Psychology examines how and why people think and act the way they do, with the ultimate goal of understanding and improving the human condition. Psychological research employs the scientific method and a diverse set of tools in an effort to uncover the complex dynamics that influence individuals. Our programs of study are valuable to students planning to join the public or private sector workforce (e.g., human resources, marketing, social/community services), those interested in pursuing graduate studies focused on psychological research (e.g., Ph.D. in Clinical or Experimental Psychology), those seeking a professional degree program related to psychological science (e.g., Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology, Public Health, or Social Work), as well as those interested in other professional degrees (e.g., law, business).
Psychology has many sub-fields, several of which are represented at UTSC in terms of research areas and course offerings:
- Social Psychology: how socio-cultural influences affect us
- Developmental Psychology: how individuals change over time
- Clinical Psychology: diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders
- Cognitive Neuroscience: the biology of the mind
- Behavioural Neuroscience: physiological and genetic influences on behaviour
These courses are designed to complement our other core skills courses (e.g., research methods, statistical methods, laboratory methods) found outside of this category system.
Choosing Your Program
Our programs in Psychology provide an opportunity to study typical thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Students interested in psychological well-being and disorders may want to consider the Mental Health Studies program instead. Students with a strong interest in the biological basis of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours may want to consider a program in Neuroscience.
Prospective students should visit the Admissions & Student Recruitment website for information on applying to Psychology at UTSC.
Program Types
We offer the following program options in Psychology:
| Program Type | Details |
| Psychology Specialist | Our Specialist program is research-intensive. |
| Psychology Specialist Co-op | The Co-op option offers an experiential learning supplement to the Specialist program. |
| Psychology Major | Our Major program requires fewer courses, allowing students to pursue a second major area of interest in a different program. |
| Psychology Minor | Our Minor program allows students to explore our field with considerably less intensity than the Specialist and Major program. |
Note: Programs in Psychology and Mental Health Studies cannot be combined.
For full program details, please visit the Psychology and Mental Health Studies section of the Calendar.
Double Degree Program
UTSC also offers a Double Degree Program in Psychology and English. Students in this five-year program graduate with two degrees: an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English, and an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.