Minor Introductions: Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. It studies the way people perceive, think, remember, and learn; it investigates the mechanisms underlying people's behavior individually or in groups, in personal life or at work; it explores how people develop throughout a lifetime, how they decide, how they lead, and many more aspects of human mental life. Psychology is also deeply concerned with the way the brain and the nervous system work. All of this is a wealth of information for people is involved in almost any aspect of professional and personal life: everyone deals with other people (and animals), and the knowledge gained by studying psychology is a great asset to anyone in business or personal interactions.
Professionals in many sectors from engineering to business to arts find great benefits in knowing the main principles of psychology in their daily life. This is why psychology is one of the most sought after minor programs in the world.
The minor program student will attend four fundamental courses in psychology that require no specialized background. "Brain and Behaviour" covers the main principles of the workings of the brain and the nervous system and relates it to mind and behaviour. "Cognitive Psychology" studies the way people know: perception, memory, and learning among its main focuses. "Social Psychology" is the study of mind and behaviour of the individual in a group setting: from families to workplace organization, people spend a great deal of their lives in the presence of others. Finally, "Developmental Psychology" investigates the way people develop from birth to old age. In addition to these four courses, minor candidates are required to take two upper level courses offered by the department. This is an opportunity for students to deepen their understanding in an area of psychology that interests them.
We invite those students who have an interest in the study of mind and behaviour and who hope to use these principles in their professional life. Considering how the world is moving in all areas to a multi-disciplinary approach, we also hope to attract students who may wish to extend their study of psychology into their graduate education.