PSYC 3363 Language Acquisition and Disorders

Name: Language Acquisition and Disorders
Rating: 4.53 (20 reviews)

This course examines how humans acquire language and explores the developmental and acquired disorders that can disrupt this process. We will cover major theories of language development, milestones in typical language learning, and the cognitive, neurological, and social factors that influence language growth. The second half of the course introduces language disorders in children and adults, including developmental language disorder, autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, aphasia, and communication difficulties associated with hearing loss. Students will gain a foundation for understanding research and educational implications in the field of language development.

Course overview

Department: Psychology and Neuroscience
School: MCAS
Credits: 3
Level: Undergraduate
Offered: Periodically

Catalog details

Prerequisites: PSYC1111 or MCPS1111

Catalog text is imported from the reviewed Boston College course snapshot. Confirm eligibility in EagleApps.

Requirements fulfilled

Applied Psychology and Human Development: Major electives — any Psychology (PSYC) or Sociology (SOCY) course (no more than two electives from outside LSEHD) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)

Requirement eligibility can vary by school, cohort, and section. Confirm the selected section in EagleApps or with an advisor.

Course evaluations

Response-weighted averages from Boston College’s official course evaluations (Avalanche/Blue).

Course rating: 4.53 / 5 · Excellent
20 responses
Instructor rating: 4.68 / 5 · Excellent
20 responses
Terms evaluated: 1
Most recent: Spring 2026

Scales: overall ratings run from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent); agreement questions from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree); weekly effort from 1 (up to 1 hour) to 5 (10 or more hours).

Evaluations by term and instructor
Term	Instructor	Course overall	Instructor overall	Well organized	Clear learning objectives	Intellectually challenging	Helpful assignments	Applicable beyond course	Attendance necessary	Weekly effort	Responses
Spring 2026	Stacee Topper	4.5	4.7	4.6	4.9	4.7	4.6	4.8	4.6	1–3 hrs/week	20 of 27

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-10-09. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

Stacee Topper
Spring 2027, Spring 2026 · Official rating 4.68/5

Sections

Section 01
Spring 2027 · Stacee Topper · Hayden Hall Room 229 TuTh 12:00 Noon-01:15PM · Offered