Aims

This module aims to provide an advanced understanding of the way that typical development may be disrupted by disorders of development; focusing on the origins of these disorders (e.g. genetic or non-genetic basis) and the way they can affect psychological functioning (e.g. cognition and behaviour).
This module therefore aims to:

- Enable students to understand key developmental disorders that can disrupt typical development and their impact upon psychological functioning.
- Introduce students to the main methods used in the psychological study of disorders of development.
- Improve understanding of not only atypical developmental processes but also typical pathways of development.
- Enable students to compare and contrast the psychological profiles of individuals with different disorders of development.
- Utilise a variety of teaching methods, including encouraging interaction and discussion during lectures

Outline Of Syllabus

Students will cover a broad range of topics / disorders of development throughout the module. For example studies of cognition, behaviour and psychopathology of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and specific learning disabilities will be key topics.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures will introduce core concepts for the study of disorders of development. Throughout the module students will gain an insight into the diverse nature of disorders of development that will allow them to think critically about the possible differences between a-typically developing populations. Lectures will be supported by seminars in which students will work in small groups to complete tasks and answer questions, and there will be structured reading activities and formative quizzes on Canvas.

Private and self study is encouraged to think critically about published research exploring cognition and behavioural phenotypes associated with disorders of development, and to prepare for and complete the coursework and end of semester exam. Students will also have the chance to submit a practice essay for feedback, and workshops will allow for formative feedback on critical evaluation in relation to the coursework assignment.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Written Examination:

The unseen examination will show if students have managed to extract and combine the relevant information presented across various lectures in order to formulate a coherent ‘story’ or ‘argument’. The questions are designed so that a satisfactory answer cannot be achieved by focusing on only one disorder of development, but they require the student to pull together / compare / contract aspects of different disorders of development.

Coursework Essay::

Students will complete a critical assessment of a published paper. The critical assessment coursework essay will allow students the opportunity to illustrate how they have mastered the main methodological challenges arising in this field of investigation. Three questions will be asked and students will be required to evaluate aspects of the i) introduction / rationale, ii) method / design and iii) results / conclusions. Each answer must be a maximum of 500 words (the full written exercise will be a maximum of 1500 words).


These methods of assessment (an exam plus coursework essay) support student learning by encouraging wider reading / critical analysis skills and assimilation of arguments based on theory and evidence.


FMS Schools offering Semester One modules available as ‘Study Abroad’ will, where required, provide an alternative assessment time for examinations that take place after the Christmas vacation. Coursework with submissions dates after the Christmas vacation will either be submitted at an earlier date or at the same time remotely.