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Psychology Undergraduate Studies

May 4, 2012
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Psychology Undergraduate Student Handbook (2012 2013)


TABLE OF CONTENTS

PSYCHOLOGY IS A POPULAR UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR

According to the Canadian and American Psychological Associations, Psychology is one of the most popular Majors in North America.

At the University of Waterloo (uWaterloo) there are 800 Psychology Majors. Approximately 68% are enrolled in Honours Psychology. The other 32% are in either Three Year General Psych or Four Year General Psych. Those in Honours are pursuing the Major in a variety of ways including Honours BA Psychology, Honours BSC Psychology, Joint Honours Psychology (various Home Faculties), Honours Psychology and Arts and Business, etc. In addition, there are approximately 260 students in Majors other than Psychology who are pursuing the Psychology Minor.

More students graduate annually with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology than a Bachelor's degree in any other Major in the Faculty of Arts at uWaterloo.

We are confident that you will find the study of Psychology extremely interesting and that our faculty members will challenge you to achieve your very best.  Our students are exposed to the cutting edge research methods, theories and experiments in the science of the mind.

See 'Why Major in Psychology' for further details.

Note Regarding Access to a Psychology Major:

As of March 2007, only those who are available to take courses on-campus at the Univ of Waterloo during the daytime (e.g., Psych 291 Fall, Psych 292 Winter, etc.) will be considered for admission to the Psychology Major. Those who plan to take courses online, by distance education, and/or evening study only will not be admitted to the Psychology Major.

WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY?

Psychology, the study of mind and behaviour, is one of today's most exciting and rapidly advancing scientific frontiers.

The Psychology Department at the University of Waterloo (uWaterloo) is one the largest of its kind in the province of Ontario and is one of the largest and most diverse departments at uWaterloo. Our faculty members have expertise in several of the subareas of Psychology including clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, and social psychology. At uWaterloo you can explore a very broad range of topics such as:

  • how people see, hear, think, and solve problems
  • workings of memory and attention
  • acquisition of linguistic, cognitive, and social abilities in infants and young children
  • interpersonal and intergroup relations
  • communication and persuasion
  • cultural influences on behaviour
  • cognitive factors that influence reading disabilities and attention disorders in children
  • schizophrenia, depression, self-esteem, and anxiety disorders in adults
  • neural, physiological, and chemical bases of behaviour
  • feelings, thoughts, and behaviour of people in work situations; employee stress; and leadership and motivation processes in work organization

For details regarding the Psychology course offerings refer elsewhere on the Psychology Undergraduate website.

Applied psychology is the application of scientific principles and theory to pragmatic problems in individuals, systems, organizations, and society. Psychology at uWaterloo encompasses both the purely scientific and applied aspects of psychology.

PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT

 

PSYCHOLOGY FACULTY MEMBERS

The research and scholarly work of our faculty members is highly recognized both nationally and internationally as well as by uWaterloo. Examples of the honours and awards received by Psychology faculty members in our department in recent years include:

  • Outstanding Performance Award - Contributions in Teaching and Scholarship (uWaterloo)
  • Excellence in Research Award (uWaterloo)
  • Distinguished Teacher Award (uWaterloo)
  • Outstanding Performance Award (uWaterloo)
  • Excellence in Graduate Supervision (uWaterloo)
  • Canada Research Chair
  • Premier's Research Excellence Award
  • Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
  • New Investigator Award from the American Psychological Association
  • New Investigator Award from the Ontario Mental Health Foundation
  • Early Research Award from the Government of Ontario
  • President's New Researcher Award from the Canadian Psychological Association
  • American Psychological Foundation Award
  • Fellow Status awarded by the Board of Directors of the American Psychological Association
  • Society for Personality and Social Psychology's Theoretical Innovation Prize
  • Donald T. Campbell Award for Distinguished Research in Social Psychology
  • Distinguished Scientist Award from the Society of Experimental Social Psychology
  • Donald O. Hebb Distinguished Contribution Award - from the Canadian Society for Brain, Behaviour, and Cognitive Science
  • CPA Donald O. Hebb Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology as a Science from the Canadian Psychological Association
  • Distinguished Lifetime Service to the Society - from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology
  • Killam Prize Laureate for the Social Sciences, Canadian Council for the Arts

Many of the faculty members have been active as editors, associate editors, consulting editors or as members of editorial review boards for major scholarly journals.

Contact information, research interests, publications, awards and achievements (note sort features on that website).

That listing is useful to Psychology Majors who are seeking volunteer and/or paid research positions as well as course supervisors for the Honours Thesis course (Psych 499A/B/C), Directed Studies courses (Psych 480-486), or Research Apprenticeship courses (Psych 264 or 464).

DEPARTMENTAL DIVISIONS

The research activities of the faculty members and graduate students in the University of Waterloo Psychology Department are organized within the following domains of Psychology (= departmental divisions):

Collaborative research between members of more than one departmental division (as well as with members of other academic units at the university) is common.

Those pursuing Bachelor's degrees in Psychology do not officially specialize in any one of the above domains of Psychology. The degree requirements dictate that students must sample course offerings from several domains of Psychology in order to gain a broad perspective of the discipline. However, there is some flexibility within the degree requirements (e.g,, choices for the Advanced Psych courses, Advanced Research Methods Courses, and Honours Seminars) to tailor course selections towards an individual's particular interests.

Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology involves the psychological assessment and treatment of people who have emotional and behavioural problems. Many clinical psychologists have a PhD in Psychology. This training leads to expertise in psychological testing, research methodologies (experimental psychopathology, evaluation research, and other areas important to advancing our understanding of services and patients), and psychotherapy.

A person can engage in practice as a clinical psychologist only after passing an internationally normed written examination and an oral exam to review their fitness to practice. For information about the differences between clinical psychology and other treatment services (e.g., counselling psychology, psychotherapy, psychiatry, social work) as well as the licensing requirements to practice Psychology in Canada, see FAQ 17 (outside this handbook).

Further details

Examples of relevant courses:

Psych 218 - Psychology of Death and Dying
Psych 236 - A Psychological Analysis of Human Sexuality
Psych 257 (or Psych 323R) - Psychopathology
Psych 317 - Child Psychopathology
Psych 332 - Human Motivation and Emotion
Psych 334 - Theories of Individual Counselling
Psych 335 - Developmental Neuroscience (first offering of Psych 335 is under the Psych 363 course number Spring 2012)
Psych 356 (or Psych 322R) - Personality Theory
Psych 397 - Research in Personality and Clinical Psychology*
Psych 457 - Honours Seminar in Personality and Clinical Psychology*
Psych 492 - Psychological Measurement*

*Open to Honours Psychology Majors only.

Cognitive Neuroscience

Cognitive neuroscientists study the relations between the structure and activity of the brain and its function in generating integrated, adaptive behavioural responses. As such, they are generally more interested in 'systems-level' explanations of brain-behaviour relations (e.g., inherent in motor control, language, vision, attention, memory, emotion) than in very restricted and reduced explanations of cellular or subcellular mechanisms in the nervous system. Cognitive neuroscientists are most likely to use methods that focus on the role played by large neuronal systems in the orchestration of behaviour. Under experimental conditions, they study the behaviours of normal people or animals, as well as the behaviours of people or animals with brain damage (e.g., damage due to strokes or brain tumors, or in the case of animals, experimentally induced damage). They may also measure the activity of functioning brains in people or animals using electrophysiological methods (electroencephalography) or brain imaging techniques (PET, functional MRI).

Further details

Examples of relevant courses:

Psych 207 - Cognitive Processes
Psych/Phil 256 - Intro to Cognitive Science (offered by the Phil Dept)
Psych 261 - Physiological Psychology
Psych 306 - Perception
Psych 307 - Human Neuropsychology
Psych 335 - Developmental Neuroscience (first offering of Psych 335 is under the Psych 363 course number Spring 2012)
Psych 392 - Research in Human Cognitive Neuroscience*
Psych 396 - Research in Behavioural Neuroscience*
Psych 398 - Research in Memory*
Psych 420 - Introduction to Computational Neuroscience Methods
Psych/Phil 447 - Seminar in Cognitive Science (offered by the Phil Dept)
Psych 461 - Honours Seminar in Behavioural Neuroscience)*

*Open to Honours Psychology Majors only.

Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychologists study the underlying mechanisms that make vision, hearing, and other senses possible. They also study the underlying mechanisms that make thinking possible. These mechanisms include the storage and retrieval of information from memory, attention, consciousness, language, communication, reading, problem solving, reasoning, judgment and decision making. These areas of investigation are at the core of what is known as cognitive science.

Further details

Examples of relevant courses:

Psych 207 - Cognitive Processes
Psych/Phil 256 - Intro to Cognitive Science (offered by the Phil Dept)
Psych 304 - Thinking and Deciding
Psych 306 - Perception
Psych 308 - Psychology of Reading
Psych 394 - Research in Cognition and Perception*
Psych 398 - Research in Memory*
Psych/Phil 447 - Seminar in Cognitive Science (offered by the Phil Dept)
Psych 458 - Honours Seminar in Cognition*

*Open to Honours Psychology Majors only.

Developmental Psychology

Developmental psychology is concerned with change and continuity in psychological processes across the life span, beginning in infancy and continuing through adolescence and adulthood. Goals include communicating to students the role that research with infants and children can play in better understanding developmental processes and in improving practices related to children in families, as well as in child care, educational, recreational, and clinical settings. Major topics of study include: infant-caregiver communicative interaction; theory of mind; narrative, pragmatic, and conversational development; conceptual development, semantic development, and vocabulary acquisition; mother-child discourse.

Further details

Examples of relevant courses:

Psych 211 - Developmental Psychology
Psych 212/212R - Educational Psychology
Psych 213R - Exceptional Children
Psych 218 - Psychology of Death and Dying
Psych 312/312R - Learning Disabilities
Psych 314 - Cognitive Development
Psych 315 - Psychology of Adolescence
Psych 317 - Child Psychopathology
Psych 318 - Psychosexual Organization
Psych 319 - Problem Behaviour in the Classroom
Psych 320 - Language Development
Psych 321 - Conceptual Development (first offering possibly 2013)
Psych 335 - Developmental Neuroscience (first offering of Psych 335 is under the Psych 363 course number Spring 2012)
Psych 393 - Research in Developmental Psychology*
Psych 453 - Honours Seminar in Developmental Psychology*
Psych 454 - Honours Seminar in Educational Psychology*

*Open to Honours Psychology Majors only.

Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologists are interested in the behaviours, thoughts, and feelings of people in work situations. Researchers in I/O psychology seek theoretical understanding of these phenomena, and practical contribution to problems concerning communication, job satisfaction, perceptions of fairness, decision making, productivity, employee selection, training, motivation, leadership, stress, and conflict resolution. I/O psychologists are also interested in organizational structure, culture, change, and development.

Further details

Examples of relevant courses:

Psych 338 - Organizational Behaviour
Psych 339 - Personnel Selection
Psych 340 - Training and Development
Psych 399 - Research in Industrial/Organizational Psychology*
Psych 439 - Negotiation in the Workplace: Theory and Practice
Psych 462 - Honours Seminar in Industrial/Organizational Psychology*
Psych 467 - Human Resources Apprenticeship*
Psych 492 - Psychological Measurement*
Courses in HRM - Human Resources Management

*Open to Honours Psychology Majors only.

Social Psychology

Social psychology is an extremely broad field. Social psychologists focus most of their attention on how people think about, influence, and relate to one another as well as how people are affected by their physical and social environments. Faculty members and graduate students are currently engaged in studies of dating and marriage, attitudes and attitude change, social cognition, autobiographical memory, stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination, social comparison, interpersonal conflict, and health psychology.

Further details

Examples of relevant courses:

Psych 222R - Cross-Cultural Psychology
Psych 253 (or Psych 220R) - Social Psychology
Psych 350 - Political Psychology
Psych 352 - Culture and Psychology
Psych 353 - Social Cognition
Psych 354/354R - Interpersonal Relations
Psych 395 - Research in Social Psychology*
Psych 455 - Honours Seminar in Social Psychology*

*Open to Honours Psychology Majors only.

WHY MAJOR IN PSYCHOLOGY?

LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF AND OTHERS

Students choose to study psychology because they find the discipline fascinating and they want to learn how and why they and others think and behave the way they do, and why they react as they do to situations and to one another. In addition to studying the wealth of knowledge that already exists in Psychology, Psychology Majors also learn the scientific procedures for acquiring new knowledge in Psychology. As a result, they become critical consumers of information. For example, they question the bases of claims (e.g., anecdotal evidence versus sound empirical evidence) made in the media regarding people's abilities and inclinations.

The above knowledge is very useful in everyday life as well as at work.

PSYCHOLOGY MAJORS DEVELOP DISTINCTIVE MARKETABLE SKILLS

A liberal arts education provides students with opportunities to develop a wide variety of marketable skills including interpersonal, oral and written communication, organizational, time management, critical thinking, and problem solving. In addition, Psychology Majors develop distinctive marketable skills including observation and analysis of human behaviour, numeracy and computer literacy, oral (including public speaking) and written communication. The degree to which these skills are developed will depend on the specific academic plan in which the student is enrolled (e.g., to a greater degree in Honours Psychology than General Psychology) as well by activities outside the classroom (e.g., volunteer or paid research assistant positions).

Employers expect their employees to be able to analyze information and make decisions about problems that arise at work. For example, why did sales decrease this year? Would it be cost effective to change computer systems? In order to do this kind of data analysis, people need to be able to clarify the question, identify the data required, determine methods to obtain those data, and employ analytic techniques to allow one to draw a conclusion. A very good way to acquire these skills is to obtain a Bachelor's degree with a Major in Psychology.

Observation, Analytic, Numeracy, and Computer Skills

Psychology Majors, in contrast to those in many other areas of the liberal arts, receive extensive training in data analysis and interpretation. They have quite varied experience in interpreting data summaries in both numeric and graphical forms. In addition, numeric and analytic skills are applied in a variety of substantive and methodological contexts. These skills extend to a variety of computer-based skills including the use of statistical and graphics software in senior methods courses. Students may also use spreadsheets packages, databases, and specialized programming for experimental work (e.g., during volunteer or paid research positions in the Psych Dept. or when doing an Honours Thesis).

Experimental Procedures
Training in the analytic skills of experimental design is a major component of the Honours Psychology curriculum and, to a less degree, of the General Psychology academic plan. Students are trained to address problems of human motivation, memory, social relations, communication, and many other human capacities and dispositions, by translating them into solvable empirical problems. This also entails critical evaluation of the bases of claims about human abilities and inclinations.

Fieldwork and Observation
Several areas of psychology require special methods for observing and recording human activity in natural or enriched naturalistic experimental procedures.

Interviewing Skills
Many areas of psychology require the application of interviewing skills, often for very targeted purposes, for example, collecting data to address specific research questions - procedures directly relating to such critical activities as making diagnoses or hiring decisions.

Test Construction, Interpretation, and Evaluation
This is a highly mathematically formalized sub-discipline within psychology. Testing is a major component of much psychological research and practice and may often be combined with experimental procedures, fieldwork and naturalistic observation, as well as interviews.

Oral and Written Communication Skills

It is uncommon to find disciplines that produce graduates who are simultaneously numerate and literate.

A liberal arts education strives, above all, to produce alumni who are highly literate. This is something we also strive for in psychology. Moreover, the diversity of methods in psychology inevitably leads to a diversity of modes of expression that exceeds perhaps any other discipline.

Essays and Review Papers
These are an integral part of all parts of a liberal arts education and the mainstay of advanced study in most humanities subjects. Such writing requires integrating and organizing large amounts of material and communicating the results. Psychology students gain much experience in this genre of writing both within psychology and across related humanities disciplines.

Experimental Reports
In contrast to most liberal arts students, Psychology Majors gain experience in writing that, in contrast to the tradition of essay writing, requires making general ideas specific, achieving exacting precision in description, translating human action into quantitative terms, and employing mathematical procedures to evaluate theories. Considerable discipline is required to remain within the exacting confines of this genre.

Observational Reports and Case Studies
Less common than experimental reports and somewhat less rigid in their structure, this sort of writing is nonetheless sometimes required of undergraduate students. These genres share with essay writing the requirement of organizing large amounts of information, detecting the essential, and communicating this in a clear and coherent manner, but differ in requiring that the student integrate concrete, specific material gathered first-hand, with more general, conceptual material.

Perspectives on Human Thought and Action

Multiple Perspectives
Psychology Majors are required to take a broad array of courses that require that they understand human action from individual as well as social perspectives, from practical and applied as well as theoretical-conceptual perspectives, from a cognitive-neuroscience perspective, from developmental perspectives, to name just a few.

Interpersonal Awareness
A large component of psychology deals with issues of human relations. Students are sensitive to, and have frameworks for understanding, the complex dynamics of both individual motives and group dynamics, as well as the implications of the limited capacity of humans to deal with complex information that lead to errors, misunderstandings, and conflict.

Awareness of Environmental Effects on Human Behaviour
Psychologists are sensitive to the powerful and immediate control of environmental conditions that affect human performance and relationships. Students are encouraged to analyze the environmental and interpersonal signals that control and moderate human actions.

PREPARE FOR FURTHER STUDIES

A Bachelor's degree in Psychology is a practical stepping stone to vast array of further studies.

Students should identify at least two or three careers/jobs that they are interested in pursuing (see the 'Why Major in Psychology' and 'Psychology Majors at Work' sections above for examples) and then thoroughly investigate the level of education and the types of experience (e.g., volunteer work and/or paid employment related to the field, networking) that are required in order to obtain such positions. Students' choices will affect the decisions that they make regarding their study habits, course selections, amount/type of volunteer work they choose to do, the kinds of summer and part time jobs they seek, the amount/type of networking they do, the student groups they get involved with, etc.

University Level (Other Than Psychology)

Many students with a Bachelor's degree in psychology further their education at the university level in areas other than psychology. Examples include:

  • Art Therapy
  • Business
  • Child Studies
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders (also called 'Speech Language Pathology and Audiology' or 'Speech and Hearing Science')
  • Criminology
  • Education
  • Family Relations
  • Gerontology
  • Industrial Relations (e.g., emphasizing labour relations and human resource practices)
  • Law, Mediation
  • Library Sciences
  • Management Sciences
  • Marriage and Family Therapy
  • Medicine
  • Music Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Pastoral Counselling, Theology
  • Public Health
  • Public Relations, Public Services
  • Science (e.g., a few Honours BSc Psych students pursued graduate studies in physiology and biology after graduation)
  • Social Work
  • etc.

If you are interested in applying to any of the above programs, please determine as soon as possible whether or not there are any specific prerequisites that are necessary for admission (e.g., courses, programs, experience).

Educational and Career Pursuits for Psychology Alumni

College Programs

Many students with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology (General or Honours) further their education at the college level in order to obtain applied skills for a particular career path.

Most of the examples provided below were reported as intended future areas of study by UW Psych Majors upon graduation with the Bachelor's degree:

  • Addictions Counselling*
  • Addictions and Mental Health*
  • Applied Counselling*
  • Autism and Behavioural Science*
  • Behavioural Science Technologist (e.g., to work as support workers or counsellors for special populations such as those with brain injury, autism, developmental disabilities, physical challenges, young offenders, etc.)*
  • Career Development Practitioner*
  • Child and Youth Worker*
  • Communicative Disorders Assistant*
  • Corporate Communications and Public Relations*
  • Developmental Services Worker*
  • Early Childhood Education*
  • Early Childhood Education - Advanced Studies in Special Needs*
  • Educational Assistant
  • Fitness and Healthy Lifestyle Practioner*
  • Human Resources Management*
  • Instructor for Blind and Visually Impaired - Rehabilitation Teaching*
  • International Business Management*
  • Marketing Management*
  • Nursing
  • Police Services (e.g., Police Foundations, Advanced Police Studies, Law and Security)*
  • Public Relations*
  • Research Analyst*
  • Social Services Worker*
  • Social Services Worker - Gerontology
  • Teaching English as a Second Language*
  • Workplace Wellness and Health Promotion*
  • etc.

*The programs that have asterisks have 'fast track' options for those who hold a Bachelor's degree.

Educational and Career Pursuits for Psychology Alumni

Graduate Studies in Psychology

Typically no more than 5-15% of those graduating with an Honours degree in Psychology will pursue graduate studies in Psychology. These numbers reflect not only the competition for admission to graduate programs in Psychology but also the wide range of other interests/plans of Psychology Majors (e.g., further studies in areas other than Psychology at the university or college level, and/or to seek employment after graduation).

At the graduate level, students will concentrate their studies in one of the many sub-disciplines of psychology. Examples include:

If you are planning to apply for admission to graduate studies in Psychology, preparations should begin before fourth year.

*How do clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, and social workers differ in their approaches to helping people with their problems? How does the training differ for these career paths?

PSYCHOLOGY MAJORS AT WORK

Psychology Majors develop distinctive marketable skills. They are valued as volunteer and paid research assistants in our labs. Those in the Honours co-op programs are successful at obtaining co-op positions in a wide variety of sectors. Alumni report similar employment to the co-op students. Further details provided below.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY MAJORS

Psychology Majors are actively involved in the research activities of the department serving as volunteer research assistants (RA), volunteer research assistants for academic credit (Psych 264/464), and paid research assistants.

Research experience is valuable for skill development, assessing your interest and potential for doing further research during later years of the Bachelor's degree and beyond (e.g., employment and/or further studies), assessing your educational and career choices, and networking with faculty members:

  • who will be potential supervisors for independent courses involving research e.g., Psych 483, Psych 484 (Directed Studies Research Courses), or Psych 499A/B/C (Honours Thesis),
  • for whom a volunteer or part-time research position with him/her could lead to a full-time research position for you with that person in the future,
  • who could be potential writers of reference letters regarding your potential for graduate school admission or future employment, worthinesss for scholarships for future study, etc.  

Research opportunities and tips for cultivating such experience

PSYCHOLOGY CO-OP STUDENTS ON WORK TERM

The wide range of capabilities of, and career possibilities for, graduates with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology is reflected in the wide variety of positions obtained in both the private and public sectors by Honours Psychology Majors who are enrolled in the Co-op system of study.

University of Waterloo Honours Psychology Co-op students (including both Departmental Co-op and Arts and Business Co-op students) are valued by co-op employers and are performing a wide variety of tasks in numerous sectors. They typically report that the responsibilities of their co-op positions become more challenging as they progress through their work terms as a result of their developing knowledge, skills, and abilities. See below for examples of the tasks, positions, employers, and sectors for co-op positions.

Examples of the Potential Sectors for Co-op Positions for Honours Psych Co-op Students

  • boards of education
  • business (including accounting firms and banks) and manufacturing
  • camps for children
  • family and children's services
  • government (federal and provincial)
  • hospitals and treatment/health facilities
  • nonprofit (e.g., labour unions, chambers of commerce, business associations)
    and charitable organizations (e.g., Big Brothers Big Sisters, Muscular Dystrophy Assoc.)
  • police and probation services
  • recreational
  • services for people with special needs (e.g., camps, residential facilities, community assistance programs)
  • technological enterprises
  • universities and colleges
  • etc.

Examples of the Potential Tasks of Honours Psych Co-op Students

  • administration
    (e.g., planning, coordinating, organizing, facilitating, problem solving, information gathering)
  • assistance for people with special needs
    (e.g., physical, social, or educational support)
  • communication
    (e.g., responding to inquiries verbally or in writing, preparing and giving presentations)
  • computer support
    (e.g., software development, software testing, use of computer software packages for web page design, database management, word processing, statistical analysis, graphs, etc.)
  • customer or public relations
  • human resource activities
    (e.g., recruitment, interviewing, selection, training, policy review)
  • management/supervision
  • marketing
    (e.g., advertising, promotion, marketing analysis)
  • program analysis
  • quality control
  • research
    (e.g., research design, data collection, data analysis, report writing)
  • sales
  • teaching/tutoring
    (e.g., English or computer skills)
  • writing/editing
    (e.g., technical writing, report writing, preparing brochures and/or newsletters)
  • etc.

Examples of the Employers Who Hired Honours Psych Co-op Students and the Diverse Co-op Positions

ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT
1st Impressions Corporate and Sportswear, Chim & Seto - LLp Chartered Accountants, Microsoft Canada, The RAM Group
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ASSISTANT
Canadian Progressive Tool and Transfer, Ceres Environmental Solutions Industries Inc., Correctional Services of Canada, Economical Insurance Group, Guyana Red Cross Society, Harold M. Brathwaite Secondary School, Human Resource Development Canada, Imperial Oil, Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Manulife Financial, Music Department - Univ. of Toronto, Ox Narrows Lodge and Marine, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Region of Peel, Research in Motion, Svec Institute of Psychological Services, The Rising Atlantis International, Toronto Board of Trade, Toronto Dominion Information Technology, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, uWaterloo Conference Centre, uWaterloo Housing Dept., uWaterloo Office of Development and Alumni Affairs
CAREER LIASON/INFORMATION OFFICER
Bank of Montreal, Human Resource Development Canada
CASE ADJUDICATOR
Maritime Life Assurance Company
COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE/ASSISTANT
Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, dmA Planning and Management Services, Greater Toronto Airport Authorities, Microsoft Canada, Mini Minit Products Inc., Ontario Ministry of Energy and Infrastruture, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal, uWaterloo Co-operative Education & Career Action Dept.
(COMPUTER) DATABASE/PROGRAM ASSISTANT
MTI Polyfab, Ontario Senior's Secretariat, United Assoc. of Journeyman and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada
COMPUTER LAB SUPERVISOR/COORDINATOR
Martingrove Collegiate Institute
COMPUTER PROGRAMMER
Multilingual E-Data Solutions
(COMPUTER) SOFTWARE TESTER/QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIALIST
Corel Corporation, Inscriber Technology, Research in Motion, RBC Financial Group - Global Technology Operations
(COMPUTER) TECHNICAL SUPPORT STAFF
Health Canada, IBM, Information & Systems Management at Wilfrid Laurier Univ., Royal Canadian Mounted Police, uWaterloo Arts Computing Office, uWaterloo Information Systems Technology Dept.
(COMPUTER TRAINING/TUTOR ASSISTANT
Humber College, uWaterloo Computer Science Dept.
(COMPUTER) WEB PAGE DESIGNER/DEVELOPER/MANAGER/SPECIALIST
Bank of Montreal, Human Resources Development Canada, Husky Injection Molding Systems, Ministry of Energy and Infrasture, Ontario Super Build Corporation, The Q Group, United Way of Kitchener/Waterloo and Area
(COMPUTER) WEB PUBLISHER AND MARKETING/RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Industry Canada, Pearson Canada
COUNSELLOR/ ASSISTANT/SUPPORT WORKER FOR COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
(I.E., PROGRAMS OTHER THAN CAMPS OR RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS)
Community Head Injury Resources Services of Toronto, Dufferin Child and Family Services, Grandview Children's Centre, Hutton House Association for Adults with Disabilities, Shadow Lake Centre (Toronto Assoc. for Community Living), Victim/Witness Assistance Program
COUNSELLOR/ASSISTANT/INSTRUCTOR FOR SHORT TERM PROGRAMS (E.G., CAMPS)
Camp Arowhan, Camp Brebeuf, Camp Kirk, Camp Wahanowin, Community LIving Mississauga, Connor Homes, Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp, Outdoor Education Centres for the Toronto District School Board, Planet Kids, Reach for the Rainbow, Tim Horton's Children's Foundation, uWaterloo Arts Computer Experience
COUNSELLOR/ASSISTANT/SUPPORT WORKER FOR RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS (E.G., COMMUNITY LIVING CENTRES) OR THE ELDERLY
Glencairn Academy, L'Arche Communities Ontario, Valleyview Home for the Aged
CURRICULUM INNOVATOR/MANAGER
Desire2Learn
CUSTOMER SERVICE ANALYST/COORDINATOR/ASSISTANT
Canada Bread Company Limited, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Ericsson Canada Inc., Lipton Soup Company, uWaterloo Conference Centre, uWaterloo Co-operative Education Dept.
ENGLISH TUTOR
Benxi Future English Training Centre (China), Canada Penergy Education Services Center (China), George Brown College, Humber College, Seneca College, Sheridan College, Comunidad de Estudiantes Cristianos del Ecuador
EVENTS COORDINATOR
Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Community Head Injury Resource Services, Imperial Oil
FINANCIAL ANALYST ASSISTANT
Xerox
FINANCIAL ANALYST/EDITOR ASSISTANT
Industry Canada
FITNESS/WELLNESS COORDINATOR
uWaterloo School of Architecture
FUNDRAISING ASSISTANT
Muscular Dystrophy Assoc., The Rising Atlantis International
GROUP ORGANIZER/FACILITATOR
Hepworth and Associates Counselling Services
GUIDANCE/AT-RISK SUPPORT ASSISTANT
Toronto District School Board
HEALTH PROGRAM DEVELOPER / HEALTH PROMOTION ASSISTANT
La Caridad in Honduras, uWaterloo Health Services Dept.
HOME SUPPORT WORKER
Sarnia District and Children's Treatment Centre
HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT
Brantford Urgent Care, Bruce Power LP, Canada Trust Company, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Delano Technical Corporation, Destinator Technologies, Ericsson, Human Resources Development Canada, Image Craft, Ontario Power Generation, Platform Computing Corporation, Region of Peel, Research in Motion, Sybase, SYNNEX Canada, Toronto Star, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc., Xstrata Zinc Brunswick Mines.
(HUMAN RESOURCES) RECRUITMENT ASSISTANT
Research in Motion, Sybase
INVENTORY CONTROLLER
Pipeline Automotive
LEGAL CLERICAL ASSISTANT
Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP
LIBRARY CLERK
uWaterloo Library
MARKETING/BUSINESS ASSISTANT/ANALYST
Advanced Utility Systems Corporation, Bank of Montreal Master Card, Betancourt Computer Services Inc., Canada's Technology Triangle, CD-Rom Store, Drayton Entertainment, EDGE Proram Scottish Enterprise, Epilepsy Ontario, iAnywhere Solutions, ICS Triplex Technology (Essex UK), IDC Canada, IBM Canada, Lifking Industries Inc., Mallot Creek Strategies, Med Tech Wristbands Inc., Microsoft Canada, Nasser Daher, Norgen Biotek Corporation, Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Open Text Corporation, Sybase, uWaterloo Co-operative Education Dept., uWaterloo Housing Dept., uWaterloo Marketing and Recruitment
MULTIMEDIA SUPPORT ASSISTANT
Cultural Careers Council of Ontario
PENSION FUND ASSISTANT
Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Pension Trust, uWaterloo Human Resources Dept.
(JUNIOR) POLICY ANALYST
Ministry of Education
PROGRAM (OR PROJECT) DIRECTOR/MANAGER
Camp McGovern (K-W Big Brothers Big Sisters), City of Cambridge Community Services Dept. (Aquatics)
PRODUCT EDUCATOR
Therapy Supplies and Rental Limited
PRODUCT MANAGER/COORDINATOR
Bell Canada Inc., Shoppers Drug Mart
PROJECT ASSISTANT
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Indian Residential School Resolutions Canada, Justice Canada - Canadian Institute for Health Dept., Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Public Works and Government Services Canada, Toronto District School Board, University Health Network (Toronto), uWaterloo Information Centre for Learning and Teaching Through Technology (LT3 Centre), uWaterloo Information Systems and Technology Department, uWaterloo Office of Development and Alumni Affairs
RECREATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT
Royal Ottawa Mental Health Cenre, Vision Nursing Home Sarnia, Wingham and District Hospital
RECORDS ASSISTANT OR ADMISSIONS ASSISTANT
Castle Kilbride, uWaterloo Registrar's Office, uWaterloo Office of Development and Alumni Affairs
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Aga Khan University Hospital (Nairobi Kenya), Agriculture Canada, Campbell Soup Company, Canada's Technology Triangle Inc., Dept. of National Defense, Defense Research and Development Canada, Finance Canada, Hamilton General Hospital, Health Canada, Homewood Health Care Centre, Human Resources Development Canada, Indian Residential School Resolution Canada, Justice Canada, Legislative Assembly of Ontario, London Health Services Centre, Mount Sinai Hospital, National Research Council of Canada, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (U of T), Ontario Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Princess Margaret Hospital, Psychology Dept. at Temple Univ., Public History Inc., Real Net Canada Inc., Research in Motion, Research Work! For Child Literacy, Statistics Canada, St. Demetrius Development Corporation,Toronto Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre, Transport Canada, University Health Network Toronto, University of Hong Kong, uWaterloo Centre for Behavioural Research and Program Evaluation, uWaterloo Centre for Learning and Teaching Through Technology (LT3 Centre),uWaterloo Psychology Dept., uWaterloo Sociology Dept., uWaterloo Centre for the Advancement of Co-operative Education (WatCACE)

RESIDENCE DON
University of Waterloo

REVENUE MANAGEMENT ANALYST
Canadian National Railways
SAFETY POLICY ADVISOR
Ontario Ministry of Transportation - Safety Policy and Education Branch
SALES ASSOCIATE
BW2, Hertz Rental Car Company, Kiddie Kobbler, Talisman Mountain Resort
STUDENT ADVOCACY COORDINATOR
uWaterloo Federation of Students
SUPERVISOR/MANAGER/ASSISTANT MANAGER
African Lion Safari, General Motors Services Parts Operation, Paramount Canada's Wonderland, uWaterloo Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment Department, Zellers Inc
TEACHER'S ASSISTANT
Bramalea Secondary School,Durham Forest Valley Outdoor Environmental Education Centre, George Brown College, Humber College, Maplecrest School, Monsignor Doyle Catholic Secondary School, North Park Secondary School, Peel District Secondary School Board, Toronto District School Board, Yorklea Children's (Detention) Centre
VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT COORDINATOR/ASSISTANT
Peel District Secondary School Board
WRITER/EDITOR ASSISTANT
Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Industry Canada, Ontario Ministry of Transportation
WRITER, TECHNICAL
Alias Systems Corp., Business Objects, Corel Corporation, Multi-Health Systems Inc., Ontario Ministry of Transportation, RAND Worldwide, Research in Motion, Sybase Inc., Toronto Transit Commission, Workbrain Inc
WRITER/TRANSLATER
TakingITGlobal (French translation)

 

EMPLOYMENT OF ALUMNI WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY

Alumni of the uWaterloo Psychology program report obtaining similar employment following completion of the Bachelor's degree to the Honours Psychology Co-op students. Examples include:

ADMISSIONS AND RECRUITMENT SPECIALIST
uWaterloo Registrar's Office
ADMINISTRATION/ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES
Registrar's Offices at the Univ of Waterloo and St Jeromes University
ADULT EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR
Achievement Solutions (Waterloo)
ASSISTANT MANAGER
Milestones Restaurant (Toronto)
ASSISTANT PERFORMANCE ANALYST
Navtech Inc. (Waterloo)
BEHAVIOUR THERAPIST/ASSISTANT
Family and Adolescent Services at Chedoke Hospital (Hamilton)
BENEFIT SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE
Sunlife Financial (Waterloo)
CASE WORKER
Family and Children's Services (Toronto), Key Program Inc. (Boston)
CHANGE MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT
Andersen Consulting (Toronto)
CLAIMS ANALYST/CASE COORDINATOR
Manulife Financial (Waterloo), Sunlife (Waterloo)
CLIENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR
Victim Services of Haldimand and Norfolk
COMMUNITY YOUTH AND HEALTH WORKER
Lang's Village Farm Association (Cambridge)
COMPUTER PROGRAMMER
Zuric Insurance (Toronto)
COMPUTER SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
Intellitactics (Kitchener)
COMPUTER SUPPORT/DATA MANAGEMENT
University Health Network (Toronto)
CURRICULUM COORDINATOR
Royal Military College (Kingston)
CUSTOMER SERVICES ASSISTANT; CUSTOMER CONTACT ANALYST
Open Text (Waterloo); Enbridge Gas Distribution (Toronto)
DATA TECHNICIAN
KW Sleep Lab (Waterloo)
EDUCATION COORDINATOR
Planned Parenthood (Waterloo)
EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR
Achievement Solutions (Waterloo)
ENGLISH TUTOR
in Japan, Korea, and Tiawan
FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ASSISTANT
Platinum Synergy Group (Kitchener)
HUMAN FACTORS ANALYST/DESIGNER
Atomic Energy Canada (Ottawa)
HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT/ADVISOR
Canadian Tire Head Office (Toronto), Ehvert Engineering (Toronto), NAVCAN (Ottawa), OpenText (Waterloo), Sybase (Waterloo), Ministry of Education and Training for Ontario Colleges and Universities
(HUMAN RESOURCES) RECRUITMENT OFFICER
Canadian Tire Head Office (Toronto), Research in Motion (Waterloo), Trilogy Software (Austin Texas)
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANT
KPMG (Toronto), Ositech Communications (Guelph)
LIVING-LEARNING PROGRAM ASSISTANT
uWaterloo Housing
MANAGER OF COMMUNITY INTEGRATION
University Health Network (Toronto)
MARKET/RESEARCH ANALYST
Survey Site (Toronto)
MARKETING MANAGER/CONSULTANT
Great Exposures Inc. (Toronto), IBM (Toronto), Mallot Creek Strategies (Elora)
OFFICER TRAINEE
Canadian Armed Forces
OUTDOOR THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM ASSISTANT
(Alabama)
PATIENT SATISFACTION COORDINATOR
Ontario Hospital Association (Toronto)
PROBATION OFFICER
Cambridge, Toronto
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR
Healthy Start - Canadian Mental Health Association (Kitchener-Waterloo)
PROJECT MANAGER
steelecommunications inc. (London)
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care (Toronto), Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Toronto), Defense Research and Development Canada (Ottawa), Evaluation Studies Unit at the Univ of British Columbia, Government of the Northwest Territories, Health Canada (Ottawa), Homewood Health Centre (Guelph), Ontario Ministry of Finance (Toronto), Rotman Research Institute (Toronto), Royal Ottawa Psychiatric Hospital (Ottawa), Psychology Departments at the Univ of Waterloo, Harvard Univ. (Cambridge Massachusetts), Washington Univ. (St. Louis Missouri),Yale Univ.(New Haven Connecticut)
RESEARCH/LAB COORDINATOR
Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (Toronto),
Centre for Research on Community Services at the Univ. of Ottawa,
Psychology Departments at New York Univ, Univ Waterloo, and Univ. of Chicago
RESIDENCE LIFE MANAGER
Okanagan Campus of the Univ of British Columbia
RESIDENTIAL COUNSELLOR
KW Rehabilitation Services (Waterloo)
SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR
Lung Association (Hamilton)
SUPERVISOR
Behavioural Treatment Programs at Pioneer Youth Services (Kitchener-Waterloo)
TEAM LEADER
World Access Canada - Travel Insurance Products (Waterloo)
TESTER
Attention Deficit Disorder Centre (Toronto)
TOURIST RESEARCH INTERN
Government of the Northwest Territories
TRAINER
P & P Data Systems (Toronto), SoftSys (Toronto), Workbrain Inc (Toronto)
USABILITY ANALYST
Corel Incorporated (Ottawa)

VOLUNTEER RESOURCES COORDINATOR
Ontario Fundraising Division of the MS Society of Canada

 

Educational and Career Pursuits for Psychology Alumni

PSYCHOLOGY MASTER'S AND PHD GRADUATES AT WORK

The range of specializations for graduate level training (e.g., Master's and PhD level) in psychology is diverse. Thus, career options and job settings for those who pursue graduate level training in psychology are diverse and include:

  • faculty members at universities are involved in research and teaching activities.

  • research scientists in government or industrial research and development labs (e.g., aerospace industry, information technology).

  • clinical psychologists* provide assessment and treatment services for individuals or groups who have emotional and behavioural problems. They work in all applied settings, for example, mental health facilities, hospitals, clinics, the penal system, or in private practice. They also conduct research on psychological disorders and treatment effectiveness. For further details, see FAQ 17 (outside this handbook).

  • counselling psychologists* do similar work to clinical psychologists but tend to provide services to less severely disordered clientele. For further details, see FAQ 17 (outside this handbook).

  • psychometrists are skilled in the design and administration of psychological tests. They work in all applied settings including education, mental health, business, and government.

  • health psychologists conduct research and are involved in health promotion and illness prevention programs.

  • clinical neuropsychologists conduct research as well as do assessment and treatment for disorders of the central nervous system (e.g., brain damage due to a head injury or stroke).

  • educational psychologists are interested in basic research on effective learning strategies and the assessment of learning difficulties. They work at all levels of the education system, for government or business training programs, or as consultants.

  • industrial/organizational psychologists are employed as researchers, consultants, and/or human resource managers. They are interested in such issues as job satisfaction, perceptions of fairness, decision making, productivity, training, leadership, and biases in the interview process. Click here for further details (outside this handbook).

  • product/market researchers in the private sector.

  • senior administrators in numerous settings including universities.

  • directors in mental health facilities and hospitals.

For examples of first employment for alumni of the uWaterloo Master's and PhD programs in Psychology, search by departmental division from the Psychology Department home page.

For further information regarding careers and employment trends for Master's and PhD graduates, please refer to 'Educational and Career Pursuits for Psychology Alumni'.

An Honours degree in Psychology (or equivalent) that includes an honours thesis is typically required for admission to graduate studies in Psychology. Preparation for applying to graduate school should begin before fourth year.

ACADEMIC PLANS IN PSYCHOLOGY

At uWaterloo, 'program' refers to the degree, for example, Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science. 'Academic plan' refers to a set of courses leading towards a particular Major, Minor, or Specialization.

The Psychology academic plans are administered by the Psychology Department which is housed in the Faculty of Arts.

Psychology is a fascinating discipline. Students from all Faculties take Psychology courses as 'unspecified electives'. Further, students in the Faculty of Arts may choose to take courses in Psychology in order to satisfy half of the Social Science requirements in the 'Arts Breadth Requirements' for the degree. Those who have a more keen interest in the study of Psychology will choose to Major (e.g., General Psych, Honours Psych, Joint Honours Psych) or Minor in Psychology. The academic plans that are available in Psychology varies according to the students' home Faculty. See the chart below for a summary.

HOME FACULTY CHOICE OF ACADEMIC PLAN IN PSYCHOLOGY

ARTS

(Those in the first five of the six groups in this category earn a Bachelor of Arts degree = BA)

 

APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCE

ENGINEERING

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

  • Joint Honours Psychology

  • Psychology Minor
    (For those not enrolled in an Honours degree plan, consult with your home Faculty advisor regarding eligibility to enrol in Minors outside the home Faculty.)
MATHEMATICS
  • Joint Honours Psychology

  • Psychology Minor
    (For those not enrolled in an Honours degree plan, consult with your home Faculty advisor regarding eligibility to enrol in Minors outside the home Faculty.)

SCIENCE

(These students earn a Bachelor of Science degree = BSc)

 

 

Requirements for Psychology Academic Plans

Length of Time to Complete Psychology Academic Plans

Which academic plan in Psychology is suitable for an individual depends on his/her qualifications for admission to the particular Faculty of home registration and academic plan in Psychology, as well as his/her interests and long term goals.

Students cannot enrol in the Psychology Major or Minor academic plan prior to year 2.

See below for an overview of each of the Psychology academic plans (links to the respective plans are provided in the chart above).

Access to Psychology Academic Plans

THREE-YEAR GENERAL BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA) IN PSYCHOLOGY

Students in Three Year General Psychology take 15.0 academic course units including 5.0 units in Psychology. Two of the Psychology courses are research methods and introductory statistics which introduce them to the scientific methods for understanding mind and behaviour. The remaining Psychology courses provide students with a general overview of the body of knowledge that currently exists in the diverse and exciting field of Psychology.

Note that a General BA in Psychology will not be sufficient for admission to graduate studies in psychology. An honours degree in psychology (or equivalent) that includes an honours

Degree requirement check lists for Psychology Majors including course sequence information (other website)

See the table of contents for the links to the application and admission information.

Psychology Majors develop distinctive marketable skills. Ways for Three Year General Psychology Majors to further enhance the value of their educational experience include:

Effective September 2012, students pursuing Three Year General Psychology will be allowed to pursue a 'Minor' academic plan offered by the Faculty of Arts only.The number of units required for Minors offered by the Faculty of Arts only will be lowered from 5.0 units to 4.0 units i.e., from 10 term courses to 8 term coures (total units for Minors in other Faculties are unchanged). Most disciplines in the Faculty of Arts offer a Minor including Economics, English, History, Sociology, Social Development Studies, etc. Several interdisciplinary Minors are also available in the Faculty of Arts including Applied Language Studies (new Minor Sept 2012), Cognitive Science (new Minor Sept 2012), Human Resources Management, Legal Studies (new Minor Sept 2012), Management Studies Minor, Peace and Conflict Studies, SMF (Sexuality, Marriage, and the Family), Speech Communication, Women's Studies, etc. See Faculty of Arts Academic Plans in the 2012 2013 Undergraduate Calendar for further details regarding Minors. Also consult with the appropriate academic advisor. See FAQ 12 (outside this handbook) for important details for Psychology Majors regarding Minors.

If you hope to pursue studies beyond the Bachelor's degree, consider prerequisites required for admission. When exploring opportunities for further study, note in particular the 'fast track' options at the college level for those who hold a Bachelor's degreeThose programs are a great way to gain applied skills for particular career paths.

In addition to paid employment that you might obtain during your years in university, consider other ways to obtain practical experience outside the classroom such as volunteering.

Benefits of volunteering and examples of volunteer opportunities

Notes:

Effective September 2012, 'Options' in the Faculty of Arts will be inactivated (no new admissions to those plans).

A 'Minor' academic plan outside the Faculty of Arts is not allowed with Three Year General Psychology. See regulations in the other Faculties for details.

FOUR-YEAR GENERAL BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA) IN PSYCHOLOGY

Students in Four Year General Psychology take 20.0 academic course units including 7.0 units in Psychology. Two of the Psychology courses are research methods and introductory statistics which introduce them to the scientific methods for understanding mind and behaviour. The remaining Psychology courses provide students with a general overview of the body of knowledge that currently exists in the diverse and exciting field of Psychology.

Four-Year General Psychology will be of particular interest to those who require a Four-Year degree in order to pursue further studies that do not require an honours degree for admission (e.g., admission to some Faculties of Education).

Note that a General BA in Psychology will not be sufficient for admission to graduate studies in psychology. An honours degree in psychology (or equivalent) that includes an honours

Degree requirement check lists for Psychology Majors including course sequence information (other website)

Refer to the table of contents for the links to the application and admission information.

Adding value to the Four Year General Psychology degree:

Psychology Majors develop distinctive marketable skills. Ways for Four Year General Psychology Majors to further enhance the value of their educational experience include:

Effective September 2012, the number of units required for Minors offered by the Faculty of Arts will be lowered from 5.0 units to 4.0 units i.e., from 10 term courses to 8 term courses (total units for Minors in other Faculties are unchanged).

For those who choose to do Four Year General Psych instead of the Three Year General Psychology, the additional year should be an opportunity to add a Minor academic plan to the degree. Many disciplines across the University offer a Minor including Biology, Economics, English, History, Mathematics, Sociology, Social Development Studies, etc. Several interdisciplinary Minors are also available in the Faculty of Arts including Applied Language Studies (new Minor Sept 2012), Cognitive Science (new Minor Sept 2012), Human Resources Management, Legal Studies (new Minor Sept 2012), Management Studies Minor, Peace and Conflict Studies, SMF (Sexuality, Marriage, and the Family), Speech Communication, Women's Studies, etc. See the 2012 2013 Undergraduate Calendar for further details regarding Minors. Also consult with the appropriate academic advisor. See FAQ 12 (outside this handbook) for important details for Psychology Majors regarding Minors.

If you hope to pursue studies beyond the Bachelor's degree, consider prerequisites required for admission.

In addition to paid employment that you might obtain during your years in university, consider other ways to gain practical experience outside the classroom such as volunteering.

Benefits of volunteering and examples of volunteer opportunities

Some students will find it more practical to do a college level program after a Three Year General BA in Psychology instead of doing a Four Year General BA in Psychology (with or without a Minor) so that their fourth year of study is spent obtaining applied training for a particular career path. Watch for the college programs that require a Bachelor's degree as a prerequisite because they probably give advanced standing for previous post-secondary education.

Will Four Year General Psych students have an advantage over Three Year General Psych students when seeking employment?

Possibly, if an employer perceives two applicants to be equally qualified in other aspects. However, the Psychology Department has no evidence on which to predict what would actually happen. Keep in mind that both degrees are at the 'General' level. Think carefully about the information that you want to market to the prospective employer about yourself that might be different than other applicants for the position (e.g., Did you do a Minor? Did you have experiences such as volunteer or paid employment that the interviewer will perceive as an asset to his/her organization? Etc.). Remember that the label on your degree isn't the only criteria that employers will use to select potential employees. They will collect and evaluate information about you obtained from the resume and during the interview such as:

  • match between your knowledge, skills, and abilities and those required to perform the prospective job,
  • your awareness of any strengths and weaknesses that you have,
  • your personality traits and attitudes,
  • examples of your behaviours in particular work related (volunteer or paid) situations in the past (using past behaviours as predictors of future behaviours),
  • your appearance and body language,
  • etc.

For further details, refer to the Career Development eManual developed by the UW Centre for Career Action.

HONOURS BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA) IN PSYCHOLOGY, AND
HONOURS BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BSc) IN PSYCHOLOGY

The Honours Psychology Major is available as a Bachelor of Arts degree (home Faculty Arts) or a Bachelor of Science degree (home Faculty Science). The degree is available in the Regular system of study and the Co-op system of study.

The Honours Psychology degree provides opportunities for in-depth study of psychological theory and research as well as to develop distinctive observation, numeric, analytic, computer, and written and oral communication skills (see 'Why Major in Psychology' for further details). Third and fourth year students have opportunities to study in small seminar groups, to obtain hands-on laboratory training in specific content areas within psychology, to participate in apprenticeship courses, and to take courses where they can work one-on-one with faculty members.

An Honours degree in psychology that includes a thesis (Psych 499A/B/C) is typically required for admission to graduate level training in Psychology (e.g., Master's, PhD, PsyD). For details regarding applying to graduate school in Psychology, please refer to 'Studies Beyond the Bachelor's Degree' on the Psych Undergraduate website.

In addition to their psychology courses, students in the Honours Psychology BA plan take breadth courses from the humanities and social sciences (i.e., the Arts Breadth Requirements) as well as several 'unspecified electives'. Many students choose electives appropriate for obtaining a second academic plan (e.g., Joint Honours or a Minor) or for prerequisites for studies beyond the Bachelor's degree. See 'adding value to the Honours Psych degree' (below) for futher details.

In addition to their psychology courses, students in the Honours BSc Psychology plan take required courses from mathematics and the sciences as well as a few elective choices.* The Honours BSc plan is particularly appropriate for students interested in cognitive neuroscience or cognitive psychology, or who plan to seek professional training in medicine, perhaps with specialization in neurology, psychiatry or pediatrics. A strong background in the 'natural science' areas of psychology would complement a student's preparation for research or graduate work in these fields of study. A Biology Minor is a popular addition to the Honours BSc Psych degree. See 'adding value to the Honours Psych degree' (below) for futher details.

*As an aside, those registered in the Faculty of Science who prefer not to take the required first year physics (Phys 111/111L and 112/112L) and calculus courses (Math 127/128) should consider Joint Honours Science and Psych instead of Honours BSc Psych. Note that the Co-op stream is not an option with this choice. See the 'Joint Honours Psychology' section for further details.

Degree requirement check lists for Psychology Majors including course sequence information (other website)

Refer to the table of contents for the links to application and admission information.

Adding Value to the Honours Psychology Degree

Psychology Majors develop distinctive marketable skills. Ways for Honours Psychology Majors to enhance the value of their educational experience include:

Joint Honours Psychology is one possibility.

Honours Psych Majors interested in a second academic plan more frequently choose Minor academic plans (and/or the Arts and Business plan if in Honours BA Psych) over Joint Honours plans. Many disciplines across the University offer a Minor including Biology, Economics, English, History, Mathematics, Sociology, Social Development Studies, etc. Several interdisciplinary Minors are also available in the Faculty of Arts including Applied Language Studies (new Minor Sept 2012), Cognitive Science (new Minor Sept 2012), Human Resources Management, Legal Studies (new Minor Sept 2012), Management Studies Minor, Peace and Conflict Studies, SMF (Sexuality, Marriage, and the Family), Speech Communication, Women's Studies, etc. See the 2012 2013 Undergraduate Calendar for further details regarding Minors. Also consult with the appropriate academic advisor. See FAQ 12 (outside this handbook) for important details for Psychology Majors regarding Minors.

Effective September 2012, the number of units required for Minors offered by the Faculty of Arts will be lowered from 5.0 units to 4.0 units i.e., from 10 term courses to 8 term courses (total units for Minors in other Faculties are unchanged).

If you hope to pursue studies beyond the Bachelor's degree, consider prerequisites required for admission.

In addition to paid employment that you might obtain during your years in university (e.g,. found on your own or through the Co-op System of study), consider other ways to gain practical experience, for example, the Applied Apprenticeship course (Psych 465) or the Human Resources Apprenticeship course (Psych 467).

Benefits of volunteering and examples of volunteer opportunities available on-campus and in the local area

Consider opportunities to gain research experience and to work one-on-one with faculty members (and their graduate students), for example, the Research Apprenticeship course (Psych 264 or 464), Directed Studies research courses (Psych 483 or 484*), the Honours Thesis course (Psych 499A/B/C), and volunteer and/or paid research assistant positions. For those who will be seeking reference letters from faculty members in the future for applications for further study and/or employment, these contacts will be extremely valuable. See FAQ 35 (outside this handbook) for further details regarding reference letters.

*For those interested in other types of Directed Studies courses, see Psych 480, 481, 482, 485, 486.

Honours Thesis (Psych 499A/B/C)

Honours Psychology Majors (BA or BSc) may elect to complete an Honours Thesis (Psych 499A/B/C). The Honours Thesis course offers a student the opportunity to carry out a research project under the supervision of a faculty member and to present the findings in a scholarly paper. Psych 499 is recommended for students 1) who are considering graduate or professional programs that may require a completed honours thesis for admission, or 2) who have a strong interest in, and commitment to, conducting original research.

For further details regarding Psych 499, please refer to the Honours Thesis Handbook.

Human Resources Management Specialization - Not Available Effective September 2012 (see HRM Minor below)

Human Resources Management (HRM) is a set of interrelated organizational functions and processes, including staffing the organization, designing jobs and teams, training and developing skilled employees, assessing and rewarding employee performance, and maintaining and retaining employees.

Effective September 2012, the HRM Specialization and the HRM Option will be inactivated (no new admissions to those plans). Further, the course requirements for the HRM Minor will change and the number of units required for the HRM Minor will be lowered from 5.0 units to 4.0 units i.e., from 10 term courses to 8 term courses.

Those who are interested in employment in the human resources field should consider doing the HRM Minor. Please refer to the 2012 2013 Undergraduate Calendar and the HRM Website for further details regarding the HRM Minor.

Those interested in a career in human resources will seek employment upon graduation and/or pursue further academic studies, for example:

  • complete the requirements for the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation
    (Note: courses in the HRM Minor provide exemptions from required courses for CHRP).
  • post-diploma program or post-graduate certificate program in Human Resources at College
    (Several of these programs require a Bachelor's degree as a prerequisite meaning that they give advanced standing for previous post-secondary studies.)
  • graduate studies in:
    • industrial/organization psychology
    • industrial relations
    • business (e.g., with a concentration in HRM)

Studies beyond the Bachelor's degree in the area of human resources

Departmental Co-op for Honours Psychology (Home Faculty Arts or Science)

Those in year two of Honours Psychology* (BA or BSc) in the Fall term (the term Psych 291 is taken) are invited to apply for admission to Co-op. We only admit students to Honours Psychology Departmental Co-op (hereafter referred to as Honours Psychology Co-op) in the Winter term and those admitted must not be beyond the 2B year/level that Winter term.

*Note: Those in Joint Honours Psychology cannot apply for admission to Psychology Departmental Co-op unless the first Major is Psychology and the Home Faculty is Arts. For example, the Co-op stream is not an option for those in the Faculty of Science who are pursuing Joint Honours Science and Psychology.

If you are planning to apply for admission to Honours Psych Co-op for Winter 2013 admission, please attend the Psychology Co-op Information Meeting November 2012 (date, time, and location currently pending).

Admission decisions for Winter 2013 will be made the first week of January 2013 once the Fall 2013 grades are available.

Admission to Honours Psychology Co-op is limited and is based on several criteria including (but not limited to) background in Psychology, academic standing, and space availability in the Co-op system of study.

Read on for further details regarding Honours Psych Co-op:

Academic Term / Work Term Sequence for Honours Psych (Department) Co-op

Honours Psychology Co-op provides students with the opportunity to integrate four four-month work terms into their academic sequence. Those accepted will have the first work term (WT) at the end of year two. Following the first work term, students then alternate between academic terms and work terms, and end the sequence with a school term.

  The 'Prescribed' School and Work Term Sequence Important Courses to Take When Professional Development Course requirements Work Term Report Requirements
F2011 1A      
W2012 1B      
S2012 off      
F2012 2A Psych 291    
W2013 2B Psych 292 PD1  
S2013 WT1   PD2  
F2013 3A
  • Psych 391
  • 1 of Psych 393, 395, 397, 399
  • The Hon Seminar can be here or later
   
W2014 WT2   third PD course Write Work Report 1
S2014 3B 1 of Psych 392, 394, 396, 398 (see the Psych UG website regarding limited choice in the Spring)    
F2014 WT3   fourth PD course Write Work Report 2
W2015 4A If doing an Honours Thesis (Psych 499A/B/C) - optional - enrol in Psych 499A here (or Psych 499A and 499B) because the project takes at least 2 terms    
S2015 WT4     Write Work Report 3
F2015 4B      

 

Co-op students must maintain full-time registration and follow the school/work sequence to which they have been assigned or as prescribed for their program. Requests for deviation from the 'prescribed' sequence must be approved (Advice for Psychology Co-op students regarding 'Stream Switch Requests').

Co-op employers seek students who are conscientious and responsible, who possess solid oral and written communication skills, and who exhibit strong organizational and time management skills. Many co-op positions require students to think critically, problem solve, to be decisive, and to be able to quickly learn and use a variety of computer software packages (e.g., word processing, electronic mail, statistics, graphics, spreadsheets, database management, web browsers).

Psychology Majors develop distinctive marketable skills including observation, analytic, numeracy, computer, and oral and written communication skills. Feedback from Psychology Co-op students indicates that these skills are highly sought after by many employers. Students also develop an understanding about why they and others think and behave the way they do, and why they react as they do to situations and to one another. This knowledge can be very helpful in everyday life as well as at work.

Psychology Majors are valued by co-op employers and are performing a wide variety of tasks in numerous sectors. Please refer to 'Psychology Majors at Work' for examples of the tasks, positions, employers, and sectors for co-op positions. Students typically report that the responsibilities of their co-op positions become more challenging as they progress through their work terms as a result of their developing knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Advantages of the Co-op System of Study
  • a break from school every four months.

  • gain experience interviewing for jobs.

  • gain knowledge through observation, 'hands-on' experience, and communication with supervisors and fellow employees, for example,
    • about careers, job characteristics, organizational climate and working conditions at different settings,
    • about the affects of different leadership styles on morale and productivity,
    • insight into your work values and working style (e.g., prefer to work alone or in groups), etc.
    • insight into your vocational interests and aptitudes which may affect your:
      • educational goals e.g., whether or not to pursue further studies and if so in which area,
      • employment goals e.g., what sector you want to work in (e.g., business, education, government, treatment facilities, etc.) and/or the target audience you wish to work with (e.g., children, adolescence, adults, the elderly, those with attentional and or recognition impairments due to brain damage, etc.)
      • course selections e.g., prerequisites for further study or particular job related courses,
      • choices of co-op positions,
      • motivation e.g., aspire to achieve higher grades in order to achieve new goals.

  • opportunities to practice skills learned in your course work (e.g., analytic, numeracy, computer, oral and written communication skills) as well as to develop new marketable skills.

  • receive valuable feedback from employers about your skill development.

  • opportunities for networking.

  • earn income (in most cases) to fund school term

    Hourly and weekly earnings of Co-op students

  • build a resume that future employers may find attractive.

  • complete your degree requirements in December rather than April. Students who finish their studies at the end of December may find it easier to get full-time employment than those who are not available to begin work until May. Also, those who are planning to continue their education the following September will have 8 months rather than 4 to earn income to fund their next school year.
Disadvantages of the Co-op System of Study

A) Long Range Course Planning is Essential:

  • Course offerings on-campus, including Psychology course offerings, are limited in the Spring term.

    In February each year, the Psychology Department posts the Fall/Winter/Spring Psychology Course Offerings List for the upcoming year on the Psych UG website. We typically offer only one or two Natural Science Research Methods Courses (e.g., from Psych 392, 394, 398), one Advanced Psychology Course, and one Honours Seminar in the Spring term.

    Minimize this disadvantage by planning your course selections ahead and consider the following opportunities for the Spring term:
    -Online courses,
    -Directed Studies courses (Psych 480-486),
    -a Research Apprenticeship course (Psych 264 or 464),
    -an Honours Thesis (Psych 499A/B/C).

    Requests for changes to the school/work term sequence on the basis of limited Spring term course offerings is frowned upon.

  • Students who plan to do a school term(s) abroad on an exchange program must consult with all his/her academic advisors about the implications of the exchange on course selections and the target for completing the degree.

    These students will also have complications regarding the search for a co-op position for the term following the exchange program. Students are advised to either arrange their own co-op position for that work term or to contact the appropriate Faculty Relations Manager in the Co-operative Education and Career Action Department (CECA) two weeks prior to returning to Canada to begin the application/interview process through JobMine:

Advice for Psychology Co-op students who are planning to participate in exchange programs

B) Demands of Being a Co-op Student:

Participation in co-op employment activities (e.g., applying for co-op positions, going to interviews, etc.) during academic terms is very time consuming and can be as much work as taking an extra course. You must take this into consideration when you are planning your study time and your extracurricular activities (e.g., part-time paid work and volunteer work).

C) Additional Financial Costs:

Students must pay co-op fees (e.g., $609.00 for Winter 2012) for 5 school terms beginning in the 2B term (Winter). These fees are necessary to offset costs incurred by the University in operating the co-op program (e.g., soliciting co-op positions, co-op coordinators visiting students on the job, additional course offerings, etc.) which are not provided for in the operating grants received from the government. Co-op fees are not refunded to students who do not obtain co-op positions or to those who find their own co-op positions. The good news however, is that typically 95-100% of Psychology Majors obtain co-op positions each term. There are also costs associated with moving every four months.

D) Housing Arrangements:

Although some students enjoy the opportunity to live in a variety of locations, some students in the Co-op stream of study report that they don't like changing housing arrangements every 4 months (i.e., school term versus work term).

Retention Rates for Honours Psychology Co-op

As noted above, there are several reasons why students are interested in Co-op. However, not everyone who is admitted to Honours Psychology Co-op remains in the Co-op stream of study. See below for enrolment statistics and reasons why some students switched from Honours Psych Co-op (not including Honours Psych and Arts and Bus Co-op) to the Honours Psych Regular stream of study.

ADMISSION TERM MAXIMUM # THAT CAN BE ADMITTED TO PSYCH DEPT
CO-OP		 # APPS REC'D REFUSED CO-OP WITHDREW APPS AND/OR DECLINED OFFER TO PSYCH DEPT
CO-OP		 ADMITTED PSYCH DEPT
CO-OP AND IN PROGRESS 		ADMITTED
PSYCH DEPT
CO-OP BUT LATER DISCONTINUED CO-OP*
Winter 2009 25 31 6 0 15 10
Winter 2010 25 42 13
(some of these met the minimum admission req'ts)		 4 12 13
Winter 2011 35 30 5 2 15

(including 7 BSc students and 8 BA students) 		8

(including
6 BA Psych and 2 BSc Psych)
Winter 2012 35 43 7 3

(2 of the 3 instead switched to Arts and Bus Co-op)		 30

(including 13 BSc students and 17 BA students)		 3 BA student
Winter 2013 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA


*Timing of drops from Honours Psych Co-op:

  • Winter 2009 admission class (10 of 25 dropped Co-op): 1 in Jan 2009, 1 Feb 2009, 1 Oct 2009, 2 Nov 2009, 2 Dec 2009, 1 August 2010, and 2 July 2011.

  • Winter 2010 admission class (13 of 25 dropped Co-op): 1 in Feb 2010, 3 March 2010, 1 April 2010, 2 May 2010, 1 August 2010, 2 Sept 2010, 1 Oct 2010, 1 Dec 2010, 1 May 2011.

  • Winter 2011 admission class (8 of 23 dropped Co-op): 1 March 2011, 1 May 2011, 1 June 2011, 1 July 2011, 2 Sept 2011, 2 Oct 2011.

  • Winter 2012 admission class (3 of 33 dropped Co-op): 1 March 2012, 2 April 2012.

Reasons students gave for dropping out of the Co-op stream of study (similar reasons for both Honours Psych Co-op and Honours Psychology Arts and Business Co-op) typically includes one or more of the following:

  • want to complete the course requirements for the degree earlier in order to graduate earlier
  • able to find own employment so prefer to avoid paying Co-op fees
  • seeking specialized employment opportunities that are not currently available through JobMine.
  • only want to work during Spring terms (not allowed in Co-op)
  • switching academic plans e.g,. from Honours Psych to General Psych (Co-op not available with the General academic plan)
  • bumped from Honours Psych to General Psych due to academic standing (Co-op not available with the General academic plan)
  • prefer not to change housing arrangements every 4 months
  • prefer to focus on school work during school terms without the distraction of job search
  • found the search for Co-op positions during the school term too stressful
  • prefer full-time studies in Fall and Winter terms only because e.g,. course offerings Fall/Winter preferred compared to Spring, doing multi-academic plans, thesis advisor is available only in certain terms (e.g,. upcoming sabbatical), family obligations, travel plans, etc.
  • prefer to reduce the overall tuition expense by eliminating Co-op fees during full-time school terms
  • dropping from full-time to part-time studies for personal reasons (e.g,, employment, family obligations, financial reasons, academic reasons, illness, etc.) (must be a full-time student to be enrolled in the Co-op stream of study)
  • discontinuing studies at UW because e.g., transferring schools, employment, family obligations, financial reasons, academic reasons, illness, etc.
  • etc.

Those enrolled in the Co-op system of study who are thinking about dropping Co-op should consult with the Psychology Academic Advisor as well as the Co-op Advisor in the Co-operative Education Department regarding their individual circumstances.

How Students Obtain Work-Term Positions

Details regarding the search for co-op positions and the interview process are on the Co-operative Education website and will be described in the Information Seminar for PD1 in January of the 2B term.

Supplementary notes:

In addition to the positions advertised by the Co-operative Education Department, students may also find their own co-op positions. In these situations, students must have their employment approved beforehand by the appropriate Faculty Relations Manager in the Co-operative Education and Career Action Department (CECA):

Normally students are committed to returning for a second consecutive work term to the same employer if requested to do so by the employer (note this could be 2 two regularly scheduled work terms, or 2 back-to-back work terms referred to as a 'double work term'). Thus, the employer has the advantage of hiring a student who has already received some training in their organization and can give the student progressively greater responsibility.

Although every effort is made by the Co-operative Education Department to find a sufficient number of work term positions for all co-op students, no guarantee of employment can be made. The employment process is competitive and academic performance, skills, motivation, maturity, and attitude will determine whether a student is offered a co-op position. When you are researching co-op positions on JobMine, don't limit your keyword search to only 'psych', 'health', and 'counselling'. Also, not everyone can work in Kitchener, Waterloo, Toronto, and Ottawa. Those who are not prepared to be flexible regarding the location of the co-op positions possibly are better suited for the regular stream of study instead of co-op.

Some co-op positions (locally, nationally, and abroad) do not provide a salary but can be very rewarding. When a salary is not provided, this information will be included in the posting for the position. For example, a community living centre might employ co-op students as assistants and/or counsellors in exchange for room and board. See the Undergraduate Calendar for the list of possible International Experience Awards (not just for positions abroad!) which can help to offset your expenses.

Familiarity with several computer applications will often be an asset when students are applying for co-op positions. Further, students who have a lot of experience with computers will be able to generalize their skills and learn new software quicker while on the job. Students can develop their computer skills by teaching themselves how to use various types of software (e.g., note that students have free access to a variety of computer software on their uWaterloo computer accounts) as well as by taking courses. For example, there are courses that can be taken for academic credit (e.g., CS 100 and 200) as well as courses that are not for academic credit (e.g., see courses offered by the Information Systems and Technology Department). Honours Psychology Majors also gain experience in their senior methods courses with statistical and graphics software. They may also use spreadsheets packages, databases, and specialized programming for experimental work (e.g., during volunteer or paid research positions in the Psych Dept. or when doing an Honours Thesis).

Professional Development (PD) Course Requirements for Honours Psych (Department) Co-op

Those admitted to Honours Psych Co-op (BA or BSc) must enrol and successfully complete four Professional Development (PD) Courses on-line. All students must successfully complete PD1, PD2, and 2 of PD3 through PD7.

No academic credit is given for the PD courses towards the Bachelor's degree; however, completion of all of the modules is a requirement for enrolment and continuation in the Co-op program.

The PD modules are as follows:

PD MODULES TOPICS DEADLINES FOR COMPLETING THE ON-LINE MODULES
PD1 is required

Co-op Fundamentals

(includes info regarding resume writing, how to apply for co-op positions, interview skills, etc.)

Regarding applications for Winter 2013 admission:

Admission decisions for Honours Psych Co-op will be made the first week of classes in January 2013 once the Fall 2012 grades are available.

Those admitted must successfully complete PD1 during the Winter 2013 term. Attendance at the Information Seminar for PD1 in January 2013 is mandatory. Don't miss the Information Seminar while you are waiting on the admission decision! Please attend one of the following:

  • Date/time TBA

  • Date/time TBA
PD2 is required Critical Reflection and Report Writing Successful completion of PD2 during Work Term 1 (Spring 2013 for those admitted to Co-op Winter 2013) is required.

Choose 2 of:

PD3
PD4
PD5
PD6
PD7
  • PD3 - Communication
  • PD4 - Teamwork
  • PD5 - Project Management
  • PD6 - Problem Solving
  • PD7 - Conflict Resolution

You are required to successfully complete one PD course during each of Work Terms 2 and 3. Choose from PD3 through PD7 in any order.

 

Further details about the PD courses

Work-Term Report Requirements for Honours Psychology (Department) Co-op

 

Honours Psychology Co-op students (BA and BSc) are required to submit a Work-Term Report to the Psychology Undergraduate Office for evaluation (graded 'satisfactory' or 'unsatisfactory') following completion of each of Work Terms 2, 3, and 4. The Work-Term Reports provide the Psychology Undergraduate Office with useful information about the co-op positions held by Psychology Co-op students that can be shared with Psychology Majors and prospective students. It has been our experience that co-op positions reflect the wide range of capabilities of, and career possibilities for, graduates with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology.

Guidelines for Writing Psychology Work-Term Reports

Responsibilities of Honours Psych Co-op Students

Please read all of the following information:

HONOURS BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA) IN PSYCHOLOGY & ARTS AND BUSINESS

 

Overview

The Univ of Waterloo does not have a business school. The Arts and Business academic plan provides all of the benefits of a liberal Arts education (e.g., opportunities to develop a wide variety of marketable skills including interpersonal, oral and written communication, organizational, time management, critical thinking, and problem solving) as well as opportunities to hone your business knowledge by taking an interdisciplinary package of courses that is relevant to various business careers. The required courses for Arts and Business include courses under the ARBUS rubric which provide continuity.

Students in the Arts and Business plan must be accepted to an Honours Major (or to Joint Honours Majors) for the first term of year two (2A). Admission to Co-op (if applicable) is tagged to the Arts and Business academic plan not to the Honours Major. However, the work-term report is written according to the departmental guidelines of the Honours Major and is submitted to that department for marking (details for Psychology Majors provided below).

The Honours Psychology and Arts and Business degree combines the requirements and features of the Honours Psychology (BA) academic plan with those of the Arts and Business academic plan (Regular or Co-op system of study). See 'Adding Value to the Honours Psych degree' in the 'Honours BA or BSc Psychology' section above for details.

If you are unsure if the Arts and Business academic plan is right for you (check the required courses), keep in mind that students who are not enrolled in Arts and Business will not be precluded from pursuing careers in business. Those not officially enrolled in the Arts and Business academic plan but who are interested in a career in business could choose 'elective' courses for the degree which are similar to courses taken by those in the Arts and Business plan (e.g., note the courses cross-listed with the ARBUS courses). Further, those not in Arts and Business but who are interested in the Co-op stream of study could apply for 2B admission to Honours Psychology 'Departmental' Co-op.

The Human Resources Management (HRM) Minor is a popular choice for students in all Honours Psychology academic plans (note changes to the HRM Minor requirements effective Sept 2012). Note that those enrolled in the Arts and Business plan are precluded from enrolling in the Management Studies Minor.

Graduates from the various Honours Psychology plans who are interested in a career in business will seek employment upon graduation or will pursue further academic studies beyond the Bachelor's degree.

Further details:

Current Arts and Business Co-op Students

In addition to the 'Overview' for Arts and Business above, please read the following sections in this handbook:

Academic Term / Work Term Sequence for Arts and Business Co-op

Co-op students must maintain full-time registration and follow the school/work sequence to which they have been assigned or as prescribed for their program. Requests for deviation from the prescribed sequence must be approved (Advice for Psychology Co-op students regarding 'Stream Switch Requests').

The number of Work Terms for those in Arts and Business Co-op depends on the point of admission to the Co-op stream of study.

POINT OF ADMISSION TO CO-OP

 

 NUMBER OF WORK TERMS (4 months in length each) FIRST WORK TERM OCCURRING AFTER WHICH SCHOOL TERM

1A Fall 2011 or
1B Winter 2012 or
2A Fall 2012

5 Winter 2013 following the 2A school term*

2B Winter 2013

(The possibility of 2B admission for Winter 2013 is currently under review.)

 4 Spring 2013 following the 2B school term**

*Those eligible for 5 work terms will be alternating between school and work terms beginning at the 2A school term. Work terms 1, 2, and 3 will follow the 2A, 2B, 3A school terms respectively. Work term 4/5 (double work term) will follow the 3B school term. The sequence will be ended with 4A/4B school terms assuming that individuals are able to secure back-to-back work terms for work terms 4 and 5.Further details are available in the Undergraduate Calendar.

**Beginning at the 2B school term, those eligible for only 4 work terms will alternate between academic terms and work terms, and end the sequence with a school term.

Professional Development (PD) Courses for Arts and Business Co-op

Those admitted to Honours Psych and Arts and Business Co-op must enrol and successfully complete four Professional Development (PD) Courses on-line. All students must successfully complete PD1, PD2, and 2 of PD3 through PD7.

No academic credit is given for the PD courses towards the Bachelor's degree however, completion of all of the modules is a requirement for enrolment and continuation in the Co-op program.

The PD modules are as follows:

PD MODULES TOPICS DEADLINES FOR COMPLETING THE ON-LINE MODULES
PD1 is required

Co-op Fundamentals

(includes info regarding resume writing, how to apply for co-op positions, interview skills, etc.)

PD1 is taken in the school term preceeding the first Work Term.

(Note - attendance at the information seminar for PD1 the first week of classes is also mandatory. Check with the Arts and Business Advisor for details).

PD2 is required Critical Reflection and Report Writing Successful completion of PD2 during Work Term 1 is required.

Choose 2 of:

PD3
PD4
PD5
PD6
PD7
  • PD3 - Communication
  • PD4 - Teamwork
  • PD5 - Project Management
  • PD6 - Problem Solving
  • PD7 - Conflict Resolution

You are required to successfully complete one PD course during each of Work Terms 2 and 3. Choose from PD3 through PD7 in any order.

 

Further details about the PD courses

Work-Term Report Requirements for Honours Psychology & Arts and Business Co-op

Those enrolled in the Honours Psychology and Arts and Business Co-op are required to submit a Work-Term Report to the Psychology Undergraduate Office for evaluation (graded 'satisfactory' or 'unsatisfactory') following each of Work Term 2, 3, and 4. The Work-Term Reports provide the Psychology Undergraduate Office with useful information about the co-op positions held by Psychology Co-op students that can be shared with Psychology Majors and prospective students. It has been our experience that co-op positions reflect the wide range of capabilities of, and career possibilities for, graduates with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology.

Guidelines for Writing Psychology Work-Term Reports

Responsibilities of Arts and Business Co-op Students

Please read all of the following information:

Requests to Switch from Arts and Business Co-op to Departmental Co-op

(i.e., dropping the Arts and Business academic plan)

Please discuss your plans with the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor. Typically students can switch from Honours Psychology & Arts and Business Co-op to Honours Psychology 'Departmental' Co-op (referred to as Honours Psych Co-op) following completion of the 2A term if they are in satisfactory standing in both Arts and Business as well as Honours Psychology, have successfully completed at least 2.0 units in Psychology including Psych 101 and Psych 291, and have satisfied the English Language Proficiency Exam requirement. Submit the request for a plan change on a Plan Modification Form to the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor (PAS 4005) by the end of November 2012 for Winter/Spring 2013 admission. At the same time, you must also submit the 'Request for Academic/Work Term Sequence Form' and a course plan.

Note: Honours Psychology and Arts and Business Co-op students who switch to Honours Psychology Co-op will have a maximum of 4 work terms before graduation regardless of whether or not they previously qualified for 5 work terms while in the Arts and Business Co-op plan.

Requests to Switch from Arts and Business Regular to Arts and Business Co-op

Those in Honours Psych & Arts and Business Regular who wish to apply for admission to Arts and Business Co-op for the 2A (Fall) or 2B (Winter) terms should consult with the Academic Advisor for Arts and Business Co-op (Susan Andrews; PAS 2439) as well as the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor (PAS 4005). Please submit a Plan Modification Form requesting admission to the Co-op stream of study to Susan Andrews by March 16, 2012 for Fall 2012 admission (Instructions regarding the possibility of Winter 2013 admission to Arts and Bus Co-op are pending). Susan will make a photocopy of the form and forward the original to the appropriate Major Department(s) as soon as possible.

See comments above to the current Arts and Business Co-op students.

JOINT HONOURS PSYCHOLOGY

Psychology Majors more frequently choose Minor academic plans over Joint Honours academic plans. See 'Adding Value to the Honours Psychology degree' in the 'Honours BA or BSc Psychology' section above for details.

See below for the lists of past/current Joint Honours Honours plans. Note that the Faculty of home registration (e.g., Arts, Science, Applied Health Science, etc.) relates to the first Major not the second Major.

Before embarking on a Joint Honours plan, please consult with the academic advisors of both disciplines regarding application procedures, admission requirements, degree requirements (e.g., research courses and statistics courses to be taken in the Home Major if there is overlapping content between disciplines) and course planning (e.g., course availability in the Spring term if a Co-op student).

See 'Honours BA or BSc in Psychology' above for an overview of the Honours Psychology plan.

Joint Honours Psych students take 2 fewer psychology courses than those in the single Honours Psych Major and have the option of doing an Honours Thesis in psychology Psych 499A/B/C). See the Psychology Undergraduate website ('Current Psych Majors') for the degree requirement check lists for Psychology Majors including course sequence information.

See the table of contents for the links to application and admission information.

Those in Joint Honours Psychology cannot apply for admission to Psychology Departmental Co-op unless the first Major is Psychology.

Psychology Majors have pursued Joint Honours Psychology with the following disciplines in the Faculty of Arts:

(these students earn a Bachelor of Arts degree)

  • Anthropology
  • Classical Studies
  • Drama
  • Economics
  • English
  • Fine Arts
  • French
  • Geography (for those enrolled in the academic plan Spring 2009 or earlier)
  • Geography and Environmental Management (new academic plan effective Sept 1, 2009)
  • German
  • History
  • Legal Studies
  • Music
  • Peace and Conflict Studies
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science
  • Religious Studies
  • Russian
  • Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies
  • Social Development Studies
  • Sociology
  • Spanish
  • Speech Communication

Psychology Majors have also pursued Joint Honours Psychology with the following disciplines outside the Faculty of Arts:

 

JOINT HONOURS PSYCH AND: HOME FACULTY COMMENTS
Acturial Science Math Advice from the Faculty of Math is in the Undergraduate Calendar
Biology Science  
Biomedical Science Science  
Combinatorics & Optimization Mathematics Advice from the Faculty of Math is in the Undergraduate Calendar
Environment and Resources Studies either Arts or Environment  
Computer Science Math Advice from the Faculty of Math is in the Undergraduate Calendar
Health Studies Applied Health Science  
Kinesiology either Arts or Applied Health Science  
Mathematics Arts

For those in the Faculty of Arts, refer to the advice from the Math Faculty in the Undergraduate Calendar.

Mathematical Physics Science  
Mathematical Science Math Advice from the Faculty of Math is in the Undergraduate Calendar
Mechanical Engineering Engineering  
Planning Environment  
Pure Mathematics Math Advice from the Faculty of Math is in the Undergraduate Calendar
Recreation and Leisure Studies either Arts or Applied Health Science  
Science (Non-Major) either Arts or Science

Those in Joint Honours Psych and Science (i.e., Home Faculty Arts) have the option of applying for admission to the Co-op system of study for the 2B school term (Winter) only.

Students enrolled in the Faculty of Science who are registered in the Honours Science (Non-Major) academic plan who are also interested in a Psychology Major should apply for admission to the Honours BSc Psych academic plan (Regular and Co-op system of study available) rather than to the Joint Honours Science and Psych academic plan (Regular system of study available only).
Statistics Math

Advice from the Faculty of Math is in the Undergraduate Calendar

 
Therapeutic Recreation either Arts or Applied Health Science  

 

Note: The degree earned relates to the Faculty of home registration, for example:

  • Honours Bachelor of Science in the case of Joint Honours Science and Psychology
  • Honours Bachelor of Arts in the case of Joint Honours Psychology and Science

There are degree requirements associated with the 'academic plan' (e.g., Joint Honours Psychology). In addition, the Faculty of home registration dictates the 'Faculty/Program level' requirements for the degree; for example, only those whose Home Faculty is Arts are required to do the 'Faculty of Arts Breadth Requirements'.

Degree requirement check lists for Psychology including course sequence information (other website)

PSYCHOLOGY MINOR

The Psychology Minor provides a general overview of the field of psychology.

For those admitted to the Psychology Minor effective Spring 2012 or earlier:

  1. Students enrolled in any Honours or Four-Year General Major academic plan (excludes Liberal Studies in the Faculty of Arts) may pursue a Psychology Minor.

  2. 10 term courses (5.0 units) in Psychology are required.

  3. Details regarding the application/admission information, course requirements, etc. (other website)

For those admitted to the Psychology Minor effective Fall 2012 or later:

  1. Faculty eligibility/restrictions for the Psychology Minor:

    Students enrolled in any degree program in the Faculty of Arts may pursue a Psychology Minor.

    Those enrolled in a degree program in a Faculty other than Arts, please consult with your Home Faculty advisor regarding your eligibility to pursue a Minor academic plan outside the Home Faculty. Typically those enrolled in Honours plans and Four Year General plans are allowed to pursue a Minor in the Faculty of Arts.

  2. 8 term courses (4.0 units) in Psychology are required.

  3. Details regarding the application/admission information, the course requirements, etc. (other website)

PSYCHOLOGY MAKE-UP STUDIES (THIS IS NOT DEGREE STUDIES)

The Make-Up Psychology plan is intended for students who wish to apply for graduate programs in Psychology, but they have:

  1. an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than Psychology or

  2. or a Three-Year or Four-Year General BA in Psychology from a school other than the University of Waterloo.

The Make-Up Psychology plan is similar to Post-Degree studies in that students are not pursuing a degree. The two plans differ in that only those in the Make-Up Psychology plan will be permitted to enrol in courses that are normally restricted to those enrolled in Honours Psychology plans.

The goal of these students is to take enough Psychology courses so that they will have the equivalent background in Psychology to students who have completed an Honours degree in Psychology. Students usually complete at least 5.0 to 6.0 units (i.e., 10 to 12 term courses) in Psychology from uWaterloo including an Honours Thesis (Psych 499A/B/C).

How quickly the Make-Up studies can be completed will be affected by the students' background in the content areas of Psychology as well as research methods and statistics. It is not uncommon for students to register for three (F,W,S) to five (F,W,F,W,S) school terms in order to complete the necessary courses.

Before developing your course plan, please review the following information:

Also review your course plan with the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor (PAS 4005) as well as the Graduate Studies Program Advisor at the school to which he/she will be applying.

Those who will be on campus less than 2 years will have similar difficulties to the distance education/online students (the General Psych Major is no longer available by DE) who transfer to on-campus studies for Honours Psychology. See questions 13 and 14 of FAQ (outside this handbook) for further details.

Applicants to the Make-Up Psychology plan should be aware that courses completed and grades earned will be recorded on the official transcript but that no diploma/degree will be issued. Further, Psychology Make-up studies versus an Honours degree in Psychology may not be sufficient for admission to graduate studies in Psychology at all schools, and admission to Psychology Make-up does not guarantee admission to graduate studies in psychology at uWaterloo. Students must compete for admission to graduate studies per usual.

For details regarding applying to graduate school in Psychology, please refer to Graduate Studies in Psychology on the Psych UG website.

Application/admission information for Make-Up Psychology

Additional Notes for International Students:

English Language Requirement for admission to the University of Waterloo

Please consult with the agency in your home country that issues student visas regarding whether or not it is possible to obtain a student visa for a program that it is not degree studies (e.g., Post-Degree or Make-Up Studies in Psychology).

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS FOR PSYCHOLOGY ACADEMIC PLANS

 

COURSE AND AVERAGE REQUIREMENTS

(The details in this section are stored elsewhere on the Psychology Undergraduate website.)

Comparison of the length of time to graduate with the various Psychology academic plans

Overview/comparison of the degree requirements for the various Psychology academic plans

Detailed degree requirement check lists for the various Psychology academic plans including course sequence information

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE: FACULTY LEVEL REQUIREMENTS

Students pursuing an academic plan in Psychology (Major or Minor) must satisfy the residency requirements for the home faculty

Home Faculty Arts:

Home Faculty Science:

Note warnings on the above websites regarding grades that are not included in the uWaterloo average calculations as well as the number of uWaterloo courses that must be completed on a numerical grading basis. For example, final grades for Psychology courses taken on Letter of Permission, Cross-Registration, or exchange will not be included in the uWaterloo average calculations.

as well as those of the Psychology Department.

Warning to those who switch from Four Year General Psych or Honours Psych to Three Year General Psych:

Those who were previously enrolled in Honours Psychology or Four-Year General with 8.0 to 10.0 units of transfer credits (from external or internal sources) and later switch to Three-Year General Psychology, the total number of transfer credits will be reduced to a maximum of 7.5 units if the first registration in the Faculty of Arts was Fall 2004 or later.

Warning to those who plan to take Univ of Waterloo courses offered on a CR/NCR basis:

Those who have transfer credits who are interested in taking courses on a CR/NCR (Credit versus No Credit) grading basis should discuss their plans beforehand with his/her academic advisor(s) because such courses will be counted towards the maximum allowable limit of non-graded credits for the degree. Note that at least 50% of the academic units for the degree must be taken on a numerical grading basis and these courses must be included in the cumulative overall average calculations for the degree.
Example: Those who have the maximum amount of transfer credit are not eligible to take courses on a CR/NCR basis unless they are willing to take such courses beyond the minimum number of courses required for the degree or to forfeit an equal number of existing transfer credits.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE: PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS

Access to Psychology Academic Plans

In addition to the Faculty level residency requirements, all Psychology Majors must successfully complete the Psychology Department residency requirements stipulated for all Psychology Majors as well as those for the specific Psychology academic plan.

Residency Requirements for all Psychology Majors

At least half of the total number of units required in Psychology for the specific academic plan must be taken from uWaterloo on a numerical grading basis and these courses must be included in their cumulative Psychology average. Please keep these restrictions in mind if you have:

  • transfer credits from other institutions e.g., courses taken:
    • prior to studies at uWaterloo
    • on international exchange programs*
    • as a visiting student on Cross-Registration to Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) from uWaterloo - note that the Cross-Registration Agreement includes WLU Business courses that appear on the UW Schedule of Classes*
    • as a visiting student on a Letter of Permission from uWaterloo (at universities other than WLU)*

  • a cleared average (e.g., as a result of a Faculty Transfer or Failed Required to Withdraw academic standing),

  • or you are planning to enrol in any of the apprenticeship courses (i.e., Psych 264, 464, 465, 467) which are offered on a Credit/No Credit (CR/NCR) grading basis rather than a numerical grading basis.

Additional residency requirements for your specific academic plan in Psychology:

Residency Requirements for Three Year General Psychology

Residency requirements for all Psychology Majors

If you are hoping to apply for admisssion to Four Year General Psychology or Honours Psychology in the future, please read the information below.

Residency Requirements for Four Year General Psychology

Residency requirements for all Psychology Majors

In addition, Four Year General Psychology Majors must successfully complete at least 1.5 units in Psychology at the third or fourth year level (excluding Psych 323R) from uWaterloo.

If you are hoping to apply for admisssion to Honours Psychology in the future, please read the information below.

Residency Requirements for Honours Psychology
(Single Honours Major or Joint Honours)

Residency requirements for all Psychology Majors

In addition, Honours Psychology Majors must successfully complete the following courses from uWaterloo:

  1. at least 2 of Psych 291, 292, 391, 492 including at least 1 of Psych 391 or 492*

    *Although Psych 492 is not a degree requirement for Honours Psychology Majors who are enrolled Fall 2009 or later, one of Psych 391 or 492 at uWaterloo is still required for the Psychology residency requirements. Psych 492 will be offered Winter 2011, Winter 2013, and hopefully Winter 2015.

  2. at least 1 of Psych 392-399 (Advanced Research Methods Courses)

  3. at least 1.5 units in Psychology from the following categories of courses:
    • Advanced Psychology courses (see FAQ 1 - outside this handbook)

    • Honours Seminars (i.e., Psych 420, 453-463 or 485)

    • Psychology electives at the 300 and/or 400 level - - NOTE: Those who choose to satisfy the 'Psych elective' requirements by doing an Honours Thesis must enrol in Psych 499A/B/C at uWaterloo.

Those who request to take equivalents of any of Psych 291, 292, 391, 392-399, 492, or Honours Seminars (Psych 420, 453-463) elsewhere,
for example, on Cross-Registration (Wilfrid Laurier University only),
Letter of Permission (universities other than WLU),
or on International Exchange,
please note the following restrictions:

  • you will be required to earn a minimum grade of 75% (instead of the normal 60% grade minimum) in each approved course in order to receive transfer credit for the course.

    Exceptions to the 75% grade rule will be considered for those taking courses on International Exchange programs where the grading schemes differ significantly from uWaterloo.

  • Strongly recommend that you do not request permission to do both Psych 291/292 elsewhere unless you are sure that you will be able to take both Psych 391 and 492 at uWaterloo. Note that Psych 492 is not offered every year (see note 1 above).

  • Warning regarding Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) courses:
    Psych 291/292 at the University of Waterloo are equivalent to Psych 295/296 (courses taken by Honours Psych students) at Wilfrid Laurier University not Psych 291/ 292 at Wilfrid Laurier University (courses taken by General Psych Majors). Those in Honours Psychology at uWaterloo (or applying for admission to Honours Psychology at uWaterloo) who are given permission to Cross-Register to Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) to take Psych 291/292 will require at least 83% in each course in order to be exempt from taking Psych 291/292 at uWaterloo (e.g., prerequisites needed for proceeding to Psych 391). This practice parallels the practice at WLU for exemptions from taking Psych 295/296.

  • Only those who are in satisfactory academic standing in the Honours Psychology plan at uWaterloo (e.g,, at least 60% overall and at least 75% in Psychology; Honours BSc Psych also require a 60% Science average) will be permitted to take equivalents of any of the following courses on Cross-Registration, Letter of Permission, or on an International Exchange Program:
    • Psych 391 (Advanced Statistics)
    • Honours Seminars (Psych 420, 453-463)
    • Psych 492 (Tests and Measurement)

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PSYCHOLOGY MINOR

In addition to the rules of your home Faculty governing transfer credits and residency requirements, the Faculty of Arts residency requirements must be met.

The Psychology Department residency requirements must also be met:

  1. At least half of the PSYCH course units must be taken from uWaterloo.
  2. At least half of the PSYCH units must be taken on a numerical grading basis and these courses must be included in the cumulative Psychology average.

Course/average requirements for the Psychology Minor

CO-OP STUDENTS - NON ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE

The details in this section are stored elsewhere in this handbook:

Guidelines for Writing Psychology Work-Term Reports (other website)

APPLICATION / ADMISSION TO DEGREE STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY (PART 1): CURRENT UNIV OF WATERLOO STUDENTS

(If you are pursuing a second degree, go to part 2 for information)

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

'Psychology Academic Orientation for Prospective Majors' and application instructions for the Psychology Major

Available of Psychology Academic Plans:

As of March 2007, only those who are available to take courses on-campus at the Univ of Waterloo during the daytime (e.g., Psych 291 Fall, Psych 292 Winter, etc.) will be considered for admission to the Psychology Major. Those who plan to take courses online, by distance education, and/or evening study only will not be admitted to the Psychology Major.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO DEGREE STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY

Home Faculty Arts:

A Bachelor of Arts (BA) program denotes home Faculty Arts.

Psychology academic plan choices in the Faculty of Arts

Course requirements to be considered for admission to a Psychology Major in the Faculty of Arts:

Applicants must have successfully completed at least 4.0 units (i.e., 8 term courses) towards a degree program including one of Psych 101 (Introductory Psychology) or Psych 121R (Introductory Psychology). Psych 101 and Psych 121R are equivalent so don't take both. Although not a requirement for admission, it is preferred that students will also have taken one of the following prior to admission:

  • Psych 207 (Cognitive Processes)
  • Psych 211 (Developmental Psychology)
  • Psych 253 or 220R (Social Psychology),
  • Psych 257 or 323R (Psychopathology),
  • Psych 261 (Physiological Psychology).

See the NOTE below to first year students regarding Psychology course selections. There is no math requirement for admission to the Psychology Major but there is a math requirement for enrolment in Psych 292 (Basic Data Analysis).

Average requirements for admission to the Psych Major

Home Faculty Science:

A Bachelor of Science (BSc) program denotes home Faculty Science.

Psychology academic plan choices in the Faculty of Science

Course requirements to be considered for admission to Honours BSc Psychology (Home Faculty Science):

Applicants must have successfully completed all of the Year One course requirements for Honours Science (those are courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus) plus one of Psych 101 (Introductory Psychology) or Psych 121R (Introductory Psychology). Psych 101 and Psych 121R are equivalent so don't take both. Although not a requirement for admission, it is preferred that students will also have taken one of the following prior to admission:

  • Psych 207 (Cognitive Processes)
  • Psych 211 (Developmental Psychology)
  • Psych 253 or 220R (Social Psychology),
  • Psych 257 or 323R (Psychopathology),
  • Psych 261 (Physiological Psychology).

For those in Honours Life Science (Regular or Co-op) or Honours Science who have not completed all of the Year One course requirements for Honours Science in time for admission to Honours BSc Psych (note Psych 291 is only offered in the Fall term), see FAQ H in the 'Admission Decisions' section for further details (e.g., regarding Joint Honours Science and Psychology).

For those in Honours Life Science Co-op Year 1 who are hoping for admission to Honours BSc Psych Co-op, see FAQ I in the 'Admission Decisions' section for further details.

If interested in Joint Science (Major or Non-Major) and Psychology, see the next section for details.

See the NOTE below to first year students regarding Psychology course selections.

Average requirements for admission to the Psych Major

Course requirements for Honours students in Faculties other than Arts who want to be considered for admission to Joint Honours Psychology:

Applicants must have successfully completed at least 4.0 units (i.e., 8 term courses) towards an Honours degree program including one of Psych 101 (Introductory Psychology) or Psych 121R (Introductory Psychology). Psych 101 and Psych 121R are equivalent so don't take both. Although not a requirement for admission, it is preferred that students will also have taken one of the following prior to admission:

  • Psych 207 (Cognitive Processes)
  • Psych 211 (Developmental Psychology)
  • Psych 253 or 220R (Social Psychology),
  • Psych 257 or 323R (Psychopathology),
  • Psych 261 (Physiological Psychology).

See the NOTE below to first year students regarding Psychology course selections.

There is no math requirement for admission to the Psychology Major but there is a math requirement for enrolment in Psych 292 (Basic Data Analysis).

*If you are required to take any research methods and/or statistics courses in your first Major, please include that information with your application for the Psychology Major.

Average requirements for admission to Joint Honours Psych

NOTE to First Year Students Regarding Psychology Course Selections:

Although it is possible to take Psych 101 in the second term of year one (1B) and apply for a Psychology Major for year two admission, most students who are interested in a Psychology Major will take Psych 101 in the first term of year one (1A) and one of Psych 207, 211, 253, 257, 261 in the second term of year one (1B).

Please do not take more than one Psychology course per term during first year. A breadth of courses in year one is important for your university experience, for example:

  • When the admission decisions are made for the Psychology Major, note that the Psychology average calculation for an individual is the average of all of the Psychology grades taken to date. For those whose averages are below the desired targets for admission (see chart below), note that taking an overload of Psychology courses in year one (i.e., more than Psych 101 plus 1 Psych course at the second year level) is not grounds for an appeal for admission to the Psychology Major or for an appeal for admission to Honours Psychology instead of General Psychology. See FAQ 21 (outside this handbook) for further details regarding improving the Psychology average (if necessary).

  • Greater effort may be required in some of your courses in order to be successful. The more 'required' (e.g., courses which affect average calculations for a future Major/Minor/Option/Specialization) versus 'elective' courses that you are taking in a given term, the more difficult it is to allocate your time differently to each course.

  • It is a good idea to have a plan A and B for a Major in case plan A doesn't work out (e.g., grades not high enough or you change your mind about your interests),

  • You might discover a new subject area that you want to pursue as a Major (e.g., instead of psychology or to do as Joint Honours with Psychology), Minor, Option, or Specialization. Gaining this insight in year one is helpful for gaining prerequisites for future courses as well as reducing the possibility of additional time being required in order to complete the degree.

  • A variety of courses will hopefully help you to gain insight into your future educational and employment goals which in turn will define the prerequisites (e.g., course requirements, volunteer and/or paid experiences, etc.) that you will need over your remaining years of study to pursue those goals.

If you are having difficulty choosing between Psychology courses, review course outlines from previous terms.

AVERAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO DEGREE STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY

 

 

Cumulative Overall Average Required

 Cumulative Psych Average Required Other Requirements
3 Year General Psych (BA) 60% 65%  
4 Year General Psych (BA) 60% 70%  
Hon Psych (BA) 70% 75%  

Hon Psych & Arts and Business (BA)

(Regular or Co-op)

 70% 75%

Students must currently be enrolled in Arts and Business.

70% Arts and Business average is required.

Hon Psych (BSc)

(Home Faculty Science)

 60% 75%

60% science average also required.

Students not currently enrolled in the Faculty of Science should consult an academic advisor in the Science Undergraduate Office regarding the high school prerequisites.

Joint Honours with Psych

- Home Faculty Arts

70% 75% Average requirements of the second Major

Joint Honours with Psychology

- Home Faculty not Arts

60% 75% Average requirements of the second Major

 

Upgrading Your Psychology Average

If you are applying for admission to the Psychology Major for the Fall term and you are concerned that your averages (particularly your cumulative Psychology average) do not meet the criteria above, suggest that you enrol in a Psychology course for the Spring term (e.g.,on-campus or online) to raise your averages. If you are offered admission to the Psychology Major after the Winter term, you have the option of dropping that Spring course. If your admission decision is 'decision deferred pending Spring grades' it would be wise to proceed with the course so that your application for the Psych Major can be reconsidered early September after the Spring term. Only those admitted to the Psych Major can take Psych 291 (Research Methods) in the Fall term. Psych 291 is only offered once per year. Psych 291 is one of the prerequisites for enrolment in Psych 292 (Winter only).

If you have difficulty enrolling in a Spring term Psych course, contact the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor for advice. Indicate in the message your full name, ID number, and whether or not you have submitted the application documents for the Psych Major.

See FAQ 21 (outside this handbook) for further strategies for improving your grades.

Extenuating Circumstances

If your grades were affected by extenuating circumstances (documentable if requested e.g., illness; death in the family) and you did not report this information on your Application for the Psychology Major, please email this information to the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor. Include your full name, ID number, and the program you applied to. Put your last name and 'supplementary app info' in the subject line of the message (e.g., Jones - supplementary app info).

See the 'Admission Decision' section below for answers to commonly asked questions about the admission process.

ADMISSION DECISIONS FOR DEGREE STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY

Applications will be reviewed on an individual basis.

The Psychology Undergraduate Advisor will notify applicants regarding admission decisions by email. For those being considered for the Psychology Major after the Winter term grades are available, decisions will be made during the last two weeks of May. May is a very labour intensive month. Please be patient for a response.

If admitted to a Psychology Major in 2012, please plan on taking Psych 291 Fall 2012 and Psych 292 Winter 2013 (exception: Honours Psych and Arts and Business Co-op take Psych 292 in the 3A Winter term which is Winter 2014). Please refer to the following information when planning your course selections:

If you change your mind about the Psychology Major, please notify the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor.

If you were admitted to Honours Psychology (Regular Stream) and you plan to apply for admission to Honours Psychology (Departmental) Co-op, refer to the 'Application/Admission to Honours Psychology (Departmental) Co-op' section for details.

The Psychology Department reserves the right to restrict the number of students admitted on conditonal standing (e.g., the Psychology average is less than the minimum required) to any academic plan in Psychology. Those admitted on conditional standing typically must raise their average(s) to the target average within one academic term.

FAQ ABOUT ADMISSION DECISIONS

If you were refused admission to the Psychology Major or you were offered admission to a different academic plan in Psychology than the one you applied to, which of the following context best describes your situation?

Home Faculty Arts:

Home Faculty not Arts or Science:

Home Faculty Science:

A. Refused Admission to a Psychology Major (including Three Year General Psych) Because the Psych Average is Too Low

You cannot take courses that are restricted to Psychology Majors (e.g., Psych 291 and 292) at this time.

If you want to be considered for admission to a Major other than Psychology, please consult with the academic advisor for that department. If you are uncertain about your options, please speak to an Academic Counsellor in the Arts Undergraduate Office (PAS 2439).

If you raise your Psychology average to at least 65% in the future, please apply again for admission to Three Year General Psychology (or the Psychology Minor).

Average requirements for admission to various Psychology academic plans

Please see FAQ 21 (outside this handbook) for strategies for improving your grades.

B. Refused Admission to Four Year General Psych But Offered Admission to Three Year General Psych

You will automatically be considered for admission to the Three Year General Psychology unless otherwise specified on your Application Form for the Psychology Major. Please see FAQ 21 and 24 (outside this handbook) for further details regarding improving your grades and reapplying for admission to Four Year General Psych for a future term.

If you change your mind about the Psychology Major and prefer to be admitted to a primary academic plan other than Psychology (with or without a Psychology Minor), please submit a revised Plan Modification Form for approval. A cumulative Psychology average of at least 65% is required for admission to the Psychology Minor.

C. Refused Admission to Honours (BA) Psych (single Major in the Faculty of Arts; not Co-op) But Offered Admission to General Psych

You will automatically be considered for admission to the Three- Year or Four-Year General Psychology unless otherwise specified on your Application Form for the Psychology Major. Please see FAQ 21, 22, and 23 (outside this handbook) for further details regarding improving your grades, reapplying for admission to Honours Psych for a future term, course planning information, etc.

If you change your mind about the Psychology Major and prefer to be admitted to a primary academic plan other than Psychology (with or without a Psychology Minor), please submit a revised Plan Modification Form for approval. A cumulative Psychology average of at least 65% is required for admission to the Psychology Minor.

D. Refused Admission to Honours Psych and Arts and Business (Regular Stream) But Offered Admission to General Psych

You will automatically be considered for admission to the Three- Year or Four-Year General Psychology unless otherwise specified on your Application Form for the Psychology Major.

Options to consider:

  • (Option D1) Enrol in General Psychology if admissible (e.g., to take Psych 291 in the Fall and Psych 292 in the Winter). Please see FAQ 21, 22, and 23 (outside this handbook) for further details regarding improving your grades, reapplying to Honours Psych (or Honours Psych and Arts and Business) for a future term, course planning information, etc.

  • (Option D2) Alternatively, enrol in a different Honours Major if admissible (you cannot take Psych 291/292). You could reapply for admission to the Honours Psychology Major in a future term if your Psychology average improves. Please see FAQ 21 and the 'Supplementary Course Sequence Information' provided in the degree requirement checklist for further details (both links go outside this handbook). If you want to enrol in the Psychology Minor plan, please submit a revised Plan Modification Form for approval. A cumulative Psychology average of at least 65% is required for admission to the Psychology Minor.
E. Refused Admission to Honours Psych and Arts and Business (Co-op Stream) But Offered Admission to General Psych

You will automatically be considered for admission to the Three- Year or Four-Year General Psychology unless otherwise specified on your Application Form for the Psychology Major.

Please discuss your options with the Arts and Business Advisor as well as the academic advisor(s) of the proposed Major(s). For example:

  • (Option E1) Enrol in General Psychology if admissible (e.g., to take Psych 291 in the Fall and Psych 292 in the Winter). Please see FAQ 21, 22, and 23 (outside this handbook) for further details regarding improving your grades, reapplying for the Honours Psych Major for a future term, course planning information, etc. Admission to Honours Psych (Departmental) Co-op or Honours Psych and Arts and Business Co-op beyond the 2B term (Winter) will not be possible.

  • (Option E2) Alternatively, enrol in a different Honours Major if admissible (you cannot take Psych 291/292). Switching to Honours Psychology and Arts and Business Co-op in the future will be problematic because several of the core courses for Honours Psychology (e.g., Psych 291, 292, 391, Third Year Research Methods Courses) are only offered once per year and must be taken in sequence. If you raise your Psychology average to 75% in the future, discuss your options with the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor (e.g., some students in these situations give up co-op to pursue the Psychology Major).
    If you want to enrol in the Psychology Minor plan, please submit a revised Plan Modification Form for approval. A cumulative Psychology average of at least 65% is required for admission to the Psychology Minor.
F. Refused Admission to Joint Honours Psych (Home Faculty Arts)

You will automatically be considered for admission to the Three- Year or Four-Year General Psychology unless otherwise specified on your Application Form for the Psychology Major.

Please discuss your options with the academic advisor(s) of the proposed Majors. For example:

  • (Option F1) Enrol in General Psychology if admissible (e.g., to take Psych 291 in the Fall term and Psych 292 in the Winter term). Please see FAQ 21, 22, and 23 for (outside this handbook) further details regarding improving your grades, reapplying to Honours Psych (or Joint Honours Psychology) for a future term, course planning information, etc.

  • (Option F2) Alternatively, enrol in an Honours Major in a discipline other than Psychology if admissible (you cannot take Psych 291/292/391). You could reapply for admission to Joint Honours Psychology in a future term if your Psychology average improves. Please see FAQ 21 and the 'Supplementary Course Sequence Information' provided in the degree requirement checklist for further details (both links go outside this handbook). If you want to enrol in the Psychology Minor plan, please submit a revised Plan Modification Form for approval. A cumulative Psychology average of at least 65% is required for admission to the Psychology Minor.
G. Refused Admission to Joint Honours Psych (Home Faculty not Arts)

You cannot take courses that are restricted to Psychology Majors (e.g., Psych 291, 292, 391, etc.)

Please discuss your options with the academic advisor(s) of the proposed Majors. For example:

  • (Option G1) Reapply for admission to Joint Honours Psychology in a future term if your Psychology average improves. Please see FAQ 21 and the 'Supplementary Course Sequence Information' provided in the degree requirement checklist for further details (both links go outside this handbook).

  • (Option G2) If you want to enrol in the Psychology Minor plan, please submit a revised Plan Modification Form for approval. A cumulative Psychology average of at least 65% is required for admission to the Psychology Minor. If not enrolled in an Honours degree plan, consult with an academic advisor in the home Faculty regarding eligibility to enrol in a Minor plan outside the home Faculty.
H. Refused Admission to Honours BSc Psych (Home Faculty Science)

General Psychology is not available in the Faculty of Science.

Please discuss your options with the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor as well as an academic advisor in the Science Undergraduate Office (ESC Room 252G). For example:

  • (Option H1) If your averages (Psych, Overall, and Science) are satisfactory for admission to Honours BSc Psych but you haven't completed all of the Year One Math/Science course requirements for admission (e.g., have not successfully completed Math 128 or Phys 112/112L), your options include:

  • (Option H2) If you meet all of the Year One course requirements for Honours BSc Psych and your overall and Science averages are satisfactory but your Psych average is less than 75%, your options include:

    • if the Psych average is at least 70%, speak to the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor about the possibility of an 'override' to enrol in Psych 291 for the Fall term and to be reconsidered for admission to Honours BSc Psych after the Fall term grades are available.

    • if the Psych average is less than 70%, you cannot take Psych 291 or 292 at this time. Remain in your current academic plan and reapply to the Psych Major in the future if you raise your Psych average to 75%. See FAQ 21 and the 'Supplementary Course Sequence Information' provided in the degree requirement checklist for further details (both links outside this handbook).

  • (Option H3) if your Psychology average is less than 75% and you haven't completed all of the Year One Math/Science course requirements for admission to Honours BSc Psych, you cannot take Psych 291 or 292 at this time. Remain in your current academic plan and reapply to the Psych Major in the future if you raise your Psych average to 75% and complete the necessary Year One courses. See FAQ 21 and the 'Supplementary Course Sequence Information' provided in the degree requirement checklist for further details (both links outside this handbook).

  • (Option H4) Consider enrolling in the Psychology Minor plan instead of pursuing a Psychology Major. The cumulative Psychology average must be at least 65% to enrol in the Psychology Minor. If not enrolled in an Honours degree plan, consult with an academic advisor in the Faculty of Science regarding eligibility to enrol in a Minor plan outside the home Faculty.
I. Life Science Co-op in first year - Wanted admission to Honours BSc Psych Co-op in second year but was admitted to Honours BSc Psych Regular stream

We do not accept students to Honours Psychology (Departmental) Co-op prior to the 2B (Winter) school term.

Those hoping for admission to Honours Psychology 'Departmental' Co-op should seek admission to Honours Psychology (Regular stream) for the 2A Fall term in order to take Psych 291 (Research Methods). These instructions apply to all students including those who were enrolled in Life Science Co-op during year one.

Applications for admission to Honours Psychology 'Departmental' Co-op will be accepted during the 2A school term following the Psychology Co-op Information Meeting in November. See Application/Admission to Honours Psychology (Departmental) Co-op below for further details.

Those admitted to Honours Psychology Co-op will search for a co-op position for the Spring term (the first work term of four) during their full-time 2B (Winter) school term which will include enrolment in Psych 292 (Introduction to Statistics).

MATH BACKGROUND REQUIRED FOR TAKING PSYCH 292

Students who have not successfully completed one of the following courses:

  • an Ontario Academic Credit (OAC) Mathematics course (e.g., Finite Math)

  • Ontario 4U Math (e.g., Mathematics of Data Management)

  • Grade 12 Math from a province other than Ontario

  • a first year University Math course (e.g., Math 103, 104, or 127 at the University of Waterloo)

  • or an approved equivalent (e.g., if you took a college level math course or a math course outside of Canada, consult with the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor)

will be required to take Math 103 (Algebra) concurrently with Psych 291 (Basic Research Methods) in the Fall term before taking Psych 292 (Basic Data Analysis) in the Winter term.

For those who are required to take Math 103 before taking Psych 292:

Alternatives to taking Math 103 in the Fall term would be to take one of the following courses a term earlier (i.e., Spring term):

  1. a 4U Math course during summer school at a high school (e.g., Math of Data Management)

  2. a 4U Math course by distance education and/or online learning from the Independent Learning Centre (ILC) in Toronto ( e.g., Math of Data Management).
    As an aside, some Psychology Majors have had difficulty completing this course (including the final exam) within a fourth month time frame so start early! It is our understanding from students who have taken the 4U Math course from ILC that this course cannot be 'fast tracked' because course units are provided to the student in stages after the previous unit has been marked and feedback provided. Therefore, delaying the start date of the course from May to September could result in no final mark for the 4U Math course by the second week of January. In that case, it would be necessary to delay the Psych 292 enrolment until the Winter term of the following year.

If option 1 or 2 is your plan, proof that the course was passed will be required at the

Consider the following details when deciding whether to take Math 103 versus a 4U Math course:

  • Math 103 counts as an elective towards your degree and the final grade will count in your cumulative overall average.

  • 4U Math will not count as an elective towards your degree and the final grade will not count in your cumulative overall average.

  • Would you rather take Math 103 while taking a full course load in the Fall term or take a 4U Math course when you are not doing other courses (e.g., Spring term)?

  • the on-campus section of Math 103 will have tutorial sections but the distance education/online section will not. (We don't know whether or not the 4U Math courses have tutorial sections.)

If your math background was grade 9 or 10, see FAQ 33 (outside this handbook) for further details before proceeding to Math 103 or a 4U Math course.

For those who are not required to take Math 103 before taking Psych 292:

If you are worried about taking Psych 292 because your math skills are weak, see FAQ 32 (outside this handbook) for further details.

CLASS ENROLMENT

It is important that students plan their courses at least two terms ahead particularly if they are in the Co-op system of study. Please refer to the degree requirement check lists (including course sequence information) for the various Psychology academic plans when choosing your courses.

Check Quest for the dates for the following enrolment windows for a given term: 'pre-enrolment', 'class enrolment appointments', and 'open enrolment'.

Please check the Psychology Undergraduate website for the Psychology course offering information for the coming year as well as class enrolment announcements on the Bulletin Board for Psychology Majors.

APPLICATION/ADMISSION TO HONOURS PSYCHOLOGY CO-OP
(Home Faculty Arts or Science)

Who Can Apply for Admission to Honours Psychology 'Departmental' Co-op

Those in year two of Honours Psychology in the Fall term (the term Psych 291 is taken) are invited to apply for admission to Co-op. We only admit students to Honours Psychology 'Departmental' Co-op (hereafter referred to as Honours Psychology Co-op) in the Winter term and those admitted must not be beyond the 2B year/level that Winter term.

*Note: Those in Joint Honours Psychology cannot apply for admission to Psychology 'Departmental' Co-op unless the first Major is Psychology and the Home Faculty is Arts. For example, the Co-op stream is not an option for those in the Faculty of Science who are pursuing Joint Honours Science and Psychology.

If you are planning to apply for admission to Honours Psych Co-op for Winter 2013 admission, please attend the Psychology Co-op Information Meeting Nov 2012 (date, time, and location currently pending.)

If you are currently in Arts and Business (Regular or Co-op) and you are hoping to switch to Honours Psychology 'Departmental' Co-op, please refer above to the Arts and Business section in ‘Academic Plans in Psychology’ for further details.  

Admission to Honours Psychology Co-op

Admission decisions for Winter 2013 will be made the first week of January 2013 once the Fall 2012 grades are available.

Admission to Honours Psychology Co-op is limited and is based on several criteria including (but not limited to) background in Psychology, academic standing, and space availability in the Co-op system of study. Details regarding the minimum eligibility criteria for admission to Honours Psychology Co-op is provided below in this section. The Psychology Department determines space availability each year in consultation with the Co-operative Education Department.

Space availability for Honours Psychology Co-op:

ADMISSION TERM MAXIMUM # THAT CAN BE ADMITTED TO CO-OP # APPS REC'D REFUSED CO-OP WITHDREW APPS AND/OR DECLINED OFFER TO CO-OP ADMITTED TO CO-OP *
Winter 2009 25 31 6 0 25
Winter 2010 25 42 13
(some of these met the minimum admission req'ts)		 4 25
Winter 2011 35 30 5 2 23
(including 9 BSc students and 14 BA students)
Winter 2012 35 43 7

3

(2 of the 3 instead switched to Arts and Bus Co-op)

 33
Winter 2013 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

 

*Retention in Honours Psychology Co-op

At the time of admission to Co-op, students must have fulfilled all of the following minimum eligibility criteria:

  1. satisfactory standing (i.e., 'satisfactory', 'good', or 'excellent' standing) in Honours Psych (BA or BSc).

  2. successful completion of at least 7.0 units (i.e., 14 term courses)
    but no more than

    a) 9.0 units (i.e., 18 term courses) including transfer credits if enrolled in the Faculty of Arts or

    b) 10.5 units including transfer credits and labs if enrolled in the Faculty of Science.

  3. successful completion of at least 2.0 units in Psychology including

    Psych 101 (Introductory Psychology) and
    Psych 291 (Basic Research Methods).

  4. successful completion of the Math background required for enrolment in Psych 292.

  5. enrolled in Psych 292 (Basic Data Analysis) at the time of admission to Co-op (Winter term only).

  6. satisfied the English Language Proficiency requirement:

    Home Faculty of Arts
    Home Faculty of Science

  7. attended the PD1 Information Seminar the first week of January (2B Winter term).

  8. for those in the Faculty of Science, successfully completed all of the Year One required courses by the Faculty of Science.

  9. Averages required for admission to Honours Psych Co-op:

    Averages required for admission to Honours Psychology Co-op are higher than those for the Honours Psychology Regular system of study because participation in co-op employment activities (e.g., applying for jobs, going to interviews, etc.) during academic terms is very time consuming and can be as much work as taking an extra course. Further, students with lower averages find it very difficult to obtain co-op positions.

    The averages required for admission to Co-op are typically 70-75% overall and 78% in Psychology; however, Honours BSc Psych applicants will be considered with a slightly lower overall average. These averages do not guarantee admission because we cannot predict the number of applications that will be received nor the grades of the applicants.

Further details about the application/admission process for admission to Honours Psychology Co-op for Winter 2013

Appeals for Exceptions to the Minimum Eligibility Criteria for Admission to Honours Psychology Co-op

Any requests for exceptions to the minimum eligibility criteria for admission to Honours Psych Co-op for Winter 2013 (see the previous section for details) must be submitted in writing (e.g., hard copy, email attachment, FAX) to Heather Smith in the Psychology Department no later than noon Wednesday January 2, 2013. Include with such requests:

  1. your reasons for wanting to be in the Co-op program.

  2. the exception that you are requesting.

    Notes:

    a) If your grades are below the normal admission criteria due to extenuating circumstances, please briefly describe the situation and the steps that you have taken or will be taking to improve your academic standing. See FAQ 21 (outside this handbook) for further details.

    b) If appealing the year/level for admission, include:

APPLICATION / ADMISSION TO DEGREE STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY (PART 2): TRANSFER STUDENTS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO AND UWATERLOO STUDENTS PURSUING A SECOND DEGREE

UWATERLOO ALUMNI WHO WISH TO UPGRADE A GENERAL BA IN PSYCHOLOGY TO AN HONOURS BA IN PSYCHOLOGY

Those who hold a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Waterloo at the General level (i.e., Three Year General Psych or Four Year General Psych) and want to upgrade that degree to Honours Psychology must apply for readmission.

The cumulative average requirements for admission to Honours Psychology are 60% overall and 75% in Psychology. The Co-op system of study will not be an option.

If accepted, these students will retain all courses and averages from the first degree because the Major (Psychology) has not changed.

Please refer to the following information for further details:

An honours degree in psychology (or an equivalent - see Make-Up Psychology) that includes an honours Psych 499A/B/C) is typically required for admission to graduate studies in Psychology. Note the prerequisites for enrolment in Psych 499.

UWATERLOO ALUMNI WHO WISH TO UPGADE A THREE-YEAR GENERAL BA IN PSYCHOLOGY TO A FOUR-YEAR GENERAL BA IN PSYCHOLOGY

Those who hold a Three Year General BA in Psychology from the University of Waterloo and want to upgrade the degree to a Four Year General BA Psych must apply for readmission.

The cumulative average requirements for admission to Four Year General Psychology are 60% overall and 70% in Psychology.

If accepted, these students will retain all courses and averages from the first degree because the Major (Psychology) has not changed.

An Option or Minor in a second discipline is recommended.

Please refer to the following information for further details:

UWATERLOO ALUMNI (NOT A PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR) WHO WISH TO PURSUE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY

A General BA in Psychology (3 Year and 4 Year plans) is available from the Faculty of Arts only. Honours Psychology is available through the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science.

Access to Psychology Academic Plans:

As of March 2007, only those who are available to take courses
on-campus at the Univ of Waterloo during the daytime (e.g., Psych 291 Fall, Psych 292 Winter, etc.) will be considered for admission to the Psychology Major. Those who plan to take courses online, by distance education, and/or evening study only will not be admitted to the Psychology Major.

Applications to the Faculty of Arts

University of Waterloo alumni who did not have a Psychology Major and who wish to pursue a second Bachelor's degree with a Psychology Major must apply for readmission.

If admitted to a Psychology academic plan, courses taken as part of the first degree will be cleared from the average calculations for the second degree. Student will be considered for the following maximum amounts of transfer credit from the first degree towards the second degree:

  • entering Honours Psychology (BA) - 10.0 units (i.e., 20 term courses)

  • entering Four-Year General Psychology (BA) - 10.0 units (i.e., 20 term courses)

  • entering Three-Year General Psychology (BA) - 7.5 units (i.e., 15 term courses)

All students are required to complete at least half of the required number of psychology courses for the specific Psychology academic plan from the University of Waterloo. Refer to 'residency requirements' for the degree for further details.

Those who have a 'Psychology Minor' designation on the first degree (the Major for that degree will not be Psychology) can be considered for admission to Four Year General Psychology or Honours Psychology at uWaterloo but not Three Year General Psychology.

Those admitted to Honours Psychology will not be eligible for admission to the Co-op system of study.

Please refer to the following information for further details:

An honours degree in psychology (or an equivalent - see Make-Up Psychology) that includes an honours Psych 499A/B/C) is typically required for admission to graduate studies in Psychology. Note the prerequisites for enrolment in Psych 499.

University of Waterloo alumni (other than Psychology Majors) who are seeking admission to Honours Psychology and have a cumulative uWaterloo overall average and Psychology average of 80% or better should refer to the information regarding the Make-Up Psychology plan as well as the admission requirements for that plan.

Applications to the Faculty of Science

University of Waterloo alumni holding a Bachelor's degree from a Faculty other than Science and are interested in the Honours BSc Psychology plan or the Joint Honours Science and Psychology plan should consult with an academic advisor in the Science Undergraduate Office as well as the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor (PAS 4005) before applying for admission. Those admitted will not be eligible for admission to the Co-op system of study.

Please refer to the following information for further details:

UWaterloo alumni holding a Bachelor of Science degree are typically not eligible to pursue a second Bachelor of Science degree at uWaterloo (click here for further details). These students should consult with an academic advisor in the Arts Undergraduate Office (PAS 2439) as well as the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor (PAS 4005) about the possibility of doing degree studies in the Faculty of Arts (e.g., General or Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology). Those admitted to degree studies will not be eligible for admission to the Co-op system of study.

An honours degree in psychology (or an equivalent - see Make-Up Psychology below) that includes an honours thesis (Psych 499A/B/C) is typically required for admission to graduate studies in Psychology. Click here for details regarding Psych 499 (e.g., the course prerequisites, finding a thesis supervisor, etc.).

UWaterloo alumni (other than Psychology Majors) who are seeking admission to Honours Psychology and have a cumulative uWaterloo overall average and Psychology average of 80% or better should refer to the information regarding the Make-Up Psychology plan as well as the admission requirements for that plan.

TRANSFERRING INTO DEGREE STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY FROM ANOTHER INSTITUTION

A General Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (3 Year and 4 Year plans) is available from the Faculty of Arts only.

Honours Psychology is available through the Faculty of Arts (Bachelor of Arts) and the Faculty of Science (Bachelor of Science).

Click here for information for prospective students such as application procedures and deadlines as well as information regarding tuition, housing, notes for international students, etc.

Official transcripts from all previous secondary and post-secondary institutions should be sent directly to the University of Waterloo Registrar's Office. Those who have taken a research methods course and/or a statistics course will be required to submit a copy of the course outline (i.e., detailed list of the topics covered the title/author of the textbook used) to the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor (PAS 4005) for evaluation.

Applicants will be notified in writing of the admission decision and the transfer credit assessment by the Registrar's Office.

Those who cannot be admitted for a Psychology Major at uWaterloo include:

  • Access to Psychology Academic Plans: As of March 2007, only those who are available to take courses on-campus at the Univ of Waterloo during the daytime (e.g., Psych 291 Fall, Psych 292 Winter, etc.) will be considered for admission to the Psychology Major. Those who plan to take courses online, by distance education, and/or evening study only will not be admitted to the Psychology Major.

  • Those whose first degree included a Psychology Minor designation will not be considered for admission to Three Year General Psychology (BA only).

  • Those currently holding a Bachelor of Science degree are not eligible to pursue a second Bachelor of Science degree at uWaterloo. These students should consult with an academic advisor in the Arts Undergraduate Office (PAS 2439) as well as the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor (PAS 4005) about the possibility of doing degree studies in the Faculty of Arts (e.g., General or Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology). Those admitted to degree studies will not be eligible for admission to the Co-op system of study. See the Arts section above for further details.

  • Those holding a Bachelor's degree from a Faculty other than Science and are interested in the Honours BSc Psychology plan or the Joint Honours Science/Psych plan should consult with an academic advisor in the Science Undergraduate Office as well as the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor (PAS 4005) before applying.

The admission cutoffs for transfer students into Psychology academic plans are typically:

  • Three-Year General Psychology (BA only) - 68% cumulative overall average and a 68% cumulative Psychology average. See above for further restrictions regarding the request for admission.

  • Four-Year General Psychology (BA only ) - 72% cumulative overall average and a 72% cumulative Psychology average.

  • Honours Psychology (BA) - 75 to 78% cumulative overall average and a 78% cumulative Psychology average.

  • Honours Psychology (BSc) or Joint Honours Science and Psychology (BSc) - 65-70% cumulative overall average and a 78% cumulative Psychology average. See above for further restrictions regarding the request for admission.

The maximum amount of transfer credit possible from previous institutions is as follows:

  • entering Three-Year General Psychology (BA only) - 7.5 units (i.e., 15 term courses)

  • entering Four-Year General Psychology (BA only) - 10.0 units (i.e., 20 term courses)

  • entering Honours Psychology (BA) - 10.0 units (i.e., 20 term courses)

  • entering Honours Psychology (BSc) - 10.5 units (including lecture units and lab units)

Further details regarding transfer credits to the Faculty of Arts

Further details regarding transfer credits to the Faculty of Science

All students are required to complete at least half of the required number of psychology courses for the specific Psychology academic plan from the University of Waterloo. Refer to 'residency requirements' for the degree for further details.

There is only one window of opportunity for applying for admission to Honours Psychology Co-op (BA or BSc) and it is at the 2B Winter school term only. Please refer to Application/Admission to Honours Psychology Co-op above for further details.

An honours degree in psychology (or an equivalent - see Make-Up Psychology below) that includes an honours thesis (Psych 499A/B/C) is typically required for admission to graduate studies in Psychology. Click here for details regarding Psych 499 (e.g., the course prerequisites, finding a thesis supervisor, etc.).

Those holding Bachelor level degrees who are seeking admission to Honours Psychology and have a cumulative uWaterloo overall average and Psychology average of 80% or better should refer to the information regarding the Make-Up Psychology plan as well as the admission requirements for that plan.

Other information of interest:

APPLICATION / ADMISSION TO 'MAKE-UP' STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY (This is not Degree Studies)

Please read the desciption of 'Make-Up' studies in Psychology before reading this section.

If you have not been a University of Waterloo student previously, click here for application procedures, deadlines, etc. NOTE: Follow the application procedures for part-time 'Post-Degree' studies even if you plan to study on a full-time basis. Part-time is 1 or 2 courses per term. Full-time is 3-5 courses per term.

If you have been a University of Waterloo student previously, click here for the application procedures, deadlines etc. If you have been away from your uWaterloo studies for 3 or more consecutive terms, please also submit an 'Application for Readmission Form' and note the submission deadline on that form.

After submitting the application, please notify the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor that the application has been submitted.

Please send official transcripts from all previous secondary and post-secondary institutions including proof of the previous degree to the University of Waterloo Registrar's Office. When the transcripts have been submitted, please notify the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor.

Those who have taken a research methods course and/or statistics course must submit a copy of the course outline (i.e., a detailed list of the topics covered and the title/author of the textbook used) to the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor (pas 4005) for evaluation.

Enrolment in Make-Up Studies in Psychology is subject to space availability. The grade cutoff for admission is typically 80-85% (overall and in Psychology). Applicants will be notified in writing of the admission decision by the Registrar's Office.

Note that the prerequisite for admission to the Honours Thesis course (Psych 499A/B/C) includes a psychology average of at least 82%.

Please refer to the following information for further details:

Additional Notes for International Students:

Click here for details regarding the English Language Requirement for admission to the University of Waterloo. Also, please consult with the agency in your home country that issues student visas regarding whether or not it is possible to obtain a student visa for a program that it is not degree studies (e.g., Post-Degree or Make-Up Studies in Psychology).

COMPUTER ACCOUNTS

Setting up your uWaterloo Computer Account:

uWaterloo Electronic Library.

E-Mail and the Psychology Major Mailing List


Students are responsible for monitoring their uWaterloo email account and should use their uWaterloo e-mail address for all e-mail correspondence to uWaterloo personnel for reasons such as identification, reliability, and security. Email from a uWaterloo accounts typically receives higher priority than mail sent from other addresses. Please include your full name and ID number on all messages and make the subject lines meaningful.

See the Official Student Email Address policy for the University of Waterloo for further details.

If you are using an alternate email address and you don't want your alternate e-mail address to be displayed on the uWaterloo directory, "forward" your mail from the uWaterloo account to your alternate account. If you are using free web accounts such as hotmail, yahoo or gmail, please keep the number of messages in your "in box" to a minimum in order to minimize the number of "undeliverable messages" to your account.

The Psychology Department sends group e-mail messages to Psychology Majors several times term.  When these messages are sent, the e-mail addresses of all students are not displayedl. The address used for the mailings is the one that you provided on the application to the Psychology Major. If you change your email address thereafter, please notify the uWaterloo Psychology Undergraduate Advisor of the change because changes that you make to your contact information on Quest do not update the Psychology departmental e-mail list. We don't want you to miss important messages!

PSYCH SOCIETY (PsychSoc)

All Psychology Majors are members of the Psych Society. Getting involved with the Psych Society is enjoyable and provides opportunities for developing marketable skills (e.g., administrative, interpersonal, problem solving, leadership, teamwork), to meet new people, and to become better acquainted with the faculty and staff of the Psychology Department. Volunteers are always needed to work in the office and to organize events. Check the PsychSoc website for further details.

Office: PAS 3080 (near the third floor lounge)
Phone number: (519) 888-4567 Ext. 35293

DEPARTMENTAL GRADE APPEAL PROCEDURES

Grade appeal procedures for the Faculty of Arts

Procedures for grade appeals for Psychology courses:

Students should first see the relevant instructor informally regarding the grade appeal as soon as possible and at least within six months of receipt of the grade.

If the student is not satisfied, he/she should then speak to the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Affairs of the Psychology Department (a written petition is preferred but is not necessary). The Undergraduate Chair (currently Colin Ellard) will attempt to understand the

If the student is still not satisfied, the Undergraduate Chair will appoint an uninvolved faculty member (one acceptable to the student) to look into the case and make a recommendation to the Undergraduate Chair. The Undergraduate Chair will then convey the recommendation to the student and the faculty member.

If the student is still not satisfied with the above results, he/she may take the case to the Associate Dean. Full details regarding Policy 70 (Student Grievance Policy) are on the Secretariat website.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY, ACADEMIC OFFENSES, GRIEVANCE, AND APPEALS

It is your responsibility to read and understand the information provided in the following documents:

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Go to the Glossary of Terms on Quest.

CONTACTS

Go to Academic and Career Advisors in the Psychology Department