IMPORTANT NOTE: Effective as of Winter 2024, all newly admitted PSYC majors must complete PSYC 204, despite any courses completed prior to ±«ÓãÖ±²¥. If students receive a MATH 203 exemption (via advanced standing credits, another university, etc), this does not exempt them from PSYC 204 at ±«ÓãÖ±²¥. Students will need to complete PSYC 204 at ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ and will receive credit for it.
Please note that this information pertains only to CEGEP students who enter ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ Psychology programs. Full details for students entering ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ Psychology programs from other high schools or universities are available at theÌý±«ÓãÖ±²¥ admissions website or the Psychology undergraduate program website.Ìý
With which specific areas of psychology should students be familiar when beginning their undergraduate studies?
Students are recommended and expected to have had introductory psychology prior to beginning their psychology undergraduate studies at ±«ÓãÖ±²¥. No other psychology courses are required prior to students beginning their studies for the Bachelor of Science (BSci), Bachelor of Arts (BA), or Bachelor of Arts and Science (BA&Sc) programs offered at ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ in Psychology.
What specific skills should someone starting an undergraduate degree in psychology at university possess at the start of their studies? For example, how important is it for students to be able to write term-papers and research reports according to the APA style? Should they be familiar with the PsychInfo database?
Writing skills are important; organization of ideas, grammar, logical thought. Familiarity with APA style and PsychInfo are a plus but not required; our library staff typically offer tutorials to incoming students on these methods. Students may wish to be aware that the first-year courses for Quebec students are large and the majority of these courses use multiple-choice exams. ±«ÓãÖ±²¥â€™s Campus Life & Engagement offers free workshops that help students prepare for multiple choice exams, essays & term papers, etc. Please visit ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ website for more information here and here.Ìý
How important is it for prospective undergraduate students to have had experience with conducting experiments and preparing lab reports based on them?
We do not expect that first-year students have had experience conducting experiments and preparing lab reports, but laboratory experience is desirable. Usually individual faculty labs offer that opportunity in the 2nd and 3rd year research courses, and a few of our Psych courses have a lab component. Lab experience is also a useful skill for evaluating scientific journal articles and for pursuing an honours degree in Psychology at ±«ÓãÖ±²¥.
If students were to gain some volunteer or field work experience in college, what type of work would be most appropriate and useful for them to have before entering university?
Psychology is too broad a field to recommend a particular volunteer or field work experience. Different core areas in psychology work with animal models; disordered populations; infants; aging populations; etc. Any scientific laboratory or field experience can be useful for a particular psychology research area, but specifics are hard to predict and rarely expected.
How important is it for prospective students to have had a course in human biology?
All students (BArts, BSci, BA&Sci) are expected to complete a Biology course prior to admission. They can take it (as an elective at ±«ÓãÖ±²¥) in their first year if they have not yet taken it; it is a prerequisite for Psych 211, which we recommend all Psych majors take in year 1 (U1).
Are there any additional, non-psychology courses that college students could take to help them prepare for an undergraduate degree in psychology?
Research methods are important; also, any course that teaches students how to read a scientific report would be useful. We encourage students to plan ahead if they are interested in the honours program; one must complete the 200-level requirements prior to enrolling in 300-level and higher-level courses. The research-specific courses available to honours students include: PSYC 380D, PSYC 496, PSYC 497, and PSYC 498D. The honours seminar (topic) courses include 482. Students can apply to the Psychology honours program at the end of year 1 (U1) or year 2 (U2). There are more openings in the honours program typically to admit students at the end of year 1.
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