X. Degree Programs

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)

Psychology: Brain & Cognition (PBC)

Department of Psychology, College of Social and Applied Human Sciences

The B.Sc. Major in Psychology: Brain and Cognition offers an opportunity for students to develop interests within learning, perception, cognition, and biopsychology from a sound base in physical and biological sciences. Students primarily interested in other areas within psychology should consult the schedule of studies for the Bachelor of Arts program. Psychology courses in the above focuses may also be studied via the B.A. program.

Note on Honours Courses

Courses marked (H) are designed for students in a psychology major or minor or the Information Systems and Human Behaviour program and the Educational Psychology Minor program. Students in other programs wishing to take these courses must obtain the permission of the instructors concerned. Unless otherwise specified, all other courses may be taken by general, honours, and students from other programs, providing the prerequisites are met. Courses designated with (H) are Honours level courses requiring for registration a cumulative average of at least 70% in all course attempts in Psychology, or registration in the ISHB Major.

Major (Honours Program)

Semester 1
BIOL*1030 [0.50] Biology I
CHEM*1040 [0.50] General Chemistry I
MATH*1080 [0.50] Elements of Calculus I
PHYS*1070 [0.50] Introductory Physics for Life Sciences
One of:
PSYC*1100 [0.50] Principles of Behaviour
PSYC*1200 [0.50] Dynamics of Behaviour
Students who are admitted deficient in one OAC/4U course in Biology, Chemistry or Physics must take the equivalent introductory course in first semester. The first-year science core in that subject should be completed by Semester 3.
Semester 2
BIOL*1040 [0.50] Biology II
CHEM*1050 [0.50] General Chemistry II
PHYS*1080 [0.50] Physics for Life Sciences
One of:
CIS*1200 [0.50] Introduction to Computing
CIS*1500 [0.50] Introduction to Programming
One of:
PSYC*1100 [0.50] Principles of Behaviour
PSYC*1200 [0.50] Dynamics of Behaviour
Semester 3

One of:

PSYC*2330 [0.50] Principles of Learning
PSYC*2410 [0.50] Behavioural Neuroscience I
One of:
PSYC*2390 [0.50] Principles of Sensation and Perception
PSYC*2650 [0.50] Cognitive Psychology
One of:
PSYC*2010 [0.50] Quantification in Psychology
STAT*2040 [0.50] Statistics I
1.00 electives *
Semester 4
PSYC*2040 [0.50] Research Statistics
PSYC*2360 [0.50] Introductory Research Methods
0.50 Psychology core (PSYC*2330, PSYC*2390, PSYC*2410, PSYC*2650)
0.50 electives*
One of:
PSYC*2310 [0.50] Introduction to Social Psychology
PSYC*2450 [0.50] Introduction to Developmental Psychology
PSYC*2740 [0.50] Personality
Semester 5
PSYC*3370 [0.50] Experimental Design and Analysis
2.00 electives *
Semester 6
PSYC*3250 [0.50] Psychological Measurement
PSYC*3380 [0.50] Non-experimental Research Methods
1.50 electives *
Semester 7**

2.50 electives **

Semester 8**

2.50 electives**

* Electives in semester 3-8 must satisfy the following requirements:

  1. 1.00 arts and/or non-psychology social science credits

  2. 2.50 credits at the 3000 level

  3. 2.00 credits at the 4000 level

  4. 3.50 credits from List A

  5. 3.50 credits from List B

Note: of these electives, 2.50 credits must be at the 3000/4000 level and 2.00 additional credits must be at the 4000 level.

Graduate Studies Advisory Note

** students planning to enter a graduate program in Psychology are advised to complete PSYC*4870 and PSYC*4880 in Semesters 7 and 8, respectively. Note that PSYC*4370 or PSYC*4900 must be completed prior to or concurrently with either PSYC*4870 or PSYC*4880

Note: The selection of electives should take into consideration the prerequisites for preferred advanced courses. With the permission of the Psychology Department PRIOR to course selection, up to 2 non-psychology credits can be used towards the psychology credits if such courses enhance the student's psychology program.

List A
PSYC*3030 [0.50] Neurochemical Basis of Behaviour
PSYC*3040 [0.50] Current Issues in Neuropsychology
PSYC*3100 [0.50] Evolutionary Psychology
PSYC*3220 [0.50] Ergonomics: the Scientific Study of People-System Relationships
PSYC*3260 [0.50] Laboratory in Animal Learning
PSYC*3330 [0.50] Memory
PSYC*3340 [0.50] Psycholinguistics
PSYC*3410 [0.50] Behavioural Neuroscience II
PSYC*3850 [0.50] Intellectual Disabilities
PSYC*4050 [0.50] Seminar in Animal Learning
PSYC*4370 [0.50] History of Psychology
PSYC*4470 [0.50] Behavioural Neuroscience Seminar
PSYC*4600 [0.50] Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC*4750 [0.50] Motivation
PSYC*4870 [0.50] Honours Thesis I
PSYC*4880 [1.00] Honours Thesis II
PSYC*4900 [0.50] Psychology Seminar
List B

All courses on the List of Approved Science Electives for B.Sc. students, excluding psychology.

Minor (Honours Program)

A minor in Psychology: Brain and Cognition requires 5.00 psychology credits as follows:

PSYC*1100 [0.50] Principles of Behaviour
PSYC*1200 [0.50] Dynamics of Behaviour
PSYC*2360 [0.50] Introductory Research Methods

2.00 credits from 2000 level psychology core courses selected as follows:

  1. 1.50 credits from:

    PSYC*2330 [0.50] Principles of Learning
    PSYC*2390 [0.50] Principles of Sensation and Perception
    PSYC*2410 [0.50] Behavioural Neuroscience I
    PSYC*2650 [0.50] Cognitive Psychology
  2. 0.50 credits from:

    PSYC*2310 [0.50] Introduction to Social Psychology
    PSYC*2450 [0.50] Introduction to Developmental Psychology
    PSYC*2740 [0.50] Personality

1.00 credits from courses in List A

One of:

PSYC*2010 [0.50] Quantification in Psychology
STAT*2040 [0.50] Statistics I
University of Guelph
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Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1

Canada
519-824-4120