Module manager: Luísa Superbia Guimarães
Email: L.SuperbiaGuimaraes@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
Successful completion of Level 1 of relevant programmes listed above.
| PSYC1633 | Developmental Psychology |
PSYC2510 Advanced Developmental Psychology
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module introduces you to advanced topics, methods and research applications in the field of developmental psychology. We explore a range of issues to show the ways psychologists are trying to understand complexities in infancy, childhood and adult development across the lifespan, and apply these in practice. We look at typical developmental processes as well as neurodevelopmental disorders and individual differences to build your knowledge and understanding of the field.
This module aims to:
- Provide an in-depth exploration of classic and recent theories and research in developmental psychology
- Promote a critical understanding of both cognitive and social factors within development, and how environmental factors affect both of those
- Explore and critically evaluate key models, frameworks and research methods in this area;
- Reflect on the theoretical and practical implications of the issues covered, integrating information from across the field to present a holistic understanding of development.
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge across a range of topics within developmental psychology
2. Demonstrate in-depth conceptual knowledge within individual differences, as it relates to developmental psychology
3. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the practical application of developmental psychology theory
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
4. Critical thinking: Critically discuss practical, theoretical, and ethical issues associated with a range of developmental psychological research methodologies and approaches 
5. Future thinking: Apply, with evidence, in-depth developmental psychological theory to address real-world issues
6. Communication: Generate evidence-based guidance for a developmental psychology issue
Topics will include:
Theme 1) Understanding the world as we grow.
This theme will include topics around changes in our ability to perceive and make sense of information and situations we encounter in everyday life. This might include topics like:
- Early perceptual development
- Numerical cognition and reasoning
- Executive functions and attention
Theme 2) Interacting in the world.
This theme will include topics around how we act and communicate in the different contexts we encounter in our lives. This might include topics like:
- Language and communication development
- Motor development and function
- Socio-cognitive development and function
Theme 3) Becoming ourselves.
This theme will include topics around individual differences and how we develop and maintain key characteristics that make us unique, across different stages of our lives. This might include topics like:
- Developing our preferences and attitudes
- Life transitions
- Genetic, environmental, and socio-cultural influences on identity and behaviour
Within each theme we will consider how real-life outcomes are affected across the lifespan, thinking about impacts on areas such as physical health, education, employment, etc.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 15 | 1 | 15 |
| Seminars | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Private study hours | 180 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Formative feedback will be provided via the weekly seminars. Students will be set short assessment-relevant tasks (2x 15 minutes) and will receive hands on staff support and structured peer feedback on the outputs of these. Seminar leaders will then provide model answers/responses to these tasks.
The exam will include SAQs that test similar skills to those practised in the coursework assessment, thus the coursework feedback will also be formative.
Lectures will include practice exam questions to check understanding and there will be a workshop week dedicated to the exam.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Group Pitch | 25 |
| Assignment | (Formative) In-class group pitch tasks to support the development of group pitch | 0 |
| In-course Assessment | (Formative) In-class exam questions | 0 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 25 | |
In small groups, students will be asked to address one of a choice of practically relevant questions relating to supporting development in a specific context (e.g. how can we address issues with differential attainment in maths between primary aged children from higher and lower socio-economic backgrounds?). Each group will develop and deliver a pitch of an evidence-based solution, drawing on the scientific literature, to present to a local authority commissioner. Students will be scaffolded to complete the work with seminars dedicated to different stages of the innovation process. This assessment builds on skills developed in L1 PSYC1633 (Developmental Psychology), namely critical analysis of practical application of journal articles. For students requiring reasonable adjustments who cannot engage with public presentation or groupwork, the option to present an individual, pre-recorded pitch will be offered. Students are required to pass both the examination and coursework components of the module, by achieving a pass mark of 40% or more for the examination and a coursework mark of 40% or more.
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc) | 2.0 Hrs 0 Mins | 75 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 75 | |
Students’ breadth of knowledge and evaluation of classic and recent work in developmental psychology will be assessed by a 2-hour exam at the end of Semester 1, consisting of both multiple choice and short answer questions. Note that students will be required to pass both the coursework and examination components of the module. This will allow testing of the different learning outcomes, because the exam measures core understanding and the coursework measures student’s in-depth understanding. Students are required to pass both the examination and coursework components of the module, by achieving a pass mark of 40% or more for the examination and a coursework mark of 40% or more.
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 06/05/2026
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