Psychology

Code	Course Description
PSYC 1100	An Introduction to Psychology (I) Psychology 1100 provides an introduction to selected areas in the field of psychology. Emphasis is placed on psychology as a natural science (theories, methodology and statistics) and the focus is on the investigation of major basic psychological processes such as sensation, perception, learning, memory, consciousness, the biological foundations of behaviour, and life span development.
PSYC 1110	Psychology of Women This course will study the experiences, realities, and possibilities of women’s lives. It will explore both the psychological origins and psychological effects of the feminine role. This will be discussed through critical analysis grounded in and sensitive to the everyday life experiences of women within North American and global contexts. It will examine diversity and development, focusing on relationships, knowledge, sexuality, health, work, and aging. Throughout the course, sexism will be analyzed as it intersects with colonialism, racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, heterosexism, ableism, and classism.
PSYC 1130	Lifespan Human Development This course provides an introduction to human development through an exploration of lifelong changes that occur from conception to death. Each stage of the life-cycle will be examined to assess biological, cognitive, and social influences on human development. The influence of social and cultural context on development will be studied.
PSYC 1200	An Introduction to Psychology (II) Psychology 1200 provides an introduction to selected areas in the field of psychology. The focus of the course is on the investigation of major psychological processes such as emotion, motivation, personality, psychological disorders, therapy and social behaviour. Emphasis is placed on psychology as a natural science (theories, methodology, statistics).
PSYC 2150	Academic and Professional Development in Psychology This course is recommended for students who plan to complete a BA degree in Psychology. The course addresses four areas of academic and professional skill development. First, students will learn how to write papers and research reports using the writing and referencing style of the American Psychological Association (APA). Second, students will develop the necessary skills to construct interview questions and conduct effective interviews. Third, students will develop the research and critical thinking skills necessary to find, review, and evaluate research on given topics in psychology. Finally, students will learn to apply ethical guidelines and other practical skills to research in psychology.
PSYC 2207	An Introduction to Educational Psychology This course provides an introduction to concepts, theories, and research in educational psychology. The topics covered include cognitive, social and physical development during the school years, learning theories, instructional approaches, motivation, assessment, and individual differences. This course is recommended for students who are interested in teaching or coaching school-aged children.
PSYC 2300	Data Analysis in Psychology This course introduces students to the concepts and applications of statistics and focuses on the analysis and interpretation of data from experiments and surveys using descriptive and inferential statistics. Computerized data analysis is also introduced.
PSYC 2301	Research Methods in Psychology This course introduces students to the scientific approach and the development of knowledge in Psychology. Through class and lab activities, students learn how to design, carry out, analyze and report on their own research projects. Students learn the critical analytic skills to evaluate psychological research properly.
PSYC 2315	Biological Bases of Behaviour This course will introduce the student both to the variety of biological approaches to understanding behaviour, and to the research techniques used. After an introduction to basic neuroanatomy and physiology and to the development and evolution of brain structure and function, various topics in biological psychology will be surveyed. These will include the communication and coding functions of nerve cells; the psychobiology of: development and aging, movement, learning and memory, and internal motivational emotional states; the biological approaches to mental illness; and the behavioural effects of drugs, hormones, and brain damage.
PSYC 2341	Psychological Disorders and Treatment Students are introduced to basic issues in the study of psychological disorders. Topics include the history of psychopathology, paradigms, classification, assessment, research methods, theories of etiology, and approaches to treatment.
PSYC 2360	Cognitive Psychology This course provides an introduction to the psychology of cognition and is concerned with the methods and theories relevant to thinking and related processes. Concept formation, problem solving, reasoning, decision making, and the relation of language to thought will be covered. The influence of individual differences, social factors, artificial intelligence, and biology will be included as well as the practical applications of research in cognition.
PSYC 2901	Special Topics in Psychology This course examines a special topic or emerging questions in the field of psychology of direct relevance for students in a wide range of disciplines. Readings and topical content will be approachable to students with no prior coursework in psychology and will include theory, critical debate, and applications relevant to the specific topic.
PSYC 3120	Gender Relations The course will examine biological, psychological, and socio-cultural determinants of gender across the lifespan. Research methods and research biases will be examined. Gender differences and similarities will be evaluated in language, cognition, and relationships. Comparisons will be made between social constructionist and essentialist perspectives of gender and sexuality. An interactional approach will highlight how race, class, ethnicity, colonization, and (dis)ability mediate gendered identity and experience.
PSYC 3300	Applied Intermediate Research Methods & Data Analysis This course expands on concepts learned in PSYC 2300 and 2301. Students will learn how to choose, apply and analyze appropriate research designs using both data analysis and inferential statistics. Applied projects will allow students to gain experience with computer programs such as SPSS or Microsoft Excel. Topics may include ANOVA (both one- and two-way), correlation, and the general linear model (bivariate and multivariate regression). Focus will be on the application of research designs along with interpretation and effective communication of research results.
PSYC 3301	Applied Data Analysis in Psychology The purpose of this course is to teach students how to analyze data using current data analysis computer software. The course covers major analytic methods, as well as methods appropriate to dealing with missing values, and analyzing the psychometric properties of scales. Students will analyze a number of datasets using XLSTAT and/or SPSS. Emphasis will be placed on generating results and interpreting results appropriately, not statistical theories. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to prepare datasets for analysis, and conduct a wide range of descriptive and inferential analyses of data.
PSYC 3304	Health Psychology This course provides a critical survey of the basic research findings and theory on the relation between psychological factors (including behaviour, emotion, cognition, personality and interpersonal relationships) and health. Topics include health-related behaviours such as smoking and drug use, the effect of stressful events on health and performance, methods for coping with stress, exercise psychology, the impact of chronic illness on the family, and social support systems.
PSYC 3305	Hormones and Behaviour This course is a survey of the various hormonal/endocrine systems in the body and how they affect a multitude of behaviours and psychological processes. Major topics may include: a history of behavioural endocrinology, the neural control of endocrine systems, the sexual determination and differentiation of the body, sex differences in behaviour, sexual orientation and reproductive behaviour, parental behaviour, social behaviour, physiological homeostasis, biological rhythms, stress, learning & memory, and various psychological disorders.
PSYC 3308	History and Philosophy of Modern Psychology This course examines the development of modern psychology from its founding to the present. Attention will be paid to the work of philosophers, physiologists, and physicists of the 17th to 19th centuries who influenced the beginnings of psychology in the late 19th century. The growth of psychology will be traced from its early focus on the study of sensation and human conscious experience, through the proliferation of schools, up to today’s diverse and complex discipline.
PSYC 3309	Critical Issues in Psychology This course covers critical historical and philosophical issues in the modern day practice of psychology. The purpose of the course is to help the student understand current critical debates in modern psychology by exploring their origin and the empirical and philosophical foundations upon which they rest. By the end of the course, students will understand why controversy exists in modern psychology about the nature of mental disorders, intelligence, memory and other important psychological phenomena. Students will be encouraged to engage in these critical debates and begin to formulate their own positions.
PSYC 3314	Psychology & Law This general survey course provides an introduction to the study of psychology as it relates to the law. It will lead to a better understanding of criminal and civil issues that involve psychological perspectives; including a focus on psychological experts in court, child custody, law enforcement, victimology, violent offenders, risk assessments, and treatment of forensic clinical populations.
PSYC 3315	Human Neuropsychology Neuropsychology is the study of the relationship between human brain function and behaviour. Students build on their understanding of the nervous system with a focus on the structure and functional organization of the cerebral cortex. Topics include sensory and motor systems and higher cortical functions such as language and memory. The course also allows students to explore topics such as developmental disorders, acquired brain injury and dysfunction, and neuropsychiatric and degenerative disorders.
PSYC 3320	Child Behaviour and Development This course provides an introduction to the process of development from conception to puberty. The major focuses are on developmental theory, descriptive changes in physical growth, cognition, language, social and emotional behaviour of children and applications of the research and theory.
PSYC 3321	Developmental Psychology: Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood This course is a psychological study of the adolescent and emerging adult stages of life-span development. The major theories and research findings about adolescent development are examined with a view to helping students to better understand themselves and others. Emphasis is placed on the social-cultural and historical context of this developmental period.
PSYC 3322	Developmental Psychology: Adulthood & Aging In this course, students will examine theory and research on age-related changes in adult physiology, sensory and perceptual abilities, cognition, memory, social relationships, social cognition, personality, and mental and physical health. Current changing age-related demographics and their implications will be presented. The course will explore methods and findings within the psychology of aging. Stereotypes and attitudes toward older individuals, as well as their effects, will be discussed. This course will include the growths, declines, benefits, challenges, and strengths of aging.
PSYC 3330	An Introduction to Social Psychology This course provides an introduction to the study of how people think, feel and behave in social contexts. The focus is on social behaviour and thought from the individual’s perspective, with the importance of social influence and situational factors being emphasized. Topics will include: social perception, attitudes and behaviour, interpersonal attraction and relationships, the social self and social identity, aggression, conformity, obedience, persuasion, prejudice, prosocial behaviour, and applied social psychology. Research methods in social psychology will also be covered.
PSYC 3331	Introduction to Personality The purpose of this course is to introduce students to theory and research in personality. Students will examine such topics as the assessment of personality, personality development, biological processes and personality, health and personality, personality disorders, and treatments aimed at modifying personality.
PSYC 3333	Cultural Competency and Counselling with Canada's Indigenous Peoples Cultural awareness, cultural competence and cultural safety are important components in understanding the psychological health and wellness of Canada's Indigenous peoples. This course is designed to enhance students' competencies in understanding and working with Indigenous individuals and communities. The course will facilitate development of self-awareness, theoretical knowledge, and Indigenous knowledge of colonization and its impact on Indigenous peoples. It will introduce the social, historical, political, spiritual, and philosophical contexts that inform the psychological experiences of many Indigenous peoples and communities in Canada. The course will review concepts and principles of counselling psychology that enhance our understanding of and effectiveness in addressing client issues and multiple identities. The course also emphasizes counsellor roles and responsibilities for social justice and advocacy and provides learners with a foundation of knowledge and skills required to provide culturally appropriate counselling services to Indigenous families and individuals.
PSYC 3339	Sociopolitical and Critical Psychology The objective of this course is to examine the influence of sociopolitical and economic factors on mental health and psychology. Specifically, this course will examine the impact of critical social issues such as racism, class, gender, heterosexism, ageism, disabilities, oppression, psychosocial trauma, and poverty on researching and practicing psychology. In addition to providing students with the ability to identify and critically analyze how sociopolitical issues like oppression, domination, inequality, and injustice contribute to psychological suffering, the course will also enable students to specify the historical, theoretical, and methodological foundations of the field of Sociopolitical and Critical Psychology. Readings and topical content will include pertinent theory, research, critical debate, and applications relevant to the field of sociopolitical and critical psychology.
PSYC 3340	Cultural Psychology This course is recommended for students majoring in psychology and for students in professional programs who intend to work in multicultural contexts. Cultural psychology is largely a new discipline which challenges our understanding of human nature. Systematic research continues to show just how deeply cultural influences penetrate our psychology and shape the ways that people think. This course reviews the growing body of cultural research across a wide range of topics including self and personality, motivation, morality, emotions, reasoning, communication, mental health, interpersonal attraction and groups. The research is examined in the context of an analysis of the nature of culture and cultural socialization. Particular attention is paid to the research methods used in this field and to the strength of evidence in support of each claim. Towards the end of the course, students are invited to consider how the research in Cultural Psychology can inform our approach to a variety of practical issues that have emerged in multicultural worlds. Students will be given guidance and detailed feedback on constructing clear essays that evaluate alternative perspectives using carefully reasoned arguments and evidence from high quality research.
PSYC 3341	Drugs and Behaviour This is an introductory course in psychopharmacology. Topics include the neurobiology of drug action with a focus on psychotropic drugs. The focus is on the pharmacology, metabolism, interactions, adverse effects and therapeutic uses of major psychoactive drug classes and natural health products. In addition, theories of substance abuse and harm reduction approaches in a modern cultural context are considered.
PSYC 3342	Developmental Psychopathology This course will introduce the field of developmental psychopathology, which integrates developmental theory and research in psychology, in order to understand the origins and consequences of psychological problems. Perspectives on disordered behaviour will be followed by an investigation of various child and adolescent disorders. Topics will include anxiety, depression, conduct disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, mental retardation, learning disabilities, autism and childhood schizophrenia, and physical disorders.
PSYC 3361	Social Cognition This course will provide an overview of the field of social cognition. The focus of the course will be how people interpret, analyze, and remember information about themselves, others, and the social world around them. Topics include concept and schema formation, heuristics and biases, probabilistic reasoning, causal inference, the architecture of memory, automaticity, and trait inference. Such processes are used to understand self-perception, emotions, goal-directed behaviour, impression formation, attitudes and persuasion, stereotyping and prejudice, and cultural differences.
PSYC 3365	The Psychology of Learning This course provides an introduction to the psychology of learning and is concerned with the conditions, principles, and theories of learning. Students will learn about research methods, theories, and findings associated with traditional and contemporary learning research. A variety of learning theories behaviouristic approaches (such as Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning) will be emphasized. The degree to which these theories adequately account for observable data will be considered. Additional topics to be explored include complex learning phenomena such as motor skill, expertise, and study. Students will apply their theoretical learning by critically analyzing everyday learning problems (e.g., ‘how should I study’, ‘how can I improve’, etc.) in light of empirical research.
PSYC 3370	The Psychology of Memory This course provides an introduction to the psychology of memory. It is concerned with the nature of human memory, how the memory system works, what we remember, and why we forget. Various theoretical formulations regarding memory processes will be examined, relevant empirical evidence will be assessed, and practical applications of this research will be considered.
PSYC 3375	Theories of Counselling & Psychotherapy This course surveys the major theories and techniques of foundational and contemporary counselling and psychotherapy, and explores topics such as evidence-based practice, culture and diversity, and common factors important to successful therapy. This course additionally examines the philosophical underpinning of the theories about human nature and change process. It critiques the models from ethical, multicultural, indigenous and social justice perspectives. This course helps to prepare students who are considering advanced study in counselling and psychotherapy.
PSYC 3385	Evolutionary Psychology Students are introduced to the study of behaviour and mental processes from an evolutionary perspective. The methods and research of evolutionary psychology will be emphasized. The course begins with a thorough overview of Darwin’s theory of natural selection and the formation of adaptations. From there, various topics will be investigated including cooperation and altruism, competition and aggression, sexual selection and mating strategies, life histories and development, parental care and family relations, and culture.
PSYC 3390	Applications of Psychological Knowledge (Service Learning & Research) This seminar-based course will expose students to the various areas in the workforce within which Psychology theory and research is applied. Students will gain experience and competence through service learning opportunities with community agencies or research organizations.
PSYC 3901	Special Topics in Applied Psychology/Social Sciences This course examines a special topic or emerging questions in the fields of applied psychology and social sciences. Readings and topical content will include theory, research, critical debate, and applications relevant to the specific topic.
PSYC 3902	Special Topics in Biological Psychology This course examines a special topic or emerging questions in the field of biological psychology. Readings and topical content will include theory, research, critical debate, and applications relevant to the specific topic.
PSYC 3903	Special Topics in Clinical/Counselling Psychology This course examines a controversial topics or emerging questions in the field of clinical/counselling psychology. Readings and topical content will include theory, research, critical debate, and applications relevant to the specific topic.
PSYC 3904	Special Topics in Cognitive Psychology This course examines a special topic or emerging questions in the fields of cognitive psychology. Readings and topical content will include theory, research, critical debate, and applications relevant to the specific topic.
PSYC 3905	Special Topics in Developmental Psychology This course examines a special topic or emerging questions in the field of developmental psychology. Readings and topical content will include theory, research, critical debate, and applications relevant to the specific topic.
PSYC 3906	Special Topics in Social Psychology/Social Sciences This course examines a special topic or emerging questions in the fields of social psychology and social sciences. Readings and topical content will include theory, research, critical debate, and applications relevant to the specific topic.
PSYC 4360	Psychological Assessment This course provides students with an introduction to the fundamental principles guiding the psychological assessment process, across the range of current applications. The historical-cultural context and relevant ethical principles are considered. Psychological assessment is presented as an integrative and multi-method process which includes structured tests. Key issues of reliability, validity and utility are addressed. Applications in education and training, forensic, workplace, health care, clinical and counselling, and rehabilitation contexts are considered, with an overview of current assessment practices.
PSYC 4370	Counselling Skills Fundamentals This course provides an introduction to counselling interviewing skills. The topics covered include the helping relationship, the helping process and the communication skills required in the therapeutic dialogue. Students are expected to self-disclose and engage in self-exploration, as the bulk of the course will focus on using counseling skills with fellow classmates. This course is recommended for students who are interested in human service professions such as criminal justice, teaching, coaching, nursing, human resources, social work, and counselling/clinical psychology.
PSYC 4371	Group counselling: Theory and Practice This course provides an introduction to group counselling theory and practice. Students learn about different types of groups: personal support (e.g., grief groups, Al-Anon), personal awareness (human potential/growth/self-awareness groups), decision-making (e.g., career decision-making groups), and interpersonal awareness/skill development, as well as group treatment of psychological disorders. They gain a basic understanding of group stages and processes. They learn how to plan a skills group and will facilitate a group exercise. This course is recommended for students who are interested in human service professions such as criminology, teaching, coaching, nursing, human resources, and counselling/clinical psychology.
PSYC 4373	Vocational Assessment & Counselling This course is an introduction to vocational counselling, which includes a review of major theories of career choice, development, adjustment and their specific application to career counselling. Also included is a brief review of, and application of, career assessment directed at facilitating career decision-making and counselling process. Relevant ethical guidelines are considered, as are the needs of special populations and settings related to career development.
PSYC 4375	Clinical Psychology This course examines both professional issues and selected topics in clinical psychology. Selected topics include, but are not limited to, educational and training requirements, history, professional ethics, research designs and issues, controversies in clinical assessment and therapy, and how to become a clinical psychologist. The focus will be on the practice of clinical psychology in Canada but occasionally comparisons with other countries will be made.
PSYC 4390	Honours Seminar This seminar course is designed for students who wish to progress to postgraduate studies. Topics may include: developing research ideas, research ethics, graduate school application, and the peer review process. Students will have the opportunity to present and receive feedback on their Honours Thesis proposal.
PSYC 4400	Honours Thesis I The honours thesis provides students with an opportunity to conduct independent research within a specific area of interest in psychology. Under the supervision of a faculty member students will complete a literature review, and analysis of published empirical work on their selected topic. Students will be required to submit a paper outlining a summary of the previous literature, and the design for an original research project, which may include a completed research ethics review form.
PSYC 4410	Honours Thesis II In this course, honours students will continue to develop their research skills under the supervision of a faculty member. Students will collect data using the approved methods from their research project in PSYC 4400. Honours students will analyze and interpret their results, and present their thesis both orally and in writing.
PSYC 5001	Mental Health Services & Systems: History And Trends This course provides an introduction and overview of the history and current trends in mental health services and programs.
PSYC 5002	Psychosocial Rehabilitation & Recovery This course provides an introduction to psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) and how this body of knowledge relates to recovery in mental health and substance use settings. Within this context, the focus is on developing professional skills by understanding and applying current evidence regarding PSR and recovery.
PSYC 5003	Psychosocial Rehabilitation Practitioner Competencies This course identifies and develops the basic competencies required by practitioners to provide PSR services.
PSYC 5004	Psychosocial Rehabilitation: Best & Promising Practices This course provides an in-depth examination of evidence-based best and promising PSR practices.
PSYC 5005	Seminar & Practicum in Psychosocial Rehabilitation This is a supervised practicum and seminar which provides students with direct experience in assessing needs and planning, implementing and evaluating PSR interventions and approaches.

Psychology

Course List