Psychology (BSc Program)

Steven Cronshaw, Professor Emeritus
Henry Harder, Professor Emeritus
Kenneth Prkachin, Professor Emeritus

John Sherry, Associate Professor and Chair
Sherry Beaumont, Professor
Han Li, Professor
Paul Siakaluk, Professor
Annie Duchesne, Associate Professor
Loraine Lavallee, Assistant Professor
Nick Reid, Assistant Professor
James Climenhage, Adjunct Professor
Tammy Klassen-Ross, Adjunct Professor
Elizabeth Rocha, Adjunct Professor
Anita Shaw, Adjunct Professor
Julie Howard, Senior Lab Instructor IV

Website: www.unbc.ca/psychology

Major in Psychology (BSc)
Major in Psychology (BSc Honours)
Minor in Psychology

Psychology is the study of behaviour, feelings and thinking. Psychologists study the biopsychosocial and developmental mechanisms and processes that regulate the behaviour of individuals. The goal of the Department of Psychology is to provide advanced knowledge in the substantive areas of Psychology. In addition, the Department provides excellent training that enhances students’ competitiveness for advanced graduate study in Psychology and related areas.

Major in Psychology

Undergraduate students are required to take a minimum of 56 credit hours of psychology courses. Of these, at least 38 credit hours must be upper-division courses.

The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Science with a major in Psychology is 122 credit hours.

Program Requirements

Lower-Division Requirement

100 and 200 Level

PSYC 101-3 Introduction to Psychology I
PSYC 102-3 Introduction to Psychology II
PSYC 215-3 Research Design and Methodology in Psychology 

Three of the following:

PSYC 207-3 Social Psychology
PSYC 211-3 Lifespan Development
PSYC 212-3 The Psychology of Learning
PSYC 221-3 Biopsychology

Upper-Division Requirement

300 and 400 Level

PSYC 315-4 Analysis of Psychological Research I
PSYC 316-4 Analysis of Psychological Research II

Two of the following:

PSYC 314-3 Emotion and Motivation
PSYC 318-3 Sensation and Perception 
PSYC 319-3 Philosophy of Mind
PSYC 332-3 Cognition 

Two of the following:

PSYC 303-3 Introduction to Abnormal Psychology
PSYC 306-3 Theories of Personality 
PSYC 309-3 Introduction to Health Psychology 
PSYC 322-3 Positive Psychology

Eighteen credit hours of 300- or 400-level Psychology courses, of which 9 credit hours must be at the 400 level.

Electives and Academic Breadth
Electives at any level in any subject sufficient to ensure completion of a minimum of 122 credit hours including any additional credit hours necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth).

BSc Honours - Psychology

Honours students are required to complete 122 credit hours. Students must successfully complete the 56 credit hours for the Psychology BSc program, 54 credit hours of electives and 12 credit hours from the courses listed below:

PSYC 490-3 Honours Thesis I
PSYC 495-3 Honours Thesis II
and two additional 400-level Psychology courses.

Each student must complete a thesis (PSYC 490-3 Honours Thesis I, and PSYC 495-3 Honours Thesis II) under the supervision of a faculty member. To enter the Honours Program students must have completed 60 credit hours and obtained a minimum GPA of 3.33 on the last 60 credit hours completed at the time of declaration to the Honours Program.

Attaining the minimum requirement does not guarantee entry to the Honours Program, which will be at the discretion of the Department. Students must maintain a Semester GPA of 3.33 to remain in the Honours Program as well as receive no grade lower than a C+ in any Psychology course after entry to the Honours Program.

Students are responsible to find their own undergraduate thesis research supervisor. Faculty members are under no obligation to supervise Honours students.

The minimum requirement for completion of a BSc Honours - Psychology is 122 credit hours.

Minor in Psychology

The minor in Psychology provides students with a foundation in the natural and social science components of the discipline and exposure to its basic observational and analytic methods. It also allows the student to pursue special interests within the discipline at the upper year levels.

A maximum of two courses (6 credit hours) used to fulfill program requirements for a major or another minor may also be used to fulfill requirements for a minor in Psychology.

To fulfill the minor, students must successfully complete a total of 27 credit hours from the following courses:

PSYC 101-3 Introduction to Psychology I
PSYC 102-3 Introduction to Psychology II
PSYC 215-3 Research Design and Methodology in Psychology

Two of the following:

PSYC 207-3 Social Psychology
PSYC 211-3 Lifespan Development
PSYC 212-3 The Psychology of Learning
PSYC 221-3 Biopsychology

One of the following:

PSYC 303-3 Introduction to Abnormal Psychology
PSYC 306-3 Theories of Personality
PSYC 309-3 Introduction to Health Psychology
PSYC 322-3 Positive Psychology

One of the following:

PSYC 314-3 Emotion and Motivation
PSYC 318-3 Sensation and Perception
PSYC 319-3 Philosophy of Mind
PSYC 332-3 Cognition

Two other 300 or 400 level Psychology courses.

Updated: June 28, 2024