• Monash University logo

Introduction to Psychology: Developmental Psychology

Examine the physical, cognitive and social development we undergo throughout our lives.

37,252 enrolled on this course

line drawing of a head radiating gold circles
  • Duration

    2 weeks
  • Weekly study

    6 hours

Learn about the psychological changes that all humans go through

There are three types of human development that are ongoing throughout our lives: cognitive, social, and physical.

On this course, you’ll discover the key transitions within these different development types. You’ll look at how they are tied to psychological changes and investigate how and why they occur.

You’ll explore what effect genes and the environment have on development and consider whether development is continuous or discontinuous.

You’ll also look into the skills needed in order to conduct research within the area of psychology.

Understand the fundamentals of human development, lifespan theory, stages of development and end-of-life

Modern psychology leans on various theories to help us understand social and cognitive development. This course will help you explore and distinguish between them to gain a language for discussing developmental psychology. You’ll identify key transitions within human development and consider different research models within them.

A strong understanding of developmental psychology is essential to anybody who would like to work or study in the field, and can be incredibly useful to educators, parents, and people who would like to understand their own way of seeing the world a little better.

This course requires no prior experience – a keen interest in psychology will suffice.

It will prove particularly valuable if you’ve achieved a bachelor’s degree in another subject and would like to improve your science and research abilities.

Download video: standard or HD

Skip to 0 minutes and 12 seconds MATTHEW MUNDY: What psychological changes do we undergo throughout our lifespan? How and why do these changes happen? Hi I’m Matthew Mundy and I’m the director of education for the School of Psychological Sciences at Monash University in Australia. In this course, you’ll learn about ‘Developmental Psychology’. It’s a field of psychology dedicated to studying the changes humans undergo throughout their life. You’ll learn about the terms used in this field and find out about some of the key transitions associated with different phases of development that humans go through. As in other fields of psychology, research is important to developmental psychology.

Skip to 0 minutes and 49 seconds In this course you’ll also get the opportunity to explore research designs and critical considerations for how and why we conduct experiments, and compare the various theories that help us understand cognitive and social development. This introductory course is designed for everyone, regardless of your experience or your background. No prior study of psychology is required or expected. So if you want to learn more about the theories and phases of change that humans undergo throughout their life, by the School of Psychological Sciences that’s ranked among the best in the world. Then I encourage you to join us in this course.

What topics will you cover?

  • Introduction to human development
  • Lifespan theories
  • Stages of development
  • The final stage of our lifespan

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explain a range of terms used in developmental psychology.
  • Describe different research designs and critical considerations in developmental psychology.
  • Identify some of the key transitions associated with different phases of development throughout the lifespan.
  • Compare the various theories that help us understand cognitive and social development.

Who is the course for?

This introductory course is for anyone interested in psychology - you don’t need any past experience.

It might be of particular use to learners who have already completed a Bachelor degree in other disciplines who are interested in expanding their science and research skills.

Who will you learn with?

I am Associate Professor and Director of Education for the School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Australia. My research is in the cognitive neuroscience of memory and perception.

Who developed the course?

Monash University

Monash University is one of Australia’s leading universities, ranked in the world’s top 1% by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. It was established in Melbourne in 1958.

  • Established

    1958
  • Location

    Melbourne, Australia
  • World ranking

    Top 60Source: QS World University Rankings 2021

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

Learner reviews

Learner reviews cannot be loaded due to your cookie settings. Please and refresh the page to view this content.

Join the conversation on social media

You can use the hashtag #FLPsychD to talk about this course on social media.