UVic Psychology Program Transition May 2015

The UVic Department of Psychology launches a new undergraduate curriculum as of 1 May 2015. The new curriculum has many advantages: A more coherent structure, better alignment with other universities, less complexity, and more flexibility. We have eliminated grade minima (except for the Honours program) and reduced the specificity of the requirements for courses outside of Psychology. It will be easier for students to plan and complete a degree in psychology under the new curriculum.

How will this change affect you?

• Students who were registered at UVic prior to 1 May 2015 and who declared a program in Psychology prior to that date may complete their studies following the old program requirements, or they may switch to the new program.
• Students who were registered at UVic prior to 1 May 2015 and who did not declare a program in Psychology prior to that date may choose to complete their studies following either the old program or the new program.
• Students beginning their studies at UVic after 1 May 2015, including transfer students, must follow the new program requirements

Below, we describe the course requirements for the various options available to students.

A. Students who were registered at UVic prior to 1 May 2015 who want to stay on the old program:

Required Courses:

PSYC 100A and 100B

• The “C+” grade will be waived for those with “C” or “D” grades in one or both courses

PSYC 201, 210 and 215A

• PSYC 215A may be replaced by 251 if not already completed
• PSYC 201 and 210 are still required
• The minimum GPA will be waived for those with “D” grades or a GPA below 3.00 across these three courses.

PSYC 300A and 300B

• The “C” grade will be waived for those with “D” grades in one or both courses

Upper-level Psychology Breadth Areas (Biological/Neuropsychology, Learning/Cognition/Perception, Social/Environmental, Developmental, Personality/Abnormal)

• Upper-level Psychology courses in each breadth area will still be available in all five breadth areas (although there is no guarantee that an upper-level course will be offered in every area every term); students should read course descriptions carefully as some courses have new numbers (mutually exclusive notes). If a course that was included in one of the breadth areas now has a new number, the newly-numbered course can be substituted for the original course as long as the new number is a 300 level course. 300-level credit can not be granted for any 200 level listing, even if the course previously was at the 300 level. The 200 level course can be credited only as meeting the ‘breadth’ requirement.

PSYC 400-level

• 1.5 units will still be required: not from PSYC 400A, 401, 490, 492, 499 (492 is a new addition)

Biology

• (BA) 3.0 units of Biology at any level may be substituted for the required courses in the old program
• (BSc) BIOL 186 can be substituted for 190A; BIOL 184 can be substituted for 190B

Computer Science

• 1.5 units of Computer Science at any level may be substituted for the required courses in the od program

English

• ENGL 135 is still required; the “C+” grade minimum will be waived for those with a grade of “C” or “D”.
• The second English course will be waived entirely

Mathematics (No changes)

• (BA) One of MATH 100, 102, 151, PHIL 201, 203, 370
• (BSc) One of MATH 100, 102, 151

Philosophy (No Change)

• 1.5 units of Philosophy is still required for both the BA and the BSc programs

Social Sciences (No change)

• 3.0 units of Social Sciences (Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Environmental Studies, Sociology, or SOSC courses) is still required for both the BA and the BSc programs

Humanities/Fine Arts (BA)

• 6.0 units of Humanities/Fine Arts.

Sciences (BSc)

• 6.0 units at any level and from any unit in the Faculty of Science (including EPHE 141, 241, 242).

Course Number Changes

B. Students who were registered at UVic prior to 1 May 2015but want to switch to the new program:

Required Courses:

PSYC 100A and 100B

• No longer require a minimum grade of “C+”

PSYC 201, 210, 231, 243, 251, 260

• No minimum grades or GPA required
• PSYC 201 and 210 are still required
• Students are required to take the 200-level gateway course for each stream (231, 243, 251 and 260) unless they have passed an upper-level course in that stream prior to May 2015. Specifically,

1. If students have completed one of PSYC 215A, PSYC 313 (now 351A) or 315 (now 351B), then they do not need to take PSYC 251 (Introduction to Mind and Brain)
2. If students have completed one of PSYC 331 (now 231), 375, or 385, then they do not need to take PSYC 231 (Introduction to Social Psychology)
3. If students have completed one of PSYC 335, 336, or 339, then they do not need to take PSYC 243 (Introduction to Lifespan Development)
4. If students have completed one of PSYC 330, 338, 365, 366 then they do not need to take PSYC 260 (Introduction to Mental Health and Wellbeing)

PSYC 300A and 300B

• No longer require a minimum grade of “C”

Upper-level Psychology Streams (Mind and Brain, Social Psychology, Lifespan Development and Mental Health and Wellbeing)

• Students are required to pass at least 3.0 units of 300-level coursework in each of two streams, and at least 1.5 units of 300-level coursework in a third stream, for a total of at least 7.5 units of coursework in the four streams
• If a student has taken one of the 300-level stream courses in its “Formerly” guise, it can be substituted for the new course (i.e. PSYC 315 would be ok for 351B in the Mind and Brain stream)
• previous prerequisites for PSYC 300- and 400-level courses will remain until September 2017, together with prerequisites that reflect the new program structure; students can use either set of perquisites.

PSYC 400-level

• 1.5 units are still required (not from PSYC 400A, 401, 490, 492, 499)

Biology

• (BA) 3.0 units of Biology at any level
• (BSc) BIOL 186 or 190A, and BIOL 184 or 190B

Computer Science

• 1.5 units of Computer Science at any level

English

• ENGL 135

Mathematics

• (BA) One of MATH 100, 101, 102, 151, PHIL 201, 203, 370
• (BSc) One of MATH 100, 102, 151

Philosophy

• 1.5 units of Philosophy

Social Sciences

• 3.0 units of Social Sciences

Sciences (BSc)

• 6.0 units of Science coursework is required, at any level and from any unit in the Faculty of Science (including EPHE 141, 241, 242)

PLEASE NOTE: YOU MUST CHANGE YOUR PROGRAM TO BE ENROLLED IN THE NEW CALENDAR. THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE ADVISING OFFICE OR BY USING THE DECLARATION PORTAL ON MYPAGE.

C. Students beginning their studies at UVic after 1 May 2015 will follow the May 2015 program requirements. This includes  students transferring into UVic from another institution, who should consult Academic Advising concerning their program requirements.

Approved by Dr. Steve Lindsay, Chair, Department of Psychology, 27 March 2015.