PYC4805/101/0/2023

Tutorial Letter 101/0/2023

Developmental Psychology

PYC4805

Year module

Department of Psychology

This tutorial letter contains important information about your module.

Please register on myUnisa, activate your myLife email address, and make sure
that you have regular access to the module site for PYC4805-2023Y.

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CONTENTS
Page

1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 3
1.1 Tutorial matters ............................................................................................................................. 3
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES ........................................................................................................ 4
2.1 Purpose .......................................................................................................................................... 4
2.2 Outcomes ....................................................................................................................................... 4
4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS .................................................................................... 5
4.1 Lecturer(s) ...................................................................................................................................... 5
4.2 Department ..................................................................................................................................... 5
4.3 University ........................................................................................................................................ 6
5 MODULE-RELATED RESOURCES .............................................................................................. 6
5.2 Prescribed book(s) .......................................................................................................................... 6
5.3 Recommended book(s) .................................................................................................................. 6
5.4 Electronic reserves (e-reserves) ..................................................................................................... 7
6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ................................................................................................. 7
6.1 First-Year Experience Programme @ Unisa .................................................................................. 8
7 MODULE-SPECIFIC STUDY PLAN............................................................................................... 9
8 HOW TO STUDY ONLINE ............................................................................................................. 9
8.2 myUnisa tools ............................................................................................................................... 9
9 PRACTICAL WORK ....................................................................................................................... 9
10 ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................................... 9
10.1 Assessment criteria ........................................................................................................................ 9
10.2 Assessment plan .......................................................................................................................... 10
10.3 Assignment due dates .................................................................................................................. 10
10.4 Submission of assessments ......................................................................................................... 10
10.5 The assessments .......................................................................................................................... 11
10.6 Extension of time for submitting the assignments......................................................................... 12
10.7 Other assessment methods .......................................................................................................... 12
10.8 The examination ........................................................................................................................... 12
10.8.1 Invigilation/proctoring .................................................................................................................... 12
11.2 Cheating ....................................................................................................................................... 13
11.3 More information about plagiarism can be downloaded at the link below. .................................... 13
12 STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES ................................................................................... 13
13 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS .......................................................................................... 14
14 IN CLOSING ................................................................................................................................. 14

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1 INTRODUCTION

Dear Student,

Welcome to the postgraduate module in Developmental Psychology (PYC4805). This module

covers normal human development from conception until death. We trust that you will find this
module informative, interesting, and personally enriching.
Unisa, as a comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CODeL), is moving towards
becoming a fully online institution. You will, therefore, see that all your study material,
assessments, and engagements with your lecturer and fellow students will take place online.
This tutorial letter is intended to offer you some guidance in this regard.
Tutorial letters will be made available during the year. A tutorial letter is one of the ways we
communicate with you about teaching, learning, and assessment. Tutorial Letter 101/2023
contains important information about this module's scheme of work, resources, and
assignments. Please read it carefully and keep it at hand when working through the study
material, preparing assignments, preparing for the examination, and addressing questions to
your lecturers. This tutorial letter also provides all the information you need regarding the
prescribed study material. Please make sure that you obtain the prescribed material as soon as
possible.

It is suggested that you read Tutorial Letter 301 in combination with Tutorial Letter 101 as it
provides you with important information when studying a postgraduate module. In Tutorial Letter
101, you will find the assignments and assessment criteria as well as information on the
preparation and submission of assignments. You will also find important information about the
examination in this tutorial letter.

Important information will be posted on myUnisa ‒ therefore, you must visit the PYC4805-2023-
Y announcement site on myUnisa regularly.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries regarding the course or if you need
assistance regarding any aspect of the module. When emailing your lecturers, only use your
myLife email address.

1.1 Tutorial matters

The study material for PYC4805 consists of the following:

Tutorial Letter 101/2023

Tutorial Letter 102/2023
Tutorial Letter PSYHONM/301/2023

Kindly note that tutorial letters are only accessible on the PYC4805-2023Y module site on
myUnisa. No hard copies are available. Some of these tutorial letters may not be available when
you register. Tutorial letters that are not available when you register will be uploaded on
myUnisa as soon as possible.

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2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES
2.1 Purpose
This module aims to:

• create insight regarding the complex process of human development;

• equip you with profound knowledge about the theoretical aspects of developmental
psychology;

• inform you about various developmental themes through the required readings and
assignments.

2.2 Outcomes
The envisaged outcomes of this module are:

• an in-depth understanding of normal or healthy human development in the areas of

physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and moral development;
• an understanding of the self as a developing person and a new appreciation of the
developmental needs and rights of other human beings;
• a highly responsible approach to the life tasks of the various developmental stages;
• an informed commitment to the fostering of the development of self and others in
optimising the potential for psychological growth;
• the maintenance of societal standards that ensure the welfare of, and opportunities for
development for everyone;
• a developed world conscience and worldview that seeks the good of humanity.

The module supplies important knowledge for those of you who would like to become clinical or
counselling psychologists, teachers, social workers, and those involved in the health
professions or the domains of business and industry.

2.3 The syllabus

The syllabus covers both child development and adult development. The module follows a
thematic approach. Themes that are addressed include issues and basic forces in human
development; developmental theories; influences on prenatal development; physical,
perceptual, and motor development of the newborn; cognitive and language development in
childhood; personality, social and moral development; the impact of social contexts and culture
on child development; socioemotional development in infancy, early childhood, middle
childhood, and adolescence; physical development in adolescence and its psychological
impact; cognitive and personality development in young adulthood, middle adulthood and late
adulthood; relationships in adulthood; work and retirement; psychosocial and societal issues in
later life; dying and bereavement.

3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION
Unisa has implemented a transformation charter based on five pillars and eight dimensions. In
response to this charter, we have placed curriculum transformation high on the teaching and
learning agenda. Curriculum transformation includes the following pillars: student-centred
scholarship, the pedagogical renewal of teaching and assessment practices, the scholarship of
teaching and learning, and the infusion of African epistemologies and philosophies. These

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pillars and their principles will be integrated as a phased-in approach at both programme and
module levels. You will notice a marked change in Unisa’s teaching and learning strategy
implemented , together with how the content is conceptualised in your modules. We encourage
you to embrace these changes during your studies at Unisa in a responsive way within the
transformation framework.

4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

4.1 Lecturer(s)
For enquiries, you may contact the PYC4805 tuition team by sending an email to
pyc4805@unisa.ac.za. When emailing your lecturers, use only your myLife email address.
Kindly, note that we will not respond to any enquiries that are sent from an email address
other than your myLife email address.

Lecturer Telephone number Email address

Prof I Ferns 012 4298210 pyc4805@unisa.ac.za
Dr. V Nekhavhambe 012 4298513 pyc4805@unisa.ac.za
Dr. E Gordon 012 4298071 pyc4805@unisa.ac.za
Dr. M Mdakane 012 4296833 pyc4805@unisa.ac.za
Ms. N Khumalo 012 4334865 pyc4805@unisa.ac.za
Ms. G Makuza pyc4805@unisa.ac.za

Lecturers are available to assist you with any academic enquiries. We prefer you contact us via
email, using your myLife email address. If you plan to visit the campus and need to meet with
us, it is essential to make an appointment beforehand. Also, note that lecturers are seldom
available between middle December and early January. We earnestly request that you sort out
your academic problems before that time.

If you experience difficulty reaching a particular lecturer on his/her telephone number, please
contact the administrative coordinator Ms. MG Phuthi (012 4298309 / phuthmg@unisa.ac.za)
who is responsible for the Psychology Honours modules. If she is not available, you are
requested to phone the general number for the Department of Psychology. The departmental
telephone is staffed by administrative personnel who will put you in contact with your lecturers.

4.2 Department
You can contact the Department of Psychology in the following ways:

• Ms. MK Molepo ‒ Departmental Administrator

Telephone: 012 429 6934

Email: machomm@unisa.ac.za

• Ms. MG Phuthi ‒ Administrative Honours Coordinator

Telephone: 012 429 8309

Email: phuthmg@unisa.ac.za

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Physical address

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Building, 5th Floor, Room 5-49, Main Campus, Muckleneuk Ridge,
Pretoria.

4.3 University
To contact the University, follow the instructions on the website Study@Unisa. Remember to
have your student number available whenever you contact Unisa.

Contact addresses of the various administrative departments appear on the Unisa website:
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Contact-us/Student-enquiries.

Please include your student number in all correspondence.

5 MODULE-RELATED RESOURCES
5.1 Joining myUnisa
The myUnisa learning management system is the university’s online campus which will help you
communicate with your lecturers, fellow students, and Unisa’s administrative departments.
To access the myUnisa website directly, go to https://my.unisa.ac.za. Click on the Claim Unisa
Login on the top of the screen on the myUnisa website. You will then be prompted to enter your
student number in order to claim your initial myUnisa details, as well as your myLife email login
details.
For more information on myUnisa, consult the website Study@Unisa:
www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies

5.2 Prescribed book(s)

The prescribed book for this module is:

Kail, R. V., Cavanaugh, J. C. & Muller, J. (2019). Human Development. A Life-span View (1st
South African ed.). Cengage. (ISBN978-4743-5957-2)
You can use the following link to purchase your textbook online:
VitalSource eBook store https://www.vitalsource.com/za/products/human-development-sa-
edition-john-c-cavanaugh-robert-v-v9781473759589?term=9781473759572

Please consult the list of official booksellers and their addresses on Study@Unisa. Should
you encounter any difficulties obtaining the prescribed book from these booksellers, please
contact the Prescribed Book Section at 012 4294152 or send your enquiry to their email
address: vospresc@unisa.ac.za.

5.3 Recommended book(s)

You do not need to consult any recommended books for this course.

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5.4 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)

A list of electronic reserves can be found under the Resources Tab on myUnisa, PYC4805-23Y.
E-reserves can be downloaded from the Library catalogue. More information is available at
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/request

5.5 Library services and resources

The Unisa Library offers a range of information services and resources:

• For a general Library overview, go to

https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/About-the-Library
Library @ a glance
• For detailed Library information, go to
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library
• For research support and services (e.g., personal librarians and literature search services),
go to
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Research-support

The Library has created numerous Library guides to assist you: http://libguides.unisa.ac.za
Recommended guides:

• Request recommended books and access e-reserve material:

https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request
• Requesting and finding library material: Postgraduate services:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/postgrad
• Finding and using library resources and tools (Research Support):
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/research-support
• Frequently asked questions about the library:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/ask
• Services to students living with disabilities:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/disability
• A-Z databases:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/az.php
• Subject-specific guides:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/?b=s
• Information on fines & payments:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/fines

Assistance with technical problems accessing the Unisa Library or resources:

https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/techsupport
Lib-help@unisa.ac.za (insert your student number in the subject line please)
General library enquiries can be directed to Library-enquiries@unisa.ac.za

6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The Study @ Unisa website is available on myUnisa: www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies

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This brochure contains important information and guidelines for successful studies through
Unisa.
If you need assistance with the myModules system, you are welcome to use the following
contact details:

• Toll-free landline: 0800 00 1870 (Select option 07 for myModules)

• E-mail: mymodules22@unisa.ac.za or myUnisaHelp@unisa.ac.za
You can access and view short videos on topics such as how to view your calendar, how to
access module content, how to view announcements for modules, how to submit assessments
and how to participate in forum activities via the following link: https://dtls-
qa.unisa.ac.za/course/view.php?id=32130

Registered Unisa students get a free myLife e-mail account. Important information, notices,
and updates are sent exclusively to this account. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours
for your account to be activated after you have claimed it. Please do this immediately after
registering at Unisa, by following this link: myLifeHelp@unisa.ac.za

Your myLife account is the only e-mail account recognised by Unisa for official
correspondence with the university and will remain the official primary e-mail address on
record at Unisa. You remain responsible for the management of this e-mail account.

6.1 First-Year Experience Programme @ Unisa

For many students, transitioning from school to tertiary education is beset with anxiety. This is
also true for first-time students at Unisa. Unisa is a dedicated open distance and e-learning
institution. Unlike face-to-face/contact institutions, Unisa is somewhat different. It is a mega
university and all our programmes are offered through a blended learning mode or fully online
learning mode. For this reason, we thought it necessary to offer first-time students
additional/extended support so that you can seamlessly navigate the Unisa teaching and
learning journey with little difficulty and few barriers. In this regard, we offer a specialised
student support programme to students entering Unisa for the first time. We refer to this
programme as Unisa’s First-Year Experience (FYE) Programme. The FYE is designed to
provide you with prompt and helpful information about services that the institution offers and
how you can access information. The following FYE programmes are currently offered:

• FYE website: All the guides and resources you need to navigate through your first year at
Unisa can be accessed using the following link: www.unisa.ac.za/FYE

• FYE e-mails: You will receive regular e-mails to help you stay focused and motivated.

• FYE broadcasts: You will receive e-mails with links to broadcasts on various topics related to
your first-year studies (e.g., videos on how to submit assignments online).

• FYE mailbox: For assistance with queries related to your first year of study, send an e-mail
to fye@unisa.ac.za

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7 MODULE-SPECIFIC STUDY PLAN

Use the Study@Unisa website for general time management and planning skills.

In order to meet all the deadlines within a limited time, we advise you to draw up a study
timetable as soon as possible. It should make provision for all your modules and for unforeseen
circumstances such as illness and work pressure to enable you to work through the syllabus in
good time.

The syllabus for this module is covered by several developmental psychology themes which are
outlined in Tutorial Letter 102/2023 and which you can find on the PYC4805-2023-Y module site
on myUnisa.

8 HOW TO STUDY ONLINE

8.1 What does it mean to study online?

Studying online means that:

• All your study material and learning activities for online modules are designed to
be delivered online via myUnisa.
• All your assignments must be submitted online. This means that you will complete all
your activities and submit all your assignments via myUnisa. In other words, you may
NOT post your assignments to Unisa using the South African Post Office.
• All communication between you and the university happens online. Your lecturers
will communicate with you via email, SMS, and Announcement on the module site of
PYC4805-2023-Y.
8.2 myUnisa tools
It is crucial that you log in to myUnisa regularly. We recommend that you do so at least once or
twice a week to check for new announcements. You can also set your myLife email account so
that you receive announcements and emails on your cell phone.

9 PRACTICAL WORK
There are no practical sessions for this module.

10 ASSESSMENT
10.1 Assessment criteria
For this module, you will be assessed through the assignments that you submit and the
examination that you write. Assignments are part of the learning process for this module. When
you do the assignments, consult the prescribed book, read through the required readings,
discuss the work with fellow students or do your own literature search.

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10.2 Assessment plan

• To complete this module, you will be required to submit two (2) assignments.

• All information on when and where to submit your assignments will be made available to
you via the myModules site for this module.

• Due dates for assignments, as well as the actual assignments, are available on the
myModules site for this module.

• To gain admission to the examination, you will be required to submit two (02)
assignments.

• Your assignments are essay type assignments.

• The assignment weighting for the module is 25% (i.e., the year mark). Assignment 1
counts 40% towards the year mark; assignment 2 counts 60% towards the year mark.
Please note that you must obtain a sub-minimum of 40% in the exam for the year mark to
be considered for your final mark.

• The examination will be a timed take-home exam consisting of essay questions. You will
receive examination information via the myModules site for this module. Please watch
out for announcements on how examinations for the modules for which you are
registered will be conducted.

• The examination will count 75% towards the final module mark.

10.3 Assignment due dates

• No assignment due dates are included in this tutorial letter.

• Assignment due dates will be made available to you on the landing page of myModules
for this module (PYC4805). We envisage that the due dates will be available to you upon
registration.
• Log on to the myUnisa site for this module to obtain more information on the due dates
for the submission of the assignments.
• Please start working on your assignments as soon as you register for the module.

10.4 Submission of assessments

• Unisa, as a comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CODeL), is moving

towards becoming an online institution. You will therefore see that all your study material,
assessments, and engagements with your lecturers and fellow students will take place
online. We use myUnisa as our virtual campus.

• The myUnisa virtual campus will offer students access to the myModules site, where
learning material will be available online and assessments should be completed. This
online system is used to administer, document, and deliver educational material to
students and support engagement between academics and students.

• The myUnisa platform can be accessed via https://my.unisa.ac.za. Click on the

myModules 2023 button to access the online sites for your registered modules.

• The university undertakes to communicate clearly and as frequently as necessary to

ensure that you obtain the greatest benefit from using the myModules learning
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management system. Please access the announcements on your myModules site

regularly, as this is where your lecturers will post important information to be shared with
you.

• When you access your myModules site for the module/s you are registered for; you will
see a welcome message posted by your lecturers. Below the welcome message, you will
see the assessment shells for the assessments you need to complete. Some
assessments may be multiple choice, some tests, others written assessments, some
forum discussions, and so on. All assessments must be completed on the assessment
shells available on the respective module platforms.

• To complete quiz assessments, please log on to the module site where you need to
complete the assessment. Click on the relevant assessment shell (Assessment 1,
Assessment 2, etc.). There will be a date on which the assessment will open for you.
When the assessment is open, access the quiz online and complete it within the time
available to you. Quiz assessment questions are not included in this tutorial letter
(Tutorial Letter 101) and are only made available online. You must therefore access the
quiz online and complete it online where the quiz has been created.

• It is not advisable to use a cell phone to complete the quiz. Please use a desktop
computer, tablet, or laptop when completing the quiz. Students who use a cell phone find
it difficult to navigate the Online Assessment tool on the small screen and often struggle
to navigate between questions and successfully complete the quizzes. In addition, cell
phones are more vulnerable to dropped internet connections than other devices. If at all
possible, please do not use a cell phone for this assessment type.

• For written assessments, please note the due date by which the assessment must be
submitted. Ensure that you follow the guidelines given by your lecturers to complete the
assessment. Click on the submission button on the relevant assessment shell on
myModules. You will then be able to upload your written assessment on the myModules
site of the modules that you are registered for. Before you finalise the upload, double
check that you have selected the correct file for upload. Remember, no marks can be
allocated for incorrectly submitted assessments.
10.5 The assessments
There are no assignments included in this tutorial letter. Assignments and due dates will be
made available to you on myModules for this module. We envisage that the due dates will be
available to you upon registration.

As indicated in section 10.2, you need to complete two (2) assignments for this module. By
submitting the assignments on time, you gain examination admission (therefore, you do not
have to pass the assignments to gain examination admission). Your assignments should be
submitted online by the closing date, which will be made available to you on the landing page of
myUnisa for this module.

General guidelines for the completion and submission of assignments

• With your circumstances in mind, plan the time you have available to devote to your
assignments and studies for the examination. Work out a schedule by considering the
closing dates for the assignments and the examination, which is written during the
September/October/November examination period.

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• Download your recommended articles for Assignment 02 immediately.

• Always keep a copy of your assignment.

• All your assignments should be submitted online. Ensure that you submit your
assignments on the correct portal for the specific assignment.

10.6 Extension of time for submitting the assignments

A due date has been set for the submission of each assignment. Unfortunately, no extension
can be granted due to the many assignments that need to be marked.

Therefore: Do not request an extension for the submission of assignments.

10.7 Other assessment methods

There are no other assessment methods for this module.
10.8 The examination
The examination for this module will be conducted online. Examination information and details
on the format of the examination will be made available to you online via the myModules site.
Look out for information that your lecturers and for communication from the University.

10.8.1 Invigilation/proctoring
Since 2020 Unisa has conducted all its assessments online. Given stringent requirements from
professional bodies and increased solicitations of Unisa’s students by third parties to unlawfully
assist them with the completion of assignments and examinations, the University is obliged to
assure its assessment integrity through the utilisation of various tools: Turnitin, Moodle
Proctoring, the Invigilator App and IRIS. These tools will authenticate the student’s identity and
flag suspicious behaviour to assure the credibility of students’ responses during assessments.
The description below is for your benefit as you may encounter any or all of these in your
registered modules:
Turnitin is a plagiarism software that facilitates checks for originality in students’ submissions
against internal and external sources. Turnitin assists in identifying academic fraud and ghost
writing. Students are expected to submit typed responses for utilisation of the Turnitin software.
The Moodle Proctoring tool is a facial recognition software that authenticates students’ identity
during their Quiz assessments. This tool requires access to a student’s mobile or laptop
camera. Students must ensure their camera is activated in their browser settings prior to their
assessments.
The Invigilator “mobile application-based service” does verification of the identity of an
assessment participant. The Invigilator Mobile Application detects student dishonesty-by-proxy
and ensures that the assessment participant is a registered student. This invigilation tool
requires students to download the app from their Play Store (Google, Huawei, and Apple) on
their mobile devices (camera enabled) prior to their assessment.

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IRIS Invigilation software verifies the identity of a student during assessment and provides for
both manual and automated facial verification. It has the ability to record and review a student’s
assessment session. It flags suspicious behaviour by the students for review by an academic
administrator. IRIS software requires installation on students’ laptop devices that are enabled
with a webcam.
Students who are identified and flagged for suspicious dishonest behaviour arising from the
invigilation and proctoring reports are referred to the disciplinary office for a formal proceeding.
Please note:
Students must refer to their module assessment information on their myModule sites to
determine which proctoring, or invigilation tool will be utilised for their formative and summative
assessments.

11. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

11.1 Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of taking the words, ideas, and thoughts of others and presenting them as
your own. It is a form of theft which involves several dishonest academic activities, such as the
following:

• Copying and pasting from any source without acknowledging the source.
• Not including references or deliberately inserting incorrect bibliographic information.
• Paraphrasing without acknowledging the original source of the information.

11.2 Cheating
Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Completing assessments on behalf of another student, copying from another student

during an assessment, or allowing a student to copy from you.
• Using social media (e.g., WhatsApp, Telegram) or other platforms to disseminate
assessment information.
• Submitting corrupt or irrelevant files.
• Buying completed answers from “tutors” or internet sites (contract cheating).

11.3 More information about plagiarism can be downloaded at the link below.
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myunisa/default/Study-@-Unisa/Student-values-and-rules

12 STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

The Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD) provides an
opportunity for staff to interact with new and returning students with disabilities.
If you are a student with a disability and would like additional support or need additional time for
assessments, you are invited to contact Prof I Ferns (fernsi@unisa.ac.za) to discuss the
assistance you need.

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13 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Study@Unisa website contains an A-Z guide of the most relevant study information.

14 IN CLOSING

Do not hesitate to contact us via email if you are experiencing problems with the content of this
tutorial letter or with any academic aspect of the module.

We wish you an interesting and rewarding year of study and trust that you will complete this
module in developmental psychology successfully.

PYC4805 Tuition Team

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