

Withdrawal Policy

A student may withdraw from a course on or after the official date of record. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a Withdrawal Request Form.

Last day to withdraw from the course with a “W” is: April 1, 2024

Student Learning Outcomes: (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog)

At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

1. Describe the stages of the developing person at different periods of the life span from birth to death.
2. Discuss the social, political, economic, and cultural forces that affect the development process of the individual.
3. Identify factors of responsible personal behavior with regard to issues such as sexual activity, substance abuse, marriage, and parenting.
4. Explain the biosocial, cognitive, and psychological influences throughout the lifespan as an ongoing set of processes, involving both continuity and change.
5. Describe the different developmental perspectives of the major theories of development (i.e. cognitive, learning, humanistic, and psychodynamic).
6. Identify examples of some of the cultural and ethnic differences that influence development throughout the lifespan.
7. Discuss the various causes or reasons for disturbances in the developmental process.

Core Objectives: Critical Thinking, Communication, Empirical and Quantitative, Social Responsibility

COLLEGE POLICIES

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.

ADA STATEMENT

NCTC will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodations.  See the OSD Syllabus Addendum.

STUDENT SERVICES

NCTC provides a multitude of services and resources to support students.  See the Student Services Syllabus Addendum for a listing of those departments and links to their sites.

QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS