About the Program
The Combined Degree Program (CDP) in Exceptionality in Human Learning (Specialist) Honours Bachelor of Science/Master of Arts in Child Study and Education (HBSc/MA) is designed for students interested in studying human development and related areas, such as diversity and inclusion, and applying their knowledge towards professional training leading to teacher certification. Students can combine an undergraduate program offered by the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga with the Master of Arts in Child Study and Education program offered through the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
Honours Bachelor of Science
After completing your first year, you'll be asked to confirm what program(s) you wish to study – your Programs of Study. They can be integrated in unique ways to obtain your U of T degree, but must be one of the following three combinations: one Specialist; or two Majors; or one Major and two Minors. You don't need to worry about that now, but if you'd like to learn more about this process, watch our handy video (7 min).
Admission Requirements
You apply to an admission category, which is a collection of similar programs. Once you've accepted an offer of admission to our campus, we go into greater detail about specific program and course selection options.
At the end of your first year, you will choose your program(s), which means that your first year is an excellent opportunity to explore the full breadth of offerings.
Regardless of what you study, remember that you will receive a prestigious University of Toronto degree when you graduate that tells everyone that you are ranked among the best in the world!
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The admission average is calculated with English (ENG4U) plus the next best five Grade 12 U or M courses. Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee you admission to the University. Admission is subject to space availability and competition.
Students will apply to the Master’s program during their third year of study.
The content in this section is based on requirements in the Ontario curriculum.
Find requirements to other common curricula:
- Canadian High School
- International Baccalaureate
- U.S.-Patterned Education
- British-Patterned Education
- French Baccalaureate
- Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE)
Please visit the Admissions section of our site for full requirements.
Discover Your Potential
Working with collaborators Sarah Brown, Erin Doncaster, and Deborah Kelemen from the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University (BU), Professor Samuel Ronfard and his colleagues used storybooks to teach elementary school children how new species evolve. The researchers examined whether children could learn, apply, and retain that understanding over time.
For more than 20 years, UTM psychology professor Elizabeth Johnson has tried to answer many questions related to how babies and children acquire language: how do children begin learning the meaning of words? How do they cope with unfamiliar languages and voices? How do they learn language so quickly?
Kendra Empey just can’t wait when the call comes from “Monsters University.” She may be six-years-old now, but the Grade 1 student’s been experiencing university labs since she turned 18 months.
Student Experience
Courses You Would Love
Language is often described as the quintessential human ability. In this course, you will explore questions such as: Do animals have language? How do children learn language? How does bilingualism work? What is the relationship between language and thinking?
In this class we will review key findings from cognitive development, cognitive psychology, and educational psychology that have implications for the development of learning experience inside and outside the classroom.
A survey of contemporary theory and research related to exceptionality with a special emphasis on disability and educational issues. Topics include controversial psychosocial issues, legal, family, and multicultural issues, and disability across the lifespan.
Planning Ahead
Whether you want to land your dream job, conduct groundbreaking research, or start your own business, we can get you there. Here are resources to help you explore your career options.
Career Options
Created by our Career Centre, the Careers by Major database identifies some potential career fields, how to gain related skills and experience, and useful resources and job samples. But always remember, your program of study doesn't have to determine your career!
Program Plans
Program Plans are quick and accessible overviews of the many academic and co-curricular opportunities available to help you get the most out of your UTM experience.
Tip Sheets
The Career Centre offers dozens of tip sheets with helpful information about topics related to searching for work, planning your career, and pursuing further education.
View to the U: An eye on UTM research
View to the U is a podcast that features U of T Mississauga faculty members from a range of disciplines who will illuminate some of the inner-workings of the science labs and enlighten the social sciences and humanities hubs at UTM.
In this first sequestered episode, Psychology Professor Samuel Ronfard talks about his research and also about how to best chat with young kids about things like germs, global pandemics, and physical distancing. We also talk about some of the things he’s doing during this time of self-isolation, and how he’s balancing work at home while also having a toddler toddling about.
Learn More About this Program
Other Programs to Consider
Psychology
The Psychology Minor, Major, and Specialist programs offer different levels of concentration in all core areas of psychology including research methods and statistics. Psychology is a broad discipline that includes the life sciences, social sciences, as well as cognitive science.
Neuroscience
Neuroscience is a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the structures and functions of the brain and nervous system. Students will have the opportunity to combine knowledge of behavioural, physiological, and cellular/molecular processes through lecture and laboratory courses, and to carry out research projects with faculty members.