Mar 19, 2024  
2019-2020 Academic Calendar Mount Royal University 
    
2019-2020 Academic Calendar Mount Royal University [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Psychology, BA


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The Mount Royal BA in Psychology is designed to provide students with a broad base of knowledge in the key areas of the discipline by requiring courses in six core areas. It will also provide an understanding of research processes, the scientific method, and statistical analysis through specific courses in these areas as well as in senior courses that cover this material as it relates to specific topics. Students will also have the opportunity to choose from courses that will enable them to focus on a particular area within the Psychology discipline. The knowledge, skills, and abilities acquired in the BA program can lead students to a variety of career opportunities or to further study in Psychology and related fields.

It is recommended that students who meet the qualifications and who intend to pursue graduate study consider applying to the Honours BA in Psychology.

Specific targeted outcomes for the graduates of the program include the following:

  1. Knowledge of Psychology
    1. Students will acquire foundational knowledge in the core areas of Psychology and in those areas in which they choose to focus. This outcome will be achieved through courses at the introductory and senior levels that cover the basic concepts, perspectives, and research findings from the main topic areas in Psychology. The core required areas include developmental Psychology, cognitive Psychology, social Psychology, theories of personality, abnormal behaviour, and biological Psychology.
    2. Students will develop an understanding of major theoretical perspectives, both historical and current, and will apply their understanding of these perspectives in a variety of content areas.
    3. Students will acquire the ability to locate, read and understand primary and secondary sources in Psychology, and will be able to communicate with others, both orally and in writing, in the language of the discipline.
  2. Research Methods in Psychology
    Students will understand and apply basic research methods in Psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation. This goal will be achieved through two required courses in statistics and one in research methods, through optional senior statistics and research-methods courses, through participation in research projects, and through assignments in senior content courses. Students will also demonstrate the ability to design appropriate research strategies and will demonstrate proficiency in data analysis in assessing research results. Students in the Honours program will be expected to achieve a higher level of understanding through participation in senior statistics and research methods courses.
  3. Thinking Skills in Psychology
    Students will apply critical and creative thinking as well as problemsolving skills to research questions and issues related to behavioural and mental processes. They will develop the ability to recognize and critically examine the assumptions informing Psychology and to assess the credibility and validity of information. Students will have opportunities to apply psychological principles to personal, social, and other real-life issues.
  4. Ethics, Values, and Diversity in Psychology
    Students will learn to tolerate ambiguity in psychological explanations, to understand the necessity for ethical guidelines in Psychology and act accordingly, and to develop appropriate objectivity and open-mindedness. They will appreciate and respect multicultural and interpersonal diversity.

Graduation Requirements - Major in Psychology


All students must meet the general graduation requirements for the Bachelor of Arts, in addition to the graduation requirements for the Psychology major. 

Note


Psychology Major students must obtain a minimum grade of C (2.00) in all core courses. This does not include general education or elective courses.

General Education Requirements


Ten courses must be completed to meet the General Education requirements to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts - Psychology.

  1. Four courses will be taken at the foundational level: one from each of the thematic clusters. 
  2. Three courses will be taken at the second tier: no more than one from each of the thematic clusters. One of these courses must be from the Numeracy and Scientific Literacy cluster.
  3. Three courses must be taken at the third tier, selected from at least two of the thematic clusters.

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