Late-life development and ageing is designed to give students an understanding of the psycho-social-biological changes that people experience as they grow older. This will include identifying examples of change, including changes in cognitive and physical capacities, examining the forces that underlie these changes and implications for both the individual and society. The course will emphasize the role of empirical research and the central importance of life-span developmental theory to understand the psychology of late-life development and ageing, and will focus on topics relating to relevant research techniques, theoretical approaches, memory, intelligence, personality, health and well-being, work and retirement, care-provision, and psychopathology. The course will enable students to apply prior knowledge gained through their earlier psychology studies.

On Satisfying the requirements of this course, students will be able to:

• Explain and discuss key principles and concepts relating to the bio-psycho-social approach to understanding the psychology of late-life development and ageing; (LO - 1)
• Evaluate the literature that pertains to the processes of late-life development and ageing; (LO - 2)
• Interpret and debate research findings from the psychology of late-life development and ageing literature by employing statistical inference and interpretation skills. (LO - 3)
• Demonstrate information-seeking skills, through the use of resources available via the library and over the Internet. (LO - 4)
• Communicate research findings succinctly, through the design and presentation of a poster that summarizes a study from the ageing literature. (LO - 5)
• Demonstrate discipline-based writing skills which adhere to APA-style conventions.  (LO – 6) 

• Learning Journals (online)   - approximately 10% of overall grade (LO- 1 thru 6)
• Rapid Poster Presentation   - approximately 10% of overall grade (LO-1,2,5,6)
• Two Structured Reports       - approximately 40% of overall grade (LO-2,4,5,6)
• Final examination              - approximately 40% of overall grade  (LO -1 thru 6)

1 weekly 2-hour lecture;

1 fortnightly 3-hour tutorial 

7 - 9 hours of private study.