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Minor Concentration Behavioural Science (18 credits)

Offered by: Psychology     Degree: Bachelor of Arts and Science

Program Requirements

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour. The B.A. Minor Concentration Behavioural Science (18 credits) is available only to Arts Majors in Psychology. This minor is a specialization option that allows Arts Majors in Psychology to complete additional credits in Psychology, allowing for a more specialized degree than the Major Concentration alone (see Program Requirements below).

Program Requirements

Restricted to students registered in the Bachelor of Arts, Major Concentration Psychology.

For B.A. Psychology Major Concentration students only; this program provides students with the space to take the additional courses they may need for applying to graduate school in psychology and for completing the undergraduate credits in psychology as specified by the Ordre des Psychologues du Québec (which are required by some graduate psychology programs).

Note that this counts as a second minor concentration and is open only to students registered in the Bachelor of Arts, Major Concentration Psychology. A first minor concentration must also be completed in a discipline other than Psychology. Please note that a Minor Concentration in Educational Psychology does not fulfill this requirement as it is considered to be within the Psychology discipline.

Complementary Courses (18 credits)

18 credits selected as follows:

3 credits in Psychology from List A - (Behavioural Neuroscience, Cognition and Quantitative Methods)
3 credits in Psychology from List B - (Social, Health and Developmental Psychology)
3 credits in Psychology at the 400 or 500 level
9 credits at the 300 level or above from one or more of the following disciplines: Psychology (PSYC), Anthropology (ANTH), Linguistics (LING), or Sociology (SOCI).

List A - (Behavioural Neuroscience, Cognition and Quantitative Methods)

  • NSCI 201 Introduction to Neuroscience 2 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Neuroscience : An introduction to how the nervous system acquires and integrates information and uses it to produce behaviour.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Darainy, Mohammad (Winter)

    • Winter

    • Prerequisite: NSCI 200 or PSYC 211 or permission of instructor.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken PSYC 308.

  • PSYC 301 Animal Learning and Theory (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Contemporary and historical research and theory on animal learning approached from a behavioural, cognitive and biological perspective. Classical and instrumental conditioning, cognitive learning, and biological constraints. The status and history of North American behaviourism will be discussed and compared with cognitive and other approaches.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Prerequisite(s): PSYC 211 or PSYC 213 or permission of instructor.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken PSYC 211 prior to the 2000-01 academic year

  • PSYC 302 Pain (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : An introduction to pain research and theory, with emphasis on the interactions of psychological, cultural and physiological factors in pain perception. The role of these factors in clinical pain and its management by pharmacological and non-pharmacological means will be discussed.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Mogil, Jeffrey (Winter)

    • Fall

    • 3 lectures

    • Prerequisite: any of the following: NSCI 201, PSYC 211, PSYC 212 or permission of instructor.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who are taking or have taken PSYC 505.

  • PSYC 306 Research Methods in Psychology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : The philosophy of science, the methods psychologists use, and how to interpret and evaluate psychological research. The ethical issues in psychological research and how to communicate psychological research in written and visual forms. How to become consumers of psychological science, and to provide building blocks to become expert producers of psychological science.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: Palmer, Caroline (Fall) O'Driscoll, Gillian (Winter)

  • PSYC 310 Intelligence (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Introduction to the evolution and assessment of intelligence. Emphasizes measurement and correlates of the human intellect and the role of environment and heredity in social and race differences in intellectual and adaptive functioning. Evolution of intelligence in vertebrates and other intelligences including practical and emotional intelligence will be covered.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 311 Human Cognition and the Brain (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : The course is an introduction to the field studying how human cognitive processes, such as perception, attention, language, learning and memory, planning and organization, are related to brain processes. The material covered is primarily based on studies of the effects of different brain lesions on cognition and studies of brain activity in relation to cognitive processes with modern functional neuroimaging methods.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Masset, Paul (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 2 lectures; 1 conference

  • PSYC 315 Computational Psychology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Application of computational methods to the simulation of psychological phenomena. Comparison of natural and artificial intelligence. Symbolic and neural network techniques. Methods for evaluating simulations.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Johns, Brendan (Winter)

    • Fall

    • Prerequisite: 15 credits in any of Psychology, Cognitive Science, Biology, Mathematics and Statistics, Computer Science, or Neuroscience.

    • Restriction: Not open to U0 or U1 students.

  • PSYC 317 Genes and Behaviour (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Focuses on current techniques employed to study which genes influence behaviour, and how they do so.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 318 Behavioural Neuroscience 2 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : The physiological bases of motivational states, with respect to feeding, drinking, sexual behaviour, drug use, and aggression. Physiological bases of learning and memory.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Britt, Jon (Winter)

  • PSYC 319 Computational Models - Cognition (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Introduction to the purpose, design, and role of computational modeling in the cognitive sciences. Domains examined will include memory, categorization, and language. Focus will be on computational models to attain a better theoretical understanding of human behaviour. New trends, including the use of big data and machine learning.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Restrictions: U2 or above. Restricted to students in Psychology, Linguistics and Cognitive Science.

  • PSYC 329 Introduction to Auditory Cognition (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Listener's response to sound. Higher-level mental principles including perception, attention, memory, motor control, and emotion. Sensation and perceptual organization of sound. Perception/production of speech, music, and other auditory events.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • 3 lecture hours per week.

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 212 or PSYC 213 or permission of the instructor.

  • PSYC 340 Psychology of Language (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : A survey of issues in psycholinguistics, focusing on the nature and processing of language (e.g., how we understand speech sounds, words, sentences, and discourse). Also surveyed: language and thought, the biological foundations of language, and first language acquisition.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 341 The Psychology of Bilingualism (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : This course will examine issues in bilingualism, including second language acquisition in children and adults, critical period hypothesis, cognitive consequences and correlates of bilingualism, social psychological aspects of bilingualism, and bilingual education.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Titone, Debra Ann (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 2 lectures

    • Prerequisites: Introductory Psychology, and PSYC 340 or introduction to linguistics; or permission of instructor

  • PSYC 342 Hormones and Behaviour (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : The role of hormones in organization of CNS function, as effectors of behaviour, in expression of behaviours and in mental illness.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 352 Research Methods and Laboratory in Cognitive Psychology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Introduction to research methods and experimental techniques in cognitive psychology for exploring topics such as attention, memory, categorization, reasoning, and language processing.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Farivar-Mohseni, Reza (Fall)

    • Winter

    • 1 hour lecture, weekly lab

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 213 and PYSC 305.

    • Restriction: Open to U2 students or above

  • PSYC 353 Research Methods and Laboratory in Human Perception (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Introduction to standard psychophysical procedures and data analysis techniques. Modelling behavioural data using various psychophysical methods.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Kreitewolf, Jens (Winter)

  • PSYC 403 Modern Psychology in Historical Perspective (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : A survey of the scientific and ideological influences on psychology from its philosophical beginnings through the period of the schools to its modern situation.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Pleszewski, Zbigniew (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 2 lectures

  • PSYC 406 Psychological Tests (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : An introduction to the theory and practice of psychological measurement in health, educational, clinical and industrial/organizational settings. Attention to procedures for developing and validating tests and questionnaires. Techniques include: intelligence tests, projective tests, questionnaires, structured interviews, rating scales, and behavioural/performance tests.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Sadikaj, Gentiana (Fall)

    • Winter

    • 2 lectures

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 204 or equivalent

  • PSYC 410 Special Topics in Neuropsychology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Developments in cognitive neuroscience and cognitive neuropsychiatry via readings from primary sources. Topics include the neural bases of memory, emotion, social cognition and neuropsychiatric diseases. Integrating knowledge from studies in clinical populations and functional neuroimaging studies.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Ristic, Jelena (Winter)

    • Fall

    • Two lectures per week.

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 213 and PSYC 311 (or NSCI 201). Knowledge of basic neuropsychology at the level covered in PSYC 311 is assumed.

  • PSYC 413 Cognitive Development (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : In-depth exploration of cognitive development in infants and children including knowledge representation and processing, conceptual development, language development, and theories and principles of cognitive development.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Onishi, K (Fall)

  • PSYC 415 Electroencephalography (EEG) Laboratory in Psychology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Introduction to the use of electroencephalography (EEG) for measuring brain function in behavioural neuroscience experiments. Recording and analyzing EEG data, as well asin designing experiments and interpreting findings using this method. Topics include the neural basis of EEG, recording principles and techniques, EEG data analysis (frequency bands, averaging, sources of noise, filtering, signal to noise), event-related potential analysis (ERP), spectral analysis and time-frequency analysis, data visualization, topographical maps.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 427 Sensorimotor Neuroscience (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : A systematic examination of the sensorimotor system, drawing on models and data from both behavioural and physiological studies. Topics include: cortical motor areas, cerebellum, basal ganglia, spinal mechanisms, motor unit properties and force production, prioception, muscle properties.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Ostry, David J (Winter)

  • PSYC 433 Cognitive Science (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : The multi-disciplinary study of cognitive science, exploring the computer metaphor of the mind as an information-processing system. Focus on levels of analysis, symbolic modeling, Turing machines, neural networks, as applied to topics such as reasoning, vision, decision-making, and consciousness.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 439 Correlational Techniques (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : The statistical analysis of relations among a number of variables in situations common in psychology. Methods include regression analysis, principal components analysis, and other techniques for modelling the structure of correlation matrices.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Hwang, Heungsun (Fall)

    • Winter

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 305 or its equivalent.

    • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken PSYC 536.

  • PSYC 443 Affective Neuroscience (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Focus on the neurobiology of emotion, the links between emotion and cognition, and the role of experience and individual differences in emotional states associated with psychopathology.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Bagot, Rosemary (Winter)

  • PSYC 444 Sleep Mechanisms and Behaviour (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : This course covers basic biological mechanisms, possible functions and behavioural aspects of sleep. Additional topics include: disorders of sleep, their effects on behaviour and cognition, and treatment approaches; as well as medical, neurological and psychiatric disorders, and drugs, that affect sleep.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Solomonova, Elizaveta (Fall)

  • PSYC 470 Memory and Brain (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Memory systems are studied with an emphasis on the neural computations that occur at various stages of the processing stream, focusing on the hippocampus, amygdala, basal ganglia, cerebellum and cortex. The data reviewed is obtained from human, non-human primates and rodents, with single unit recording, neuroimaging and brain damaged subjects.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 502 Psychoneuroendocrinology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : This advanced seminar course offers an in-depth introduction to current topics in psychoneuroendocrinology. Students will read and discuss original scientific literature from human and animal research interrogating the mechanisms by which hormones act in the brain to influence behaviour in health and disease. Students will gain a refined understanding of key concepts in psychoneuroendocrinology, such as negative feedback control and the key neuroendocrine axes and their role in behavioural control. They will apply this knowledge to critically evaluate original scientific literature and generate hypothesis-driven research questions from the scientific literature.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Bagot, Rosemary (Fall)

    • Fall Please note that a B- in the prerequisite course(s) is recommended.

    • Prerequisite: One of PSYC 311, PSYC 318, PSYC 342, NSCI 201, or permission of the instructor.

  • PSYC 506 Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : An introduction to cognitive properties and neural mechanisms of human attention. The material will include an overview of the history of attention research, contemporary theories of attention, the varieties of attention, behavioral and neuroimaging experimental methods, the nature of attentional dysfunctions, and the links between attention and other cognitive functions including memory and consciousness.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Ristic, Jelena (Fall)

    • Fall

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 213 and PSYC 311, and one of PSYC 305 OR BIOL 373, or permission of instructor.

    • Restrictions: Open only to Psychology, Cognitive Science and Neuroscience students. Not open to students who have taken PSYC 365.

  • PSYC 513 Human Decision-Making (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Interdisciplinary study of decision-making, covering contemporary approaches to understanding how humans compute values and make choices. Measurement of and techniques for assessing variables such as risk and uncertainty, utilities and preferences, reinforcement learning, heuristics and biases, and self-control. Emphasis on quantitative models of decision-making.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Otto, Ross (Fall)

    • Prerequisite(s): PSYC 212 or PSYC 213 and U3 standing; or permission of instructor

    • Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken PSYC 562 in Winter 2017.

  • PSYC 514 Neurobiology of Memory (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Advances in the understanding of the neurobiological bases of fundamental memory processes, such as memory consolidation maintenance, retrieval, and forgetting. The contribution of their dysregulation to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. Consideration of findings from a variety of species, spanning insects to humans.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 522 Neurochemistry and Behaviour (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Anatomical, biochemical and physiological aspects of neurotransmitter systems in the brain, current theories of the function of these systems in normal and abnormal behaviour, and the actions of psychotropic drugs.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 526 Advances in Visual Perception (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : We examine in detail the structure of the visual system, and its function as reflected in the perceptual abilities and behaviour of the organism. Parallels are also drawn with other sensory systems to demonstrate general principles of sensory coding.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 2 lectures

  • PSYC 529 Music Cognition (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Interdisciplinary study of music cognition, with an emphasis on psychological, computational, and neuroscientific approaches. Focuses on listeners' response to sound, including perception, attention, memory, motor control, skilled performance, and emotional response.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Palmer, Caroline (Winter)

  • PSYC 531 Structural Equation Models (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : The course introduces basic concepts underlying structural equation models (SEM). SEM, which combine regression analysis and factor analysis, are quite useful and are currently very popular in analyzing data that arise in social, developmental and clinical psychology. The students are expected to get first-hand experiences in fitting SEM, and learn how to interpret and report the results from SEM.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Hwang, Heungsun (Winter)

    • Fall

    • one 2-hour lecture plus one lab

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 305and (PSYC 439 or PSYC 536) or permission of the instructor

  • PSYC 537 Advanced Seminar in Psychology of Language (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Topics may include: the neural basis of language, evolutionary approaches to language, pragmatics and figurative language processing, disordered language processing, models of spoken word recognition.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 213 and one of: PSYC 340, LING 200, or LING 201.

    • Note: Prior background in the psychology of language, cognitive psychology, or linguistics is essential.

  • PSYC 538 Categorization, Communication and Consciousness (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : The main challenges that cognitive science faces today, focusing on the capacity to learn sensorimotor categories, to name and describe them verbally, and to transmit them to others, concluding with cognition distributed on the Web.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Harnad, Stevan (Fall)

    • Prerequisite(s): Student must have completed a 300 level course in one of the following: Linguistics, Philosophy, Psychology, Computer Science, or Neuroscience.

    • Restriction(s): Restricted to U2 students or above.

  • PSYC 541 Multilevel Modelling (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Basic concepts of multilevel linear and nonlinear models and applying these methods to empirical data.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 545 Topics in Language Acquisition (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Psychological mechanisms and theories of first language acquisition in infancy and early childhood. Topics such as: infant speech perception, acquisition of grammar, word learning, pidgin and Creole languages, critical and sensitive periods, genetic and evolutionary bases of language.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

  • PSYC 560 Machine Learning Tools in Psychology (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : An overview of various methods for understanding and predicting complex and often large datasets, which have been developed in machine learning and statistics. It focuses on the conceptual underpinnings of popular supervised and unsupervised learning methods and the applications of the methods to various datasets from psychology and closely related disciplines (e.g. neuroscience, consumer behaviour, psychiatry) using existing software packages for the methods.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • 1. Students who have taken COMP 202 or COMP 204 and who have taken freshman linear algebra and calculus might instead consider taking COMP 551

    • 2. Students in both psychology and computer scienceare strongly encouraged to take COMP 551 over PSYC 560.

    • Open to U2 students or above. Not open to students who have taken or are taking COMP 551.

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 305

  • PSYC 562 Measurement of Psychological Processes (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Intermediate level theory and methods for the measurement of latent variables in psychology and related fields. In-depth coverage of theories of validity and psychometrics as applied in psychology. Introduction to quantitative methods for scale development, use, and evaluation. Discussion of current topics and challenges in psychological measurement and psychometrics.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

*1. Students who have taken COMP 202 or COMP 204 and who have taken freshman linear algebra and calculus might instead consider taking COMP 551.
2. Students in both psychology and computer science are strongly encouraged to take COMP 551 over PSYC 560.

List B - (Social, Health and Developmental Psychology)

  • PSYC 304 Child Development (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Psychology of children, covering critical issues, theories, biological underpinnings, experimental methods, and findings in perceptual, cognitive, language, emotional, and social development.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Krol, Sonia (Fall)

  • PSYC 328 Health Psychology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : A survey of major issues in health psychology: historical perspective; health effects of stress and stress management; pain mechanisms and management; prevention and management of chronic diseases, hypertension, coronary heart disease, cancer, and immunological disorders. Behaviour change strategies for smoking, weight regulation, physical inactivity, and sexual risk behaviour.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • 2 lectures

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 213 and PSYC 215.

    • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken PSYC 429.

    • Available only to U2 and above.

  • PSYC 331 Inter-Group Relations (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : The course focuses on the social psychology of societal groups such as racial minorities, aboriginal groups and women. The ideological biases of current theories is first established. This is followed by a review of current theories and finally current controversies are explored including new forms of racism and affirmative action.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Axt, Jordan (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 2 lectures

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 215

  • PSYC 332 Introduction to Personality (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : This course examines some of the major theories of personality, e.g., those of Freud, Rogers, and Bandura. Empirical research inspired by these theories will also be examined. Topics include the nature of human motivation, the role of the self-concept, and the consistency and stability of personality.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Gaskin, Stephane (Fall)

    • Winter

    • 3 lectures

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 100

  • PSYC 333 Personality and Social Psychology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : The course builds on and is an extension of Social Psychology (PSYC 215). Traditional approaches to person-situation interactions and a more dynamic approach based on recent research on goals and social cognition.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 2 lectures

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 215

  • PSYC 337 Introduction to Psychopathology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : An introduction to major concepts and issues in the study of psychopathology in humans, including major models of etiology, diagnosis, prognosis, assessment, and treatment.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Weinberg, Anna (Winter)

    • Two lectures

    • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken PSYC 338.

  • PSYC 339 Introduction to Applied Psychology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Exploration of the conceptual frameworks that underlie different applied psychological disciplines (e.g., educational/school psychology, clinical child and adult psychology, health psychology, forensic psychology, vocational psychology), the nature of the problems addressed by different psychological disciplines, and the tools used for assessment and intervention.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Sullivan, Michael John L (Fall)

  • PSYC 351 Research Methods and Laboratory in Social Psychology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Introduction to the issues, strategies, and applications of various research methodologies in social psychology; methods using both correlational and experimental procedures. Classic and contemporary approaches will be examined.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Hehman, Eric (Fall)

    • Fall

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 215 and PSYC 305

    • Restriction: Open to U2 students and above.

  • PSYC 408 Principles and Applications of Psychotherapy (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Introduction to the theories, research, and practice of psychotherapy, with a particular focus on cognitive behavioural and related therapies. Discussion of broad topics such as historical perspectives on psychotherapy, the empirical study of psychotherapy, and ethical issues related to psychotherapy. Traditional and contemporary cognitive-behavioural therapies and their application to mood, anxiety, eating, and personality disorders will be reviewed. Current interest topics in psychotherapy (e.g., neurocognitive correlates of change, technology in treatment) will be highlighted.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Racine, Sarah (Fall)

    • 2 lectures

    • Prerequisite(s): PSYC 337

    • Restriction: U2 and above

  • PSYC 409 Positive Psychology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Didactic instruction and experiential learning in its coverage of three issues central to this field: positive emotions, positive individual traits, and positive institutions. Topics covered include sensory savoring, expressing gratitude, optimism, identifying and building strengths, kindness, and meaning.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 215 Social Psychology

    • Note: Permission from instructor is required.

  • PSYC 411 Discrimination & Wellbeing in Marginalized Communities (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Examination of research on the associations between discrimination and health, with emphases on how (1) various types of discrimination (e.g., interpersonal, microaggression, online, institutional) impact health and wellbeing and (2) various factors – rooted in individual’s cultural values and beliefs – help provide resilience against the effects of discrimination.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Christophe, Noah Keita (Fall)

    • Corequisites: PSYC 337

    • Restrictions: Open to U2 students or above

  • PSYC 412 Child Development: Psychopathology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Introduction to the field of behavior disorders of childhood and adolescence, including core issues, theoretical and methodological underpinnings, descriptions and discussions of many disorders, clinical and research data, and treatment approaches. Three major assumptions will be woven through the course.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Christophe, Noah Keita (Winter)

    • Winter

    • Two lectures and one conference weekly.

    • Corequisite: PSYC 304 or PSYC 337 or permission of instructor

  • PSYC 414 Social Development (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Advanced study of the development of social behaviour and social cognition in children. Topics include: socialization, attachment, aggression, exploration, role taking, communication, family and peer relations, self and person perception. The development of these social processes within the framework of three general theories of development: behaviour genetics, learning, and cognitive-developmental.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 436 Human Sexuality and Its Problems (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : This course will deal with typical sexual behavior and its variations. Topics will include the history of sex research, the sexual response cycle, sexual dysfunction, gender identity, sexual orientation, etc. Current research and theory will be emphasized.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Prerequisite: either PSYC 337 or permission of the instructor

  • PSYC 471 Human Motivation (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : The course is designed to explore questions such as "Why do people often fail to reach their personal goals?" Current goal-based and need-based theories of human motivation will be reviewed. The instructor will highlight the relevance of motivation research to the domains of education, sports and management.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lectures

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 215

  • PSYC 473 Social Cognition and the Self (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : This course examines the social psychological literature emphasizing a) social cognition - how people think about and make sense of their social experiences; and b) self theory - how people create and maintain a sense of identity. These frameworks will be applied to social psychological topics including close relationships, attitudes and self-esteem.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 474 Interpersonal Relationships (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Psychological science approach to interpersonal relationships. Organized in terms of the development of relationships, focusing first on impression formation as a platform for the development of relationships. Then we focus on close relationships, examining interpersonal constructs (intimacy, trust, commitment) and reconsidering social cognitive constructs (attributions, schemas) in an interpersonal context.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Tchalova, Kristina (Fall)

  • PSYC 475 Neuroscience of Social Psychology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : The biological underpinnings of human social cognition and behavior, including neural, hormonal, and genetic mechanisms. By integrating multiple levels of analysis (biological, psychological), as well as different perspectives (basic, clinical, applied), the aim is to gain a deeper understanding of classic social psychological processes. Topics will include social cognition/theory of mind, empathy and understanding others, cooperation and prosocial behavior, interpersonal relationships, the self/agency, morality and anti-social behavior as well as basic methodological approaches to the study of social neuroscience and emerging issues in the field.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 483 Seminar in Experimental Psychopathology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Design of experiments in psychopathology, interviewing techniques and clinical diagnosis.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Winter

    • 2 lectures

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 305 and PSYC 337, or permission of instructor.

    • Restriction: For U3 students only.

  • PSYC 491D1 Advanced Study: Behavioural Disorders (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : A critical examination of topics in abnormal and clinical psychology. Emphasis will be on analysis of theoretical positions and empirical findings as they relate to both etiology and treatment.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Bradley, Ian (Fall)

    • 3 hours of seminar per week plus a placement at a clinical or specialized educational site.

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 337

    • Students must register for both PSYC 491D1 and PSYC 491D2.

    • No credit will be given for this course unless both PSYC 491D1 and PSYC 491D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms

  • PSYC 491D2 Advanced Study: Behavioural Disorders (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : See PSYC 491D1 for course description.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Bradley, Ian (Winter)

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 337

    • Students must register for both PSYC 491D1 and PSYC 491D2.

    • No credit will be given for this course unless both PSYC 491D1 and PSYC 491D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms.

    • 3 hours of seminar per week plus a placement at a clinical or specialized educational site.

  • PSYC 507 Emotions, Stress, and Illness (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Emotional effects on peripheral physiology and the development, course, and outcome of physical disorders such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, ulcers, asthma, and cancer.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • PSYC 509 Diverse Clinical Populations (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Poverty is a significant risk factor for psychological disorder. In this class, we will examine critically research focused on this association, with an emphasis on (a) mechanisms underlying the link between poverty and psychopathology, and (b) development and dissemination of evidence-based treatments for individuals living in poverty. Particular attention will be paid to the research methodologies used to address these questions.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 204 and PSYC 337

    • Restriction: Restricted to graduate students in Psychology and to U3 students enrolled in one of the following programs: BSc; Major in Psychology, BSc; Honours in Psychology, BA; Major Concentration in Psychology, BA; Honours in Psychology, BA; Joint Honours - Psychology Component, or by permission of the instructor.

  • PSYC 512 Advanced Personality Seminar (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Advanced topics in personality. Focus on power, status, and dominance and how these are manifested in social behavior. Dominance in nonhuman species, biological substrates of dominance, relations of status and dominance to social cognition, affect, and health; gender, role and cultural influences on dominance.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 332 or permission of instructor.

    • Restrictions: Open to psychology students. Enrolment limited. Students must be in U3 or above. Departmental permission required.

  • PSYC 528 Vulnerability to Depression and Anxiety (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : This course will examine in depth cognitive, behavioral, biological, and developmental psychopathology models of the etiology of depression and anxiety. Within each theoretical perspective, core issues, theoretical and methodological underpinnings, and research data will be examined.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 337 or PSYC 412 or permission of instructor. Requires departmental approval.

  • PSYC 530 Applied Topics in Deafness (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Covers fundamental topics in deafness (sensory, perceptual, cognitive, social, linguistic, education and health issues) from an applied psychological perspective. Lectures and seminar presentations plus field work involving ASL/LSQ.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 340 or PSYC 316 or equivalent. Permission of instructor

  • PSYC 535 Advanced Topics in Social Psychology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Classic and contemporary readings in a specific content area within social psychology will be assigned in order to examine the sub-area in depth. The focus will vary depending upon the specialty area of the instructor. These areas include interpersonal relationships, intergroup relations, the self, and social cognition.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: Axt, Jordan (Fall) Lydon, John (Winter)

    • Winter

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 215; and PSYC 333 or PSYC 351 or PSYC 380.

    • Restriction: Departmental permission required.

    • Restriction: Graduate Students, enrolment limited

  • PSYC 539 Advanced Topics in Social Psychology 2 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Classic and contemporary readings in a specific content area within social psychology. The focus will vary depending upon the specialty area of the instructor, including interpersonal relationships, intergroup relations, the self, and social cognition.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Unclassified Courses

Students may also select complementary courses from the research and topics courses below:

  • PSYC 385 Independent Research Project 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Supervised research project with a final written report.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 305 or equivalent; requires departmental approval.

    • Restrictions: This course is open to students that have completed the 24 credits and that have a minimum CGPA of 3.00.

    • Offered in the fall, winter or summer term.

    • For more information, see the Department of Psychology website.

    • Requires a supervisor, application approval

  • PSYC 450D1 Research Project and Seminar (4.5 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Under supervision of an adviser approved by the Department, students design and carry out a research project. Students report their research in seminars throughout the year, in a final written report that takes the form of a data-based APA style manuscript, and in a poster presentation at the departmental poster session.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Knäuper, Bärbel (Fall)

  • PSYC 450D2 Research Project and Seminar (4.5 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : See PSYC 450D1 for course description.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: Knäuper, Bärbel (Winter)

    • Winter

    • Prerequisite: PSYC 450D1

    • No credit will be given for this course unless both PSYC 450D1 and PSYC 450D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms

  • PSYC 484D1 Independent Research Project 2 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Supervised research project.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 305 or equivalent. Departmental approval is required.

    • Restrictions: This course is open to students that have completed 30 credits in psychology and that have a minimum CGPA of 3.0.

    • Offered in fall-winter, winter-summer, summer-fall.

    • For more information, see the Department of Psychology website.

    • Requires a supervisor, and application.

    • No credit will be given for this course unless both PSYC 484D1 and PSYC 484 D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms

  • PSYC 484D2 Independent Research Project 2 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : See PSYC 484D1 for course description.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 305 or equivalent. Departmental approval is required.

    • Restrictions: This course is open to students that have completed 30 credits in psychology and that have a minimum CGPA of 3.0.

    • Offered in fall-winter, winter-summer, summer-fall.

    • For more information, see the Department of Psychology website.

    • Requires a supervisor, and application.

    • No credit will be given for this course unless both PSYC 484D1 and PSYC 484 D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms

  • PSYC 485 Independent Research Project 3 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Supervised research project with a final written report.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Prerequisites: PSYC 385. Departmental approval is required.

    • Restrictions: This course is open to students that have a minimum CGPA of 3.0.

    • Offered in the fall, winter or summer term.

    • For more information, see the Department of Psychology website.

    • Requires a supervisor, and application.

  • PSYC 492 Special Topics Seminar 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : These seminars are offered by special arrangement between interested Psychology staff and students. Note: A written proposal detailing the plans for the seminar must be approved by the Department Curriculum Committee before the student is permitted to register for this course. This proposal must be received by the Departmental Curriculum Committee well before the beginning of the term for which the seminar is proposed. Consult the Departmental Handbook for additional information.

    Terms: Winter 2025

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    • Fall or Winter

    • Restriction: U3 students. Requires departmental approval.

  • PSYC 493 Special Topics Seminar 2 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : These seminars are offered by special arrangement between interested Psychology staff and students. Note: A written proposal detailing the plans for the seminar must be approved by the Department Curriculum Committee before the student is permitted to register for this course. This proposal must be received by the Departmental Curriculum Committee well before the beginning of the term for which the seminar is proposed. Consult the Departmental Handbook for additional information.

    Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025

    Instructors: Masset, Paul (Winter)

    • Fall or Winter

    • Restriction: U3 students. Requires departmental approval.

  • PSYC 499 Reading Project (1 credit)

    Offered by: Psychology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Psychology : Under the guidance of an instructor with the relevant expertise, the student explores the literature on a special topic.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Bachelor of Arts and Science—2024-2025 (last updated Aug. 21, 2024) (disclaimer)
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