Module PSYC3267: FETAL DEVELOPMENT

Department: Psychology

PSYC3267: FETAL DEVELOPMENT

Prerequisites

• PSYC2021 Social & Developmental Psychology OR 100 credits from C817 Psychology (Applied) Level 2 modules

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To further understanding of psychological aspects of prenatal development

Content

• This module examines fetal growth and development from conception to birth taking account of maternal health behaviours
• Topics can vary from year to year but are likely to include:
• Fetal development
• Fetal vision
• The development of hearing and the effects of sound on speech
• Pain in the fetus
• Prenatal attachment
• Laterality in the fetus
• Epigenetics and fetal development
• The module will also cover related conceptual and historical issues in psychology

Learning Outcomes

• Detailed knowledge of key areas of psychological research in prenatal development including the methods used in their investigation

• Ability to review critically and consolidate understanding of a coherent body of psychological knowledge and apply it appropriately

• Good written communication skills
• Good IT skills in word processing, data manipulation and data presentation
• Ability to work independently in scholarship and research within broad guidelines

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Students' acquisition of detailed knowledge will be facilitated by lectures, some small group work, audio-visual materials, discussions and detailed reading lists
• These modes of teaching provide students with detailed knowledge of the key theories and the skills needed to evaluate different theoretical positions in light of current evidence
• The summative essay will assess students' detailed subject knowledge
• An assessment of the range, recency and appropriateness of sources will be included in the overall assessment of the essay
• The use of group discussions / small group work will ensure that students are exposed to a range of different theoretical positions, and encouraged to understand their inter-relations
• Lectures, discussions and small group work will also give students the opportunity to interpret and evaluate the significance of empirical work
• The summative essay assesses students' acquired knowledge of theoretical principles and empirical studies and their ability to organise and synthesise them coherently and critically in written form in response to a set question
• The summative essay will also assess students' written communication skills

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

None

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University