Department of Psychology
(Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences)
Psychology (PSYC) Courses
Introduction to Psychology I
A survey of topics associated with psychology's role as a natural science, including neuroscience, cognition, and learning.
Lecture three hours a week.
Introduction to Psychology II
A survey of topics associated with psychology's role as a social science, including social psychology, personality, clinical psychology, and mental health.
Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology
A general introduction to research methodologies employed within contemporary psychology. Topics covered include research designs (experimental, quasi-experimental) and techniques (observations, surveys), basic descriptive statistics, and how to interpret and report research findings.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 1001 and PSYC 1002.
Lecture three hours a week. May include laboratories.
Introduction to Statistics in Psychology
A general introduction to statistical techniques employed within contemporary psychology. Topics include basic data analysis using descriptive and inferential statistics (t-tests, ANOVA, correlation, chi-square).
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 2001.
Lecture three hours a week. May include laboratories.
Introduction to Social Psychology
Introduction to social psychology, including a survey of theories, issues, methods, and findings. This course will explore how social situations may influence people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Topics may include social cognition, self-knowledge, persuasion, interpersonal attraction, aggression, and prosocial behaviour.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 1001 and PSYC 1002.
Lectures three hours a week.
Introduction to Health Psychology
Introduction to health psychology, including a survey of theories, issues, methods, and findings. Using a multidisciplinary approach, topics may include the reciprocal interactions among physical health and illness, and psychological factors, including emotional well-being, coping and appraisal processes.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 1001 and PSYC 1002.
Lectures three hours a week.
Human Neuropsychology I
Introduction to study of brain-behaviour relationships, including a survey of theories, issues, methods, and findings. Topics may include basic anatomy and physiology of the human nervous system, including sensory and motor functions. Neural basis of language, perception, emotion, learning, memory, decision making and social cognition.
Introduction to Forensic Psychology
Introduction to forensic psychology, including a survey of theories, issues, methods, and findings. Topics covered may include development of offending, eyewitness testimony, victim studies, risk assessment, offender rehabilitation, offender classification, and police studies.
Foundations of Developmental Psychology
Introduction to developmental psychology, including a survey of theories, issues, methods, and findings. Topics may include biological underpinnings and genetics, as well as selected aspects of language, cognitive, moral, emotional, and social development.
Introduction to the Study of Personality
Introduction to the study of personality, including a survey of theories, issues, methods, and findings. Explores the factors that contribute to people’s personality and influence how they interact with others. Topics may include traits, motives, the self, physiology, the unconscious, relationships, stress and coping.
Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
Introduction to cognitive processes, including a survey of theories, issues, methods and findings. Topics covered may include pattern recognition, attention, imagery, learning (animal and human), memory, language, and thinking.
Organizational Psychology I
Introduction to the study of organizational psychology, including a survey of theories, issues, methods, and findings. Examines individual and group behaviour in organizational settings. Topics may include understanding work-related attitudes, behaviour, motivation, and stress, personnel selection, personality in the workplace, organizational justice, and leadership.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 1001 and PSYC 1002.
Lectures three hours per week.
Design and Analysis in Psychological Research
Techniques in data analysis, probability, sampling distributions, and procedures of estimation. Topics include classical, Bayesian, and distribution free approaches to hypothesis testing, linear regression and curve fitting, and analysis of variance methods in experimental design. Techniques are applied with appropriate statistical software (e.g., SPSS, Excel).
Prerequisite(s): third-year standing, PSYC 2001, and PSYC 2002.
Lectures and tutorial four hours a week.
Psychological Testing
An introduction to theory and issues pertaining to psychological tests. Topics include the creation, assessment, scoring, and interpretation of results across different testing formats (questionnaires, surveys, structured interviews, performance-based measurements). Classical and modern techniques will be incorporated. Students will apply psychological testing theory through assignments.
Social Psychology (Honours Seminar)
An introduction to theory and research in social psychology. Activities include reading and assessing the appropriate literature, designing studies and experiments, conducting data analyses, and producing APA style reports. Research ethics and graduate studies are also addressed. Taught in preparation of fourth year thesis.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 2001, PSYC 2002, PSYC 2100, third-year Honours standing in Psychology with a CGPA of 9.0 or higher in the major and permission of the Department.
Seminars and laboratories six hours a week.
Intergroup Relations: The Psychology of Conflict and Violence
In-depth coverage of the social psychology of relations within and between large societal groups. Topics may include social identity, stereotyping, prejudice, and intergroup emotions, with emphasis on their role in promoting conflict and paths to pro-social intergroup relations.
Precludes additional credit for PSYC 3103 (no longer offered).
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 2100.
Lectures three hours per week.
Close Relationships
A consideration of relationship science, with a focus on social psychological theory and empirical approaches to the study of close relationships such as dating and marital relationships, and friendships. Topics may include relationship initiation, relationship maintenance, and coping with the dissolution of relationships.
Health (Honours Seminar)
An applied introduction to theory and research in health psychology. Activities include reading and assessing the appropriate literature, designing studies and experiments, conducting data analyses, and producing APA style reports. Research ethics and graduate studies are also addressed. Taught in preparation of fourth year thesis.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 2001, PSYC 2002, PSYC 2301, third-year Honours standing in Psychology with a CGPA of 9.0 or higher in the major and permission of the Department.
Seminars and laboratories six hours a week.
Sport and Performance Psychology
How psychological processes influence outcomes across sport and performance environments. Topics may include self-confidence, goal-setting, arousal regulation, imagery, group dynamics, burnout, injury recovery, and how person and situational factors affect the pursuit of excellence.
Positive Psychology
A review of theoretical, historical, and empirical scholarship in positive psychology. Drawing widely across traditional sub-disciplines, content focuses on human strengths, well-being, resilience, and virtue to understand internal, external, and developmental contributors to health and happiness.
Human Neuropsychology II
Cortical metabolism and research methods for assessment of cortical function, neuropsychological testing in the context of neurological, psychiatric and cognitive disorders caused by nervous system damage or genetic anomaly.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 2307.
Lectures three hours a week.
Forensic Psychology (Honours Seminar)
An applied introduction to theory and research in forensic psychology. Activities include reading and assessing the appropriate literature, designing studies and experiments, conducting data analyses, and producing APA style reports. Research ethics and graduate studies are also addressed. Taught in preparation of fourth year thesis.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 2001, PSYC 2002, PSYC 2400, third-year Honours standing in Psychology with a CGPA of 9.0 or higher in the major and permission of the Department.
Seminars and laboratories six hours a week.
Criminal Behaviour
A review of theoretical and empirical research in the study of criminal behaviour. Examination of offender assessment and classification, prevalence and types of offenders, and effectiveness of offender treatment including understanding specific populations of offenders such as Indigenous offenders, women offenders and violent offenders.
Addiction
Neurobiological and social bases of drug and behavioural addictions. Contemporary theoretical approaches to addiction; approaches to current prevention and treatment.
Police Psychology
Critical examination of theory and empirical research in the area of police psychology. Topics covered may include police culture, police selection, police suicide, police personality, stress debriefing, fitness evaluations, police training, crisis negotiations, and investigative techniques.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 2400.
Lectures three hours per week.
Psychology of Motivation and Emotion
This course will explore motivational and emotional factors involved in human behaviour emphasizing various perspectives, theories, and research pertaining to physiological, cognitive, and social needs. Topics may include what factors motivates people, how motivation changes over time, and how one person can motivate another individual.
Developmental Psychology (Honours Seminar)
An introduction to theory and research in developmental psychology. Activities include reading and assessing the appropriate literature, designing studies and experiments, conducting data analyses, and producing APA style reports. Research ethics and graduate studies are also addressed. Taught in preparation of fourth year thesis.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 2001, PSYC 2002, PSYC 2500, third-year Honours standing in Psychology with a CGPA of 9.0 or higher in the major and permission of the Department.
Seminars and laboratories six hours a week.
Exceptional Children
An overview of childhood exceptionalities including intellectual differences, communication disorders, sensory and physical impairments, developmental and behavioural problems.
Cognitive Development
Human cognitive development is examined with a focus on memory, thinking and language through the life span. Topics may include perceptual and language development, emergent literacy, development of strategies and development of reading and arithmetic skills.
Social Development
Development of the individual with a focus on social cognition and social behaviour. Topics may include the role of temperament in development, parental roles, siblings and peers in social/emotional development, development of prosocial and aggressive behaviour, moral development and development of self and other understanding.
Child Language
Milestones associated with the development of grammatical,pragmatic and metalinguistic competence from birth to about age ten, and the relative contributions of the environment, cognitive development and inborn knowledge to this development.
Also listed as LING 3603.
Precludes additional credit for LALS 2603 (no longer offered).
Prerequisite(s): LING 1001 and second-year standing, or permission of the instructor.
Lectures three hours per week.
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood
The physical, cognitive, social and moral development of adolescents and emerging adults in multiple contexts including family, peers, media and culture. Major theories and contemporary issues and concerns.
Personality (Honours Seminar)
An introduction to theory and research in personality psychology. Activities include reading and assessing the appropriate literature, designing studies and experiments, conducting data analyses, and producing APA style reports. Research ethics and graduate studies are also addressed. Taught in preparation of fourth year thesis.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 2001, PSYC 2002, PSYC 2600, third-year Honours standing in Psychology with a CGPA of 9.0 or higher in the major and permission of the Department.
Seminars and laboratories six hours a week.
Psychology of Women
An examination of theories and research regarding the similarities and differences in women's and men's psychological processes. Psychological issues relevant to women (e.g., women's health concerns, women's sexuality, violence toward women and children) will be examined as well as feminist and traditional research methods.
Clinical Psychology and Mental Illness
History of the concept of mental illness. Theory and selected research dealing with the nature and etiology of mental illness.
Cognition (Honours Seminar)
An introduction to theory and research in cognitive psychology. Activities include reading and assessing the appropriate literature, designing studies and experiments, conducting data analyses, and producing APA style reports. Research ethics and graduate studies are also addressed. Taught in preparation of fourth year thesis.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 2001, PSYC 2002, PSYC 2700, third-year Honours standing in Psychology with a CGPA of 9.0 or higher in the major and permission of the Department.
Seminars and laboratories six hours a week.
Perception
Introduction to theory, research methods and principles associated with the study of perceptual processes. Examples of how perceptual principles can be applied to solve problems in communications, transportation, medicine, industrial design, manufacturing, marketing, food and beverage industries (flavoring, blending, and scenting, etc.).
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 1001 and PSYC 1002.
Lectures three hours a week.
Language Processing and the Brain
Introduction to adult language processing and neurolinguistics. Psychological processes underlying speech production and perception, word recognition and sentence processing. Biological foundation and neuro-cognitive mechanisms of language. Experimental techniques and methodologies of current psycholinguistic studies.
Also listed as LING 3601.
Precludes additional credit for LALS 2601 and LALS 3601 (no longer offered).
Prerequisite(s): LALS 1000 or LALS 1001 or LING 1001 or PSYC 2700 and second-year standing, or permission of the instructor.
Lectures three hours a week.
Introduction to Human Factors
Theoretical foundation, philosophy and practical application of techniques for analyzing from a psychological perspective how people interact with designed environments. A major goal is to determine how these environments should be designed to suit human capabilities.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 2001 and PSYC 2002.
Lecture three hours a week.
Organizational Psychology II
Advanced coverage of the current theory and practices in Organizational Psychology. Selected topics may include workplace socialization, job attitudes, deviant work behaviours, leadership, teams and group dynamics, work-related stress and health, and organizational change and development.
Transition to Career
Within the context of an active learning environment, examines traditional and current models in career psychology. Topics may include the concepts of change and transitions, self-assessments, vocational psychology, and workplace onboarding. Students will examine their personal and professional transition from university to the work world.
Prerequisite(s): third or fourth year standing in Psychology.
Lectures three hours a week.
Practicum in Psychology
Experiential learning in psychology via field placement. Students pursue personal learning outcomes focused on the application of psychology within the community. Assignments promote ongoing reflection and the sharing of what has been learned with colleagues.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in Psychology with a CGPA of 7.0 or higher in the major and permission of the Department.
Practicum in Psychology
Experiential learning in psychology via field placement. Students pursue personal learning outcomes focused on the application of psychology within the community. Assignments promote ongoing reflection and the sharing of what has been learned with colleagues.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in Psychology with a CGPA of 7.0 or higher in the major and permission of the Department.
Practicum in Psychology
Experiential learning in psychology via field placement. Students pursue personal learning outcomes focused on the application of psychology within the community. Assignments promote ongoing reflection and the sharing of what has been learned with colleagues.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in Psychology with a CGPA of 7.0 or higher in the major and permission of the Department.
Co-operative Work Term
Co-operative Work Term.
Work Term.
Special Topics in Psychology
Each section of PSYC 4001 deals with a different topic. Topics change yearly. Students may register in more than one section of PSYC 4001 but can register in each section only once.
Lectures or seminars three hours a week.
Origins of Modern Psychology
An overview of the evolution of psychology, with an emphasis on psychology as a specialized area of knowledge and practice in the late-nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Topics covered may include the history of a particular period, content area, or cultural context.
Prerequisite(s): third or fourth-year standing in a Psychology Honours program.
Lectures or seminars three hours per week.
Advanced Topics in Social Psychology
In-depth exploration of theoretical and empirical issues related to selected topics in Social psychology. The specific content for this course will vary from year to year.
Psychology of Climate Change
An examination of the role that psychological research plays in understanding people’s feelings, thoughts, and behaviour in relation to climate change and its associated problems. Strategies and interventions that help people cope with climate change and promote eco-friendly behaviour will also be discussed.
Lectures or seminars three hours a week.
Advanced Topics in Health Psychology
In-depth exploration of theoretical and empirical issues related to selected topics in health psychology. The specific content for this course will vary from year to year.
Community Mental Health and Well-Being
An examination of theory, research, and the practice of approaches to support peers and their well-being. Students will apply the concepts learned during the seminars in field placements.
Prerequisite(s): fourth-year Honours standing in Psychology, Mental Health and Well-Being Stream.
Seminar three hours per week.
Clinical Psychology: Assessment and Intervention
An advanced seminar on clinical psychology and mental health. Students will learn about frequently used treatment modalities and common factors across treatments. Research methodology and recent advances dealing with a variety of common mental disorders will also be reviewed and discussed.
Prerequisite(s): fourth-year Honours standing in Psychology and PSYC 3604.
Lecture or seminar three hours per week.
Mental Health and Climate Change
Climate change is a major global health threat that is related to mental health through changes to people’s environment, physical security, and socioeconomic structures. Research focusing on the relationship between climate change and individuals' well-being will be discussed.
Lectures or seminars three hours a week.
Advanced Topics in Forensic Psychology
In-depth exploration of theoretical and empirical issues related to selected topics in Forensic psychology. The specific content for this course will vary from year to year.
Female Offenders
Feminist and social learning approaches to the assessment and treatment of female offenders. Theories and research relevant to selected patterns of law breaking and selected female offender types.
Lectures or seminars three hours a week.
Sex Offenders
Theory and research concerning the etiology and maintenance of sexual offending; assessment, treatment, and management of sex offenders. Introduction to fundamental issues and controversies in the area.
Lectures or seminars three hours a week.
Children and the Law
This course will explore psychological factors affecting child witnesses and victims as they interact within the criminal justice system. The course will survey the intersection of psychology and law within the areas of eyewitness memory, police procedures, and the criminal justice system.
Lectures or seminars three hours a week.
Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology
In-depth exploration of theoretical and empirical issues related to selected topics in developmental psychology. The specific content for this course will vary from year to year.
Lectures or seminars three hours a week.
Advanced Topics in Personality Psychology
In-depth exploration of theoretical and empirical issues related to selected topics in personality psychology. The specific content for this course will vary from year to year.
Advanced Topics in Cognitive Psychology
In-depth exploration of theoretical and empirical issues related to selected topics in cognitive psychology. The specific content for this course will vary from year to year.
Occupational Health Psychology
The application of psychological knowledge to enhance employee physical and mental health, safety and well-being, and more broadly, to enrich organizational life. Students will be able to learn and analyze critically the relevant methodological, theoretical, and empirical Occupational Health Psychology literature.
Lectures or seminars three hours a week.
Advanced Topics in Organizational Psychology
In-depth exploration of theoretical and empirical issues related to selected topics in organizational psychology. The specific content for this course will vary from year to year.
Independent Study
A reading or research course for selected students who wish to investigate a particular topic of interest. Normally, students may not include more than one credit of independent study in their total program.
Prerequisite(s): third- or fourth-year standing in Psychology and permission of the Department.
Mentored work.
Independent Study
A reading or research course for selected students who wish to investigate a particular topic of interest. Normally, students may not include more than one credit of independent study in their total program.
Prerequisite(s): third- or fourth-year standing in Psychology and permission of the Department.
Mentored work.
Thesis for B.Sc. with Honours in Psychology
A thesis supervised by a Faculty Adviser. Students review the appropriate literature, contribute to the design of a study or experiment, conduct data analyses, and produce an APA style written report. Students may also present a research poster at the Psychology Undergraduate Research Event.
Precludes additional credit for PSYC 4906 (no longer offered).
Prerequisite(s): fourth-year Honours standing in Psychology with a major CGPA of 10.0, PSYC 3000; one of PSYC 3100, PSYC 3300, PSYC 3400, PSYC 3500, PSYC 3600, PSYC 3700 or PSYC 3805; and permission of the Department.
Lectures during the fall term given by the course instructor and mentored work arranged by the Faculty Adviser.
Thesis for B.A. with Honours in Psychology
A thesis supervised by a Faculty Adviser. Students review the appropriate literature, contribute to the design of a study or experiment, conduct data analyses, and produce an APA style written report. Students may also present a research poster at the Psychology Undergraduate Research Event.
Precludes additional credit for PSYC 4905 (no longer offered).
Prerequisite(s): fourth-year Honours standing in Psychology with a major CGPA of 10.0, PSYC 3000; one of PSYC 3100, PSYC 3300, PSYC 3400, PSYC 3500, PSYC 3600, PSYC 3700, PSYC 3805; and permission of the Department.
Lectures during the fall term given by the course instructor and mentored work arranged by the Faculty Adviser.
Project for B.Sc. with Honours in Psychology
Within an active learning environment, students develop oral presentations and written documents that may include annotated bibliographies, essays, and presentation slides. They must also present a research poster at the Psychology Undergraduate Research Event. Students select an area of psychological research of interest to them.
Precludes additional credit for PSYC 4906 (no longer offered), PSYC 4907, and PSYC 4908.
Prerequisite(s): fourth-year standing in B.Sc. (Honours) in Psychology, and PSYC 3000.
Seminars three hours a week.
Project for B.A. with Honours in Psychology
Within an active learning environment, students develop oral presentations and written documents that may include annotated bibliographies, essays, and presentation slides. They must also present a research poster at the Psychology Undergraduate Research Event. Students select an area of psychological research of interest to them.
Precludes additional credit for PSYC 4905 (no longer offered), PSYC 4907 and PSYC 4908.
Prerequisite(s): fourth-year standing in B.A (Honours) in Psychology, and PSYC 3000.
Seminars three hours a week.
Note: 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.
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