Bachelor of Arts, Major in Psychology

Have you ever wondered why people do the things they do? The many answers to that question form an extensive and exciting labyrinth, and we welcome you to join our diverse department of students, staff, and faculty in exploring it. If you enjoy asking questions and pursuing dynamic student projects, you will find some of your most rewarding experiences in our department at the University of Prince Edward Island.

Psychology is among the most expansive fields for human inquiry, ranging from what makes us human to what holds us in common with other species, through examinations of mind, emotions, and behaviours. Virtually no aspect of being human is left unexplored by our diverse faculty, including how our evolutionary roots influence our humanity and what a difference consciousness and mind can make to our understanding. We have dynamic research and teaching programmes supported by our broad traditions within behavioural neuroscience, perception and cognition, critical & historical perspectives, and developmental, humanistic, clinical, & applied psychologies. Students benefit not only in the classroom but also through opportunities to work in research settings with faculty in each of these areas. World class researchers and award winning scholars in the classroom create connections with students that are unique to a small university. Our department has a strong core of quantitative training and has developed an equally impressive qualitative component. Students in our programme benefit from training in both of these areas to add to their skill set and the ability to ask and answer meaningful questions.

Our inspiring multi-award winning faculty commit to student engagement through a variety of pedagogical approaches in smaller classrooms and larger ones alike. Our students strengthen their ability to work critically and creatively, to follow their curiosity with systematic rigour, and to find effective and authentic ways to communicate about their knowledge. Independent as well as collaborative scholarship is strengthened throughout the curriculum, and especially during Honours projects. We strongly encourage a liberal education across a range of elective courses in the sciences and the arts so that students become part of an engaged citizenry. Some faculty’s focus includes academic activism and they create opportunities for social justice connections with our community. We endeavor to create a community of scholarship both within the department and with the broader university and community through interactive class projects, service learning, community discussions, formal presentations, and informal gatherings.

Our diverse foundational BA or BSC programmes contribute to students’ careers in various ways. Our students not only acquire skills but they also have opportunities to practice them in the smaller classroom environments and to gain greater confidence in their abilities. Many students successfully launch into relevant professional programmes while others continue to thrive in their graduate studies in psychology itself.

Students benefit from our welcoming and friendly atmosphere in the department which is made possible by our dedicated, award winning support staff. Importantly, our students collaborate to make their experiences at UPEI even more fulfilling through the active Psychology Arts and Sciences Society (PASS). A student in our department becomes part of a community of scholarship.

Your commitment to your studies in psychology will be enriching to you personally but it will also hold possibilities for you to expand your relationships and your role in the broader community. Your studies will be challenging, demanding you expand your world view and also your potential role as an active engaged citizen. Your journey holds rich possibilities and we invite you to explore what it means to be human at this place and time on the planet with us here at the University of Prince Edward Island.