Students are encouraged to apply for the Psychology major in March and April of Year One. Applicants will be required to submit two forms to the Psychology Department for approval: a Plan Modification/Application for Internal Transfer form (see Enrolment Forms) and the Application to Major in Psychology Form, located on the Department of Psychology website.
Current University of Waterloo students who plan to apply for the Psychology major are encouraged to attend an information session which will be held late February or March. Please refer to “Prospective Students” on the Psychology undergraduate website for further details.
Please refer to the Psychology Undergraduate Student Handbook for such information as research interests of the Psychology faculty, potential co-op positions for students in the co-op system of study, course planning, career information, and answers to frequently asked questions.
To be considered for a Psychology major, students must have completed a minimum of four academic course units (i.e., eight courses) including PSYCH 101 and preferably one of PSYCH 207, 211, 253, 257, or 261. Most admission decisions for the Psychology major are for fall term admission and are normally made after winter term grades are available. For those whose admission decisions are deferred pending spring term grades, admission decisions will be made early September.
The cumulative average requirements for admission to the various Psychology (Bachelor of Arts) academic plans are as follows:
- Three-Year General Psychology: 60% overall and 65% in Psychology.
- Four-Year General Psychology: 60% overall and 70% in Psychology.
- Honours Psychology: 70% overall and 75% in Psychology.
- Honours Psychology with Arts and Business: 70% overall, 75% in Psychology, and 70% in the Arts and Business courses. Requests to switch from Arts and Business Regular to Arts and Business Co-op should be referred to the Arts and Business advisor. Requests for admission to co-op will be handled on a case by case basis and are subject to space availability.
- Joint Honours with Psychology: 70% overall, 75% in Psychology, and the average requirement specified for the second major.
For those whose home Faculty is not Arts and are interested in pursuing Joint Honours Psychology, the cumulative averages required for admission to the Psychology major are as follows: 60% overall, 75% in Psychology, and the average requirement for the second major.
Please refer to the Faculty of Science section for course and average requirements for admission to the Honours Bachelor of Science Psychology major.
Students who have completed a research methods course and/or a statistics course must seek advice at the Psychology Undergraduate Office regarding the degree requirements for the program to which they are applying.