Courses
Honours Major: Clinical Focus (16 courses)
121; 122; 201; 230; three of 223, 225, 227, 229, 255, 324; one of 332, 334, 336; 315; 321; 341; 417; two of 428, 448, 458; one of 490 or 495; and one elective. It is recommended that students also take 480. Graduation requirement: 7:00 G.P.A.
Experimental focus (16 courses)
121; 122; 201; 230; two of 223, 225, 227, 229, 255; 315; 332; 334; 336; 341; two of 428, 448, 458; one of 490 or 495; one additional 400-level course, and one elective. Completion of 121, 122, or one 200-level course (excluding 201) with a 7.00 (B-) average is required for admission into this major. Graduation requirement: 7.00 G.P.A.
General Major: (10 courses)
121; 122; 201; 230; 315; 341; two 300-level electives; and two electives at the 200-, 300- or 400-level. Completion of 121, 122, or one 200-level course (excluding 201) with a 5.00(C) average is required for admission into the major.
Minor: (6 courses)
121; 122; a 200-level course; one of 315 or 341; and two electives, at least one at the 300-level.
121 Introduction to Psychology: General and Experimental (F): An introduction to those topics in psychology emphasizing an experimental approach to the discipline. Major topics covered include an overview of the discipline’s history and research methodologies, the biological roots of behaviour, sensation and perception, states of consciousness, learning, memory, thinking and language, emotion, motivation and social influences and relations.
122 Introduction to Psychology: Clinical and Developmental (F,W): An introduction to clinical and developmental psychology. Topics covered include an overview of psychological research methods, child development, adolescent development, adult development, mental abilities, positive psychology, personality, psychological disorders and treatment, and health psychology.
201 Research Methods: Statistics (= Math 201) (F): An introduction to descriptive statistics and the logic of statistical inference. Statistical techniques common to behavioural sciences are covered. Includes a weekly one-hour lab. Prerequisite: Grade 11 U or M mathematics or Mathematics 101 or 114.
223 Developmental Psychology: Infant and Child (F): A basic overview of normal development beginning at the prenatal stage and continuing through to the end of childhood. Topics include prenatal, intellectual, social, emotional, moral, and gender-role development. The influences of the family, peers, and television on development will also be explored.
Prerequisite: 122.
225 Developmental Psychology: Adolescent (W): The course provides an overview of the developmental aspects of adolescence that are common to all adolescents, including physiological, cognitive, social, moral, spiritual, and sexual development. Issues facing some adolescents, such as eating disorders, cult membership, teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, and drug abuse will be discussed. Prerequisite: 122.
227 The Psychology of Health and Well-Being (= Physical Education 227) (F): An examination of the psychological aspects of health and illness. This course examines psychosocial, behavioural, and biomedical processes in the prevention of illness and the promotion of health and well-being (physical, psychological, and spiritual). This emphasis will be on theory-based psychological research and on the practice of health psychology. Selected topics to be explored include: the psychophysiological disorders, attitudes and behaviours which promote good health, the relationship between stress and disease, coping with stress, understanding and coping with pain and illness, lifestyle and risk factors in various medical disorders.
Prerequisite: 121 or 122.
229 Developmental Psychology: Adult (F): This course will provide a summary of adult development. It will focus on aspects of development that are normal to all adults, such as cognitive, emotional, social, physical, sexual, vocational, and spiritual. In addition, aspects of development that are unique to some adults, such as addictions, cognitive disorders, forced retirement, and terminal illness, will be explored. Foundational issues in adult development will be discussed.
Prerequisite: 122.
230 Research Methods: Experimental Design (W): An overview of the methodologies employed in studying the major problem areas of psychology. Emphasis is placed on a general research design at both the conceptual and applied levels. Topics include the scientific study of human behaviour, formulation of research problems, research design, statistical inferences, decision-making and writing of research reports. Includes a weekly one-hour lab.
Prerequisite: 121 and 201.
255 Social Psychology (W) (=Sociology 255): An overview of research and theory in areas of social perception, interpersonal attractions and relationships, altruism, aggression, conformity, attitude development and change, and group processes. Practical applications of social psychology to law, medicine, and business will be explored.
Prerequisite: 121 or 122.
315 Personality (F): An introduction to modern American and European theories of the psychological structure, dynamics, and development of human personality. In addition to major theories of personality, personality assessment and measurement will be discussed.
Prerequisite: a 200- level psychology course or permission of the instructor.
321 Abnormal Psychology (F, W): A review of the causes, symptoms, and treatments of several psychological disorders, including schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, dissociative disorders, substance-use disorders, psychophysiological disorders, and problems of sexual adaptation. Legal, ethical, and social issues pertaining to psychological disorder will be explored.
Recommended preparation: 315.
324 Psychology of Testing and Measurement (offered infrequently): An introduction to the theoretical and practical issues, viewpoints and techniques of psychological testing and test construction.
Prerequisite: 121 and 201.
332 Cognitive Psychology (W): This course examines human information processing. Major topics include pattern recognition, attention, memory processes, concept formation, knowledge acquisition, comprehension, problem solving, decision making, and psycholinguistics.
Prerequisite: 121 or 122.
334 Principles of Learning and Behaviour Modification (F): A survey of fundamental conditioning processes based on experimental studies of human and animal behaviour. Topics covered include: habituation, sensitization, classical conditioning, instrumental conditioning, and behaviour modification. The importance of these principles will be illustrated using examples from clinical, vocational, and educational settings.
Prerequisite: 121.
336 Physiological Psychology (F, odd years): This course will examine some of the global issues in psychology that touch on the relationship between neurological mechanisms and human personhood. Students will study introductory neurophysiology and neuroanatomy, concentrating on neural and synaptic transmission and basic subdivisions of the nervous system. Building on this foundation, various topics will be discussed, including: lateralization of functions, sensory systems, motivation and regulatory systems, emotional behaviour, learning and memory, and brain damage and related disorders.
Prerequisite: 121 or 122.
341 History of Psychology (W): A study of the main concepts and major schools of psychology in their historical development. This course traces the development of psychology from its earlier status as a branch of philosophy to its present status as a special science.
Prerequisite: 121.
370-79 Special Topics
417 Theory and Methods of Counselling (W): Offers exposure to theories and methods of therapeutic counselling. Basic training in therapeutic communication and counselling techniques are also included. Limited enrolment.
Prerequisites: 315, 321.
428 The Psychology of the Will (W): An examination of the psychology of will in philosophical, theological, and historical context--from the contested birth of the concept in ancient times through its demise in the 1930s to its recent reemergence as a topic of interest in psychology. Students will grapple with foundational issues such as the construction of psychological language, the role of metaphor in psychology, the nature of "free will," and the difficulty of separating psychological constructs from theological and philosophical assumptions.
438 Topics in Neuropsychology (offered infrequently): This seminar examines selected advanced topics in the relationship between brain functioning and behaviour. The history and current status of theories of brain functioning are discussed. Other topics include the relation between psychological disorders and brain dysfunction, the integrity of the brain to the integrity of personhood, and the technology of brain and behavioural control.
448 Topics in Psychoanalytic Psychology (F): This seminar examines select issues in depth psychology, particularly classical drive theory (as developed by Sigmund Freud) and analytical psychology (as developed by Carl Jung). Based on student interest, developments in other psychoanalytic traditions, such as ego psychology, self psychology, and object relations theory, may also receive some attention.
458 The Psychology of Spirituality (W): An overview of the interface between the topics of psychology and spirituality viewpoints. The importance of these views for human development and the therapeutic process is examined. Other topics include psychological perspectives on mysticism, spiritual assessment and the psychological effects of spiritual practices.
Prerequisites: Honours major; third or fourth year Psychology Majors.
480 Internship (F, W): A one term training experience in applied or research psychology. These internships are intended to assist students in making career decisions and in preparing for post-graduate educational and employment opportunities.
Prerequisite: Year III or IV standing in a major or minor psychology program and the completion of 230 and the prerequisite or corequisite of either 321 or 315.
485-86 Independent Study
490 Independent Research Project (F, W): This one semester, 3 credit course serves as an alternative to the Honours Thesis for students who wish to pursue a topic that does not fit the thesis format. Topics are to be approved by the Psychology Department Thesis and Independent Research Coordinator. Prerequisite: Year IV standing in an honours major in psychology.
495-96 Honours Thesis (F, W): A one or two term thesis is required of all honours psychology majors. This normally takes the form of a critical literature review, although, with permission, students may elect to do an empirical study. Prerequisite: Year IV standing in an honours major in psychology.