Transcript Registration Advice for First-Year Psyc Majors

…and for Psyc minors or potential
transfers into Psyc, too
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
([email protected]) and CC me
([email protected]). 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
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!
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
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
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
Does Honours affect my course
choices?
 Honours doesn’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
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:
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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
Options, cont’d
 Remember, Options are optional (duh!); you don’t have to
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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 ([email protected] ), 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
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, [email protected]
Minors: Science
 Minors in Science are normally 15 hrs (i.e., five one-term
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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; [email protected] ); 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 ([email protected] ) if want
to pursue
Other courses: Arts
 If you are an Arts major, be sure you’re making good
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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
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 ([email protected] )
Other courses: Double majors
 If you wish, can do a double major combination in most
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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
Psychology as a minor
 Can take Psychology as a minor with almost any Arts or Science
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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
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
Advising for non-Psyc majors
 If you are not currently a Psyc major, you will still need
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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
QUESTIONS???