Department of Psychology Student Handbook
Welcome to the Psychology Department A big Hello and Welcome to all of you! As the Chair of the Department of Psychology at Mount Royal University I would like to give you, both new and returning students, a big Calgary welcome to our Department. Mount Royal University (MRU) is a vibrant campus filled with enthusiastic students, just like you, and faculty and staff that are dedicated to making your experience at MRU an experience that will stretch your thinking beyond where it has gone before. As part of the Department of Psychology we have one full time Department Coordinator and one part time Administrative Assistant and 36 full and part time Faculty that are dedicated to your success. They will all be more than happy to assist you as you successfully complete courses and ultimately a degree in Psychology. You will have the opportunity at MRU to get to know your instructors face to face because our class sizes are kept small. Ask your professors questions before, during and after class! Be curious and show your passion for acquiring new knowledge. All of the faculty in the Department of Psychology are passionate about their areas of expertise and will be more than happy to share what they know about our discipline with you. While you will have the opportunity to broaden your knowledge base in the classroom there are also many options for enriching your degree experience outside of the classroom. Many of our faculty are actively engaged in research and often take on students as research assistants. Should you take a class that really piques your interest ask the Professor about research opportunities. This is especially important for those of you who wish to pursue our Honours degree and may be thinking about going to Graduate School. Our Honours program will allow you to gain formal research experience with a faculty member that will be recognized on your transcript. While completing a degree with Honours is challenging I have yet to meet a student that wasn t enriched by the experience. Our Psychology Students Society is also a great way to get to know one another and to network with other students. This network can be used to find study partners but more importantly can be used to find other passionate students with interests similar to yours. The PSS can be found in room EA3004, and would be thrilled to have you join. Finally, as you move through your degree please don t forget to talk to a Psychology Advisor. They can give you many tips and suggestions regarding the navigation and successful completion of your degree. We have four excellent Advisors in our Department (listed on the back page of this handbook) that are willing to help you navigate the process of obtaining a degree in Psychology at MRU. On behalf of our entire department I wish you all the best in your years here and hope to see you one day walk across the graduation stage to get your Degree in Psychology from MRU. Dr. Evelyn Field
Psychology Faculty and the Courses they Teach Dr. Karen Atkinson-Leadbeater conducts research in the areas of neural and axon development. Two courses that she regularly teaches are PSYC 2275 (Brain and Behaviour) and PSYC 3302 (Psychopharmacology). Dr. David Cann conducts research in the area of memory, including such topics as false memory, eyewitness memory, and individual differences in memory. He teaches PSYC 2265 (Cognitive Psychology), PSYC 3367 (Human Memory), and the Honours Seminar. Dr. Tony Chaston conducts research in the area of time perception and cortical hemispheric differences. He teaches regularly PSYC 2213 (Research Methods) and PSYC 3369 (Sensation and Perception). Dr. Mitchell Clark conducts research in the areas of well-being of persons with disabilities and their families. He regularly teaches PSYC 2235 (Life-Span Development) and PSYC 1105 (Introductory Psychology). Dr. Malinda Desjarlais conducts research in the area of human-computer interactions with a focus on online communication and self-regulated learning on the Internet. She regularly teaches PSYC 2210 and 2211 (Statistics) and PSYC 2213 (Research Methods). Dr. Evelyn Field conducts research on sex differences in behaviour and how the nervous system functions. Currently she is interested in how environmental contaminants that act like hormones change animal behaviour in response to drugs such as caffeine and taurine. She often teaches PSYC 3327 (Psychology of Sexuality), PSYC 3307 (Evolutionary Psychology), PSYC 2275 (Brain and Behaviour), and PSYC 4403 (Advanced Topics in Brain and Behaviour). Dr. Cass Foursha-Stevenson conducts research in the areas of lexical acquisition, syntactic acquisition, and monolingual and bilingual language processing. She regularly teaches PSYC 2235 (Lifespan Development), PSYC 3351 (Topics in Child Development), and PSYC 4900 (Advanced Topics in Infant Cognition). Dr. Naomi Grant s research focuses on social influence and compliance tactics. She regularly teaches PSYC 2245 (Social Psychology) and PSYC 3346 (Social Influence and Persuasion). Dr. Tru Kwong conducts research in the area of cognitive development, with a focus on written language. She regularly teaches PSYC 2235 (Lifespan Development) and PSYC 3351 (Topics in Child Development). Dr. April McGrath conducts research on cognitive dissonance and student learning in the areas of statistics and writing. She regularly teaches PSYC 2210 and 2211 (Statistics), and PSYC 2213 (Research Methods). Dr. Alain Morin conducts research in the areas of self-awareness, theory of mind, self-destruction, neurophilosophy, and the development of self-consciousness. He regularly teaches PSYC 2283 (Theories of Personality) and PSYC 4401 (Social Cognition).
Dr. Douglas Murdoch conducts research in the areas of parenting (particularly the Burden of Care experienced by parents of children with disorders); the relationship between alcohol and aggression; consumer responses to the reports of professional psychologists; and how to brand and market clinical psychology. He regularly teaches PSYC 2285 (Introduction to Abnormal Behaviour), PSYC 4485 (Advanced Topics in of Abnormal Psychology), and PSYC 4406 (Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy). Dr. Nancy Ogden conducts research on the cognitive, behavioural, and social development of children and adolescents. She regularly teaches PSYC 2235 (Life-Span Development), PSYC 3351 (Topics in Child Development), PSYC 3355 (Topics in Adolescence), and PSYC 4451 (Atypical Child Development). Dr. Verna Raab conducts research in the field of development with a specialization in the development of youth. She regularly teaches PSYC 2235 (Life-Span Development) and PSYC 3355 (Topics in Adolescence). Dr. Carrie Scherzer conducts research in the area of sport psychology, with a focus on injury rehabilitation and professional development. She also focuses her research on eating disorders and pedagogy. She regularly teaches PSYC 2285 (Psychology of Abnormal Behaviour), PSYC 4485 (Advanced Topics in the Psychology of Abnormal Behaviour), and PSYC 4406 (Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy). Dr. James Taylor conducts research on a variety of topics in cognitive psychology. Recent work has probed memory, judgements under risk, and time perception. He regularly teaches psychological statistics and research methods courses at the 2000 and 4000 level (PSYC 2211 Statistical Methods for Psychology II, PSYC 2213 Research Methods, and PSYC 4412 - Advanced Statistical Methods for Psychology). Dr. Cheryl Techentin conducts research on hemispheric laterality, dichotic listening, language and emotional processing, and the processing of sarcastic speech. She regularly teaches PSYC 1103 and 1104 (Introductory Psychology), PSYC 2265 (Cognitive Psychology), PSYC 3369 (Sensation and Perception), and PSYC 3305 (History of Psychological Thought). Dr. Bob Uttl conducts research in the area of cognition and memory, with a focus on prospective memory, cognitive aging, cognitive and neuropsychological assessment, measurement, and human factors. He regularly teaches PSYC 2210 (Statistics), PSYC 4413 (Advanced Methods II), PSYC 4405 (Psychometrics), and PSYC 4465 (Advanced Topics in Cognition).
Only 16 courses can be at the junior/first year level (1000). 32 courses must be completed that are offered from the Faculties of Arts or Science or be designated as General Education courses. Use this planning guide in coordination with mrugradu8. Save a copy of the audit every term prior to registering for classes. If interested in a minor, honours, or a double major seek academic advising from the Psychology advisor. If there are discrepancies between information on this program planning page and the academic calendar, the academic calendar is deemed correct. Psychology Course Descriptions For all current course descriptions please consult the Academic Calendar. Also feel free to follow-up with your academic advisor or other faculty members about particular Psychology courses. The Academic Calendar can be found here: http://www.mtroyal.ca/academicsupport/academiccalendar/ Minors Minors are optional in your Psychology degree. If you plan to complete a minor choose it early to facilitate appropriate course selection. Here's a link to all the minors offered at Mount Royal University. http://www.mtroyal.ca/programscourses/degrees/minors/index.htm
Recommended Coursework The following list is meant to assist you in picking Psychology courses with particular areas of interest in mind. These are suggestions and should not be interpreted as mandatory or sufficient in order to pursue further study or employment in a given area. As new courses are developed, this list will be updated, but it may not be immediate. As always, it s best to consult the current Academic Calendar for course offerings and descriptions. Clinical/Counselling Intro to the Psychology of Abnormal Behaviour, Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy, Advanced Topics in the Psychology of Abnormal Behaviour, History of Psychological Thought, Psychopharmacology Cognitive Science Cognitive Psychology, Human Memory, Sensation & Perception, Advanced Topics in Cognition Developmental Life-Span Development, Topics in Child Development, Topics in the Psychology of Aging, Topics in Adolescence, Atypical Child Development, Advanced Topics in Adolescence, Psychology of Death and Dying Neuroscience Evolutionary Psychology, Sensation & Perception, Brain and Behaviour, Psychopharmacology Advanced Topics in Brain and Behaviour Social/Personality Social Psychology, Personality, Social Psychology: Social Influence and Persuasion, Social Cognition, The Self, Advanced Topics in Social Psychology Graduate Directed Advanced Statistical Methods for Psychology, Research Methods II, Psychometrics, Honours Seminar I, Honours Seminar II, Advanced Topics Courses, Directed Readings Recommended Coursework (by year) To complete the BA in Psychology in four years, you will need to take 10 courses per year, for a total of 40 courses for your degree. The courses will fall into three categories 16 courses to complete the Psychology major, 12 courses to complete General Education requirements, and 12 elective courses (at least 4 must be outside of Psychology). When choosing your Psychology courses for the Psychology Major, please ensure you complete the courses listed below according to the following timeline. Following this timeline will ensure proper prerequisite completion. Year One Fall: PSYC 1103 Year One Winter: PSYC 1104 Year Two Fall: PSYC 2210 Year Two Winter: PSYC 2211, PSYC 2213 Year Three Fall: PSYC 4412 (if considering Honours) Year Three Winter: PSYC 4413 (if considering Honours)
Honours in Psychology The Purpose of an Honours Degree There are several reasons why a student might want to participate in the Honours stream and obtain a BA Honours degree: An Honours degree provides a more extensive exposure to the knowledge and practice of the discipline. In addition to the core courses required to obtain a BA in Psychology, Honours students take several psychology courses that non-honours students do not. The Honours degree recognizes academic excellence. Because admission to the Honours stream is based partially on GPA, only those who have excelled as undergraduate students are accepted into the stream. Completion of an Honours degree indicates that you have engaged in some form of independent learning, under the guidance of a faculty supervisor, over and above that required by regular degreerelated course work. Usually that independent work is research-related, and such research experience is considered an important admission criterion by many graduate schools. Summary of the Requirements of an Honours Degree in Psychology Students must complete a minimum of 20 courses in PSYC, including the required courses from the Psychology Major program and the additional courses listed below. a. PSYC 3305: History of Psychology (before or after application to the Honours program) b. PSYC 4412: Advanced Statistical Methods for Psychology (before application to the Honours program) c. PSYC 4413: Research Methods II (before application to the Honours program) 2. Complete the following two courses during the student s Honours year (exceptions must be approved by the department). a. PSYC 5110: Honours Thesis I b. PSYC 5120: Honours Thesis II Note: These courses are numbered among the Psychology courses taken to complete the BA in Psychology, so the total number of Psychology courses taken should not exceed 24, the maximum number of Psychology courses permitted in the BA Psychology program. 3. Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) in each year during participation in the Honours stream. If you have any questions or difficulties at any time you should contact the Chair of the Honours Committee: Dr. April McGrath (amcgrath@mtroyal.ca). For more information, please consult the Psychology Honours Handbook, which can be downloaded from www.mtroyal.ca/psychology
Get Involved Outside of Class Psychology Student Society The Psychology Student Society is a great way to get more involved with the field of Psychology outside of the classroom. Meet other students that share your interest in Psychology and attend different events hosted by the society. To learn more, find them on Facebook and Twitter. Volunteer Look for opportunities to volunteer or work as a research assistant. Faculty members have different projects happening throughout the year and you could gain valuable research experience by volunteering your time. Feel free to approach faculty members about their current projects. Tutor Consider becoming a peer tutor. Mount Royal University offers a Peer Tutoring Program. If you have performed well in a course you may be able to tutor other students in that subject and get paid!
Psychology Department Contact Information Main Office EA 3040B Administrative Assistant: Sabrina Krasilowez 403-440-6412 skrasilowez@mtroyal.ca EA 3040B Department Coordinator: Tara Grams 403-440-6467 tgrams@mtroyal.ca EA 3040B Department Chair: Evelyn Field 403-440-6426 efield@mtroyal.ca EA 3042 Full-Time Faculty: Karen Atkinson-Leadbeater 403-440-8442 katkinsonleadbeater@mtroyal.ca EA 3066 Dave Cann 403-440-8541 dcann@mtroyal.ca EA 3049 Tony Chaston 403-440-6654 achaston@mtroyal.ca EA 3073 Mitch Clark 403-440-6984 mclark@mtroyal.ca EA 3056A Malinda Desjarlais 403-440-8441 mdesjarlais@mtroyal.ca EA 3053 Cass Foursha-Stevenson 403-440-8829 cfourshastevenson@mtroyal.ca EA 3065 Randy Genereux 403-440-8502 rgenereux@mtroyal.ca EA 3072 Naomi Grant 403-440-8837 ngrant@mtroyal.ca EA 3071 Tru Kwong 403-440-8537 tkwong@mtroyal.ca EA 3055 April McGrath 403-440-8443 amcgrath@mtroyal.ca EA 3080 Alain Morin 403-440-7069 amorin@mtroyal.ca EA 3067 Douglas Murdoch 403-440-8536 dmurdoch@mtroyal.ca EA 3059 Nancy Ogden 403-440-8991 nogden@mtroyal.ca EA 3052 Verna Raab 403-440-6781 vraab@mtroyal.ca EA 3074 Carrie Scherzer 403-440-7098 cscherzer@mtroyal.ca EA 3064 James Taylor 403-440-6016 jctaylor@mtroyal.ca EA 3078 Cheryl Techentin 403-440-8535 ctechentin@mtroyal.ca EA 3045 Bob Uttl 403-440-8539 buttl@mtroyal.ca EA 3061 Cover images from Creative Commons (creativecommons.org) Handbook compiled by Dr. April McGrath & Dr. Carrie Scherzer September 2012 Updated March 2015