B.Sc. Honours Specialization in Psychology
What is the Purpose of this Program?
The purpose of an Honours Specialization (HSP) Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Psychology is to provide a thorough grounding in the principles of Psychology for students considering pursuing graduate studies in Psychology, and for students who prefer a more research-focused approach to Psychology compared to the Major and Minor in Psychology modules. This module features a particular focus on biological foundations of behavior, with courses primarily in the areas of neuroscience, cognition, sensation, and perception.
What To Know
This module contains a particular focus on research. As such, many of the required courses will emphasize reading and writing research reports, as well as data analysis and research methods. You will also be required to complete a thesis project. Please reflect on whether you are interested in the research aspect of Psychology when considering this module.
Additionally, you will be required to take a greater number of Science courses, as well as more Psychology courses with a larger emphasis on areas such as cognition and neuroscience, than in the BA version of this module.
NOTE: Some upper year Science courses are anti-requisites for upper year Psychology courses.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is the difference between the Major in Psychology and the HSP B.Sc in Psychology?
A: The HSP B.Sc. in Psychology contains more required courses for the module, particularly courses related to research and more Science-lateral Psychology courses. It also requires that you complete an Honours Thesis.
Q: What is a thesis?
A: A thesis is an independent research project completed by a student under the supervision of a faculty member. This involves using various skills taught in previous courses such as statistics and research methods in order to answer a specific question that will contribute to the understanding of psychology. The thesis is usually completed in a student's fourth year of study when a student registers in Psychology 4850E. NOTE: A thesis is currently guaranteed if you are in this Honours Specialization BA in Psychology Module, but an individual who wants to work in a specific subdiscipline or with a specific faculty member would benefit from contacting that individual to volunteer the year prior to starting the honours thesis course or earlier.
Q: What is the difference between the BSc Honours in Psychology and the BA Honours in Psychology programs?
A: The B.Sc. Honours program requires that you take more Science-based courses than the BA. For example, to complete the B.Sc. program, one must have taken 2.0 of first-year Science courses (which must include 1.0 of Biology), as well as 2.0 of 2100+ Science courses in the upper years. Additionally, there are more Science-lateral Psychology courses that one is expected to take in the B.Sc.
Q: What is the difference between the thesis in the B.Sc. Honours in Psychology and BA Honours in Psychology programs?
A: B.Sc. and BA Honours students from both programs complete the same thesis course; however, if you are pursuing the B.Sc., your thesis topic must fall under the NSERC mandate. This means that your supervisor's research, as well as your thesis research, must be related to cognition, sensation and perception, behavioral or cognitive neuroscience, or developmental cognitive neuroscience.
Q: Is it possible to switch to Psychology from a major such as Science in your third year?
A: It is possible to switch into the the BA in Psychology Major if you have taken Psychology 1002 and 1003 (or the former Psychology 1000) and 1.0 of Math (including 0.5 of Data 1000). We highly encourage you to speak to an academic counsellor regarding this, as requirements may change depending on the year.
In terms of switching into the Psychology B.Sc. HSP, it may be possible if one has the required courses. If you are missing courses, you may be able to switch into the Psychology Major to shadow the program by taking the required courses, then attempt to apply again once you are caught up. Please note that you may not have priority to some of the courses required for the module if you are in the major, so there is no guarantee that there will be room to enroll in them.
Importantly, at the current moment, generally only students already in the B.Sc. HSP program the year before taking the thesis course are guaranteed a spot and a supervisor. As such, if you are still shadowing in your 3rd year and want to do your thesis in your 4th year, you are not guaranteed a spot, even if you complete all required courses by that time. It may be possible to instead switch into the B.Sc HSP in your 4th year, and then complete the thesis in a 5th year in order to be guaranteed a spot.
Overall, the best course of action to take if you are considering switching into the program is to speak with an academic counsellor or Ramona Fudge, the undergraduate program advisor for the department of Psychology, regarding your options.