Psychology

Department of Psychology

General Office: Keirstead Hall, Room 119
Mailing Address: Department of Psychology,
University of New Brunswick,
P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, N.B.,
Canada, E3B 5A3
Phone: (506) 453-4707
Email: psyc@unb.ca
Website: //www.unb.ca/fredericton/arts/departments/psychology/index.html 
Chair: Dr. E. Sandra Byers

Faculty

  • Byers, E. Sandra, BA (Roch), MA, PhD (W Virginia), Prof & Chair - 1978
  • D'Entremont, Barbara, BSc, MSc (Dal), PhD (Qu), Prof - 2000
  • Deibel, Scott, BSc, MSc (MUN), PhD (Lethbridge), Asst Prof - 2021 
  • Hamilton, Ryan, BA, MSES, PhD (UNB), Assoc Prof - 2013
  • LaChapelle, Diane, BSC (McM), MA, PhD (Regina), Assoc Prof - 2002
  • Lacroix, Emilie, BA (McG), MSc. (Cal), Lecturer - 2021
  • Olthuis, Janine, BA (Smith), PhD (Dal), Assoc Prof - 2016
  • O’Sullivan, Lucia, BA, MA (UNB), PhD (Bowl) Prof - 2006
  • Palmer, Michael, BS, MS, PhD (Central Michigan), Asst Teaching Prof- 2017
  • Perunovic, W. Q. Elaine, BA, PhD (Wat.) Assoc Prof - 2007
  • Poulin, Carmen, BA (UNB), MA, PhD (Qu), Prof - 1991
  • Richards, Meghan, BA/BSc, MA, PhD (Lakehead), Senr Inst - 2017
  • Ronis, Scott, BA (Brandeis),MA, PhD (Missouri), Prof-2009
  • Sears, Heather, BSc (Acad.), MA, PhD (Victoria), Prof - 1995
  • Stevanovski, Biljana, BA (McM), MA, PhD (Wat), Assoc Prof - 2007
  • Voyer, Daniel, BSc, MSc (Montr.), PhD (Wat.), Prof - 2000
  • Whitford, Veronica, BA, PhD (McGill), Asst Prof - 2019

General Information

The Department of Psychology offers several undergraduate programs through the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science. Arts students may complete Minors, Majors, Double Majors, Honours, Joint Honours and Specialization in Neuroscience programs. Science students may complete Minors, Majors or Honours in Psychology. Some students may complete degrees in a combined (BASc) program or earn both Arts (BA) and Science (BSc) degrees in a concurrent program. Students in the concurrent program may declare the Major or apply for admission to Honours in Psychology in either Faculty but not both. Students in the combined program may declare the Major (following the Double Major regulations) in Psychology in either Faculty but not both.

Psychology courses generally follow the course numbering system described on page H.1 of the UNB Undergraduate Calendar. The second digit in each course number indicates Teaching Areas within the discipline of psychology. The Areas and the specific course numbers of the courses belonging to each Area are as follows:

0 General PSYC 1013, PSYC 1023, PSYC 3033, PSYC 3043, PSYC 3053, PSYC 3063, PSYC 3073, PSYC 3093, PSYC 4003, PSYC 4053;
1 Research PSYC 2103, PSYC 2113, PSYC 3113, PSYC 3123, PSYC 3151, PSYC 3152, PSYC 4103, PSYC 4110, PSYC 4123;
2 Developmental PSYC 2203, PSYC 3213, PSYC 3215, PSYC 3233, PSYC 3243, PSYC 3253, PSYC 3263, PSYC 3273, PSYC 4203, PSYC 4223;
3 Clinical PSYC 2313, PSYC 3313, PSYC 3315, PSYC 3323, PSYC 3343, PSYC 3353, PSYC 3373, PSYC 3383, PSYC 4303;
4 Personality and Social PSYC 2403, PSYC 3403, PSYC 3413, PSYC 3415, PSYC 3423, PSYC 3433, PSYC 3443, PSYC 3453, PSYC 4403;
5 Learning PSYC 2515, PSYC 3515, PSYC 3525, PSYC 3535, PSYC 3545, PSYC 3555, PSYC 3565, PSYC 4515, PSYC 4525, PSYC 4535; PSYC 4565;1
6 Memory and Cognition PSYC 2603, PSYC 3613, PSYC 3623, PSYC 3633, PSYC 3643,  PSYC 4603;
7 Biological PSYC 2703, PSYC 3713, PSYC 3723, PSYC 3733, PSYC 3743, PSYC 3745, PSYC 3753, PSYC 3773, PSYC 3783, PSYC 4713, PSYC 4743, PSYC 4773.

The third digit in each course number designates the course within the Teaching Area. Terminal digits of 3 or 5 indicate the course could be offered in any term. Please note that no more than three of PSYC 3033, PSYC 3043, PSYC 3053, PSYC 3063 , and PSYC 3073 may be counted toward a Major or Honours in Psychology. 

1. Only the following Area 5 courses may be counted toward the Honours, Major, or Minor in Psychology: 2515, 3515, 3565, and 4515. All other Area 5 courses are specific to the ABA Certificate Program but may be taken as electives toward the BA or BSc.

Statement on Web Courses

The Department of Psychology offers some online Web Courses to students through the College of Extended Learning. The Department of Psychology has approved these courses as equivalent to regular courses. In the Undergraduate Timetable, the section number for all Web Courses is listed as Open Access Learning.

In exceptional cases Full-time students may be given permission to enrol in Web Courses as part of their regular course load. Current regulations require Web courses taken by Full-time students during the Winter and Fall terms to be approved by the Dean of the faculty offering the course. Web Courses must be on the list of courses approved by the Department as equivalent to existing courses and must include a proctored final exam.

The following Web Courses have been approved by the Department of Psychology as equivalent to regular courses:

PSYC 1013 Introductory Psychology on the WEB- I 3 ch (online)
PSYC 1023 Introductory Psychology on the WEB- II 3 ch (online)
PSYC 2203 Foundations of Developmental Psychology 3 ch (online)
PSYC 2313 Foundations of Clinical Psychology 3 ch (online)
PSYC 2403 Foundations in Social Psychology 3 ch (online)
PSYC 2603 Foundations of Memory and Cognition 3 ch (online)
PSYC 2613/PSYC 2515 Foundations of Learning 3 ch (online)
PSYC 2703 Foundations of Biological Psychology 3ch (online)
PSYC 3213 Language Development 3 ch (online)
PSYC 3663/PSYC 3515 Applied Behaviour Analysis 3 ch (online)
PSYC 3673/PSYC 4515 Advanced ABA 3 ch (online)

Minor, Majors and Honours

Minimum Academic Standards

A grade of C or better must be attained in each of the courses taken to meet the minimum requirements of any of the programs listed below. Students are advised to carefully plan their selection and sequencing of Foundation courses as each course is a prerequisite for higher level courses within the same Teaching Area.

Minor

A Minor will consist of 24 ch in Psychology courses and will include the following:

Majors

Students wishing to Major in Psychology will normally declare their major during their second year after they have seen their Department advisor.

Single Major:
A Single Major will consist of 48 ch in Psychology courses and will include the following:

Double Major:
A Double Major will consist of 42 ch in Psychology courses and will include the following:

Honours 
Students wishing to Honour in Psychology will normally apply to the Department in their third year. The Honours Program is designed to provide broad exposure to the discipline and develop research skills appropriate for students wishing to pursue graduate studies in Psychology.

Honours (Single): 
A Single Honours will consist of 57 ch in Psychology courses and will include the following:

The Honours Thesis: The Honours Thesis will consist of an independent research project, completed in the fourth year, supervised by a Psychology faculty member and discussed in the Honours Thesis Research Seminar. Students must take one of PSYC 3151 , PSYC 3152, PSYC 3113, or PSYC 4123 in their third year. Applicants to the Honours Program should apply by submitting the Honours Program Application Form, normally in the third year of their program, to the Honours Research Co-ordinator, who will facilitate the process of matching students and supervisors. Only students with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.6 in Psychology courses will be considered for the Honours Program.

Joint Honours:
A Joint Honours will consist of 48 ch in Psychology courses and will include the following:

The Joint Honours Thesis: The Joint Honours Thesis is the same as the Honours Thesis described in the preceding section (The Honours Thesis).

Specialization in Neuroscience

Major
A Major in Psychology with Specialization in Neuroscience will consist of 48 ch in Psychology and 24 ch in Biology. The Psychology courses will include the following:

The Biology courses will consist of the following: Introductory Biology 6 ch (BIOL 1001 or BIOL 1551 and BIOL 1012 or BIOL 1552) and a minimum of any six additional courses in Biology 18 ch.

Honours
The Honours in Psychology with Specialization in Neuroscience will consist of 57 ch in Psychology and 24 ch in Biology. The Psychology courses will include the following:

The Biology courses will consist of the following: Introductory Biology 6 ch (BIOL 1001 or BIOL 1551 and BIOL 1012 or BIOL 1552) and a minimum of any six additional courses in Biology 18 ch. The Honours Thesis is the same as the Honours Thesis described in the above section (The Honours Thesis) except that normally the research topic will be on a topic represented by Teaching Areas 6 or 7.

Majors and Honours in Psychology (Science)
Science students choosing the Psychology Option must follow the regulations provided under the Bachelor of Science in Section G of this Calendar.

Certificate in Applied Behaviour Analysis

The Certificate in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) Program, offered through the Department of Psychology, is the first and only program of its kind in Atlantic Canada and prepares individuals for careers as competent assistant behaviour analysts. ABA is an evidence-based practice and science commonly associated with the treatment of autism spectrum disorder, which also has applications in business settings, behavioural health, and education, among other areas. The overall goal of ABA is to teach skills to individuals which allow them to be successful in their context.

Throughout the program, students learn the foundations of behaviour analysis, such as how people learn and unlearn behaviours and skills. Students gain skills in the applications of behaviour analysis, such as why someone engages in inappropriate behaviour, how to set up a behaviour intervention plan, and how to manage behaviour change programs in ethical ways.

Upon completion of the certificate program, students with a bachelor’s degree may be eligible to apply to write the exam to become certified as a Board Certified Assistant Behaviour Analyst (BCaBA)®.

Admission Requirements:

To apply for admission into the Certificate in ABA Program, students must have completed, or be in the process of completing a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology or a related field. Applicants must have completed 6 ch of Introductory Psychology with a grade of at least a B within the previous 7 years and must have maintained a minimum of a B average in all coursework.

To apply for the ABA program, applicants must submit:

  1. a resume that outlines their academic experiences and any relevant work/volunteer experience,
  2. a statement of interst outlining experiences and interests related to the Certificate in ABA program,
  3. official transcripts of all previous coursework
  4. a letter of recommendation from an academic referee (i.e., a professional individual who is aware of the applicant's scholastic ability within a post-secondary setting), and
  5. a letter of recommendation from a supervisor referee (i.e., an individual who has supervised the applicant in a clinical or applied setting).

To apply, current UNB students must complete the Undergraduate Transfer Request Form, declare interest in completing the Certificate in ABA Program concurrently with their current degree program, and submit the form, along with the supplementary documents listed above, to the Registrar’s Office (Admissions).

Program of Study

The Certificate in ABA Program requires successful completion, with a grade of B or higher, of all of the courses and practical experience outlined below, amounting to 39 ch.

Required Courses

PSYC 2203 Foundations of Developmental Psychology (3 ch)
PSYC 2515 Foundations of Learning (3 ch)
PSYC 3515 Introduction to Applied Behaviour Analysis (3 ch)
PSYC 3525 Topics in Behaviour Analysis: Ethical Considerations (3 ch)
PSYC 3535 Topics in Behaviour Assessment (1 ch)
PSYC 3545 Topics in Behaviour Intervention (1 ch)
PSYC 3555 Skills in Applied Behaviour Analysis (1 ch)
PSYC 3565 Clinical and Organizational Applications of Behaviour Science (3 ch)
PSYC 4515 Advanced Applied Behaviour Analysis (3 ch)

All of the above courses are offered online as Web Courses to students through the College of Extended Learning. The Department of Psychology has approved these courses as equivalent to regular courses. The Undergraduate Timetable lists the section number for all Web Courses as Open Access Learning. PSYC 2203, 2515, 3515, 3565, and 4515 are also offered as regular, in-class courses and can also be used to fulfil requirements of the Major in Psychology. All other courses, including the practicum courses, cannot be used to fulfil requirements of the Major in Psychology.

Required Practical Experience:

Normally, on-campus students are required to accrue 1000 hours of intensive practicum experience across three separate practicum courses. The practicum courses consist of 10-20 hours of practical experience per week (40-80 hours per month). Practicum experiences are supervised by a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst.

PSYC 4525 Applied Behaviour Analysis Practicum I/Independent Study I (6 ch)
PSYC 4535 Applied Behaviour Analysis Practicum II/Independent Study II (6 ch)
PSYC 4565 Applied Behaviour Analysis Practicum III/Independent Study III (6 ch)

The Certificate in ABA Program is also available to online students through the College of Extended Learning.

For more information please visit: https://www.unb.ca/cel/career/behavioural-intervention/aba-certificate.html