Psychology
Psychologists study the mechanisms that underlie
our thoughts, emotions and behaviours. They
examine a diverse range of topics, such as how we
think and learn, how we interact with others and
how we can promote healthy development and
wellness.
The Carleton psychology advantage
Carleton University’s undergraduate programs in
psychology are designed to provide you with a
deeper appreciation of the complexity and diversity
of human behaviour, knowledge of the principles of
systematic and empirical investigation, and specific
skills that enhance your employability.
The insights you will gain from studying psychology
will serve you throughout your life, in virtually
any career. If you are interested in a career as a
psychologist, our Honours programs prepare you for
additional study at the graduate level.
A comprehensive curriculum
We offer opportunities to explore psychology’s
major areas within the context of an active and
diverse research environment.
Personality and social psychologists study the
complex interplay between our characteristics
and the environments in which we live. They
investigate a wide range of phenomena including
close relationships, procrastination, happiness, and
relationships between groups.
Forensic psychologists deal broadly with the
research and application of psychological
knowledge to the justice system, such as
understanding the development of criminal
behaviour, the classification and rehabilitation
of offenders, eyewitness testimony and police
psychology.
Cognitive psychologists are interested in basic and
applied processes related to memory, attention,
perception, speech and language, decision-making
and human performance.
Developmental psychologists emphasize the
physical, social, and emotional changes that we
experience across the lifespan. They consider topics
such as shyness, emerging adulthood, bullying,
positive youth development, and the development
of language, literacy and mathematics skills.
Health psychologists study the psychological, social,
and behavioural influences on health and illness and
are interested in stress and coping, forgiveness, lifechanging experiences, health decision-making, and
our relationship with nature.
Organizational psychologists study individuals and
groups in workplace settings and are interested in
topics such as occupational health and employee
morale, with the ultimate goal of enhancing
organizational effectiveness and individual well-being.
The capital advantage
Ottawa, the nation’s capital, is home to first-class
medical facilities such as the Ottawa Hospital, the
Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the
Royal Ottawa Hospital, which provides specialized
mental health assessment and treatment for adults,
adolescents and children with a mental illness.
Choosing the right program
Bachelor of Arts (General and Honours)
Bachelor of Science (Honours)
When you study psychology at Carleton, you will
have an opportunity to explore all of psychology’s
major areas including social, personality, cognitive,
health, developmental, applied and forensic
psychology, as well as specialized topics such as
attitudes, abnormal behaviour, perception and
criminal behaviour.
General program
Six of your 15.0 credits will be in psychology.
You may choose your other courses from other
disciplines of interest. The Bachelor of Arts (BA)
provides a good foundation for occupations that
deal with psychological issues, but is not intended
to prepare you for a career as a professional
psychologist.
Honours programs
If you are interested in becoming a professional
psychologist or to further enhance your knowledge
and skills set, you should consider one of our
Honours programs.
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences offers
a four-year Honours program leading to a BA
(Honours) in Psychology. The Faculty of Science
offers a four-year Honours program leading to a
Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Psychology.
Both the BA (Honours) and the BSc (Honours) in
Psychology require 20.0 credits for the degree; nine
of these credits are from psychology. In addition to
a number of core courses in fourth year, Honours
students either design and carry out a supervised
research thesis or participate in a Project class.
The BA (Combined Honours) in Psychology
program allows you to combine your studies in
psychology with studies in another discipline.
Co-operative education
Through co-operative education, Bachelor of Arts
(Honours) students may gain applied knowledge
in the workplace in a variety of settings including
community agencies, government departments
and the private sector. Students accepted into the
co-op program will begin their first work term after
having achieved second-year standing (among
other prerequisites), and must include three work
terms in their academic studies to graduate with
the co-operative education designation on their
transcript and degree.
Core courses
No matter which one of these programs you choose,
your first year will include an introductory course that
highlights what psychology offers and describes its
basis as an experimental science. In second year, you
will take courses in research methods, statistics and
specialized areas within the discipline. In third year, you
will take courses that deal with specific areas relating
to your own interests and will receive additional
training in research methods and data analysis.
Your first-year experience
First-year Seminars
First-year BA students are strongly encouraged
to include a First-year Seminar (FYSM) in their
first-year course load. Our First-year Seminars will
get you away from the lecture hall and give you
the chance, in a small class of no more than 30, to
discuss and debate topics with your classmates and
your professors.
First-year Bachelor of Science students have their
own unique seminar course, Seminar in Science
(NSCI 1000).
Future opportunities
The workplace
Throughout your Carleton Psychology program, you
will have opportunities to acquire and refine skills
that will contribute to your personal, intellectual,
and social development. You will also be developing
skills that will enhance your desirability in the
workforce. For example, you will be working on
skills related to research methods, statistics, critical
thinking, information literacy, and communication.
These skills can be applied in careers such as
corrections, education, health and social services,
human resource management, marketing and public
relations, mental health services, research, and more.
Many of our graduates wish to become professional
psychologists. Most Canadian provinces, however,
require you to have a PhD degree and be registered
by a provincial college or board of psychologists
before allowing you to use the professional
designation of psychologist. Carleton’s Honours
programs in Psychology provide you with the
foundation you need for graduate study leading to a
doctoral degree.
Graduate studies
Graduates of our program are well qualified to go
on to graduate studies in a variety of fields including
experimental psychology, clinical psychology,
counselling, social work, education, criminology and
medicine.
Admission requirements
For admission to the BA in Psychology, you must
have the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
or equivalent including a minimum of six 4 U/M
courses or equivalent. Your six 4 U/M courses must
include 4U English (or Anglais).
For admission to the BSc (Honours) in Psychology,
you must have the Ontario Secondary School
Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent including a minimum
of six 4 U/M courses or equivalent. Your six 4 U/M
courses must include Advanced Functions and two
of Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science or
Physics. 4U Calculus and Vectors and English are
also recommended.
It is Carleton University policy to consider your
best performance in any eligible course in the
admissions assessment. Since the number of
qualified applicants may be greater than the number
of available spaces, cut-off averages and required
marks may vary. Please refer to our website at
admissions.carleton.ca/requirements for the
current admission requirements.
For more information
…about Carleton’s Psychology programs, please visit
our website at carleton.ca/psychology or consult
the Carleton University Undergraduate Calendar at
carleton.ca/cuuc.
FACULTY OF
Arts and
Social Sciences
FACULTY OF
Arts and
Social Sciences
Do you want more information?
Please contact us at:Arts and
FACULTY OF
Social Sciences
Department of Psychology
Carleton University
B550 Loeb Building
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa ON K1S 5B6
Canada
Tel: 613-520-2644
Fax: 613-520-3667
Email: psychology@carleton.ca
Website: carleton.ca/psychology
Undergraduate
Recruitment Office
Carleton University
315 Robertson Hall
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa ON K1S 5B6
Canada
Tel: 613-520-3663
Toll-free in Canada: 1-888-354-4414
Fax: 613-520-3847
Email: liaison@carleton.ca
Website: admissions.carleton.ca
This document is available in a variety of
accessible formats upon request. A request
can be made on the Carleton University
website at: carleton.ca/accessibility/request.
carleton.ca
Produced by Creative Services and printed by Graphic Services
15-322 XXM 09