Academic Program Advisor: psychundergrad.utsc@utoronto.ca
Co-op Program Coordinator: coopsuccess.utsc@utoronto.ca
The Specialist (Co-op) Program in Mental Health Studies is a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program that combines academic studies with paid work terms in the public, private, and/or non-profit sectors. The program provides students with the opportunity to develop the academic and professional skills required to pursue employment in these areas, or to continue on to graduate training in an academic field related to Mental Health upon graduation.
In addition to their academic course requirements, students must successfully complete the additive Arts & Science Co-op Work Term and Course requirements.
Enrolment Requirements
Enrolment in the Program is limited. Admission will require:
(a.) completion of any Grade 12 U/M high school math course or equivalent (or successful completion of the UTSC Online Mathematics Preparedness Course or equivalent), and
(b.) completion of Grade 12 U/M high school biology or equivalent (or BIOA11H3 or equivalent), and
(c.) completion of a minimum of 4.0 credits, including 1.0 credit in Psychology, and
(d.) a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75, and
(e.) either: (1) a final grade of 75% or higher in both PSYA01H3 and PSYA02H3, or (2) a final grade of 64% or higher in both PSYA01H3 and PSYA02H3, and a final grade of 72% or higher in [PSYB07H3 or equivalent] and PSYB70H3.
Current Co-op Students:
Students admitted to a Co-op Degree POSt in their first year of study must request a Co-op Subject POSt on ACORN upon completion of 4.0 credits and must meet the minimum qualifications for entry as noted above.
Students who have completed 10.0 credits or more, are not eligible to apply to the program.
Students currently enrolled in the Specialist Co-op Program in Mental Health Studies who have completed 10.0 credits or more, are not eligible to transfer to the Specialist Co-op Program in Psychology or vice-versa.
Prospective Co-op Students:
Prospective Co-op students (i.e., those not yet admitted to a Co-op Degree POSt) must submit a program request on ACORN, and meet the minimum qualifications noted above. Deadlines follow the Limited Enrolment Program Application Deadlines set by the Office of the Registrar each year. Failure to submit the program request on ACORN will result in that student's application not being considered.
Academic Program Requirements
The program requires completion of 12.5 credits as follows, including at least 4.0 credits at the C- or D-level, of which at least 1.0 credit must be at the D-level:
1. Introduction to Psychology (1.0 credit)
PSYA01H3 Introduction to Biological and Cognitive Psychology
PSYA02H3 Introduction to Clinical, Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology
2. Laboratory Methods (2.0 credits)
PSYB70H3 Methods in Psychological Science
PSYC37H3 Psychological Assessment
PSYC70H3 Advanced Research Methods Laboratory
PSYC73H3 Clinical Neuropsychology Laboratory
3. Statistical Methods (1.0 credit)
PSYB07H3 Data Analysis in Psychology
[PSYC08H3 Advanced Data Analysis in Psychology or PSYC09H3 Applied Multiple Regression in Psychology]
4. PSYC02H3 Scientific Communication in Psychology (0.5 credit)
5. PSYC85H3 History of Psychology (0.5 credit)
6. Personality and Clinical Psychology (1.0 credit):
PSYB30H3 Introduction to Personality
PSYB32H3 Introduction to Clinical Psychology
7. PSYB55H3 Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience (0.5 credit)
8. Psychosocial and Psychobiological Breadth (2.5 credits)
Students are required to take 1.5 credits from one group and 1.0 credit from the other group:
Psycho-Social Grouping
PSYB38H3/(PSYB45H3) Introduction to Behaviour Modification
PSYC15H3 Foundations in Community Psychology
PSYC17H3 Meeting Minds: The Psychology of Interpersonal Interactions
PSYC18H3 The Psychology of Emotion
PSYC30H3/(PSYC35H3) Advanced Personality Psychology
PSYC34H3 Happiness and Meaning
PSYC36H3 Psychotherapy
PSYC39H3 Psychology and the Law
Psycho-Biological Grouping
PSYB64H3 Introduction to Behavioural Neuroscience
PSYC31H3 Neuropsychological Assessment
(PSYC33H3) Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
PSYC38H3 Adult Psychopathology
PSYC62H3 Drugs and the Brain
9. Seminars in Psychology at the D-level (1.0 credit):
All PSY D-level courses are considered “seminars,” with the exception of PSYD98Y3. Student must take 1.0 credit of seminars in Psychology at the D-level, of which 0.5 credit must come from the PSY D30-series:
PSYD30H3 Current topics in Personality Psychology
PSYD31H3 Cultural-Clinical Psychology
PSYD32H3 Personality Disorders
PSYD33H3 Current Topics in Clinical Psychology
PSYD35H3 Clinical Psychopharmacology
PSYD37H3 Social Context of Mental Health and Illness
PSYD39H3 Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
10. An additional credit in Psychology at the B-level or higher (0.5 credit)
11. 2.0 credits from the following courses:
BIOC70H3 An Introduction to Bias in the Sciences
HLTA91H3 A Health Campus for Students: Prioritizing Mental Health
HLTB40H3 Health Policy and Health Systems
HLTB41H3 Introduction to the Social Determinants of Mental Health
HLTB42H3 Perspectives of Culture, Illness and Healing
HLTB50H3 Introduction to Health Humanities
HLTC22H3 Health, Aging, and the Life Cycle
HLTC23H3 Issues in Child Health and Development
HLTC42H3 Emerging Health Issues and Policy Needs
HLTC49H3 Indigenous Health
IDSB04H3 Introduction to International/Global Health
IDSC11H3 Issues in Global and International Health
LINB20H3 Sociolinguistics
PHLA11H3 Introduction to Ethics
PHLB07H3 Ethics
PHLB09H3 Biomedical Ethics
PHLB81H3 Theories of Mind
PHLC07H3 Death and Dying
PHLC10H3 Topics in Bioethics
SOCB22H3 Sociology of Gender
SOCB49H3 Sociology of Family
SOCB50H3 Deviance and Normality I
SOCC49H3 Indigenous Health
Co-op Program Requirements
Students must satisfactorily complete Co-op work term(s) as follows: three 4-month work terms, one 4-month work term and one 8-month work term, or one 12-month work term.
To be eligible for their first work term, students must be enrolled in the Specialist Co-op Program in Mental Health Studies and have completed at least 7.0 credits, achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, and complete COPB50H3 and COPB51H3. It is strongly recommended that PSYB07H3, PSYB32H3, PSYB55H3, and PSYB70H3 be completed before the first work term, and, PSYC02H3, [PSYC08H3 or PSYC09H3], and PSYC70H3 be completed before the second work term.
Students must be available for work terms in each of the Fall, Winter, and Summer semesters and must complete at least one of their required work terms in either a Fall or Winter semester. This requires that students take courses during at least one Summer semester.
Co-op Course Requirements
In addition to their academic program requirements, Co-op students complete the following Co-op specific courses as part of their degree:
- Co-op Preparation courses: COPB50H3 and COPB51H3 (completed in first year)
- Work Term Search courses: COPB52H3 (semester prior to first work term), COPC98H3 (semester prior to second work term), and COPC99H3 (semester prior to third work term)
- Co-op Work Term courses: COPC40H3 (each semester a student is on work term)
These courses are designed to prepare students for their job search and work term experience, and to maximize the benefits of their Co-op work terms. They must be completed in sequence, and fall into three categories: Co-op Preparation courses (COPB50H3 & COPB51H3) are completed in first year, and cover a variety of topics intended to assist students in developing the skills and tools required to secure a work term; Work Term Search Courses (COPB52H3, COPC98H3, & COPC99H3) are completed in the semester prior to each work term, and support students while competing for work terms that are appropriate to their program of study, as well as preparing students for the transition into and how to succeed the workplace; Co-op Work Term courses (COPC40H3) are completed during each semester that a student is on work term, and support students’ success while on work term, as well as connecting their academics and the workplace experience.
Co-op courses are taken in addition to a full course load. They are recorded on transcripts as credit/no credit (CR/NCR) and are considered to be additive credit to the 20.0 required degree credits. No additional course fee is assessed as registration is included in the Co-op Program fee.
For information on fees, status in Co-op programs, and certification of completion of Co-op programs, see the Co-operative Programs section and the Arts and Science Co-op section in the UTSC Calendar.
