Psychology (PSYC)

Psychology (PSYC)

Location

Location

  • 2001 McGill College, Room 740
  • Montreal QC H3A 1G1
  • Telephone: 514-398-6100
  • Fax: 514-398-4896
  • Email: undergrad.psych [at] mcgill.ca
  • Website: mcgill.ca/psychology

About Psychology

About Psychology

The Department of Psychology offers programs in both Arts and Science. All B.A. programs in Psychology can be found in Faculty of Arts > Undergraduate > Browse Academic Units & Programs > Psychology.

Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behaviour. It is both a social and a biological science.

  • As a social science, psychology examines the social nature of human beings and the influence that culture, group membership, and relationships have on individual personality, thought, and behaviour.
  • As a biological science, psychology seeks to identify the neural basis of human behaviour, both directly, through the study of humans, and indirectly, through the study of other species.

The data of psychology is collected within the psychological laboratory by the use of experimental methods in the study of behaviour, and outside the laboratory by systematic observation of the behaviour of humans and animals. The aim is to formulate general principles of perception, learning, motivation, cognition, and social psychology that are relevant to different aspects of human life. Experimentation, laboratory techniques, observational procedures, measurement, and statistical methods are important tools of the psychologist.

Psychology has many interdisciplinary aspects. The study of psychological problems often involves knowledge drawn from other disciplines such as biology, physiology, linguistics, sociology, philosophy, and mathematics. For this reason, a student with varied interests can frequently find a place for these in psychology.

Psychology is a young science, so explanations of the processes underlying observed phenomena are often theoretical and speculative. The major objectives of psychological study are to reduce the discrepancy between theory and fact and to provide better answers about why humans think and behave as they do.

Undergraduate Studies

Although a number of undergraduate courses in psychology have applied implications, applied training is not the purpose of the undergraduate curriculum. Its purpose is to introduce the student to an understanding of the basic core of psychological knowledge, theory, and method, regardless of questions of practical application.

The B.Sc. or B.A. with a Major or Honours degree in psychology is not a professional qualification; it does not qualify the individual to carry on professional work in psychology. In the province of Quebec, the minimum requirement for membership in the Order of Psychologists, the professional association governing the work of psychologists in the province, is a doctoral degree. However, the Order also has a number of undergraduate course requirements that you should consult in planning your degree if you ultimately hope to apply for membership in the Order of Psychologists of Quebec. All students planning to practise in the province of Quebec will also be examined on their proficiency in French before being admitted to the professional association. Undergraduate courses in psychology may prove to be of considerable value to students planning careers in professional fields other than psychology. These include, but are not restricted to, medicine, education, social work, human communication sciences, and business and industry.

What distinguishes the Honours program from the Major program is the Honours program's emphasis on research methodology and practice, and its requirement that students maintain a high academic standard. Honours students also have an opportunity to work closely with faculty members in small groups.

Graduate Studies

Students who are interested in psychology as a career must pursue graduate studies. Persons who hold graduate degrees in Psychology, usually the Ph.D., may find employment in universities, research institutes, hospitals, community agencies, government departments, large corporations, or may act as self-employed consultants. At the graduate level, psychology has many specialized branches including social psychology, physiological psychology, experimental psychology, clinical psychology, child psychology, industrial psychology, community psychology, educational psychology, and others.

Requirements for admission to graduate studies in psychology vary from one university to another and from one country to another. Nonetheless, both the Honours and Major degrees in Psychology may qualify the student for admission to many graduate schools, provided that sufficiently high grades are obtained and, in some cases, that research experience has been obtained. During the U2 year, undergraduate students are strongly advised to verify the admission requirements of various graduate programs. This is to ensure that sufficient time is available for students to complete all necessary requirements for admission to their preferred graduate programs.

Information Meetings for New Students

Information Meetings for New Students

All new students entering the Psychology undergraduate program should attend an information meeting prior to registration. Newly admitted students from CEGEPs should attend the information session in June. There will be an identical information session in August for all other students and for any CEGEP students who could not attend the earlier meeting. Please check the Psychology Department website for the specific dates. Students accepted into a Bachelor of Arts program must attend a different information meeting from the one offered to students in the Faculty of Science. (For details, see Faculty of Arts > Undergraduate > Browse Academic Units & Programs > Psychology). At this meeting, Paola Carvajal, the Academic Advisor, will explain the requirements of the Department's programs. Incoming students will have an opportunity to ask questions and receive advice on how to plan their courses.

Entering students can bring a copy of their collegial transcript(s). They should also consult the eCalendar and a preliminary Class Schedule before this advising session.

Students entering the Psychology program in January are strongly encouraged to contact the Academic Advisors, Paola Carvajal or Sarah Lessard in early December to clarify their course selection.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2023-2024 (last updated Aug. 8, 2023) (disclaimer)

Admission Requirements to the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) – Honours Psychology

Admission Requirements to the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) – Honours Psychology

Applications are available on the Psychology Department's website at mcgill.ca/psychology/undergraduate/current-students/research-opportunities/research-courses. The deadline is specified on the application form. Candidates will be advised of the Department's decision via email before classes begin in September.

Students should note that awarding of the Honours degree will depend on the criteria listed below.

Honours is awarded to students with a minimum CGPA of 3.00, a minimum program GPA of 3.00, and a minimum grade of B in the required Honours courses, namely PSYC 380D1/PSYC 380D2 and PSYC 482. Moreover, the awarding of the Honours degree normally requires completion of two full years of study, U2 and U3, in the Honours program. Students with particularly strong academic records may be admitted for the U3 year only on the basis of their marks and research experience. These students must complete all Honours program requirements.

First Class Honours is awarded to students who obtain a minimum CGPA of 3.50, a minimum program GPA of 3.50, and a minimum grade of A- in the required Honours courses, namely PSYC 380D1/PSYC 380D2 and PSYC 482.

For more information, see mcgill.ca/study/faculties/science/undergraduate/programs/bachelor-science-bsc-honours-psychology.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2023-2024 (last updated Aug. 8, 2023) (disclaimer)

Psychology Faculty

Psychology Faculty

Chair
B. Ditto
Graduate Program Director
M. Sullivan
Clinical Program Director
R. Koestner
Undergraduate Program Director
J. Bartz
Emeritus Professors
F.E. Aboud; A.S. Bregman; D. Donderi; K.B.J. Franklin; F.H. Genesee; D.J. Levitin; ; D.S. Moskowitz; Y. Oshima-Takane; R.O. Pihl; J.O. Ramsay; T.R. Schultz; B. Sherwin; Y. Takane; N. White; D.C. Zuroff
Retired Professors
Rhonda Amsel; Andrew G. Baker; M.J. Mendelson
Professors
M. Baldwin; I.M. Binik; M. Dirks; B. Ditto; H. Hwang; B. Knäuper; R. Koestner; J. Lydon; J. Mogil; K. Nader; D.J. Ostry; C. Palmer; M. Petrides; J. Ristic; M. Sullivan; D. Titone
Associate Professors
R. Bagot; J. Bartz; J. Britt; E. Hehman; G. O'Driscoll; K. Onishi; R. Otto; S. Racine; M. Roy; S. Sheldon; D. Vachon; A. Weinberg
Assistant Professors
J. Axt; K. Christophe; C. Falk; J. Flake; O. Hardt; B. Johns; M. Miocevic
Lecturers
P. Carvajal; J. Kreitewolf
Professionals
Ian F. Bradley; James MacDougall
Associate Members
Anesthesia: T. Coderre
Douglas Mental Health University Institute Research Centre: S. King; N. Rajah; H. Steiger; M. Lepage
Educational Counselling Psychology: V Talwar
Jewish General Hospital: B Thombs
McGill Vision Research Centre: R. Hess; F.A.A. Kingdom; K. Mullen
Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital: J. Armony; L.K. Fellows; D. Guitton; E. Ruthazer; W. Sossin; R. N. Spreng; V. Sziklas; R. Zatorre
Schulich School of Music: S. MacAdams
Psychiatry: D. Dunkley; F. Elgar; M. Leyton; S. Villeneuve
Adjunct Professor
R. Dumas; S. Harnad; E. Kaplan
Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2023-2024 (last updated Aug. 8, 2023) (disclaimer)

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Minor Psychology (24 credits)

A minor program in Psychology is available to students registered in any B.Sc. program other than Psychology. This program is intended to complement a student's primary field of study by providing a focused introduction to specialized topics in psychology. ...

For more information, see Minor Psychology (24 credits).

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Liberal Program - Core Science Component Psychology (45 credits)

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. The B.Sc. Liberal Core Science Component in Psychology (45 credits) provides students with a broad overview of the field of psychological science. It is less specialized than the B.Sc. Major in Psychology as students choose a selection of the core courses in psychology as well as advanced courses in...

For more information, see Liberal Program - Core Science Component Psychology (45 credits).

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Major Psychology (54 credits)

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. The B.Sc. Major in Psychology (54 credits) provides students with an in-depth overview, covering the core areas of psychological science as well as more advanced courses in specialized content areas. Students also have the option to complete a research course(s) and/or gain additional training in science...

For more information, see Major Psychology (54 credits).

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Honours Psychology (60 credits)

Honours in Psychology prepares students for graduate study, and so emphasizes practise in the research techniques which are used in graduate school and professionally later on. Students are normally accepted into Honours at the beginning of their U2 year, and the two-year sequence of Honours courses continues through U3.

For more information, see Honours Psychology (60 credits).

Faculty of Science—2023-2024 (last updated Aug. 8, 2023) (disclaimer)
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