Undergraduate Programs

The Department of Psychology offers a broad range of undergraduate courses and programs designed to meet the needs of students with various backgrounds and varying degrees of interest in psychology. Because psychology is both a natural and a social science, students can complete either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts with a Major or Honours in Psychology or a Minor in Psychology.

More information about Saint Mary’s psychology programs, including lists of required courses and course descriptions, can be found in the Academic Calendar.

Bachelor of Arts or Science with Major in Psychology

Students can complete a Psychology Major as part of a BA or a BSc degree program. The requirements are the same for both degrees: students must complete a minimum of forty-two (42) credit hours in psychology courses, thirty credit hours of which must be from specified course lists. In addition, eighteen of the required forty-two (42) credit hours must be at the 4000-level.

Review the BSc psychology major program requirement table for a list of courses required for the BSc Major in Psychology, including credits in other subject areas. For more information about BA psychology major program, please refer to the Academic Calendar.

Bachelor of Arts or Science with Honours in Psychology

The Psychology Department offers honours study leading to either a BA or a BSc (Honours) degree, or a Certificate of Honours Standing (Honours Equivalency). The Honours program will interest students who intend to pursue graduate work in psychology or a related field or who wish to pursue careers in psychology.

Both the BSc and the BA Honours in Psychology programs require that students complete the requirements of a Major in Psychology, including at least thirty-six (36) credits hours at the 4000 level or above, including the following courses:

• PSYC 4020 - Advanced Statistics (formerly PSYC 4401)
• PSYC 4040 - History of Psychology (formerly PSYC 4421)
• PSYC 4050 - Honours Seminar (formerly PSYC 4500)
• PSYC 4060 – Honours Thesis (formerly PSYC 4549)

To register for an Honours Thesis, students must secure the consent of a faculty member who is willing to supervise the thesis and complete an Application for Directed Study .

Entrance into either the BSc or BA Honours Honours in Psychology program is not automatic. For information on admission to the psychology honours program, please review the Academic Calendar.

Minor in Psychology

Students from all faculties are eligible to complete a Minor in Psychology. To meet the minimum requirement of their individual faculty, Arts and Commerce students must complete a minimum of twenty-four (24) credit hours, while Science students must complete a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours of courses from specified course lists.

Review the full list of Minor requirements in the Academic Calendar.

Co-operative Education in Psychology

Saint Mary's co-operative education program provides eligible students the opportunity to complement their academic students with experience in relevant work environments. Students will complete a minimum of four academic terms of approved work experience, and the program generally takes one year longer to complete than the corresponding traditional degree (i.e., BA or BSc Major or Honours).

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates emerge with a BSc or BA degree in psychology (at either the Major or Honours level) with the added qualification of “Co-operative Education.”

Undergraduate Certificate in Forensic Psychology

Want to learn more about what happens in a police interview? Want to know about the factors that predict sexual offending? Want to learn how to help victims navigate the criminal justice system? Want to learn how to design prison programs to help incarcerated people avoid future criminal behaviour?

Saint Mary’s University now offers a 24-credit hour Certificate in Forensic Psychology that recognizes student focus in forensic psychology. Check it out here!  

This Certificate is also available as a stand-alone credential. If you are already working in the justice system or would like to work in this field (e.g., corrections, law enforcement, parole board, victim services, or in the administration of justice), this Certificate may interest you!

For more information, contact advisor.science@smu.ca, BAadvising@smu.ca, or robyn.mcintosh@smu.ca.