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Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour and the physiological and cognitive processes that underlie it and it seeks to understand why people and animals do what they do. As scientists, psychologists follow scientific methods, using careful observation, experimentation, and analysis to develop and test theories. Psychologists’ interests are varied, spanning topics from biology to sociology and exploring neurological and environmental influences on behaviour.

Where to go from here?
A degree in psychology from Mount Allison University can lead to careers in:
• Graduate studies in psychology or neuroscience;
• Mental health services, counseling, social work;
• Child care services, education;
• Human resources, commerce, and advertising;
• Medicine, dentistry, and nursing;
• Speech pathology, occupational therapy;
• Law and law enforcement.

Our Programs
An honours Bachelor of Science (BSc) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in psychology is offered by the department, as are a BSc or BA with a major in psychology. A BSc major in cognitive science is also available. A minor in psychology is available to students completing either a BSc or a BA.

Two courses offered at the first-year level — Introduction to Psychology I and II — provide a general introduction to the concepts, problems, and methods of scientific psychology. Upper-level courses in many areas are offered, including biopsychology and neuropsychology, cognitive processes, social and personality psychology, developmental psychology, psychology of women, abnormal psychology, conditioning, educational psychology, and learning disabilities.

Faculty Research
Faculty members in the Psychology Department maintain active research programs supported by grants from agencies such as Science and Engineering Research Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Faculty research interests include studies in the areas of social neuroscience and human neuropsychology, animal learning, cognition and human memory, learning disabilities, adult development and again, personality and beliefs about the self, healthy psychology, stereotypes of stepfamily members, palliative care volunteerism, and the assistive techniques for persons with communication disorders.

Facilities
The Psychology Department is located in the Crabtree Building. Facilities and resources include computers for professional database searches and statistical data analysis, human interaction observation laboratory, and laboratories for demonstration and research with humans and animals.

Undergraduate research
Student involvement in research is highly encouraged. Students become involved through directed studies projects, independent summer research projects, honours theses, and volunteering. Our graduates have been accepted in professional schools and for graduate study at comprehensive universities. Our graduates are also successfully employed in a wide variety of career settings, including hospitals, community mental health centres, guidance offices, education, and government agencies. Some recent projects involving undergraduate research include studying the effect of the beliefs people hold about themselves on well-being, the role of nurse practitioners in health care, observing how adults of different ages collaborate with a partner, beliefs about child abuse in stepfather families, developing an inventory of motivations for palliative care volunteerism, and investigating the roles of emotionality and individual differences in the creation of illusory memories.

Department Website

Academic Calendar: Psychology

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