FAQ

There are many ways a psychology student can get involved with the department! There is PUGS (Psychology Undergraduate Course Union), which is open for all undergraduate students in psychology. This organization hosts social events, pub crawls, fundraisers for the Brain Injury Society... and so much more to help connect psych students and give back to the community! Visit the PUGS Website.

In addition, Psi Chi, the international psychology honour society, hosts psychology orientation events in September each year, and offers a Peer Mentoring program in their office where students can drop in and ask upper-level psychology students about any questions or concerns involving their experience in psychology at UVic. Psi Chi also hosts an information session about graduate school for psychology students in the spring, and puts on a banquet at the end of the year for students and faculty. For more information on Psi Chi and all of the services and events offered through them, visit the Psi Chi website.

There are several ways you can get to know your professors and other faculty members.

Visiting your professors' office hours, participating in groups such as Psi Chi and psychology events, and volunteering in a faculty member's research lab are all great ways to connect with faculty while getting some great experience.

Yes! Psi Chi hosts an orientation event for all students new to psychology at UVic.

This event is hosted by upper-level psychology students and is held in early September, and it provides a great opportunity for students to ask other students about anything they wish to learn more about. If you can't make the orientation event, the Psychology Department website is a great resource to learn more.

An undergraduate degree in psychology can take you in many directions.

For example, it can lead you to: social services, mental health, school psychology, social work, parole, child care, business and industry, civil service, government and personnel work. Some students complete a degree in psychology before entering medical school or law school. You can be a researcher at a university or take a government position.

Continuing on to graduate school in a variety of programs including clinical psychology or counselling can enable you to work as a professional in those capacities.

To complete a degree in psychology, it is required that you take a variety of courses to meet breadth requirements. Courses from the biological/neuropsychological, learning/cognition/perception, social/environmental, developmental, and personality/abnormal fields are available to meet the breadth requirements.

In addition, statistics classes (PSYC 300A and 300B) are required for psychology programs.

For more information and a complete description of program requirements, visit the UVic Calendar.

There are often work study positions available in the psychology department for different research labs. Sometimes there are co-op positions available. During the summer, students may be eligible to work as a research assistant funded by NSERC.

One of the best ways to get research experience is volunteering with a faculty member's research lab.

You can also volunteer off campus in positions related to psychology. For example: the NEED Crisis Line, in elderly care homes, at hospitals with Alzheimer patients, the Victoria Brain Injury Society, or with children at the Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children - there are many options!

Depending on where your interests lie, one great way to find out about volunteer opportunities is to talk to your professors. They are often associated with different organizations and can give you advice on where to go based on your interests.

Each faculty member has some information about their interests on the Psychology Department website.

Some faculty members have personal websites which can be accessed from the faculty page.

For general information and inquiries about the department, or if you're unsure who to direct your question to, you can contact the department at psycreception@uvic.ca or visit the department office in person located in the Cornett building, room A236.

The department can also be reached by telephone at 250-721-7525.

Students considering graduate work in psychology should be especially well prepared in statistics and research methodology, and are strongly encouraged to develop breadth by pursuing interests in diverse areas.

Other suggestions include:

• Participate in research with a faculty member
• Become an active member of Psi Chi
• Begin researching graduate programs early
• Do the Psychology Honours Program

A major in psychology can be declared when the core requirements have been completed.

The following courses are the core requirements for the psychology major and honours programs:

• PSYC 100A and 100B (with a grade of least C+ in each)
• PSYC 201, 210, and 215A (with a grade of at least C in each and a combined GPA of at least 3.0 in the 4.5 units)
• 1.5 units of English composition, chosen from ENGL 115, 135, 146, 147, 225, ENGR 240, or WRIT 100 or 102