Registration Advice for First-Year Psyc Majors

1. Registration Advice for First-Year Psyc Majors …and for Psyc minors or potential transfers into Psyc, too

2. Transferring into Psyc

3. What if I want to transfer into Psyc, as a first or second major? • You need at least a 2.50 CGPA to do so (about C+/B- level), and need at least Grade 11 Academic or Advanced Math • If you have that, e-mail Heather Turner (heather.turner@acadiau.ca) and CC me (sonya.major@acadiau.ca). Give us your name, student ID number, and what program you want to transfer into (BA or BSc). We’ll confirm you have the requirements and make the switch. All of the rest of this advice then applies to you • If you’re not sure if you want to transfer or not, set up an academic advising appointment with me

4. What if I don’t have the 2.50, but am very close? • We will not let you transfer in until you have the 2.50! • If you are quite close right now (e.g., 2.30 or above), contact me via e-mail • If you have a good pattern (e.g., did well in Intro Psyc; it’s just one or two bad grades in non-Psyc subjects pulling you down), I will give you permission to enroll in Psyc 2013/2023 (Research Design and Analysis) without being a Psyc major, and the rest of this advice still applies to you • You can switch into Psyc formally once you reach the 2.50, hopefully after this term • If your grades this term are worse, though, then don’t cut ties with your old major, as you may not get into Psyc!

5. What if I’m not close to the 2.50? • We won’t give you permission to take RDA until you’re close • Register for other any other second year Psyc courses; you can make Psyc your minor • Continue to work towards your existing major • If you reach the 2.50 next year, then you can transfer over to Psyc after that; it is still possible to finish up your remaining courses in two years and graduate on time

6. Psyc Majors

7. Required courses • Psyc 2013/2023 + labs (Research Design and Analysis) • This is a VERY important course, and has a heavy workload, so think about time management • Statistics, if haven’t already taken (Math 1213/1223 or Math 2233/2243 + labs) • 1213/1223 is the default; take 2233/2243 if doing a double major with Biology • As a major, need at least C- in Psyc 1013/1023 and your Stats; if didn’t get, will need to retake. Psyc 1013/1023 are available on-line. • Will need at least a C- in ALL courses that count towards your major

8. Breadth Requirements • Take one course from each of the following three groups, preferably in your second year • Psyc 2113 (Abnormal) OR 2123 (Personality) • Psyc 2133 (Physiological) OR 2143 (Cognition) OR 2173 (Sensory Processes) • Psyc 2103 (Social) OR 2153 (Developmental) • Look ahead to 3rd and 4th year courses you want to take; what are the pre-requisites for those? • You can take more than one from each group if you wish • These don’t HAVE to be done in second year, if don’t fit your schedule, but it’s a good idea to do at least some, and probably most, in second year

9. Does Honours affect my course choices? • Honoursdoesn’t really affect your registration much until third year • In third year, if you are planning on pursuing Honours, you will take some specialized courses, and you will apply to the Honours program half-way through your third year • If you are planning on doing your Honours, for now, just keep your grades up, especially in RDA • Need at least a B- in all courses for your major; at least a 3.33 GPA overall

10. Do the Options affect my course choices? • Most of the courses that count towards the Neuroscience or Applied Options are at the 3rd and 4th year level; most students don’t declare an Option until late in their second year or early in their third year • There are some courses you can take at the 2nd year level that will count, though • Applied Option: Psyc 2183 (Human Sexuality); KINE 2433 (Sports Psychology) – KINE will need permission of instructor • Neuroscience Option: • Take 2133 (Physiological) for sure • If you want, could take BIOL 2013 (Cell Biology); BIOL 2023 (Heredity); CHEM 2713 or 2773 (Biochemistry), if have pre-reqs

11. Options, cont’d • Remember, Options are optional (duh!); you don’t have to declare one • If you’re not sure yet, wait; it’s fine (normal) not to declare until later • If want to declare your Option now, can do so. Contact Heather Turner (heather.turner@acadiau.ca ), indicating your name, student ID #, current major, and which Option you would like to pursue • If you change your mind, remove your name from the list by contacting Heather; not permanent until you apply to graduate • Whenever you are getting academic advising, be sure to tell the person advising you that you are pursuing an Option

12. Other courses: Minors (Arts) • Take courses towards your minor • BA, 24 hrs (i.e., eight 3-hr or one-term courses; no more than 6 hrs at 1000-level) • Can be in any Arts subject • Can be a multidisciplinary minor; see here for a list: http://arts.acadiau.ca/multidisciplinary-minors.html • E.g., Environmental Studies; Legal Studies; Women and Gender Studies • Can be in a Science or Professional Studies subject, but only with permission of Dean of Arts, Dr. Robert Perrins, robert.perrins@acadiau.ca

13. Minors: Science • Minors in Science are normally 15 hrs (i.e., five one-term courses); no limit on 1000-level courses • Can be in any subject, or in the same multidisciplinary minors as Arts (though requires 18 hrs) • May be reduced to 12 hrs if taking Honours, Neuroscience Option, etc., with heavier requirements • Note: Minors in Kinesiology or Community Development, require permission of Director of School (Dr. Rene Murphy; rene.murphy@acadiau.ca ); must have at least a 2.75 GPA. Will then sign you into courses you need . • Business, most courses restricted to their majors; talk to Dr. Ian Hutchinson (ian.hutchinson@acadiau.ca ) if want to pursue

14. Other courses: Arts • If you are an Arts major, be sure you’re making good progress on fulfilling your Arts Core • Remember, 6 hrs English; 6 hrs language other than English; 6 hrs Humanities; 6 hrs Social Sciences. 6 hrs Science is covered by your major • Can also take general electives, in Arts or Sciences (or Professional Studies, but only to a maximum of 24 hrs) • Note that not all upper-year courses necessarily require first-year pre-reqs • Browse the listings; take whatever interests you, will help prepare you for your career, and fits your schedule

15. Other courses: Sciences • Sometime before you graduate, must do 6 hrs in English OR a second language OR a course with a large writing component (e.g., History, Philosophy, Comparative Religion, WGST) • Need 6 more hrs in Arts (can be anything) • 6 more hrs in Arts or Professional Studies (can be anything) • Some additional Science electives (can be anything) • Total of 72 hrs in Science by time you graduate (including all Psyc courses) • Some additional open electives (can be anything) • Can switch from Arts to Science, or vice versa, at any time by e-mailing Heather (heather.turner@acadiau.ca )

16. Double Majors

17. Other courses: Double majors • If you wish, can do a double major combination in most subjects, with Psyc as either your first or second major • Most programs have slightly reduced requirements when doing a double major, especially for the second major • A few combinations are not possible (e.g., Business is problematic), but most are fine • Get advising from both units • Our most common double majors are with Biology and Sociology, but Nutrition is new and interesting • Admission requirements same as for sole major, i.e., 2.50 GPA

18. Minoring in Psyc

19. Psychology as a minor • Can take Psychology as a minor with almost any Arts or Science degree, and with Kinesiology / Community Development • For an Arts minor, you will need to take 24 hrs of Psychology; for a Science minor, the number of required courses will range from 12 hrs to 18 hrs, depending on your major • Take any of our second year courses, except RDA • Need at least a C- in all courses that count towards the minor • Third and fourth year courses normally not available (require RDA); entry may be possible with permission of instructor • Note, don’t have to officially declare your minor anywhere; it’s just whatever you’ve taken the most courses in, other than your major, when you graduate – you’ll note it on the form when you apply to graduate

20. More Information…

21. Additional advising info? • If you forget / didn’t learn last year how to actually build your schedule and physically register, go to http://psychology.acadiau.ca/Prospective_Students.html . It’s advice for incoming students, but the info in Steps 3-7 will apply to you as well • I will answer questions now / after class • Advising week will be March 10-14. For Psyc majors, there will be times scheduled each day to come talk to a faculty member if you wish. Stop by Heather’s office (HOR 326) first to get a PACE sheet. • It is OPTIONAL to come during advising week; all of you who are currently Psyc majors will be checked off as advised, and should be free to register whether or not you come to advising week • Actual registration begins March 18; most of you will be able to register March 20 • Stay tuned to e-mail for additional info; e.g., we are pilot-testing an on-line form to allow you to request a PACE printout, and electronic wait lists for courses

22. Advising for non-Psyc majors • If you are not currently a Psyc major, you will still need to be checked off as advised by your current major • They should be sending you info about how / when to get advised, or be checked off as advised • If you are a double major, still need advising from your other major • You won’t be able to register until you are checked off as advised by all majors, so be sure to get it done • Classes fill up, so plan ahead and register as soon as you can

23. QUESTIONS???