Department of Psychology
B550 Loeb Building
613-520-2644
http://carleton.ca/psychology
- M.A. Psychology
- Ph.D. Psychology
M.A. Psychology
About the Program
The field of psychology is dedicated to the scientific study of thoughts, feelings and actions from multiple perspectives (e.g., social, developmental, biological, etc.). The M.A. program offered by the Department of Psychology is strongly research-oriented and provides students with an exciting blend of coursework, hands-on research experience, and community practica. Being situated in Ottawa, our M.A. students are exposed to unique research opportunities and can access Carleton's many connections to agencies in the nation's capital. Faculty members in the department supervise students in a range of psychological disciplines including cognitive, developmental, forensic, health, applied, and personality/social. Many of our graduates find immediate employment upon completion of their M.A. degree, whereas other students use their M.A. as preparation for further doctoral-level studies. For more information about the Department's M.A. program, consult the following website: carleton.ca/psychology
Admission Requirements
The normal requirement for admission into the master's programs is a B.A. Honours Psychology (or equivalent) with high honours standing, completion of a research thesis, and credit in a breadth of courses in line with the psychology major.
Candidates with particular course deficiencies may be required to register in additional courses at Carleton.
Qualifying Year
Occasionally, candidates with exceptional promise who offer less than Honours B.A. status may be admitted to a qualifying-year program approved by the graduate studies committee and designed to prepare them for master's study. A grade of B- or better must be obtained in each qualifying-year course, and candidates may be required to complete satisfactorily the equivalent of a B.A.(Honours) thesis.
Program Requirements
The master's program consists of 5.0 credits, of which at least two must be at the graduate level (numbered 5000 or higher), and a thesis (equivalent to 2.5 credits) which must be defended at an oral examination.
Specific requirements include:
- 1.0 credit in PSYC 5410 and PSYC 5411. Equivalencies will be determined on a case-by-case basis through application to the graduate committee
M.A. Concentrations
The following courses are recommended for M.A. students in the concentrations:
Concentration in Applied Psychology
PSYC 5012 [0.5] | Organizational Psychology I | |
PSYC 5105 [0.5] | Fundamentals of HCI Design and Evaluation | |
PSYC 5106 [0.5] | Research Methods in HCI | |
PSYC 5700 [0.5] | Advanced Topics in Cognition I | |
and to generate a thesis in applied psychology |
Concentration in Personality and Social Psychology
PSYC 5010 [0.5] | Social Psychology Methodology | |
PSYC 5011 [0.5] | Social Psychology I | |
PSYC 5109 [0.5] | Historical and Social Foundations of Social Psychology | |
PSYC 5601 [0.5] | Contemporary Research in Personality | |
and to generate a thesis in personality or social psychology |
Concentration in Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 5700 [0.5] | Advanced Topics in Cognition I | |
PSYC 5703 [0.5] | Cognition I | |
PSYC 5704 [0.5] | Cognition II | |
PSYC 6700 [0.5] | Advanced Topics in Cognition II | |
and to develop a thesis in cognitive psychology |
Concentration in Developmental Psychology
PSYC 5500 [0.5] | Developmental Psychology Methodology | |
PSYC 5503 [0.5] | Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology: Social & Emotional Development | |
PSYC 5504 [0.5] | Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology: Cognitive Development | |
and to generate a thesis in developmental psychology |
Concentration in Forensic Psychology
PSYC 5021 [0.5] | Forensic Assessment | |
PSYC 5022 [0.5] | Adult Offenders | |
PSYC 5023 [0.5] | Witnesses, Victims and Juries | |
PSYC 5024 [0.5] | Juvenile Delinquency |
Concentration in Health Psychology
PSYC 5209 [0.5] | Psychology of Health and Illness | |
and to generate a thesis in health psychology |
Ph.D. Psychology
About the Program
The field of psychology is dedicated to the scientific study of thoughts, feelings and actions from multiple perspectives (e.g., social, developmental, biological, etc.). The Ph.D. program offered by the Department of Psychology is strongly research-oriented and emphasises hands-on training. In addition to exciting opportunities for developing research collaborations within the Department and across the University, students can enrol in a range of graduate courses and participate in community practica. Being situated in Ottawa, our students are exposed to unique research opportunities and can access Carleton's many connections to agencies in the nation's capital. Faculty members in the department supervise students in a range of psychological disciplines including cognitive, developmental, forensic, health, applied, and personality/social. Graduates of our Ph.D. program find employment in a diversity of settings, including academic institutions, government agencies, and the private sector. For more information about the Department's Ph.D. program, consult the following website: carleton.ca/psychology
Admission Requirements
The requirements for admission to the Ph.D. program are outlined in the General Regulations section of this Calendar. Scores on the Graduate Record Examination are optional.
The Ph.D. program in psychology normally will be undertaken on a full-time basis; however, in cases of exceptional merit, the Department will accept a few candidates for the degree on a part-time basis.
Program Requirements
The minimum program requirements for the Ph.D. degree in Psychology include 10.0 credits with a grade of B- or better in each course. Specific requirements are:
1. 1.0 credit in: | ||
PSYC 5410 [0.5] | Advanced Analysis of Variance | |
PSYC 5411 [0.5] | Advanced Regression | |
2. 0.5 credit from: | ||
PSYC 5401 [0.5] | Multivariate Techniques | |
PSYC 5412 [0.5] | Topics in Advanced Statistics and Methods | |
PSYC 5413 [0.25] | Workshops in Advanced Statistics and Methods | |
or other as approved by the graduate committee (e.g., PSYC 5010). Equivalencies will be determined on a case-by-case basis through application to the graduate committee | ||
3. Any additional concentration requirement | ||
4. Completion of: | ||
Pro-Seminar in Psychology I and Pro-Seminar in Psychology II | ||
5. 7.0 credits in: | ||
PSYC 6909 [7.0] | Ph.D. Thesis (equivalent to 7.0 of the required 10.0 credits which must be defended at an oral examination) | |
6. All Ph.D. candidates are required to submit a thesis prospectus. The prospectus examination will normally be successfully completed within seven calendar terms of the student's initial registration for full-time students and ten terms for part-time students |
Concentrations
The following courses are recommended for students in the concentrations.
Concentration in Applied Psychology
PSYC 5012 [0.5] | Organizational Psychology I | |
PSYC 5105 [0.5] | Fundamentals of HCI Design and Evaluation | |
PSYC 5106 [0.5] | Research Methods in HCI | |
PSYC 5700 [0.5] | Advanced Topics in Cognition I | |
and to generate a thesis in applied psychology |
Concentration in Personality and Social Psychology
PSYC 5010 [0.5] | Social Psychology Methodology | |
PSYC 5011 [0.5] | Social Psychology I | |
PSYC 5109 [0.5] | Historical and Social Foundations of Social Psychology | |
PSYC 5601 [0.5] | Contemporary Research in Personality | |
and to generate a thesis in personality or social psychology |
Concentration in Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 5700 [0.5] | Advanced Topics in Cognition I | |
PSYC 5703 [0.5] | Cognition I | |
PSYC 5704 [0.5] | Cognition II | |
PSYC 6700 [0.5] | Advanced Topics in Cognition II | |
and to develop a thesis in cognitive psychology |
Concentration in Developmental Psychology
PSYC 5500 [0.5] | Developmental Psychology Methodology | |
PSYC 5503 [0.5] | Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology: Social & Emotional Development | |
PSYC 5504 [0.5] | Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology: Cognitive Development | |
and to generate a thesis in developmental psychology |
Concentration in Forensic Psychology
Students interested in this area are encouraged to take courses such as | ||
PSYC 5021 [0.5] | Forensic Assessment | |
PSYC 5022 [0.5] | Adult Offenders | |
PSYC 5023 [0.5] | Witnesses, Victims and Juries | |
PSYC 5024 [0.5] | Juvenile Delinquency | |
and to generate a thesis in the area of forensic psychology |
Concentration in Health Psychology
PSYC 5209 [0.5] | Psychology of Health and Illness | |
and to generate a thesis in health psychology |
Psychology (PSYC) Courses
Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology
Introduction to various non-numerical, interpretive research methods. Attention will be devoted to the philosophical underpinnings of qualitative research, methods collecting and analyzing qualitative data, and issues regarding sampling, reliability, and validity.
Ethics in Psychology
Ethical concepts and controversies related to research and practice in psychology. Topics may include ethical dilemmas and debates, professional codes of ethics, confidentiality, informed consent, legal rights and responsibilities, use of deception, or guidelines for research with special populations.
Social Psychology Methodology
An overview of research methods for the study of social and organizational psychology. Topics may include observational and interview techniques, archival methods, questionnaire design, focus groups, qualitative analyses, and computer simulation. A research project will be required.
Social Psychology I
Recent developments in social psychology theory and research. Topics may include social cognition, social influence, group processes, conflict resolution and social change.
Organizational Psychology I
Recent developments in organizational psychology and research. Topics may include personnel selection, work motivation, morale and productivity, organizational decision making, leadership and social action.
Forensic Assessment
Theoretical and empirical issues of the biopsychosocial antecedents of criminal behaviour. Classification and assessment of offenders for courts, probation and parole services. Risk assessment, management and service planning are addressed in both correctional and mental health contexts.
Adult Offenders
Theoretical and empirical issues on the use of different types of interventions in modifying adult criminal behaviour. Institutional treatment and community-based approaches are discussed.
Witnesses, Victims and Juries
A review of research and theory concerning eyewitnesses, victims of crime, and jury decision-making. Topics such as police interviewing techniques and practices, eyewitness identification and testimony, victim rights, effects and outcomes, and influences on jury verdicts are discussed.
Juvenile Delinquency
An examination of the development of delinquency with a focus on etiology, risk factors, assessment, prediction, and developmental trajectories. Individual, group, and family institutional and community treatment approaches are examined.
Psychology of Women
This seminar will consider and evaluate research concerning the psychology of women, including research methods, gender roles and gender differences.
Fundamentals of HCI Design and Evaluation
Strategies and practices in HCI design and evaluation. Students will learn to perform studies in user interface analysis and design, read the research literature critically, summarize important points from readings, write papers, design user interfaces and present their written and oral work.
Research Methods in HCI
An introduction to quantitative and qualitative research methods in HCI. Students will acquire skills in collecting and analyzing HCI data, presenting the findings and specifying pratical implications.
Psychology of Family Violence
Biopsychosocial antecedents and consequences of the abuse and neglect of children, partners and elders within the family. The efficacy of preventive and treatment strategies is also assessed, as are current controversies and research methods in the area.
Historical and Social Foundations of Social Psychology
History of psychological social psychology (1890s to 1960s), with emphasis on the development of social psychology as both an experimental and an interpretive science. Some attention is given to historiographic issues and the history of the human sciences generally.
Psychology of Health and Illness
A critical examination of scientific theory and research on the role of psychological factors in health and illness, and the use of psychological interventions in treating illness and maintaining health. Topics include the biopsychological model of illness, stress and coping, psychoneuroimmunology, personality, and stress management.
Perceptual Processes
Theoretical and empirical issues of the area of perception. Topics may include: psychophysics, constancies, depth perception, pattern recognition, iconic memory, attention, hemispheric specialization.
Psychophysics
A study of classic and contemporary psychophysical methods. Applications to cognition will be included.
Multivariate Techniques
Applications of multivariate statistical techniques with psychological data including multivariate analysis of variance, canonical correlation, discriminant function analysis, and factor analysis. Extensive use is made of statistical software.
Tests and Measurements I: Intellectual/Cognitive
This course is designed to assist students learning of basic cognitive/intellectual assessment procedures. Students will be required to administer and interpret a variety of tests such as the WAIS-R, Weschler Memory Scale, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, and Buschke's Cued Recall Test.
Advanced Analysis of Variance
Concepts and applications of advanced analysis of variance designs, including factorial, within groups, and hierarchical designs, and analysis of covariance. Extensive use is made of statistical software.
Advanced Regression
Concepts and applications of advanced regression analyses, including multiple regression, hierarchical and polynomial techniques. Extensive use is made of statistical software.
Topics in Advanced Statistics and Methods
Selected topics in advanced statistics and research methods relevant to broad areas of psychology, varying from year to year. Topics may include broad analytic approaches, such as, program evaluation, qualitative methods, nonparametric statistics, among others.
Workshops in Advanced Statistics and Methods
Intensive focus on specific statistical or methodological approaches relevant to psychological research (e.g. structural equation modeling, advanced factor analysis, meta-analysis, observational methods).
Developmental Psychology Methodology
An overview of research methods in the study of developmental psychology. Topics may include: observational and interview techniques, use of archival data, longitudinal designs, questionnaire development, and basic assessment methods. A research project will be required.
Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology: Social & Emotional Development
Recent developments in developmental psychology theory and research related to the study of social and emotional development. Topics may include child temperament, parenting and the family, peer relationships, self-system, and developmental psychopathology.
Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology: Cognitive Development
Recent developments in developmental psychology theory and research related to the study of cognitive development. Topics may include: language, literacy, numeracy, and theory of mind.
Contemporary Research in Personality
Current controversial issues in personality research, and selected theoretical and research studies in personality.
Advanced Topics in Cognition I
An in-depth study of a specific topic in the area of basic cognitive processes. Topics will vary from year to year and may include judgmental processes, object identification, selective attention and spatial cognition.
Cognition I
A survey of issues and research methodologies in basic cognitive processes. Topics may include detection and processing of sensory signals, pattern recognition, attention, mental imagery and automaticity.
Cognition II
A survey of issues and research methodologies in higher-level cognitive processes. Topics may include memory, representation of knowledge, decision processes, and the procedural/declarative controversy. The course may be focused on a particular area (e.g. reading, transfer in problem solving).
Special Topics in Psychology
The topics of this course will vary from year to year, and will be announced in advance of the registration period.
Directed Studies
In-depth investigation of selected problems in psychology by means of directed library research. Registration is restricted, permission to register being granted only by the graduate committee. A final report must be filed in the departmental office prior to submission of course grade.
Independent Research
Permission to register and approval of research plan must be obtained from the graduate committee. A final research report must be filed in the departmental office prior to submission of course grade. The course may be repeated for credit.
Practicum in Psychology
The practicum offers master's level students the opportunity to gain experience in a range of applied psychology settings with the goal of integrating academic and practical aspects of psychology. This course cannot be repeated for credit. Students will receive a grade of satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Details are available from the Department.
M.A. Thesis
Social Psychology II
A seminar covering a selection of advanced topics in social psychology theory and research taken from recent publications and debates in the discipline.
Organizational Psychology II
A seminar covering advanced topics in organizational psychology theory and research taken from recent publications and debates in the discipline.
Seminar in University Teaching
Theoretical and empirical work related to teaching in higher education. Analysis of instructional discourse, use of language in classroom decision-making, bases of effective practice and methods of instruction. Constructivist principles of teaching and learning. Role of teaching in university scholarship.
Precludes additional credit for LALS 5905 (Section T, 1997-98), LALS 5905 (Section X, 1998-99), LALS 5905 (Section W, 1999-2000), LALS 5905 (Section W, 2000-01), LALS 5905 (Section X, 2001-02), LALS 5905 (Section W, 2002-03) and LALS 5204.
Psychological Aspects of Computer Use
An investigation of human factors related to the effective design of computer hardware and software. Topics may include the design and evaluation of information search procedures, graphic displays, and operation manuals on the assessment of usability. A research project will be required.
Social Aspects of Computer Use
An investigation of the social psychological factors affecting the use of computers and the social consequences of their use Topics may include the use of computers in higher education and the social consequences of the Internet for the Third World.
Advanced Topics in Cognition II
An in-depth study of a specific topic in higher-level cognitive processes. Topics will vary from year to year and may include mathematical knowledge and processes, problem solving, or models of reading.
Special Topics in Psychology
The topics of this course will vary from year to year, and will be announced in advance of the registration period.
Directed Studies
In-depth investigation of selected problems in psychology by means of directed library research. Registration is restricted, permission to register being granted only by the graduate committee. A final report must be filed in the departmental office prior to submission of course grade.
Independent Research
Permission to register and approval of research plan must be obtained from the graduate committee. A final research report must be filed in the departmental office prior to submission of course grade. The course may be repeated for credit.
Practicum in Psychology
The practicum offers Ph.D. students the opportunity to gain experience in a range of applied psychology settings with the goal of integrating academic and practical aspects of psychology. This course cannot be repeated for credit. Students will receive a grade of satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Details are available from the Department.
Pro-Seminar in Psychology I
The pro-seminar is based on the departmental invited colloquia series. This course provides breadth in terms of exposure to research. Colloquia are offered from September to April.
Pro-Seminar in Psychology II
The pro-seminar is based on the departmental invited colloquia series. This course provides breadth in terms of exposure to research. Colloquia are offered from September to April.
Ph.D. Thesis
Summer session: some of the courses listed in this Calendar are offered during the summer. Hours and scheduling for summer session courses will differ significantly from those reported in the fall/winter Calendar. To determine the scheduling and hours for summer session classes, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca
Not all courses listed are offered in a given year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings for the current session and to determine the term of offering, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca