Psychology 12 Spring 2009 Syllabus Los Angeles Valley College Dr. Ali Ghassemi

1. Psychology 12 (Adolescent Psychology)
Los Angeles Valley College
Spring Semester 2009 – MW 11:20 – 12:45
Instructor & Textbook Information:
Name: Dr. Ali Ghassemi
Office hours: Mondays 1:00 – 3:30
Tuesdays 3:00 – 3:30 pm
Office: BSC 111C
Phone: 818-947-2522
E-mail: ghassear@lavc.edu
Textbook: Santrock, John W., Adolescence, (Twelfth edition). McGraw-Hill Higher
Education
Course description: This is a course on behavioral patterns during the teenage years.
This course deals with physical, social, and emotional development; male-female roles
and stereotypes; cross cultural differences in adolescence; psychological needs of the
period and how they may be met. Practical application of research findings is
emphasized. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 with a grade of C or better
Partial Notes: You may download partial notes for the course at
www.slideshare.net/LAVCpsychology12. You may use these notes for the exams;
however, you may not use any other type of note for the exams.
Course requirements: The course requirements are several. They include the
following:
1. Exams (400 Points): There will be five examinations. I will drop your lowest
score. If you miss an exam, for any reason, I will assign a grade of zero and drop
it as your lowest score. If you miss more than one exam, additional grades of zero
will count towards your final grade. No electronic devices are allowed
(including computers and cell phones) during the tests. If I even see an
electronic device that will be considered as an attempt at cheating and will be
dealt with accordingly. The exams are multiple choice and short answer
covering both the lecture and the reading materials. Bring a Scantron (form 882-
E) on exam days.
2. Class Presentation (75 Points): You are to select a topic related to adolescence
and make a presentation (approximately 10 minutes) to the class. You may
present individually, or you may team up with one of your classmates. This
presentation requires access to a research library or the internet. I will provide
guidelines for your presentation throughout the semester. Presentations are set for
the end of the semester; however, you should submit the topic of your choice by
April 29. A topic may be presented only once. Therefore, if more than one
student or team show interest in a particular issue related to adolescence, the first
person or team that informs me of the particular topic will reserve the topic. Your
grade will be based on your presentation (50) and evaluation of other students’
presentation (25). I will provide evaluation forms.
3. Participation. (25 Points) You are expected to be an active participant in this
class. Participation includes engaging in discussions, asking questions and raising
issues related to Adolescence. Please note that if you are absent too often, you are
not participating. Excessive absences (as determined by me, but typically more
than 2 absent days) may result in your dismissal from the course. This also
includes frequent early departures and late arrivals.

2. Extra Credit opportunity is available through Service Learning (SL). More information
about SL will be given in the first few weeks of the semester. . For additional
information please contact Mr. Rick Brossman in counseling department (ext: 2642).
You may earn one point for each hour of SL submitted, for a maximum of 10 points. If
you decide to use your SL hours for more than one course this semester, I will grant you
one extra credit point for every two-hours you submit, for a maximum of 10 points. All
the necessary paper work for SL must be submitted the week prior to the final exam week
(NO EXCEPTIONS). If your paperwork is not submitted on time, you may not receive
any extra credit points. In order to receive extra credit points, you must submit 1) your
logged hours form to Mr. Brossman (he will provide me with a copy of the log) and 2) A
daily journal of your activities. Your journal should include in detail the activity that you
performed and your personal reaction to that activity.
Also through out the course of this semester I will show video presentations on issues
related to adolescence. You may submit reaction papers in response to three of these
presentations. The reaction papers should be a maximum of 2 pages in length, and
depending on the quality of your paper, each submission would be worth 5 extra credit
points (for a maximum of 15 points for the semester).
Therefore, you may earn a maximum of 25 extra points through SL and reaction papers
for this semester.
Grades will be assigned at the end of the session as follows:
445 - 500 points = A
395 - 444 points = B
340 - 394 points = C
275 - 339 points = D
Less that 274 points = F
Course schedule:
Date Topic Readings___
2/09 Introduction
2/11 Ch. 1
Defining Adolescence
2/16 President’s Day Holiday
2/18 Theoretical/Scientific Foundations Ch. 1
2/23 – 2/25 Biological/Physical Changes (Puberty) Ch. 2
3/02 – 3/04 Cognitive/Intellectual Changes Ch. 3
3/09 Exam # 1
3/11 – 3/16 Defining the Self: Identity & Personality Ch 4
3/18 Adolescence and Sexuality Ch. 6
3/23 Exam # 2
3/25 Gender: Differences and Stereotypes Ch. 5
3/30 – 4/01 Adolescents and their families Ch. 8
4/06 – 4/08 Spring Break
4/13 – 4/15 Adolescents and their peers Ch. 9
4/20 Exam # 3
4/22 – 4/27 Adolescents and their schools Ch. 10

3. 4/29 – 5/04 The Problems of Youth (Presentation Topic Due) Ch. 13
5/06 Exam #4
5/11 Work, career & College Ch. 11
5/13 Moral development & Influence of Culture Ch. 7 & 12
5/18 Exam # 5
5/20 Presentations
5/25 Memorial Day Holiday
5/27 Presentations
*I reserve the right to change the above schedule according to the class needs.
Classroom rules and policies:
Cell phones: As a courtesy to your classmates, please turn off your cell phone or
place it in vibrate mode when in class. Initial disruptions will result in a verbal
warning and repeated offenses may result in an immediate suspension or referral to
the Vice-President of Student Services, who will render further discipline.
Policy on Academic Dishonesty: Los Angeles Valley College has established an
academic dishonesty policy in accordance with the standards of student conduct. The
policy is published in the college catalogue, and it is your responsibility to be familiar
with its provisions. Academic dishonesty, including cheating will be immediately
reported to the Department Chair and the necessary documentation submitted to the
Vice President of Student Services, who will render appropriate disciplinary actions.
Withdrawing from the class: It is your sole responsibility to withdraw from the
class, if you decide to no longer attend. ”. Please refer to the schedule of classes for
withdrawal dates. You may also visit WWW.LAVC.EDU for specific dates. If you
stop attending the class, but your name appears on the final grade roster, I am legally
obligated to assign a grade to you, which in all likelihood would be an “F”. Unless
there are compelling reasons that are beyond control, I will not grand an “INC”
to any student. For example, having too many glasses (units), excessive work and
family responsibility, difficulty with transportation, travel (for any reason) are not
considered grounds for “INCquot;.
Students with disabilities must inform me at the start of the semester of their
accommodation needs, if any. All accommodations are based on the documentation
you present to the Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) and instructions
I receive from DSPS. I will not provide accommodations to any student without
documentation from DSPS.