Psychology


Faculty List
  • B.C. Armstrong, B.Sc., M.A. (Toronto), M.S., Ph.D., (Carnegie Mellon), Assistant Professor
  • M. Arruda-Carvalho, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Rio de Janeiro), Ph.D. (Toronto), Associate Professor
  • M. Bagby, B.A. (Tennessee), M.A. (Radford), Ph.D., C. Psych (York), Professor
  • M.W. Best, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Queens), Assistant Professor
  • K. Bramesfeld, B.A. (Wyoming), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Penn State), Associate Professor, Teaching Stream
  • G.B. Biederman, B.Sc. (CUNY), Ph.D. (NYU), Professor Emeritus
  • D.A. Bors, B.A. (Florida), M.A. (Regina), Ph.D. (Toronto), Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Emeritus
  • J.S. Cant, B.A., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Western), Associate Professor
  • L. Cirelli, B.A. (Laurentian), Ph.D. (McMaster), Assistant Professor
  • A. Cooper, B.A. (McMaster), M.A., Ph.D. (Ohio State), Associate Professor, Teaching Stream
  • G.S. Cree, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (Western), Associate Professor
  • G.C. Cupchik, B.A. (Michigan), M.A., Ph.D. (Wisconsin), Professor
  • D.K. Danielson, B.A. (Duke), M.Sc. (Alberta), Ph.D. (British Columbia), Associate Professor, Teaching Stream
  • J. Dere, B.A, M.Sc. (McGill), Ph.D. (Concordia), Associate Professor, Teaching Stream
  • S. Erb, B.Sc. (Wilfrid Laurier), M.A., Ph.D. (Concordia), Associate Professor
  • J.E. Foley, B.A., Ph.D. (Sydney), Professor Emerita
  • B.Q. Ford, B.A., M.A. (Boston), Ph.D. (Berkeley), Associate Professor
  • B. Forrin, B.A. (Toronto), M.A., Ph.D. (Michigan), Professor Emeritus
  • M.A. Fournier, B.A., Ph.D. (McGill), Professor
  • V. Goghari, B.A. (British Columbia), M.A., Ph.D. (Minnesota), Professor
  • D. W. Haley, B.A. (Annapolis), M.A. (San Francisco), Ph.D. (Albuquerque), Associate Professor
  • C. Hutcherson, B.A. (Harvard), Ph.D. (Stanford), Associate Professor
  • Y. Inbar, B.A. (Berkeley), Ph.D. (Cornell), Associate Professor
  • M. Inzlicht, B.Sc. (McGill), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Brown), Professor
  • R. Ito, B.A. (Oxford), Ph.D. (Cambridge), Professor
  • S. Joordens, B.A. (New Brunswick), M.A., Ph.D. (Waterloo), Professor
  • J.M. Kennedy, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Belfast), Ph.D. (Cornell), University Professor Emeritus
  • J.C. LeBoutillier, B.Sc., M.A., Ph.D. (Toronto), Associate Professor Emerita, Teaching Stream
  • A.C.H. Lee B.A. (Oxford), Ph.D. (Cambridge), Professor
  • A. Nestor, B.A. (Bucharest), M.Sc. (New Bulgarian), Ph.D. (Brown), Associate Professor
  • M. Niemeier, M.A. (Hamburg), Ph.D. (Tubingen), Professor
  • J. Park, B.Sc., M.A. (Seoul National), M.A., Ph.D. (Buffalo), Assistant Professor
  • O. Podolak Lewandowska, B.Sc (McMaster), M.A., Ph.D. (Toronto), Assistant Professor, Teaching Steam
  • R. Rozeske, B.A. (St. Olaf), M.A., Ph.D. (Colorado), Assistant Professor
  • T.L. Petit, B.Sc., M.A. (Louisiana), Ph.D. (Florida), Professor Emeritus
  • A.C. Ruocco, B.Sc. (York), M.Sc., Ph.D., C.Psych. (Drexel), Professor
  • M.A. Schmuckler, B.A. (SUNY-Binghamton), Ph.D. (Cornell), Professor
  • Z. Segal, B.A. (McGill), M.A. (Queens), Ph.D. (Queens), Professor
  • M.C. Smith, B.A. (Toronto), Ph.D. (MIT), Professor Emerita
  • R. Smyth, B.A. (Carleton), M.Sc. (Alberta), Ph.D. (Alberta), Associate Professor
  • M. Souza, B.A., M.A. (UC Davis), Ph.D. (Berkeley), Associate Professor, Teaching Stream
  • R. Thiruchselvam, B.Sc. (Toronto), Ph.D. (Stanford), Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream
  • A.A. Uliaszek, B.A. (Penn State), M.A., Ph.D. (Northwestern), Associate Professor
  • Y.A. Wang, B.A. (Amherst), M.A., Ph.D. (UC Davis), Assistant Professor
  • Y. Wu, B.Sc. (Peking), Ph.D. (MIT), Assistant Professor
  • K.K. Zakzanis, B.A., M.A., Ph.D., C.Psych. (York), Professor


Chair: S. Erb
Associate Chair, Undergraduate and Program Supervisor: K. Danielson
Undergraduate Program Administrator: psychundergrad.utsc@utoronto.ca
Co-op Contact: askcoop@utoronto.ca

For more information, visit the Department of Psychology website.

Psychology examines how and why people think and act the way they do, with the ultimate goal of understanding and improving the human condition. Psychological research employs the scientific method and a diverse set of tools in an effort to uncover the complex dynamics that influence individuals. Our programs of study are valuable to students planning to join the public or private sector workforce (e.g., human resources, marketing, social/community services), those interested in pursuing graduate studies focused on psychological research (e.g., Ph.D. in Clinical or Experimental Psychology), those seeking a professional degree program related to psychological science (e.g., Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology, Public Health, or Social Work), as well as those interested in other professional degrees (e.g., law, business).

Psychology has many sub-fields, several of which are represented at UTSC in terms of research areas and course offerings: Social Psychology (how socio-cultural influences affect us; PSY 10-series courses), Developmental Psychology (how individuals change over time; PSY 20-series courses), Clinical Psychology (diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders; PSY 30-series courses), Cognitive Neuroscience (the biology of the mind; PSY 50-series courses), and Behavioural Neuroscience (physiological and genetic influences on behaviour; PSY 60-series courses). These courses are designed to complement our other core skills courses (e.g., research methods, statistics, scientific writing) found outside of this numerical category system.

Our programs in Psychology provide an opportunity to study typical thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, while our programs in Mental Health Studies are better suited for students interested in focusing on psychological well-being and disorders. Programs in Psychology and Mental Health Studies cannot be combined. Students with a strong interest in the biological basis of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours may instead want to consider a program in Neuroscience.

Our Specialist programs are research-intensive programs. Our Major programs require fewer courses while allowing students to pursue a second major area of interest in a different program.  The Specialist (Co-op) and Major (Co-op) options offer an experiential learning supplement to the program. Our Minor program in Psychology allows students to explore our field with considerably less intensity than the Specialist and Major programs.

Students in the Specialist or Specialist (Co-op) Program in Mental Health Studies also have the unique opportunity to pursue the Combined Degree Program, Honours Bachelor of Science/Master of Social Work. The Combined Degree Program reserves early entry for students in the University of Toronto’s highly competitive Master of Social Work program. Please see below for more information. 

Combined Degree Programs, Honours Bachelor of Science/ Master of Social Work

The Combined Degree Program for UTSC Honours Bachelor of Science (HBSc) with the Master of Social Work (MSW) offered by the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work allows exceptional students who are registered in the UTSC Specialist or Specialist Co-op programs in Mental Health Studies to apply during Year 3 of their studies and be considered for admission to the FIFSW Master's program in Social Work. The CDP offers a rich intellectual pathway for exceptional undergraduate students by providing access to social work research before the completion of the undergraduate degree, and gives students an opportunity to become equipped for evidence-informed social work practice, through a research course in Year 4.

The Combined Degree Programs options are:

  • Mental Health Studies (Specialist), Honours Bachelor of Science/ Master of Social Work
  • Mental Health Studies Health Studies (Specialist Co-op), Honours Bachelor of Science/ Master of Social Work

For more information, including Admission and Program requirements, see the Combined Degree Programs section of the Calendar.

Planning your Program in Psychology

Creating an academic plan - a road map of the courses you wish to take on the timeline you wish to take them - is crucial for the efficient completion of your program. We strongly encourage our students to either develop an academic plan independently and then to consult the Department of Psychology Advisors for feedback, or to work with the Department of Psychology Advisors to develop an academic plan. These advisors can also provide valuable guidance to help you structure your program to improve your competitiveness for further studies after your undergraduate degree. For more information, please see the Department of Psychology website.

All students interested in any of our programs must first take PSYA01H3 and PSYA02H3 (or their equivalent). All students should then prioritize foundational research methods PSYB70H3 and statistics PSYB07H3 in Year 2 to gain access to more advanced courses at the C-level and beyond. Specialists should also take PSYC02H3 and PSYC70H3 in Year 2, as these courses are profoundly useful for engaging in research opportunities. Students in the Psychology Minor are strongly encouraged to choose PSY B-levels courses that open up multiple options at the PSY C-level, as some courses (for example, PSYB10H3) offer more flexibility than others.

Students may wish to take PSY courses at UTSG or UTM to satisfy part of their program requirements. UTSG and UTM courses at the 100-, 200-, 300-, and 400-level of study correspond to our courses at the A-, B-, C- and D-level. However, there are important exceptions to this (e.g., a 300-level course at UTSG, which is comparable to a C-level course at UTSC, may not be used to satisfy a D-level program requirement, even if it is listed as an exclusion to a D-level course). As such, we encourage you to consult the list of established equivalences as appropriate listed on the Department of Psychology - Course Equivalences website, and to direct any questions about taking program requirements at the other UofT campuses to the Undergraduate Program Administrator in the Department of Psychology.

The Department offers rich opportunities to get actively involved in the research process and in some cases to receive course credit, for example: PSYB90H3, PSYC90H3, and PSYD98Y3. Supervised study and thesis courses are highly competitive and are essential for students interested in pursuing research-based graduate studies. Interested students should review the prerequisites for these courses and plan their course of study accordingly. The Specialist programs are particularly well suited for pursuing a thesis, for example, PSYD98H3, given their program requirements. Interested Majors may discuss this option with the Department of Psychology Advisors provided that they meet the other prerequisites. Students are encouraged to visit the Department of Psychology website and contact faculty members to search for opportunities.

While your coursework is an integral piece of your education, it can and should be supplemented by relevant co-curricular and extra-curricular experiences, more information is available on the Career & Co-Curricular Learning Network website. There are valuable professional development resources in our department and on our campus (e.g., Academic Advising and Career Centre), as well as opportunities to volunteer or work on- or off-campus to broaden your skillset (e.g., clinical work exposure, leadership skills). For more information on some of these opportunities, please see the Department of Psychology website.

Courses in Psychology

Enrolment controls exist for all PSY C- and D-level courses, and some B-level courses. Eligibility is based on current program enrolment. Refer to the timetable for this information.

Prerequisites: Students are responsible for ensuring that they have successfully completed the prerequisites for all PSY courses they register in. Students who register for courses for which they have not completed the prerequisites will be removed. Please consult with the Undergraduate Program Administrator if you have Standing Deferred (SDF) in a prerequisite course.

D-level enrolment: Students in a Specialist program in Psychology, Mental Health Studies, or Neuroscience, or in a Double Major in Psychology/Mental Health Studies and Neuroscience, may complete a maximum of 1.0 PSY/NRO D-level credits.  Students in a single Major program in Psychology, Mental Health Studies, or Neuroscience may complete a maximum of 0.5 PSY/NRO D-level credits. Students in the Minor Program in Psychology are not eligible for enrollment in PSY/NRO D-level courses. Students will be refused from any PSY/NRO D-levels beyond this limit. PSYD98Y3 and NROD98Y3 are exempt from the above requirements and do not count toward the D-level limit. Full information about PSY/NRO D-level courses can be found here.

Program Combination Restrictions in Psychology

Students may select only one program from either Psychology or Mental Health Studies. No combination of Psychology and/or Mental Health Studies programs are permitted, including any combinations with the Minor in Psychology.

Courses in Psycholinguistics

The Department of Linguistics offers a number of courses in psycholinguistics that are appropriate for a program in psychological science. Accordingly, up to 1.0 credits from the list below may be used as Psychology courses to fulfill Psychology program requirements.
(PLIB25H3)
PLIC24H3 
PLIC54H3 
PLIC55H3 
PLIC75H3 
PLID34H3 
PLID44H3
PLID50H3 
(PLID55H3)
PLID56H3

Experiential Learning and Outreach

For a community-based experiential learning opportunity in your academic field of interest, consider the course CTLB03H3, which can be found in the Teaching and Learning section of the Calendar.