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The Psychology Department offers a broad range of courses and programs designed to meet the needs of students from a variety of backgrounds and with varying degrees of interest in psychology. The Department offers an area of Concentration for the General Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees, and a Major and Honours for both the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees, a Minor for the Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Commerce degrees, and a Certificate in Human Resource Management and a Certificate in Forensic Psychology. The Department offers graduate programs of study leading to the Master of Science degree in Applied Psychology (Industrial/Organization and Forensic Psychology) and Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
The psychology undergraduate curriculum consists mainly of semester courses worth three (3) credit hours which are grouped into three broad categories:
Courses in Group A are representative of psychology as a natural science and offer instruction in the areas of:
Courses in Group B are representative of psychology as a social science and provide instruction in the areas of:
Courses in Group C are representative of psychology in general and include:
among others.
Students who wish to major in psychology should begin by selecting foundation courses from:
Although recommended for majors, these 1000-level courses are open to other students and count towards Faculty of Arts Regulation 3d. Students may take as many of these courses as they wish; however, they should be guided in their selection by the stated prerequisites for 2000 and 3000 level courses. Additionally, students in the Faculty of Arts should be mindful of the need to complete at least forty-eight (48) credit hours at the 2000 level or higher. Introduction to Psychology (formerly PSYC 1200) (Group C) (PSYC 1000) is not a prerequisite for other 1000-level psychology courses, but it is required for a Major in Psychology for both the B.A. and the B.Sc. programs.
Students who wish to take psychology as an elective should begin with Introduction to Psychology (formerly PSYC 1200) (Group C) (PSYC 1000), which is a broad survey of the discipline. Completion of Introduction to Psychology (formerly PSYC 1200) (Group C) (PSYC 1000) will permit enrolment in selected psychology courses at the 2000 and 3000-level. Psychology courses at the 4000-level are normally available only to those planning an area of concentration or a major in the discipline. Students who meet the prerequisites of a 4000-level course or who obtain permission of the instructor, however, may register for the course. Arts students seeking to fulfill degree requirement 3d or who wish to minor in psychology, Science students seeking to fulfill degree requirement 3e, 6e, or 7b, or who wish to minor in psychology; and Commerce students seeking to fulfill degree requirement 5c should contact the Psychology Advisor for guidance in selecting courses relevant to their needs.
Students from any of the three Faculties who wish to minor in Psychology must complete the following requirements:
Sufficient credit hours in PSYC to meet the minimum required by the students’ own Faculty regulations for a Minor. For students in the Bachelor of Arts and Commerce degree programs, this minimum number of credit hours is twenty-four (24); in the Bachelor of Science degree program, this minimum number of credit hours is thirty (30).
The Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) is a well-established, foundational degree. Its specific requirements are listed below alongside general graduation requirements.
Psychology is both a natural and a social science. Thus, students may major in Psychology and obtain a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts degree. The major subject area course requirements for a Psychology Major are the same for both faculties: The required minimum forty-five (45) credit hours in PSYC must include the following:
*Please see the course listings for Group A & B under Programs - Undergraduate.
For students majoring in Psychology, Psychological Statistics (formerly PSYC 2350) (Group C) (PSYC 2020) is a prerequisite for all 4000-level psychology courses. Students who have taken another statistics class may check with the Psychology Advisor to determine its equivalency. B.A. students who are taking Psychology as a major must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.00 (an average grade of C) in the courses used to meet the minimum credit hour requirements for the major. (Arts Regulation); B.Sc. students must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.20 in the major subject courses used to satisfy 6(d) (Science Regulation).
Students seeking a double major in Psychology and another subject must meet the requirements for a major in psychology as stated above. Students who are completing a double major in Psychology and Biology may substitute Biostatistics (BIOL 3308) in place of Psychological Statistics (formerly PSYC 2350) (Group C) (PSYC 2020).
Students who intend to declare a major in Psychology are advised to consult the Psychology Advisor as to whether the Bachelor of Science or the Bachelor of Arts is better suited to their career goals.
Students Pursuing a Bachelor of Science - General degree may elect an area of concentration in Psychology. The specific requirements are listed under Bachelor of Science – General (with a Concentration) in this Academic Calendar. To satisfy 3 (d), the following is required:
For students seeking a concentration in psychology, Psychological Statistics (formerly PSYC 2350) (Group C) (PSYC 2020) is a prerequisite for all 4000-level psychology courses. Biostatistics (BIOL 3308) is an acceptable equivalent prerequisite for all 4000-level courses. Students who have taken another statistics class may check with the Psychology Advisor to determine its equivalency. Students seeking a concentration in psychology are required to complete Research Methods in Psychology (formerly PSYC 2340) (Group C) (PSYC 2010) and Psychological Statistics (formerly PSYC 2350) (Group C) (PSYC 2020) or Biostatistics (BIOL 3308).
The Psychology Department offers honours study leading to a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree, a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree, and a Certificate of Honours Standing (Honours Equivalency), Academic Regulation 25.
The honours program is intended for students of above average ability who wish to proceed to graduate work in psychology or related fields or who intend to pursue careers in psychology.
For admission to Honours in Psychology, program students at the time of application must have:
These requirements are minimum standards only. Because the Department has limited resources for offering the honours program, students who meet the minimum standards are not guaranteed admission.
Admission decisions are normally made in spring. Refer to the Department website for standard application deadlines. Applications from students who do not meet the minimum standards as outlined above at the time of application will not be processed.
The requirements for Honours in Psychology follow the general regulations for the Faculties of Arts and Science as stated in the Calendar. The course requirements are as follows: a minimum of sixty (60) credit hours in PSYC courses, including:
To determine a program of study that is appropriate to their future plans, honours students should consult with the Psychology Advisor.
The cooperative education program in Psychology allows eligible students to complement their academic studies with experience in relevant work environments. The program involves the completion of a minimum of three terms of approved work experience, and generally takes one year longer to complete than the corresponding traditional degree. A “Cooperative Education” notation is added to the academic transcripts of students who successfully complete the requirements of the program in addition to their regular degree requirements.
Application to the program takes place via the Cooperative Education Office and is normally submitted after the second semester of Year 1. Admission to the program requires a minimum cumulative quality point average of 2.50 and a minimum quality point average of 3.00 in psychology courses.
Further detail concerning the requirements and regulations of the cooperative education program can be found in this Calendar, under Faculty of Science.
Students may enrol in the Certificate program in Human Resources Management as a stand-alone program, either prior to completing or following completion of a bachelor’s degree. Students who major in psychology as part of either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree may also obtain a certificate in Human Resource Management by selecting an appropriate set of interdisciplinary courses.
The combined program offers students a sound foundation in basic and applied topics relevant to either a career or graduate training in the field of Human Resource Management and related areas. Details on this certificate can be found under Human Resource Management in this Academic Calendar.
The Department offers a Master of Science degree in Applied Psychology with a concentration in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology or Forensic Psychology,and a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. There are a limited number of placements available in these programs and competition for these positions is extremely high. For additional information on graduate programs see the Graduate Academic Calendar.
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) is a well-established, foundational degree and requires the requirements listed below alongside general graduation requirements.
Students pursuing a General Bachelor of Arts degree may elect an area of concentration in psychology. In addition to meeting the requirements for a Minor program, students must complete:
In addition, the Faculty of Arts requires students pursuing a B.A. degree with Double Arts Concentration to complete a minimum of ninety (90) credit hours with at least twenty-four (24) credit hours in Psychology; students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.00. Further details are available from the Psychology Advisor.
Forensic Psychology refers broadly to the research and application of psychological knowledge to the justice system, including the empirical and theoretical knowledge of behaviour and decision-making of suspects, offenders, judges, lawyers, police, victims, jurors, and others involved in the justice system. Topics of study include police psychology, eyewitness memory, juror decision-making, crime victims, offender behaviour, criminal responsibility, and forensic risk and competency assessments.
Students may enrol in the Certificate program in Forensic Psychology as a stand-alone program, either prior to completing or following completion of a bachelor’s degree. Students who major in psychology as part of either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree may also obtain a Certificate in Forensic Psychology by selecting an appropriate set of courses. Please note that no more than 12 credit hours of courses required for the psychology major can be used to fulfil requirements for the certificate. Psychology students interested in this certificate may wish to take additional PSYC courses as degree electives to fulfil the credit hour requirement. Students returning to Saint Mary's after completion of a psychology major will be required to take a minimum of 12 credit hours to fulfil requirements for this certificate.
Admission requirements for students who wish to complete the Certificate as a “stand alone” are the same as the admission requirements for the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree OR a minimum of four years employment in a relevant field. Introduction to Psychology (formerly PSYC 1200) (Group C) (PSYC 1000), Research Methods in Psychology (formerly PSYC 2340) (Group C) (PSYC 2010) and Psychological Statistics (formerly PSYC 2350) (Group C) (PSYC 2020) are included in the admission requirements.
Students will earn the Certificate in Forensic Psychology by completing twenty-four (24) credit hours as indicated below. The mean GPA for all courses comprising this Certificate (24 credit hrs) must be at least 3.0.
Please note that some core courses have prerequisites that are not part of the Certificate, which will extend the duration of study for students entering the Certificate without a background in Psychology.
Note: Please view the Psychology Courses page within the Undergraduate Academic Calendar for course prerequisites. It is important to keep this in mind when planning your academic career.
Other courses may also be used to satisfy Certificate requirements (if they are directly related to forensic psychology and with permission from the Department Chair or Undergraduate Program Coordinator). For example: Directed Research in Psychology (formerly PSYC 4445) (Group C) (PSYC 4010), Honours Thesis (formerly PSYC 4549) (Group C) (PSYC 4060), or Seminar in Psychology (formerly PSYC 4446) (Group C) (PSYC 4080).
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