Higher Education: Student Development Theory

Explores student development theories and research relevant to student learning and personal development; includes the ability to apply theory to improve and inform student affairs and teaching practice.

Open to Graduate and PACE students only; Will meet both in person and online synchronously; Specific dates TBD, see course syllabus for meeting details.

This course is designed to introduce learners to common types of student development theories, including those from the first, second, and third waves. Student development theories enable practitioners to consider how students learn, develop, and grow during the college experience and as a result of college contexts. From social identities, such as race and sexuality, to cognitive development, students often report to college with unique perceptions of self and the world around them. These perceptions are then shaped and filtered as a result of their campus experiences and connections. Since development, like learning, is not always linear, we will make room in this course for multiple and sometimes disparate perspectives of (inter)personal growth and change in college contexts.

Student coursework includes visual illustrations and infographics deconstructing theory, constructing a literature review, engaging in critical conversations, completing theory-based case studies, and completing a philosophy of student development for praxis.

Students will be evaluated based on course completion expectations, including academic literature review writing, course presentations and case study engagement, articulation of personal philosophy, and visual creation submissions.