Faculty Contact Information:
Michelle Mentzer, Ed.D.
Quadrelle (AV) Italy
Home phone 081-825-7714
Cell phone 340-406-1967
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Consultation:
I am available for appointments before and after classes. It is my preference that any assignments not received in class must be emailed. Feel free to email me with any questions you might have over class material and/or assignments. I welcome your questions and interest.
If you have any special needs, please let me know prior to the start of class so that I can be sure to assist in any way possible.
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Required Texts and Readings:
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed). Washington, DC.
Santrock, J.W. (2006). Life-Span Development (10th ed). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.
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Supplementary Readings:
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All graduate students should be prepared to utilize the UMUC online library at http://www.umuc.edu/library/. The library contains a large number of full text academic journals that are free of charge and immediately available. The library homepage also contains a number of links related to improving students’ research and writing skills.
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Recommended Journals:
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Course Description:
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This course places emphasis on the study of the characteristics of human growth at each stage of development. Special emphasis will be placed on counseling in various settings, including schools. Instruction and practice in the writing of a case study report is also given. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: EDUC 507 or EDCP 605.
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Course Goals:
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This course is designed to enable students to become familiar with the dynamic aspects of human growth and development over the life span. It will assist students in preparing for the comprehensive exam and will prepare them for professional practice with people of all ages.
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Course Objectives:
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At the conclusion of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Identify the main concepts and theories of human development postulated by prominent developmental psychologists.
2. Identify the determinants of physical, cognitive, and social/ psychological human growth and development.
3. Be knowledgeable about the nature and need of the individual at every level of development.
4. Be familiar with current research in the field of human growth and development.
5. Have an understanding of how to work with children, adolescents and adults in any setting.
6. Have enhanced self-awareness of personal strengths, interests, and abilities.
7. Be familiar with ethical issues in developmental psychology.
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Grading Information:
Grades for this course will be assigned as follows:
A 90 - 100%
B 80 – 89%
C 70 – 79%
F 69% and Below
Please note that Bowie State University does not use "D" for graduate students. The grade "F" is used to designate academic failure. "FN" is used to designate failure for non-completion. Grades of Incomplete or Withdrawal are governed by UMUC-Europe policies. For further details, please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog, available in your local Education Center or online at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/general_info/publications/catalogs.
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Course Requirements:
Graduate school at the masters level focuses on helping students obtain the education needed for success as professionals in their chosen fields. Thus, UMUC-Europe Graduate Programs and Bowie State University share the common goals of promoting excellence in academic scholarship through thoughtful inquiry and the skillful application of knowledge and theory for the betterment of society. In order to maximize your graduate educational experience in general and this course in particular, you are required to:
Participate in classroom discussions 10%
Write graduate level papers or case studies 30%
Orally/visually present prepared material 20%
Complete one or more written examination(s) 40%
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Description of Course Requirements:
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Successful graduate students in American universities dedicate approximately three hours of preparation/study time for every hour spent in the onsite classroom. Thus, the following course requirements were developed on the assumption that students would be prepared to spend approximately 150 hours of their own time working on them. In an eight-week term, that is the equivalent of a half-time job. Most fourteen-week graduate distance education courses require at least ten hours per week of dedicated time, plus time spent in the virtual classroom.
Participate in classroom discussions: You are expected to come to class prepared to engage in all discussions in a professional and informed manner.
Write graduate level papers or case studies: You are required to conduct professional-level research, including appropriately citing works of others and avoiding plagiarism. Resubmission of coursework from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC, UMUC-Europe or BSU), partially or in its entirety, is not acceptable in this course and will result in an automatic failure on the assignment. APA style is mandatory for all graduate counseling course work. Plan on committing approximately 150 hours over the duration of this course to producing professional level work.
Orally/visually present prepared material: You are required to present your research in a professional manner. In an onsite course, this typically means an oral presentation accompanied by appropriate visual material. In an online class, this means creating a visual/textual presentation for your instructor and classmates.
Complete one or more written examination(s): The examination process in this class will assist you in developing the writing and critical thinking skills necessary for successfully passing the comprehensive exam required of all graduate students. The questions used in this course will either be taken directly from past comprehensive exams or written as though to be included on a comprehensive exam.
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Course Schedule:
This course will be 2/3 face to face, and 1/3 online. The course syllabus will be found in detail in the online classroom. The Course dates are:
Thursday, Feb. 22: 6-10 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 23: 6-10 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 24: 9-6 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 25: 9-6 p.m.
Monday, Feb 26: 6-10 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb 27: 6-10 p.m.
The written work will be done online, and the face to face time will be divided between reviews of current research, group work with Erikson's Stages, and counseling applications of developmental theories.
The book should be read in its entirety PRIOR to the face to face class time. The materials prepared are based on the fact that you have read the materials prior to attending class.
A detailed syllabus for your online and face to face work will be available online.
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Academic Policies:
Note: Any written assignment in this course may be submitted to TurnItIn.Com. This statement constitutes prior notice.
The official university policy on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty can be found at http://www.umuc.edu/policy/aa15025.shtml. Section I.C. states: "Faculty may determine if the resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC), partially or in its entirety, is acceptable when assigning a grade on that piece of course work. Faculty must provide this information in their written syllabi. If the resubmission of course work is deemed to be unacceptable, a charge may not be brought under this Policy and will be handled as indicated in the written syllabi."
Please refer to Description of Course Requirements for specific information on how resubmissions will be treated in this course and to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog for information on the following:
Academic Integrity
Course Load
Exception to Policy
Grade Appeal Process
Make-up Examinations
Nondiscrimination
Students with Disabilities
Hard copies of the catalog are available at your local Education Center.
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Faculty Bio:
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Dr. Mentzer is a family counselor and professional trainer for both military and civilian sectors. She is currently working in Napoli and teaching in the UMUC-Bowie Graduate Counseling program in Europe. Dr. Mentzer's undergraduate work was taken at the University of Kansas, in Education. Her M.A. in Counseling and Human Resources was completed at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va. Dr. Mentzer completed a Doctorate of Education in Counseling Psychology at Argosy University. Her primary focus was on family communications and attachment theory. After her residency at the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto, she worked as the Group Manager at the Marine Corps Camp Pendleton Mental Health Clinic in Southern California and continued all her other interests that she had collected through the years. She currently resides in Italy with her husband and daughter (17) and her cats. Her hobbies include reading, used bookstore hunting, Macintosh computers, traveling across Europe in her VW Westy, and "being" in coffee shops around the world.
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