Honours Specialization BA

Follow this link to Western's Official Program Guide

Follow this link to archived program modules

Image of Program Requirements

HONOURS  SPECIALIZATION B.A in PSYCHOLOGY

9.0 Course Module CHECKLIST

Purpose of Hon.Specialization BA Module: To provide a thorough grounding in the principles of Psychology for students who may wish to pursue graduate training in Psychology and for students who prefer a more research-intensive approach to the study of Psychology than is provided under either the Major or Minor programs in Psychology.  This module focuses broadly on biological, social, and psychological foundations of behavior.

 

FIRST YEAR Requirements:

 
T

To be eligible for admission to the Honours Specialization in Psychology program-BA, students must complete 5.0 first-year courses by May 1, with no failures, and must have an average of at least 75% in 3.0 principal courses, with no mark in these principal courses below 60% (HOWEVER, because this is a competitive program, the cut-off average is usually well above the minimum of 75%; it is currently in the lower 80’s, around 83%).  2.0 of the principal courses must include the Psychology and Mathematics courses listed below.  The 1.0 additional principal course will be any 1.0 credits worth of courses, other than Psychology or Mathematics, in which the student receives the highest final mark(s).

1.0 courses from:  both of Psychology 1002A/B AND 1003A/B (or Psychology 1000)
0.5 course from: Data Science 1000A/B
0.5 course from:  Calculus 1000A/B, Calculus 1301A/B, Calculus 1500A/B, Mathematics 1225A/B, Mathematics 1228A/B, Mathematics 1229A/B, Mathematics 1600A/B, or Applied Mathematics 1201A/B.  Mathematics 1228A/B is recommended.

YEAR 1

1.       Psych 1002+1003 (or Psych 1000)

2.       0.5 Data Sci.1000 + 0.5 First Yr Math

3.       Other Year 1 courses            

4.       Other Year 1 courses

5.       Other Year 1 courses                 

SECOND, THIRD and FOURTH YEAR
Module Requirements:


1.0 courses:  Psychology 2801F/G (min 70%) and 2802F/G (min 75%)

1.0 courses:  Psychology 2811A/B (min 70%) and 2812A/B (min 75%)

0.5 course from:  Psychology 2100-2299 series.

0.5 course from:  Psychology 2300-2799 series.

0.5 course:  Psychology 3801F/G (must be taken prior to Thesis Course)

0.5 Research course from: Psychology 3184F/G, 3185F/G, 3285F/G, 3480F/G, 3485F/G, 3580F/G, 3780F/G, 3840F (must be taken prior to Thesis Course)

0.5 course from:  Psychology 3100-3299 (exclud. Research courses above)

0.5 course from:  Psychology 3300-3799 (exclud. Research courses above)

1.0 courses from:  Psychology 2000-3999 (exclud. Research courses above)

1.0 courses from:  Psychology 3000-4999 (exclud. Research courses above)

0.5 course from:  Psychology 4000-4995


0.5 course from:  Psychology 2100-4999

1.0 courses: Psychology 4850E (Thesis Course)

 

CAUTION:  If you are fulfilling your 2nd year Statistics requirement in the Psychology Hon. Spec. module with a 2nd year Statistics course taught in another department that is antirequisite to Psychology 2811A/B, then you MUST replace it with 0.5 credit course in Psychology numbered 2100 or higher.  In other words, you need fully 9.0 pure Psychology credits at the second year level and higher for the Psychology Hon. Spec B.A.  You must also receive a grade of 70% or higher in the alternative stats course. 

Subsidiary Courses: 6.0 other courses.  If you are also doing a module in another subject area, then that module’s courses would be amongst these 6.0 courses. Depending on which other module you plan on completing, you may be able to take additional Psychology courses outside of the 9.0 minimum required by the Psychology Honours Specialization B.A.  Module. See first “Note”below. 

Progression Requirements: Students who are enrolled in a Psychology Honours Specialization module must maintain a minimum modular average of 75%, with minimum grades of 70% in both Psychology 2801F/G and Psychology 2811A/B, minimum grades of 75% in both Psychology 2802F/G and Psychology 2812A/B, and no mark below 60% in any of the other modular courses to progress in this module.  If taking an antirequisite to Psychology 2811A/B, they must have a minimum grade of 70% in that alternative statistics course.  

Late Entrance Requirements: Students who wish to enter this module after Years 2 or 3 must have a minimum cumulative average of 75% in their last 10.0 courses and meet the Progression Requirements listed above.  However, because this is a competitive program, the cut-off entry average is usually in the lower 80’s, around 83%.

YEAR 2, 3 and 4

6. Psych 2801F/G + Psych 2802F/G

7. Psych 2811A/B + Psych 2812A/B

8. Psy 2100-2299 + Psy 2300-2799

9. Electives or Other Module

10. Electives or Other Module

******

11. Psy 3801F/G + Psy “Res. In”

12. Psy 3100-3299 + Psy 3300-3799

13. Psych 2000-3999

14. Electives or Other Module

15. Electives or Other Module

******
16. Psych 4850E (Thesis)

17. Psych 3000-4999

18. Psy 4000-4995 + Psy 2100-4999

19. Electives or Other Module

20. Electives or Other Module

You are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of your program.

NOTE: A maximum of 7.0 credits can be at the 1000-level.  That is to say that for a 4-year degree a minimum of 13.0 credits of the minimum of 20.0 total credits MUST be at a Senior level (ie. numbered 2000 or higher). If a student exceeds 7.0 credits at the 1000-level, then they must exceed the 20.0 total credits by the same number of 1000-level credits that they have in excess of 7.0 credits.  For instance, if a student has 8.5 credits at the 1000 level, then they will need a minimum total of 21.5 credits in order to graduate from a 4-year degree (8.5 credits at the 1000 level + 13.0 credits at the Senior level = 21.5 total credits).

NOTE:  No more than 14.0 courses in one subject may be counted among the 20.0 successfully completed courses used to fulfill graduation requirements.  If taking more than 10.0 courses in Psychology (including the first year level Psychology), students need to consider the impact this may have on their plans for a major or minor in other subject areas.

NOTE:  The Honours Specialization Programs in Psychology have limited enrolment.  In cases where the number of applicants exceeds the number of available spaces, entry into the program will be competitive; students who meet the minimum requirements may be refused admission.

Please note that this is the Psychology component of your degree only.  For information on complete degree requirements, please refer to the official Western Academic Calendar.


All degrees require 1.0 Social Science course (A), 1.0 Arts & Humanities course (B), 1.0 Science course (C) and 2.0 essay courses.