Psychology

Image
Psychology

About the Program

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.

Degree

Honours Bachelor of Science

Program Options

Specialist, Major, Minor

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!

OUAC Application Code
TMP
Program Course Prerequisites
English, Advanced Functions, Biology
Symbol Legend
  • / = or
  • , = and
Approximate Competitive Average
Mid to High 70s

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.

The content in this section is based on requirements in the Ontario curriculum.

Find requirements to other common curricula:

Please visit the Admissions section of our site for full requirements.

Discover Your Potential

Couple standing in front of Toronto skyline

Jennifer Stellar, an assistant professor in the department of psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga, specializes in studying “prosocial” emotions such as compassion, gratitude and awe, and her research suggests these feelings do in fact contribute to one’s own well-being.

Couple

Diaper changes, endless domestic chores, and lack of sleep – to name a few – are all stressors that couples face when they transition to parenthood. But UTM student Nathan Leonhardt, who is pursuing his PhD in social psychology, has found that this transition doesn’t always mean relationship satisfaction and commitment declines.

Police car

Rooting out anti-BIPOC racism in policing has become an important public priority in North America. The concern is being driven by sobering statistics: in the U.S., unarmed Black people are three times more likely than whites to be fatally shot by police. 

Student Experience

Courses You Would Love

Who

Students learn about the measurement of personality, biological and social causes of human diversity, and the influence of personality on major life outcomes. 

Yoga

What makes people happy? Does money buy happiness or do unhappy people not know where to shop? This course reviews the scientific evidence regarding these and other questions.

Romance

The objective of this course is to review what relationship science can tell us about close relationships, with a particular focus on romantic relationships.

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.

Jennifer Stellar

On this edition of the podcast, Professor Jennifer Stellar from the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga discusses her program of research that touches on several areas, including how individuals and social groups thrive.

Her lab particularly focuses on the ways in which various positive emotions, such as compassion, awe, empathy, and gratitude, can improve an individual’s physical health, well-being and enhance relationships, as well as encourage morality and prosocial behaviours.

Other Programs to Consider

Neuroscience

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.

Exceptionality in Human Learning

Exceptionality in Human Learning

Exceptionality in Human Learning is an interdisciplinary program that provides different levels of concentration in human development (typical and atypical), abnormal behaviour, and disability issues. The specialist program culminates in a Praticum in Exceptionality which provides excellent preparation for students interested in graduate studies.