Spring Break in Sweden

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Spring Break in Sweden

Sweden | Child & Adolescent Psychology

Dates: February 27 – March 7, 2026
Locations: Stockholm and Gothenburg, Sweden
Cost: $3,050
Included: airfare, accommodations, in-country transportation, meals, program events and activities, and study abroad fee
Application deadline: October 15th
Deposit: $575 November 1st (non-refundable)
Final payment deadline: $2,475 with spring tuition and fees deadline
Course information: PSY 250 – Child & Adolescent Psychology

Requirements: In order to attend a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Program, students must have a 2.5 or higher GPA. Questions regarding this policy may be directed to Emily Dunn (dunn_ea@mercer.edu). Students in this program must also demonstrate swimming ability in a swim test prior to enrollment in the program.

Spend your spring break immersed in the fascinating world of child and adolescent psychology through a study abroad program in Sweden. This intensive, short-term experience offers students the opportunity to explore Scandinavian approaches to mental health, education, and child development. Participants will engage in tour of various medical centers, visit schools and youth-centered organizations, and examine how cultural values influence psychological practices. The program combines theoretical learning with hands-on exposure, providing a unique international perspective on developmental psychology in one of the world’s most progressive and child-centered societies.

For more information about this program please contact Dr. Troy Nash (nash_tr@mercer.edu, 478-301-2892) or the Study Abroad Office (studyabroad@mercer.edu, 478-301-4444).

To apply: Please click on the “Apply Now” button in the overview section and fill out all of the information requested.

Application deadline: October 15th
Decision date: October 16th
Deposit: $575 (non-refundable) due by November 1st to hold your place in the program.
Final payment deadline: $2,475 by spring tuition and fees spring deadline

PSY 250 – Child & Adolescent Psychology

3 credit hours

Course Description

This course examines human growth and development through the prenatal, child, adolescent, and adult stages of life. Physical, emotional, psychosocial, and cognitive influences from conception to death will be addressed.

This course satisfies the PSY Group 3 requirement and cannot be taken concurrently or in addition to PSY 245 (Lifespan Development).

Departmental Course Goals

To provide a more in-depth overview of the content and methods of the specific subfield of psychology beyond that provided in the PSY 101 course.
To introduce students to the philosophical, theoretical and methodological/empirical approaches within that subfield of psychology.
To provide an experiential (“hands-on”) component to acquaint students with the process of creating knowledge in the field that may consist of one or more of the following examples:
- designing and/or conducting an empirical study
- article summaries and discussion with analysis and evaluation
- collecting data, analyzing, interpreting and reporting on those findings
- interview of a professional with appropriate description, analysis and reflection
- service learning related to the discipline
To promote critical thinking and reading
To provide practice in communicating psychological knowledge through writing.
To integrate the course content to the broader area of psychology as the scientific study of human and animal behavior
Where possible, to provide opportunities to communicate about course content through
speaking, presentations, and/or visual media.

Departmental Course Objectives

The purpose of this course is to an overview of the key concepts and issues in developmental psychology. It offers an introduction to the philosophical, theoretical, and methodological approaches within developmental psychology. At the completion of this class, the successful student will be able to:

Compare and contrast major perspectives within developmental psychology.
Describe both advantages and limitations of the major theoretical perspectives.
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the most important aspects of the subfield (with further elaboration at higher-level courses), including ethical issues.
Interpret behavior and mental processes in terms of developmental stages and milestones.
Use the concepts, language, and major theories of the discipline to account for psychological phenomena.
Describe behavior and mental processes empirically, including operational definitions.
Use theories to explain and predict behavior and mental processes.
Describe and explain different research methods used by psychologists in the subarea.
Apply those psychological principles to professional, personal, social, and organizational issues, where applicable.

What is included in the program fee:

Airfare
Meals
Lodging
Transportation in country
Entry fees and required activities
Study Abroad application fee
International Insurance

What is not included in the program fee:

Tuition*
Souvenirs
Transportation to and from the ATL airport

*Tuition is dependent upon your current enrollment and your colleges tuition fees for the semester of your program. If you are enrolled as a traditional undergrad on the Macon campus, the 3 credits for this program will go towards your overall 12-18 credits for the semester and will not create an increase in tuition cost as long as your overall amount of credits (including this 3 credit course) does not go over 18 credits.