Fall 2025: Apply Now!
Please visit the International Application Deadline page to find out when applications may be available.
If graduate school or taking part in intensive research is part of your future plans, the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology – Honours program is for you. The program incorporates a research thesis that gives you the opportunity to develop and carry out supervised, independent research. You'll also get other hands-on experience in the field, lab and through volunteering with the Douglas Psychology Society.
During your third and fourth years, you'll focus on at least one of six concentrations where psychology is typically applied in the workplace:
Things to remember before applying
If you intend to take the honours program, you should first apply to the regular Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology. Then, you should attend a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology info session (which includes information about the honours program) or contact the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology Coordinator for advising. Once you are in your final (fourth) academic year, you will then be able to apply to the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology – Honours program.
If you are planning to apply to the Honours program you should start planning early and begin searching for a faculty supervisor.
You must apply to the program via Education Planner B.C. AND must submit a secondary application form directly to the BA Psychology Coordinator by the application deadline. The secondary application form may be obtained on the Psychology Blackboard Communication Centre. You must find a faculty supervisor by the application deadline. You will not be accepted in the Honours program without approval from the department. For more information, visit the admissions requirements tab.
Applicants must meet the admission requirements listed below:
NOTES:
Additional Admissions Requirements for the Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR) Concentration:
For admission to the PSR concentration, students must demonstrate their readiness to successfully complete the concentration’s course work through a structured interview process.
Readiness will be evaluated by the following criteria:
Calculate your tuition and see the approximate cost of taking your program at Douglas College with the tuition & fee estimator. See costs broken down into categories including tuition fees, textbooks, student activity fees, U-Pass and more.
For more information, refer to the tuition fee charts.
Graduation Requirements:
Course Requirements:
|
Course Number |
Course Title |
Credits |
|
PSYC 3300 (see notes 1 and 2) |
Applied Intermediate Research Methods & Data Analysis |
3.00 |
|
An Introduction to Social Psychology |
3.00 |
|
|
Applications of Psychological Knowledge (Service Learning & Research) |
3.00 |
|
|
Honours Seminar |
3.00 |
|
|
Honours Thesis I |
3.00 |
|
|
Honours Thesis II |
3.00 |
|
|
Applied Data Analysis in Psychology |
3.00 |
|
|
Select one course from the following courses: |
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|
Critical Issues in Psychology |
3.00 |
|
|
History and Philosophy of Modern Psychology (see program coordinator for availability) |
3.00 |
|
|
Select one course from the following courses: |
|
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|
Child Behaviour and Development |
3.00 |
|
|
Developmental Psychology: Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood |
3.00 |
|
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Developmental Psychology: Adulthood and Aging |
3.00 |
|
|
Any Level UT or 5000-level PSYC (see notes 3 and 4) |
Any 15 UT or 5000-level PSYC credits, including at least: |
15.00 |
|
·Three Humanities UT credits (students may have completed prior to admission to the program) |
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·Three English, Creative Writing, or Communication UT credits (which are in addition to the minimum of 3 credits ENGL required for admission; students who had 6 or more ENGL UT credits upon admission to the program do not need an additional UT ENGL course for this requirement) |
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· Three non-Psychology Social Science UT credits (students may have completed prior to admission to the program) |
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Upper Level UT PSYC or 5000-level PSYC elective |
Any 3 Upper-Level UT PSYC or 5000-level PSYC credits |
3.00 |
|
Concentration (see note 4 and 5) electives |
Select at least one Concentration from the following list: |
|
|
Applied Theory and Research (Concentration) |
15.00 |
|
|
Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis (Concentration) |
18.00 |
|
|
Forensic/Criminology (Concentration) |
15.00 |
|
|
Leadership Management (Concentration) |
15.00 |
|
|
Pre-Counselling (Concentration) |
15.00 |
|
|
Psychosocial Rehabilitation (Concentration) |
15.00 |
|
NOTES FOR TABLE ABOVE:
1. PSYC 3300 should be taken before enrolling in PSYC 4410 - Honours Thesis II
2. PSYC 3300 and 3301 are only offered once per year. Students should contact the program coordinator to confirm when they will be offered.
3. These courses must be UT and can be at any level. See the Associate Arts checklist in the FAQ section of the Program Page for what counts as a Humanities or Social Science course.
4. Students with a Concentration in Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis (DABA) will use all 15 Concentration credits and 3 credits from the Any Level UT or 5000-level PSYC credits category to complete their concentration. Thus, they only require 12 credits in the Any Level UT or 5000-level PSYC credits category. To meet the graduation requirement of 45 upper-level PSYC credits, students in the DABA concentration may need to take upper-level PYSC courses in the Any Level UT or 5000-level PYSC category. Students who complete a Criminology Minor will meet the requirements for a Concentration; however, students who complete the Criminology (Minor) cannot use the same courses to graduate with the Forensic/Criminology (Concentration).
5. To meet the graduation requirement of 45 upper-level PSYC credits, students in the Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis Concentration, Forensic Criminology Concentration, Leadership Management Concentration, or a non-Psychology Minor may need to take upper-level PYSC courses in the Any Level UT or 5000-level PYSC category.
Applied Theory and Research (Concentration)
This concentration provides an opportunity for students to study a broad base of psychological theories and learn how they are applied across a variety of fields.
Concentration Requirements:
|
Course Category |
Course Number |
Credits |
|
Select five (5) courses from at least 4 of the categories. |
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|
Category A: Personality/Social/Forensic/Health Psychology Category |
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|
PSYC 3304, PSYC 3314, PSYC 3331, PSYC 3340, PSYC 3361, and/or PSYC 3906 |
3.00-6.00 |
|
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Category B: Developmental/Gender |
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PSYC 3120, PSYC 3320, PSYC 3321, PSYC 3322, PSYC 3342, and/or PSYC 3905 |
3.00-6.00 |
|
|
Category C: Cognitive/Biological Psychology |
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PSYC 3305, PSYC 3315, PSYC 3341, PSYC 3365, PSYC 3370, PSYC 3385, PSYC 3902, and/or PSYC 3904 |
3.00-6.00 |
|
|
Category D: Clinical/Counselling Psychology |
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PSYC 3333, PSYC 3375, PSYC 3903, PSYC 4370, PSYC 4371, PSYC 4373, and/or PSYC 4375 |
3.00-6.00 |
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Category E: Quantitative/Analytical/Critical |
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3.00-6.00 |
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Total Concentration Credits |
15.00 |
|
Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis (Concentration)
Students interested in education, health or human services, or who want to specialize in the rewarding and challenging area of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), may benefit from the concise, flexible and timely Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis (DABA) Students interested in education, health or human services, or who want to specialize in the rewarding and challenging area of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), may benefit from the concise, flexible and timely Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis (DABA) Concentration. The courses within this 18-credit concentration are verified by the Association of Behavior Analysis International® (ABAI) and approved by the Teacher Qualification Service (TQS). These approvals make the credential highly attractive to professionals aspiring to become Board Certified Assistant Behaviour Analysts (BCaBA) and/or K-to-12 teachers working toward a higher pay level and specialized knowledge base.
DABA courses run as a cohort and are only offered in the specified semesters. The courses in this concentration must be completed in one academic year. Some courses are online, some hybrid, and some in-person. Students must take all DABA program courses offered in a semester unless they have approved transfer credit.
The Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis (Concentration) requires the 18 credits listed in the Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis (Advanced Certificate) program. Please see the Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis program page for program/course requirements.
Students completing this concentration within the BA Applied Psychology Degree will not be eligible to graduate with the Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis Certificate as the coursework is equivalent.
Criminology (Minor)
Please see the Criminology (Minor) program page for the course requirements.
NOTE: Students who complete the Criminology (Minor) cannot use the same courses to graduate with the Forensic/Criminology (Concentration).
Forensic / Criminology (Concentration)
Students interested in both psychology and criminology may choose to specialize in the area of forensic psychology. This concentration will focus on psychology as it applies to the legal system, which may include a focus on courts, corrections, police, cognitive and social aspects of behaviour, mental health law, victimology and policy work.
NOTE: Students who complete Forensic/Criminology (Concentration) cannot use the same courses to graduate with the Criminology (Minor).
Concentration Requirements:
|
Course Number |
Course Name |
Credits |
|
Psychology and Law |
3.00 |
|
|
Upper-level UT CRIM |
Any six 3000- to 4000-level UT Criminology credits |
6.00 |
|
Any level UT CRIM (see note) |
Any six 1000-level or higher UT Criminology credits. |
6.00 |
|
|
Total Concentration Credits |
15.00 |
NOTE: In order to meet the BA Applied Psychology’s graduation requirement of at least 45 upper-level credits, students may need to take upper-level credits in the concentration’s any-level UT CRIM category or the program’s UT or 5000-level PSYC elective(s) category.
Leadership and Management (Concentration)
Students interested in combining psychology with business, leadership and/or marketing would be interested in this concentration.
Concentration Requirements:
|
Course Number |
Course Name |
Credits |
|
Upper-level UT CBA |
Any six 3000- to 4000-level UT Commerce & Business Administration (ACCT, BUSN, BLAW, COBA, CSIS, ECON, FINC, or MARK) credits |
6.00 |
|
Any level UT CBA or SOSC (see note) |
Any nine 1000-level or higher UT Commerce & Business Administration (ACCT, BUSN, BLAW, COBA, CSIS, ECON, FINC, or MARK) or SOSC credits |
9.00 |
|
|
Total Concentration Credits |
15.00 |
NOTE: Recommended: SOSC 2140 or SOSC 3140
Pre-Counselling (Concentration)
Counselling psychology typically focuses on therapeutic practices that facilitate social, educational, occupational, health, emotional and developmental functioning. Many counsellors have a Masters degree in a field such as counselling psychology or educational psychology, which allows them to register as a Clinical Counsellor in most provinces. Our Pre-Counselling concentration will provide students with introductory courses in the discipline of counselling as well as the pre-requisite courses needed to enter into most graduate programs in counselling psychology.
NOTES:
1. PSYC 2341 is recommended prior to admission to the BA in Applied Psychology Honours program.
2. PYSC 4360 is only offered once a year. Students should contact the program coordinator to confirm when it will be offered.
Concentration Requirements:
|
Course Number |
Course Name |
Credits |
|
Theories of Counselling and Psychotherapy |
3.00 |
|
|
Psychological Assessment |
3.00 |
|
|
Counselling Skills Fundamentals |
3.00 |
|
|
Select two Concentration electives from the list below: |
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|
Developmental Psychology: Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood |
3.00 |
|
|
Developmental Psychology: Adulthood and Aging |
3.00 |
|
|
Cultural Competency and Counselling with Canada's Indigenous Peoples |
3.00 |
|
|
Drugs and Behavior |
3.00 |
|
|
Developmental Psychopathology |
3.00 |
|
|
The Psychology of Learning |
3.00 |
|
|
The Psychology of Memory |
3.00 |
|
|
Group Counselling: Theory and Practice |
3.00 |
|
|
Vocational Assessment and Counselling |
3.00 |
|
|
Clinical Psychology |
3.00 |
|
|
|
Total Concentration Credits |
15.00 |
Psychosocial Rehabilitation (Concentration)
Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR) approaches include programs, services and practices with well-documented effectiveness in facilitating the recovery of persons living with serious mental illness, substance use problems or concurrent disorders. PSR approaches focus on programs and services in the major life domains of employment, education, leisure, wellness, housing, family and peer support. PSR approaches are enhanced in their effectiveness by other treatment approaches and practices, including cognitive retraining, cognitive behaviour therapies and motivational interviewing.
Students who complete the set of PSR courses, including the practicum will have the knowledge and skills to conduct strengths based PSR assessments and to prepare and implement psychosocial rehabilitation plans in community mental health and substance use programs. Upon completion of this concentration, students will be eligible to write the Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioners (CPRP) exam, which is recognized throughout Canada and the US.
PSR courses generally run as a cohort and are only offered in specified semesters (Fall, Winter and Summer).
NOTES FOR THE PSYCHOSOCIAL REHABILITATION (CONCENTRATION):
1. PSYC 2341 is a pre-requisite for PSR courses.
2. Students graduating with this concentration within the BA Applied Psychology Degree will not be eligible to also graduate with the Graduate Diploma in Psychosocial Rehabilitation as the coursework is equivalent.
3. It is highly recommended that students complete PSYC 3390 prior to PSYC 5005.
Concentration Requirements (see notes 1 and 2):
|
Course Number |
Course Name |
Credits |
|
Mental Health Services and Systems: History and Trends |
3.00 |
|
|
Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery |
3.00 |
|
|
Psychosocial Rehabilitation Practitioner Competencies |
3.00 |
|
|
Psychosocial Rehabilitation: Best and Promising Practices |
3.00 |
|
|
PSYC 5005 (see note 3) |
Seminar and Practicum in Psychosocial Rehabilitation |
3.00 |
|
|
Total Concentration Credits |
15.00 |
Program Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this program and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the program, consider the previous version as the applicable version.
Once you are in your final (fourth) academic year (application deadline is April 30), you will then be able to apply to the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology – Honours program.
To apply to the honours program you will need to:
Yes, one is an application to the program through Enrolment Services and the other is a Departmental application submitted to the BA Applied Psychology coordinator.
Yes. You should apply to the regular BA Applied Psychology program in your third year (after you have completed your Associate of Arts requirements), and then apply for the Honours degree before your final year.
While there are core Psychology courses you must take, your program of studies requires that you take core courses and electives outside of Psychology such as English, Criminology, Sociology and Philosophy.
Yes, the Honours degree has the same basic structure as the Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Psychology, so all students will be required to complete a 15 credit concentration. For more information on concentrations see the BA Applied Psychology.
Each year the BA Applied Psychology coordinator will have a list of faculty members (and their areas of research) who are interested in supervising Honours students. You can contact one of the faculty members on that list, or simply approach one of your favorite Psychology instructors to see if they are interested in supervising you.
No, graduate programs in Psychology and Counselling Psychology are quite competitive and an Honours degree does not guarantee you will be accepted into a graduate program. Most graduate schools evaluate potential students on a combination of GPA, letters of reference, student-faculty fit, coursework completed, and practical experience (volunteer, research or other related experience). You should check with each specific graduate program you are interested in to clarify their requirements.
If you are in the Honours program and you do not meet the graduation requirements you will be able to graduate with a BA in Applied Psychology (as long as you meet the requirements for that degree).
Tuition deposit
When offered a full-time seat in this program a non-refundable, non-transferable $350 tuition deposit is required.
Career opportunities include: