Academic Program Advisor: A. Lawson psychundergrad.utsc@utoronto.ca
Co-op Program Coordinator: C. Dixon coopsuccess.utsc@utoronto.ca
The Specialist (Co-op) Program in Psychology 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 Psychology upon graduation.
In addition to their academic course requirements, students must successfully complete the additive Arts & Science Co-op Work Term Preparation courses and a minimum of two Co-op work terms.
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 [PSYB70H3 or (PSYB01H3)] and [PSYB07H3 or equivalent].
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.
Program Requirements
The program requires students to complete a total of 12.5 credits, including at least 4.0 credits at the C- or D-level, of which at 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 (1.5 credits)
[PSYB70H3 Methods in Psychological Science or (PSYB01H3) Psychological Research Laboratory]
PSYC70H3 Advanced Research Methods Laboratory
and
0.5 credit from among the following:
(PSYC06H3 Psychophysiology Laboratory)
[PSYC71H3 or (PSYC11H3) Social Psychology Laboratory]
[PSYC72H3 or (PSYC26H3) Developmental Psychology Laboratory]
[PSYC74H3 or (PSYC05H3) Human Movement Laboratory]
PSYC75H3 Cognitive Psychology Laboratory
[PSYC76H3 or (PSYC04H3) Brain Imaging 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. Breadth in Psychology at the B-level and C-level (5.0 credits)
Students are required to take 3.0 credits at the B-level or C-level from one of the two content groups listed below and 2.0 credits from the other group:
(a) Social and Developmental (courses listed in the 10- and 20-series)
(b) Perception, Cognition and Physiology (courses listed in the 50- and 60-series)
7. Seminars in Psychology at the D-level (1.0 credit)
All PSY D-level courses are considered "seminars", with the exception of PSYD98Y3. Students must take 0.5 credit from each grouping below:
(a) Social and Developmental (courses listed in the 10- and 20-series)
(b) Perception, Cognition and Physiology (courses listed in the 50- and 60-series)
8. Additional credits in Psychology (2.0 credits)
Of the 2.0 credits, at least 1.0 credit must be at the C-level. Supervised study [PSYC90H3 or PSYC93H3] or thesis [PSYD98Y3] courses may be used to fulfill a maximum of 0.5 credit.
Co-op Work Term Requirements
Students must satisfactorily complete two Co-op work terms, each of four-months duration. To be eligible for their first work term, students must be enrolled in the Specialist Co-op Program in Psychology and have completed at least 10.0 credits, including [PSYB70H3 or (PSYB01H3)], PSYB07H3, PSYC02H3 and [PSYC08H3 or PSYC09H3].
In addition to their academic program requirements, Co-op students complete up to four Co-op specific courses. 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 cover a variety of topics intended to assist students in developing the skills and tools required to secure work terms that are appropriate to their program of study, and to perform professionally in the workplace. These courses must be completed in sequence, and 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.
Co-op Preparation Course Requirements:
1. COPB50H3/(COPD01H3) – Foundations for Success in Arts & Science Co-op
- Students entering Co-op from outside of UTSC (high school or other postsecondary) will complete this course in Fall, Winter or Summer of their first year at UTSC.
- Current UTSC students entering Co-op in April/May will complete this course in the Summer semester.
- Current UTSC students entering Co-op in July/August will complete this course in the Winter semester.
2. COPB51H3/(COPD03H3) – Preparing to Compete for your Co-op Work Term
3. COPB52H3/(COPD11H3) – Managing your Work Term Search & Transition to Work
- This course will be completed four months in advance of the first work scheduled work term.
4. COPC98H3/(COPD12H3) – Integrating Your Work Term Experience Part I
- This course will be completed four months in advance of the second scheduled work term.
5. COPC99H3/(COPD13H3) – Integrating Your Work Term Experience Part II
- This course will be completed four months in advance of the third scheduled work term (for programs that require the completion of 3 work terms and/or four months in advance of any additional work terms that have been approved by the Arts and Science Co-op Office.
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, in turn, requires that students take courses during at least one Summer semester.
For information on fees, status in Co-op programs, and certification of completion of Co-op programs, see the 6B.5 Co-operative Programs section or the Arts and Science Co-op section in the UTSC Calendar.
