Others may enroll because they want to do as good a job as possible in one of life's most important and complex roles. For many people these two reasons may overlap. There are no formal prerequisites for this course, although an introductory course in sociology, psychology, or human development is recommended. Required textbook Hamner and Turner. Parenting in Contemporary Society .
Textbooks are available from Iowa Book and Supply in Iowa City.
This course is divided into two units. It examines the problems and joys of parenting as children and parents grow and change over time. There are thirteen lessons in the course, seven in Unit 1 and six in Unit 2. Nine lessons include reading assignments in the Hamner and Turner textbook. All lessons contain a section of discussion designed to put the lesson topic into context and a written assignment consisting of short essay responses to several questions.