The following undergraduate programs are available in the Department.
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Joint Honours in Psychology (Behavioural Neuroscience) and Biology (B.Sc. Hons. only)
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Joint Honours in Psychology (Behavioural Neuroscience) and Biochemistry (B.Sc. Hons. only)
Details of the joint honours programs are given under the Degree Regulations of the Faculty of Science.
Admission to the Major and Minor programs in the Department of Psychology is competitive and selective. Students who wish to enter these programs must submit a completed application form to the Psychology Department by June 1 for Fall semester registration and by October 1 for Winter semester. To be eligible for admission, students must have completed the 24 credit hours as listed below with an average of at least 65% in Psychology 1000/1001 and an overall average of at least 60% in Psychology, English, and Mathematics:
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English 1080 and one of 1101, 1102, 1103, or 1110, or equivalents.
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Mathematics 1000, or two of 1090, 1050, 1051 (or equivalents).
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Six credit hours of electives (9 if only Mathematics 1000 is completed).
Students who fulfil the eligibility requirements compete for a limited number of available spaces. Selection is based on academic performance, normally cumulative average and performance in recent courses.
The Honours programs in the Department of Psychology are designed for students who would like to concentrate their studies or pursue graduate work. Students who wish to be admitted to these programs must submit an "Application for Admission to Honours Program Faculties of Arts or Science" to the Psychology Department by June 1 for Fall semester registration and by October 1 for Winter semester. To be eligible for admission, students must have completed Psychology 2910, 2911, 2520, and 2570 and obtained in these courses a grade of "B" or better, or an average of 75% or higher. Students who fulfill the eligibility requirements compete for a limited number of available spaces. Selection is based on academic performance in the required courses. In special circumstances, students may be admitted to Honours Programs at times other than June and October.
Note:
Students are advised to consult the general regulations for Honours in the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Science, as appropriate.
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Students may Major in Psychology as part of either a B.A. or a B.Sc. program. All Majors are required to complete a minimum of 42 credit hours of Psychology as listed below:
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Psychology Majors following the B.Sc. program are also required to complete the following:
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Psychology Majors following the B.A. program are also required to complete Mathematics 1000 or two of 1090, 1050, 1051 (or equivalents), and are encouraged to complete at least 6 credit hours in Biology.
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Honours students in Psychology are required to complete the 60 credit hours of Psychology as listed below:
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Psychology 1000, 1001, 2520, 2570, 2910, 2911, 3900, 4910, 499A/B
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Eighteen credit hours chosen from the alternatives listed in Clause 1. b. of the requirements for a Major in Psychology
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Twelve credit hours of 4000-level courses in Psychology, of which at least one must be a research experience course and one must be a selected topics course.
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Honours students must also complete the requirements listed in either Clause 2. or Clause 3., as applicable, of the requirements for a Major in Psychology.
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Honours students will be required to submit in their graduating year, an undergraduate thesis (Psychology 499A/B) which demonstrates their competence in Experimental Psychology.
A program is offered in the Psychology Department to provide an education in Behavioural Neuroscience. Students wishing to enroll in the program are advised to consult with the Head of the Department at the earliest opportunity. Students who intend to pursue graduate studies should take courses leading to the Honours degree.
The program for a Major in Behavioural Neuroscience shall include:
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Eighteen credit hours from the following courses chosen from at least three different sciences:
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Biochemistry: Any 2000-, 3000-, or 4000-level course except 2000, 2010, 2011, 3202, 3402, or 4502
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Biology: 2060, 2210, 2250, 2900, 3050, 3160, 3202, 3295, 3401, 3500, 3530, 3540, 3750, 4200, 4241, 4245, 4250, 4402, 4450, 4601, 4605, 4701, 4900 (see note below)
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Computer Science: Any 2000, 3000, or 4000 level course except 2650 and 2801
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Mathematics: 2000, 2050, 2051, 3000, 3001 or any 3000 or 4000 level pure or applied mathematics course
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Physics: Any 2000, 3000, or 4000 level course except 2151, 3150, 3151
Notes:
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Credit may not be obtained for both Biology 3750 and either Psychology 3750 or Psychology 4770, or for both Biology 4701 and Psychology 4701.
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The courses listed under Clause 3 may have prerequisites. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all prerequisites have been met, or that waivers have been obtained, before registering for these courses.
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Honours students in Behavioural Neuroscience are required to complete the following Psychology courses: 1000, 1001, 2520, 2570, 2910, 2911, 3800, 3801, 3900, 499A/B, two further courses in Psychology chosen from the following: 3050, 3100, 3250, 3350, 3450, 3620, 3650, 3750; two 4000 level courses in Psychology of which one must be a research experience course.
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Honours students in Behavioural Neuroscience must also complete the requirements listed in Clauses 2. and 3. of the requirements for a Major in Behavioural Neuroscience.
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In accordance with Clause 6. a. of the Regulations for the Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science, Honours candidates must obtain a grade of "B" or better, OR an average of 75% or higher in all the required courses listed in Clauses 1. and 3. of the requirements for a major in Behavioural Neuroscience and Clause 1 of the requirements for honours in Behavioural Neuroscience, except those at the 1000 level.
Students who Minor in Psychology are required to complete a minimum of 24 credit hours of Psychology as follows:
In accordance with Senate's Policy Regarding Inactive Courses, the course descriptions for courses which have not been offered in the previous three academic years and which are not scheduled to be offered in the current academic year have been removed from the following listing. For information about any of these inactive courses, please contact the Head of the Department.
Note:
These courses are open to all students who have the appropriate prerequisites. Psychology 1000 and 1001 are prerequisites for all Psychology courses. Students who intend to major in Psychology should note that each course marked with an asterisk is credit-restricted with a Majors laboratory course; consequently, taking these courses will reduce your options in the Majors program.
1000 and 1001
Introduction to Psychology
is an introduction to Psychology as a biological and social science. Topics shall include research methodology, physiological processes, perception, learning, memory and cognition, human development, animal behaviour, emotion, motivation, consciousness, personality and individuality, psychological disorders and treatment, and social psychology.
Psychology 1000 is a prerequisite for Psychology 1001.
2010
The Psychology of Human Development I*
is a survey of principles underlying human development from the prenatal stage to adolescence. Topics covered will include sensorimotor, linguistic, perceptual, cognitive and motivational changes.
2011
The Psychology of Human Development II
is an examination of relevant research on socialization and personality development with special emphasis on attachment, imitation, sex role and moral development in childhood and adolescence.
Prerequisites: Psychology 1000 and 1001.
Note:
Credit may not be obtained for both Psychology 2011 and Psychology 2025.
2012
The Psychology of Human Development III
is concerned with the major physical, intellectual and interpersonal changes associated with maturity and aging. It completes the study of the life-span development of the human organism initiated in Psychology 2010 and 2011.
Prerequisites: Psychology 1000 and 1001.
Note:
Credit may not be obtained for both Psychology 2012 and Psychology 3052.
2100
Attitudes and Social Cognition*
is an examination of the concepts and principles involved in the interaction between the individual and others. Emphasis will be on the theoretical and empirical concerns of attitude formation and change, social perception, and social cognition.
2120
Interpersonal and Group Processes
- inactive course.
2150
Introduction to Forensic Psychology
will provide an in-depth overview of the relationship between psychology and the law. A variety of topics will be discussed and critically evaluated, including the use and misuse of psychology-based investigative methods such as offender and geographic profiling, detection of deception, investigative interviewing, eyewitness testimony, jury decision-making, corrections and treatment, risk assessment, and criminal responsibility.
2240
Survey of Learning
- inactive course.
2440
Human Memory and Cognition*
is an introduction to the basic principles of human memory and information processing. Topics covered will include the organization, representation and retrieval of information in memory, attention, pattern recognition, language processing, mental imagery, reasoning, problem solving, and decision making. There will be an emphasis on the application of basic principles to real life situations.
2530
Mathematical Psychology
- inactive course.
2540
Psychology of Gender and Sex Roles
is an examination of the influence of gender and sex roles on development and socialization, attitude formation, cognition, personality and mental health.
2560
Intelligence
- inactive course.
2610
Personality*
2800
Drugs and Behaviour
2810
Brain and Behaviour*
is a broad survey of physiological psychology at an elementary level. Topics will include the following: structure of the nervous system, nerve conduction, sensory and motor systems, behavioural biology of reproduction, aggression, feeding and drinking, sleep and arousal, pleasure and pain, learning and memory.
Prerequisites: Psychology 1000 and 1001.
Note:
Credit may not be obtained for both Psychology 2810 and any of the following: Psychology 3801, Psychology 2825, the former Psychology 2850.
3430
The Psychology of Thinking
will present theories and experimental studies of problem solving, creativity and decision making. Topics covered will include the difficulties encountered in problem solving and solutions such as strategies for organizing and representing information, the production of ideas, transfer and discovery learning.
Prerequisites: Psychology 1000 and 1001.
Note:
Credit may not be obtained for Psychology 3430 and the former Psychology 2430.
3501
Industrial Psychology
is an examination of the theories and concepts of industrial psychology. Topics covered will include research and testing methods, measuring job and performance appraisal systems, personnel selection methods, personnel training and development, work motivation, work stress, designing work for people, and human engineering.
Prerequisite: Any 2000-level course in Psychology.
3533
Sexual Behaviour
is a psychological analysis of sexual behaviour. The course will examine the physiological, behavioural, social and personality bases of the male and female sexual response, heterosexuality and homosexuality and other sexual behaviour. Other topics may include the social precursors of human sexual behaviour, sex therapy, pregnancy and childbirth, and nonhuman sexual behaviour.
Prerequisites: Psychology 1000 and 1001.
Note:
Credit may not be obtained for Psychology 3533 and the former Psychology 3300.
3577
Program Evaluation
- inactive course.
3640
The Psychology of Abnormal Behaviour*
covers problems of definition, the history of beliefs about abnormal behaviour and the implication of a behavioural model for the understanding and control of behaviour problems will be discussed.
Prerequisite: Any 2000 level course in Psychology.
4810
Human Neuropsychology
covers clinical disorders of sensation, perception, movement, memory, language and emotion that have resulted from brain damage or disease from the perspective of current knowledge of brain structure and function. Lateralization of function, disconnection syndromes, and mechanisms of recovery of function following brain damage will also be covered. Related experimental studies of brain structure and function in non-humans will be discussed.
Prerequisite: One of Psychology 2810, 3800 or 3801 (formerly 2850).
Note:
These courses are restricted to Majors and Minors in Psychology and Behavioural Neuroscience.
2520
Mind and Brain
covers cognitive and neuroscience perspectives on two different themes (visual perception from sensation through imagery, attention and working memory) will be used to convey the logic and methods used in modern-day psychological research, the development and use of theory to guide further research, the utility of multiple research perspectives for developing a full understanding of psychological issues, and basic concepts in cognition and neuroscience.
2570
Understanding Individual Differences
uses current conceptualizations of personality and ability as a focus, the course will review issues related to the measurement of individual differences, including test characteristics and ethics. Research from a variety of perspectives will be used to illustrate the contributions of different areas of psychology to our understanding of individual differences.
2910
Research Methods in Psychology I
is an introduction to the design and application of psychological research with particular concentration on understanding and applying scientific method, creating and testing hypotheses, constructing reliable and valid experiments, managing and analyzing data sets, using statistical software, and scientific writing. Specific topics include descriptive statistics including measures of central tendency, variability and relative standing, inferential statistics such as t tests for one and two sample designs, correlation and regression, and non-parametric statistics.
Prerequisites: Psychology 1000 and 1001; Mathematics 1000 or two of 1090, 1050 and 1051 (or equivalents)
Laboratory period weekly.
2911
Research Methods in Psychology II
covers research methods in psychology with a focus on more complex research designs and statistical approaches, within the realm of experimentation and beyond the laboratory. Specific topics include controlling participant variables, using between and repeated measures designs within the context of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Particular ANOVA approaches include one-way and factorial designs, within subject design, and two-way mixed designs.
Prerequisite: Psychology 2910
Laboratory period weekly.
3050
Developmental Psychology
is an examination of the methods of study and an evaluation of current findings and theoretical issues of importance to an understanding of development. Topics will be drawn from perception, learning, cognition, social learning, memory and language development.
Prerequisite: Psychology 2520, 2570 and 2911.
Note:
Credit may not be obtained for both Psychology 3050 and Psychology 2010.
3100
Social Psychology
3250
Learning
3350
Perception
3450
Human Cognition
is an introduction to the experimental study of the mental representations and processes involved in human cognition. Topics such as attention, perception and pattern recognition, concepts and the organization of knowledge, language processes, mental imagery, reasoning, problem solving, decision making and skilled performance will be covered with an emphasis on experimental analysis and techniques.
3620
Personality Theory and Research
3650
Abnormal Psychology
is an examination of the nature, explanation and treatment of psychological disorders with an emphasis on research methods and current findings.
3750
Animal Behaviour I
is an introduction to the mechanisms, development, function and evolution of behaviour in animals. Topics include the history of ethology and comparative psychology, and behavioural ecology; methods of animal behaviour study, behaviour of animals in relation to physiology, learning, communication, mating systems, and other areas in Biology and Psychology.
Prerequisites: Biology 1001, 1002 and Psychology 2520, 2570 and 2911.
Note:
Credit may be obtained for only one of Psychology 3750 and Biology 3750.
3800
Neuroscience
addresses the structure and function of neurons and neural circuits and examines principles of electrochemical neural communication at the macroscopic, microscopic and molecular level. The relevance of this knowledge to understanding brain mechanisms of normal and diseased brain functions will be touched upon. The molecular basis of the formation of some types of memories will be explored.
3801
Behavioural Neuroscience
is a survey of knowledge about brain mechanisms of behaviour. Topics will include the following: basic neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, somatosensory systems and pain, reward, mental illness, sleep and arousal, developmental neurobiology, sexual development and behaviour, regulation of eating and body weight, learning and memory, and cortical function, including cortical mediation of language.
3900
Design and Analysis III
is a course on complex and specialized research design in Psychology. Multifactor research designs that employ both between- and within-subjects independent variables. Advantages and disadvantages of using multifactor research designs to test psychological hypotheses. Hierarchical designs and incomplete factorials. The use of covariates and blocking to increase experimental precision. Problems created by missing data. Single subject designs. How to answer specific psychological questions in the context of complex designs. The design and analysis of non-experimental psychological research. Applications of such techniques as the analysis of variance and multiple linear regression to the data obtained with these research designs, with special attention to problems inherent in psychological research.
Prerequisite: Psychology 2911.
Laboratory period weekly.
4070
Research Experience in Development Psychology
4150
Selected Topics in Social Psychology I
Prerequisite: Psychology 3100 or the former Psychology 3160.
4151
Selected Topics in Social Psychology II
Prerequisite: Psychology 3100 or the former Psychology 3160.
4152
Selected Topics in Applied Social Psychology
Prerequisite: Psychology 3100 or the former Psychology 3160.
4160
Psychology and the Law
allows students, upon completion of this course, to demonstrate an advanced understanding of psychology and the law. Specifically, students will be able to discuss and critically evaluate topics related to the Canadian legal system, police investigations, memory in legal contexts, jury selection, jury decision-making, sentencing, parole, offender assessment and treatment, fitness to stand trial, and forensic civil psychology.
Prerequisite: Psychology 3100 or the former Psychology 3160.
4170
Research Experience in Social Psychology
will provide research experience in a selection of areas typically studied by social psychologists such as attitudes, prejudice, groups and social cognition. Students will acquire experience with research methods that are used to advance the body of knowledge in social psychology.
4250
Selected Topics in Learning and Motivation I
Prerequisite: Psychology 3250 or the former Psychology 2250.
4251
Selected Topics in Learning and Motivation II
Prerequisite: Psychology 3250 or the former Psychology 2250.
4260
Learning Processes and Drug Effects
focuses on explanations of the behavioural effects of drugs that can be found in learning and conditioning theory. This course will provide a careful examination of such processes as drug state conditioning and discrimination, drug effects on operant behaviour, drug self-administration and tolerance.
Prerequisite: Psychology 3250 or the former Psychology 2250.
4270
Research Experience in Learning
4350
Selected Topics in Perception I
is an intensive examination of a specific topic of current interest in perception.
Prerequisites: Psychology 3350 or the former Psychology 2360.
4351
Selected Topics in Perception II
is an intensive examination of a specific topic of current interest in perception.
Prerequisites: Psychology 3350 or the former Psychology 2360.
4370
Research Experience in Perception
4402
Selected Topics in Cognitive Science
4452
Selected Topics in Cognition: Reading
is a survey of the research literature on the development of reading skills including a discussion of dyslexia.
Prerequisites: Psychology 3450 and a course in Linguistics.
4461
Psycholinguistics
(formerly 3400) is the psychological approach to the study of language concentrating particularly on the areas of speech, meaning, grammar and communication. The research topics to be discussed include the child’s acquisition of language, bilingualism, teaching language to animals, and social factors in language use.
4462
Human Memory
surveys theories and research about how humans remember information and why they forget. Topics include research on sensory memory, short-term working memory, amnesia, forgetting, memory development, and semantic memory as well as practical issues such as how to improve memory.
Prerequisite: Psychology 3450.
4470
Research Experience in Cognition
4660
Developmental Psychopathology
is a review of current theory and research related to the developmental course of maladaptive behaviours in children and adolescents. Topics will include behavioural, emotional and developmental disorders. Research concerning the role of individual, family, community and cultural factors will be discussed.
Prerequisite: Psychology 3650.
4661
Family Psychology
is a study of the reciprocal relationship between family processes and abnormal behaviour. The course will focus on the role of family dynamics in the etiology of abnormal behaviour, the impact of psychological disorders on family functioning and the application of family therapy to create therapeutic change.
Prerequisite: Psychology 3650, or all of 2520, 2570, 2911 and 3640.
4662
Clinical Psychology and Theories of Psychotherapy
will introduce students to the science and profession of clinical and counselling psychology. Course content will include a review of approaches to assessment and psychotherapy and a look at some of the major research questions and findings in this area.
Prerequisite: Psychology 3650.
4670
Research Experience in Abnormal Psychology
4671
Research Experience in Personality
4701
Animal Behaviour II
- inactive course.
4750
Selected Topics in Animal Behaviour I
4770
Research Experience in Animal Behaviour
4870
Neuroscience Research
4910
Systems in Contemporary Psychology
is a study of paradigms and explanations in contemporary psychology in the context of their historical antecedents.
Prerequisite: Thirty credit hours in Psychology courses required in the majors program.
499A and 499B
Honours Dissertation
is a 6 credit hours linked course, based on independent study of an approved problem in Psychology. The topic will be chosen in consultation with the Faculty Advisor. The first semester will normally involve directed reading in this area, and preparation of a dissertation proposal. The second semester will be devoted to conducting the study, gathering data, data analysis and preparation of a formal written report. The dissertation must be submitted for grading before the end of the tenth week of the semester in which the student is registered for 499B.
Prerequisite: Admission to the Honours Program.