Psychology and Neuroscience (BSc)

Explore the scientific study of behavior and experience, including thinking, feeling, and action, through our BSc in Psychology and Neuroscience.

Understand how nervous systems support behavior by studying major sub-fields in psychology and neuroscience. Gain skills in natural sciences to analyze brain functions, memory, learning, addiction, and aging. This comprehensive approach prepares you for careers in research, healthcare, or related fields. 

Program Details

Degree Highlights

Your future professors work hard to make sure your academic experience is current, complete and designed to open doors in your career. Here are a few things you can count on:

  • Comprehensive Curriculum: Learn how to apply psychological neuroscience principles in a responsible, engaged way.
  • State-of-the art Technology: Learn how to use state-of-the-art technology to get answers to pressing questions.
  • Career-Ready Skills: Learn the analytical and statistical skills to understand the causes of behaviour letting you leave your degree career ready.
  • Pathways to Med School: We prepare you for a clinical career in Canada. Laurier students apply to med school with a competitive edge and gain preferential status with internationally accredited medical schools, including the American University of the Caribbean and St. George’s University.

Top Experiences

Here are just a few of our students’ favourite ways to apply their learning in the real world throughout their degree (check out the Experience Guide for even more!):

  • Co-op: You can apply for co-op at the end of your first year, and complete work terms over the course of your degree.
  • Community Service-Learning Placement: Support your community and put your learning into action through an optional Community Service-Learning (CSL) placements with one of our Waterloo partners.
  • Conferences: Attend the Southern Ontario Neuroscience Association (SONA) Conference to meet and interact with local neuroscientists.
  • Research Opportunities: Work with faculty one-on-one for your own project or consider joining a research team to see how neuroscience discoveries are made.

Courses, Options and Pathways

First-Year Core Courses

  • Introduction to Psychology I and II
  • Biological Diversity and Evolution
  • Unifying Life Processes
  • Calculus for the Natural Sciences
  • Introduction to Programming
  • Fundamentals of Chemistry I and II
  • Introductory Calculus for the Natural Sciences
  • Mechanics for the Life Sciences
  • Thermodynamics and Waves for the Life Sciences

Sample First-Year Electives

  • Values and Society
  • Literature and Crime
  • Women and Gender Studies
  • Cultures Today
  • Human Rights and Human Diversity

Sample Upper-Year Courses

Course options allow for specialization in specific areas of neuroscience, such as psychopharmacology, computational neuroscience or the biochemistry of behaviour.

  • Introduction to Neuropsychology
  • Research in Behavioural Neuroscience
  • Sex, Evolution, and Behaviour
  • Drugs and Behaviour
  • Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience

Options and Minors

These are a few of the many popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge:

  • Environmental Science Option
  • Management  Option
  • Leadership Option
  • Climate Change Management Option
  • Biology Minor
  • Biochemistry Minor
  • Environmental Studies Minor
  • Economics Minor

Check out other options to enhance your degree.

Management Option

The Management Option is for students interested in adding management-specific education to their degree. This is a direct-entry, 4.0-credit option that includes courses covering all the core pillars of business and economics. Apply directly to PROGRAM with Management Option on OUAC.

Combine Your Degree

Expand your field of expertise by pairing your Psychology and Neuroscience major with another major (or another whole degree):

  • Honours BSc in Biology & Psychology
  • Honours BSc in Computer Science and Psychology
  • Honours BSc CompSci & Psych: Computational Modelling and Cognitive Neuroscience stream 

Psychology is also available as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.

 

Admissions

  • Format: full time or part time
  • Duration: four years
  • Start: September (fall term)
  • OUAC codes: UPS; UMX (Psychology and Neuroscience with Management Option)

Your Career Awaits

Laurier's Psychology and Neuroscience program is designed to provide you with the analytical skills and information useful for careers in the neurosciences, health and pharmaceutical industry, biomedical sciences, and a variety of other careers.

Here are just some examples of our graduates' destinations. What’s yours?

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • research analyst
  • counsellor
  • psychiatrist
  • rehabilitation consultant
  • psychological associate 
  • medicine
  • AI and deep learning
  • behavioural genetics
  • neuroscience research
  • psychometrist
  • science teacher
  • speech-language pathologist
  • audiologist
  • physical therapist
  • occupational therapist
  • clinical neuropsychologist

Explore more careers.

Support After Graduation

Alumni for life means that you have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.

Your Co-op Experience

Co-op is a way to integrate what you are learning in the classroom with practical experience in your field of study. Build your resume, earn money, develop your network, and graduate with work experience.

You can apply for admission to co-op in your first year and may be eligible for an admission interview early in your second year. As a student in this program, you will be eligible to complete paid work terms lasting 12 to 16 weeks.

Interested? Learn more about co-op.

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98%employment rate for co‑op students – 2023 / 2024

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Tuition and Scholarships

Getting a university education is an investment in your future.

At Laurier, we take financial health seriously by providing a wide variety of funding opportunities for you throughout your degree, such as scholarships and bursaries, and by equipping you with the skills to manage your finances effectively in the years to come.

 

Laurier is among the top 6 percent in the Global 2000 World University Ranking

 

Laurier students engaged in hands-on learning in 2023

 

Laurier graduates employed or in post-graduate studies in 2023

Waterloo Campus

The Waterloo campus is tucked into about one city block, so you’re steps away from your classes, food and your new favourite study spot.

There are many ways to tour our Waterloo campus, whether that's on a guided tour with one of our Laurier student ambassadors, on your own using virtual reality, or even on-demand through one of our pre-recorded tours. See our campus spaces and start to picture yourself at Laurier.

Chat with Current Students

Want to know what it’s really like to be in this program? U Community is our Discord server where future Golden Hawks like you can connect with current students to get their first-hand stories and tips on living and learning at Laurier.

Connect with Us

Questions? Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548.889.8888 or see all contact information.


You Belong Here

Think this program might be the perfect fit for you and your future?