Required Text

	Jill Quadagno Aging and the Life Course, 4th ed. The book is available online and at the University District Bookstore.
	Muriel R. Gillick, M.D. The Denial of Aging: Perpetual Youth, Eternal Life, and Other Dangerous FantasiesHarvard University Press, 2007 (paperback) The book is available online and at the University District Bookstore.
	Barbara Myerhoff Number Our Days Touchstone Books, 1997 (paperback) The book is available online and at the University District Bookstore.

Additional Reading Assignments

Supplementary readings from other sources (e.g., books, journals, newspapers) will be made available to you as handouts or links from the course website. If such an assignment is due, please print out the article, read it, and bring it -and your notes- to class.

Attendance and Class Participation

Psychology of Aging is a dynamic, interactive course; it requires regular attendance and active classroom participation. We will view films and documentaries which illustrate concepts presented in the text and other reading assignments. Hopefully these films will enable students to connect the dots between theory and practice and elicit stimulating class discussions about aging over the life course. My aim is to provide a learning environment in which class room activities are thought-provoking and fun -- but I can't do it alone, you need to be there! Active class participation is an important part of this course.

In order to participate in the class discussion you will need to have read the material and have it with you (book/article) to refer to relevant passages you highlighted and want to share with others in class.

Evaluation Criteria

Students will be evaluated on their performance in the following categories:

• Three examinations comprised of a combination multiple choice, T/F, and matching questions. The questions will be drawn from all the reading assignments and the material we cover in class, including films.
  
  
• Personal Interview and 10-page paper (Guidelines will be provided)
  
  
• Attendance and Class Participation.
  Regular attendance is required to pass this class. Many activities in class provide the material for the examinations and are needed to provide background material for the research paper.
  Mandatory attendance is required for the examinations. If you miss any of these due to an illness or other serious personal issue, you need to document your absence. (A doctor's note or record of hospital admission are examples of documentation needed to get permission to make up the exams.)

Grading

Examination # 1	25 %
Examination # 2	25 %
Examination # 3	25 %
Research Paper	20 %
Active Class Participation	5 %

A	=	91	-	100
B+	=	86	-	90
B	=	80	-	85
C+	=	76	-	79
C	=	70	-	75
D	=	60	-	69
F	=	59	-	0

Your final grade for the course is based on your overall participation in the course as outlined. Academic dishonesty will result in an automatic failing grade for the course as well as a possible expulsion from the University. Please make sure you familiarize yourself with the University's Plagiarism Policy on the Robeson Library's Flash video

January 18, 2009