This Spring 2007 semester, fourth-year doctoral student Samantha Harvell offers a new upper level seminar in psychology entitled Adolescent Development and Law. A central tenet of this course is that adolescence is a key developmental period characterized by change and transition. As teenagers move from childhood to adulthood they gradually take on more rights and responsibilities, and the rules and laws that govern this process are not always informed by developmental science. This course examines psychological and legal perspectives on adolescence. Through interdisciplinary readings and class discussion, students will explore the construct of adolescence and what rights, protections and responsibilities teenagers have. Students will also examine the contexts in which adolescent development occurs including the family, school, and legal systems. Finally, the course focuses on a few key issues in which development and law intersect directly. Students will debate questions such as: Should parental consent be required for abortions? Should students be subjected to drug testing in schools? Should adolescents be tried and convicted as adults?

Download the PSYC 347 syllabus>