psychology, ubc vancouver
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Vancouver

Psychology

Get a post-graduate work permit for up to three years if you are a full-time UBC international student graduating from a bachelor’s degree program and meet all eligibility criteria.

Want to learn more?

Visit the Faculty of Arts website to learn more about Psychology.

View full program details

Program information

Study human and animal behaviour using scientific methods and from a variety of perspectives including behavioural neuroscience, cognition, clinical, health, developmental, social and personality psychology, and quantitative methods.

Program overview

Campus
Vancouver
Program length
4 years
Faculty
Faculty of Arts
Co-op
Yes
Degree
Bachelor of Arts
Honours
Yes

What you'll learn

Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour in humans and other species. Psychologists draw on a broad range of perspectives to explore topics such as the effects of social interactions on health, language and moral development in children, the effects of drugs on consciousness and the brain, and mental illness and wellness. Psychology has many practical applications, including identifying the most effective ways to learn and remember things, designing workplaces for employees that are healthy and productive, treating disorders like depression and anxiety. Our program outcomes offer an overview of what students in this program can expect to learn.|All psychology majors conduct a research project in their second-year course PSYC 217, and many of our students go on to conduct research with world class faculty and graduate students by volunteering in research labs and taking Directed Studies courses.|UBC has more than 45 research labs in these sub-disciplinary specializations: Behavioural Neuroscience, Clinical, Cognitive Science, Developmental, Health, Quantitative Methods, and Social/Personality.

Experiential learning and research

All psychology majors conduct a research project in their second-year course PSYC 217, and many of our students go on to conduct research with world class faculty and graduate students by volunteering in research labs and taking Directed Studies courses.

Campus features

UBC has more than 45 research labs in these sub-disciplinary specializations: Behavioural Neuroscience, Clinical, Cognitive Science, Developmental, Health, Quantitative Methods, and Social/Personality.

Program advantages

UBC’s Department of Psychology ranks 10th in the world and first in Canada by Times Higher Education World University Rankings. UBC Psychology is a world leader in innovative research with over 45 laboratories across eight sub-disciplines. Our academic programs offer enriched teaching and learning experiences to position you for success in graduate studies, as scientists, or in a career in the public and private sectors.

Most popular courses

Introduction to Biological and Cognitive Psychology

Introduction to Methods and Statistics, Biopsychology, Learning, Perception, Memory, and Cognition

Use of inferential statistics in psychology and conceptual interpretation of data; experimental design (laboratory, field research methods); presentation of data analyses in reports. PSYC 218 excludes credit for a number of other statistics courses in various departments. Please consult the Science Exclusion List (www.students.ubc.ca/calendar/index.cfm?tree=12,215,410,414) before registering.

The neurobiological bases of behaviour; brain processes involved in perception, motivation, emotion, psychopathology, learning and memory. Open to all Arts and Science majors except those in the B.Sc. Psychology program.

The structure of the mind as revealed by brain injury, neurological illness, and surgical intervention. Topics include attention, memory, language, sense of self, topographic awareness, moral reasoning, emotion, theory of mind, and social awareness.

Outcomes

Studying psychology not only gives you a broad range of skills spanning science and the arts, it prepares you for a number of exciting career options. Psychology graduates qualify for entry-level positions in fields as diverse as marketing, sales, government, journalism, advertising, healthcare, social work, and counselling.

Program graduates

  • Founder and CEO, 720 Sweets & Etc.
  • Master of Science candidate, The University of British Columbia
  • Chief scientific officer, Distill Analytics

Take action & plan

Program requirements

Choose application type:

English-language requirements

English is the language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students must demonstrate English-language competency prior to admission. There are numerous ways to meet the English Language Admission Standard.

General admission requirements

IB Diploma Programme

  • Completed IB Diploma, including at least three Higher Level courses.

IB Certificate Courses

  • IB Certificate courses (Standard and Higher Level) may be used in an admissions average if you are graduating from a recognized high school curriculum that can be used as your basis of admission.
  • IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL, or IB Math Studies, do not satisfy the math requirement for admission to UBC’s science-based programs, the Faculty of Management, the UBC Sauder School of Business, or the Vancouver School of Economics.

Degree-specific requirements: Arts

  • No specific courses required beyond those needed for general admission

Related courses

The following subject categories are particularly relevant for this degree. Consider taking courses in these areas in your junior year and senior year.

  • Language Arts
  • Mathematics and Computation
  • Second Languages
  • Social Studies
  • Visual and Performing Arts

Want to get a feel for campus?

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Get a post-graduate work permit for up to three years if you are a full-time UBC international student graduating from a bachelor’s degree program and meet all eligibility criteria.

Want to learn more?

Visit the Faculty of Arts website to learn more about Psychology.

View full program details