Arts Academic Plans

Please refer to the Applying for a Psychology Major section.

Continuation in this academic plan requires a cumulative minimum overall average of 60% and a cumulative minimum Psychology major average of 70%. Conditional standing may be granted for one academic term to students whose averages fall below these criteria. Both regular and co-operative versions of this plan are available.

Eligibility for graduation in the Honours Psychology (Bachelor of Arts) academic plan includes successful completion of the following requirements:

1. Appropriate Program-level requirements. See Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements.
2. Psychology Plan-level requirements:
   • a minimum Psychology major average of 70%
   • at least eight academic course units (16 courses) in Psychology, including:
     • PSYCH 101/PSYCH 101R
     • Methodology Core: PSYCH 291, PSYCH 292
     • Discipline Core: PSYCH 207, PSYCH 211, PSYCH 238, PSYCH 253/PSYCH 253R, PSYCH 257/PSYCH 257R, PSYCH 261
     • PSYCH 470 or one Research Seminar from PSYCH 420, PSYCH 451, PSYCH 453, PSYCH 454, PSYCH 455, PSYCH 457, PSYCH 458, PSYCH 459, PSYCH 461, PSYCH 462, PSYCH 463, PSYCH 485          
     • five additional PSYCH courses to be taken at the 300-level or above
     • one additional PSYCH course at any level

Notes

1. Students who have not successfully completed Math 4U (grade 12 university level), or a Grade 12 Math course in a province other than Ontario, or an approved equivalent will be required to take MATH 103 as a corequisite to PSYCH 291. For those required to take MATH 103, it counts as an "unspecified elective" towards the degree requirements.
2. PSYCH 291 (fall) and PSYCH 292 (winter) must be completed in Year Two. Exception: those admitted to Arts and Business Co-op complete PSYCH 292 in 3A (winter). 
3. At least five of the six Discipline Core courses must be completed by the end of Year Two. Exception: those admitted to Arts and Business Co-op must complete these courses by 3A winter term.
4. PSYCH 391 is a corequisite for enrolment in a Research Seminar.
5. Regarding the "Social Science" courses for the Bachelor of Arts Breadth Requirements, Psychology majors only require 1.0 academic course unit (two courses) from this area in a discipline(s) other than Psychology.
6. Residency Requirements: Students enrolled in academic plans in Psychology must successfully complete at least half of the total number of academic course units required in Psychology for their academic plan from the University of Waterloo with numerical grades. Refer to the Residency Requirement section for the Faculty of Arts as well as the Department of Psychology policies for further details regarding the residency requirements.
7. Please refer to the Psychology programs section on the Psychology undergraduate website for further course sequence information and class enrolment instructions. 

Research Intensive Specialization

In combination with the Honours Psychology (Bachelor of Arts) plan-level requirements listed above, students interested in pursuing the Research Intensive Specialization will be required to fulfil the following requirements:

• A minimum Psychology major average of 75%.
• Successful completion of four additional courses, for a total of ten academic course units (20 courses) in Psychology:
  • Advanced Quantitative Analysis: PSYCH 391, PSYCH 492
  • Advanced Research Methods: PSYCH 389, PSYCH 390

Notes

1. The Research Intensive Specialization is open to all Honours Psychology students except those whose only or first major is Honours Psychology Bachelor of Science (BSc).
2. Students must achieve a cumulative major average of at least 75% in all Psychology courses counted towards their Honours Psychology major.
3. Students who have completed courses towards this specialization but are not able to sustain the required 75% major average but are still eligible for Honours standing will normally be allowed to continue in the Honours Psychology major but without the specialization.
4. Conditional standing may be granted for one academic term to students whose averages fall below the required 75% major average.
5. The courses listed within this plan are are only open to students who have declared the specialization or to Honours Psychology (BSc) students.
6. PSYCH 391 must be completed in 3A (fall). Exception: Those admitted to Arts and Business Co-op complete PSYCH 391 in 3B (fall).
7. Applications for admission to the specialization should be submitted before the third year to facilitate course enrolment. PSYCH 211, PSYCH 257/PSYCH 257R, and one of PSYCH 238 or PSYCH 253/PSYCH 253R must be completed before taking PSYCH 389. PSYCH 207, PSYCH 211, and PSYCH 261 must be completed before taking PSYCH 390. PSYCH 391 is corequisite for both PSYCH 389 and PSYCH 390.
8. Advanced Research Methods Courses: 
   • Normally, both PSYCH 389 and PSYCH 390 will be completed in Year Three. Exception: those in Arts and Business Co-op take PSYCH 390 in 4A (spring), or 4B (winter) if they have a double work term prior to Year Four. 
   • Typically only one section of PSYCH 390 is offered in the spring term and priority enrolment that term is given to those in the co-op system of study. 
9. The Honours Thesis (PSYCH 499A/PSYCH 499B/PSYCH 499C) is restricted to students who have declared the specialization or to Honours Psychology (BSc) students. The honours thesis (optional, worth 1.5 units) is recommended for students who are a) considering graduate or professional programs that may require a completed honours thesis for admission, or b) who have a strong interest in, and commitment to, conducting original research. For those who choose to do an honours thesis, PSYCH 499A/PSYCH 499B/PSYCH 499C will count for three of the "five additional PSYCH courses at the 300-level or above" in the Honours Psychology major requirements. Consult the Honours Thesis Handbook available on the Psychology undergraduate website for further details regarding PSYCH 499A/PSYCH 499B/PSYCH 499C.

Co-op

The program described here is Departmental Co-op, meaning not Arts and Business Co-op.

Honours Psychology Co-op students gain beneficial work experience, perform a wide variety of tasks in numerous sectors, and are valued by their co-op employers and mentors. You will have opportunities to practice skills learned in Psychology courses (e.g., analytic, numeracy, computer, and oral and written communication skills) and develop new marketable skills.

Notes

1. Refer to the Psychology Co-op section on the Psychology undergraduate website for further details about the admission requirements and application procedures, and information regarding co-op positions, the requirements for writing work-term reports, the Professional Development (PD) course requirements, etc.
2. Those accepted to co-op will have four work terms. The first work term will be in the spring term following Year Two. The school/work sequence ends with a school term. Psychology students pay co-op fees during five full-time school terms, with the first co-op fee charged in the 2B (year/level) school term.
3. For double Honours Psychology Co-op, the first of the two Honours majors must be Psychology, and the Home Faculty must be Arts (or Science; see Faculty of Science section).

Arts and Business (Co-op and Regular)

Students may combine the Honours Psychology academic plan with Arts and Business. In addition to the Honours Psychology requirements, students must also complete the Arts and Business requirements.

Notes

1. Please refer to the Applying for a Psychology major section.
2. For those interested in the co-op system of study, direct inquiries regarding admission to Honours Arts and Business Co-op to the Arts and Business advisor. Admission to co-op must be no later than the 2A (year/level) fall school term. Those accepted will have five work terms. The first work term (winter) will follow the 2A (year/level) term. The school/work sequence typically ends with a double school term.
3. Refer to the Psychology Co-op section on the Psychology undergraduate website for information regarding co-op positions, the requirements for writing work term reports, the Professional Development (PD) course requirements, etc.

Honours double majors

The Honours Psychology (BA) plan-level requirements may be taken in combination with most Arts majors in which an Honours major is offered or with many Honours majors in other faculties.

Students pursuing double Honours may enrol in the Research Intensive Specialization. For those interested in Honours Psychology Departmental Co-op, see the Co-op section above for details and restrictions.

For further information, see the Double majors section of Available Arts Academic Plans and the Psychology undergraduate website.