This program asks, what does it mean to be a "normal child" and who decides? What are clinical characteristics of childhood mental disorders and how are they assessed? What role does the education system play in addressing psychological disorders? How do we separate facts from myths surrounding psychological disorders in childhood?
Using the triple lenses of Developmental Psychology, Childhood Psychopathology, and Education, students will explore the way schools make decisions about curriculum related to children’s learning ability, special needs, and childhood psychopathology. The program will highlight current issues in the field of education and their impact on development. The program will also address how teachers and other education professionals create structures and support systems to maximize opportunities for student success. Using real-world examples, we will explore child development and psychological theories in human development from biological, socio-emotional, and cognitive perspectives, with a focus on the period from in utero through adolescence.
Students will inquire into how children develop, how the educational system responds to their development, and how various developmental issues may inform these contexts.
Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:
4 - Childhood Developmental Psychology
4 - Behavioral Disorders of Childhood
4 - Child Centered Interventions
4 - Elementary Education in the Public School System