Bachelor of Arts, Psychology Major
The mission of the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) is to strengthen your critical and creative thinking by offering a broad range of social, political, and cultural programs of study. A liberal arts education from Athabasca University is designed to broaden your perspective on local and global affairs, encourage community and social involvement, and prepare you for lifelong learning and occupational diversity.
The Bachelor of Arts (4-year) provides students with a broad, flexible education that allows them to develop, understand, and disseminate knowledge, to think critically, and to build on these abilities. In addition, the four-year degree fully prepares students for most graduate programs. Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) with a Major are expected to have gained sufficient analytical and critical thinking skills to be able to engage in independent research in their chosen major. Athabasca University does not offer an Honours BA.
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts (3-year) program who wish to transfer to the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) program must complete a new Undergraduate General Application Form. Previous education will be reassessed and students will be notified of the results.
Psychology Major
Athabasca University’s Psychology program is designed to develop or expand your knowledge of the broad field of psychology. Both the concentration and major degree programs will provide grounding in foundational courses central to psychology as a science. Students who complete the degree will gain useful skills and knowledge that are applicable to general employment across a number of fields, such as business, management, government research, program evaluation, human services, and law, as well as graduate studies in psychology and related disciplines.
Planning your program
Our online program plans can assist you in selecting the courses needed to fulfill your program requirements.
Athabasca University has developed program learning outcomes that describe the career options that may be available to you upon graduating.
Program requirements
Students complete the program regulations in effect at the time of their enrolment.
Although you may change majors, a major must be selected when you enrol in the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) program.
You are strongly encouraged to register in ENGL 255 early in your program. The English writing skills requirement is waived for students enrolling in the second undergraduate degree.
Program structure
| Total credits in the program | 120 |
| Minimum credits required | |
|---|---|
| At the senior (300 or 400) level (including 18 credits at the 400 level) | 75 |
| In the major (compulsory) * may be higher depending on the specific requirements of the major | 45* |
| Minimum senior-level credits in major (including a minimum of 12 credits at the 400 level) | 30 |
| Arts (Humanities and social sciences) | 96 |
| 18 18 |
| Science | 6 |
| Residency requirement. A minimum of 30 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University. | 30 |
| Graduation with Distinction or Great Distinction. At least 24 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University in order to be considered. | 24 |
| Minor (optional) | |
| Minimum credits in the minor (including a minimum of 15 credits at the 300 and 400 level) | 30 |
| Students may not apply a course to both the major and the minor. | |
| Maximum credits allowed | |
| In any one discipline | 60 |
| Applied studies | 18 |
| At the preparatory level | 6 |
| At junior level in any one discipline | 15 |
| Maximum Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition credits | 9 |
Additional Psychology Major requirements
Requirements in addition to the general program requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) with Major:
45 credits in designated Psychology Major courses including 30 senior (300 or 400) level credits in designated Psychology Major courses, including 12, 400-level credits. The senior-level courses in the required core are included as part of these 30 credits.
Required courses
(15 credits)
| An introductory statistics course selected from one of the following: | (3) |
| MATH 215 – Introduction to Statistics | |
| or | |
| MATH 216 – Computer-Oriented Approach to Statistics | |
| or | |
| SOCI 301 – Social Statistics | |
| Notes:
| |
| PSYC 289 – Psychology as a Natural Science | (3) |
| PSYC 290 – General Psychology | (3) |
| PSYC 375 – History of Psychology | (3) |
| PSYC 304 – Research Methods in Psychology | (3) |
Foundational courses
A minimum of 15 credits selected from the following foundational courses:
| PSYC 323 – Developmental Psychology Note: PSYC 228 and PSYC 323 are precluded courses, however, only PSYC 323 may be used for foundational course credit in the degree program. | (3) |
| PSYC 355 – Cognitive Psychology | (3) |
| PSYC 356 – Introduction to Personality Theories and Issues | (3) |
| PSYC 379 – Social Psychology | (3) |
| PSYC 387 – Learning | (3) |
| PSYC 302 – Biological Psychology | (3) |
| PSYC 435 – Abnormal Psychology | (3) |
Electives
The remaining 15 elective psychology credits may be completed by taking the following courses:
| Any PSYC course, including those from the Foundational Courses listed above | |
| MATH 315 – Methods in Applied Statistics (see Note #2 in Required Courses above) | (3) |
| A maximum of one (1) course from the following list: | |
| CRJS 360 – The Psychology of Criminal Behavior | (3) |
| ORGB 327 – Leadership in Organizations | (3) |
| ORGB 364 – Organizational Behaviour | (3) |
Second undergraduate degree
Students are not permitted to obtain a second undergraduate degree in the same field or related field as their first undergraduate degree. Students who have completed a previous undergraduate degree must enter the second undergraduate Bachelor of Arts (4-year) degree and follow these regulations. The English writing skills requirement is waived for students enrolling in the second undergraduate degree.
Updated July 26, 2024 by Office of the Registrar (calendar@athabascau.ca)