Message for Students Intending to Major in Psychology

Students wanting to become Psychology majors must first complete Psychology 101 and 102, and also 271 (Statistics) and 272 (Research Methods). Students must earn at least 60% in each of 101, 102, 271, and 272, as well as an overall average of at least 70% in those four courses combined to become a major.

The requirement to take 271 and 272 is being replaced this September by a requirement to take two new courses, Psychology 278, Statistics and Research Design I, and Psychology 279, Statistics and Research Design II. As you might guess from the titles, the main change is that we are combining these two topics so that you learn about some research methods and the statistics that go with those in one semester, and other research methods and the statistics that go with those in the second semester. We also will introduce qualitative methods, non-statistical approaches to investigating behaviour and mental processes. This combined approach to statistics and research methods is designed to make both statistical and methodology concepts easier to understand and apply, and to better prepare you for using such skills in later courses and as a consumer of psychological research. (You’ll even save some money, with one main text–with some supplementary readings–covering both 278 and 279.)

Another change is that there will be only two sections of 278 in the fall, and two sections of 279 in the spring semester. Each section will have 50-60 students. However, each course will also have weekly tutorial/lab sections with no more than 10 students in each. Normally students will remain in the same section of 279 (taught at the same time by the same instructor) as they had for 278. No other psychology 200-level courses are scheduled for the two times in which Psychology 278 and 279 are offered.

Special cases: If you are taking 271 and 272 this summer, those still apply to the major and you do not take 278 and 279. If you will have completed one of 271 or 272 before September, or if you need to upgrade your grade in one of those courses, you may take the one section of 271 being offered this fall, or the one section of 272 being offered in the spring semester (for the last time). Otherwise, 271 will normally be open this fall for Nursing students only.

(See also the course descriptions.)

278 Statistics and Research Design I (offered first semester)

The first in a two-part series, this course considers paradigms of knowledge and research, introducing students to skills in interpreting and applying descriptive statistics and in basic quantitative and qualitative research design. Students learn how to find and evaluate reports of psychological research. Statistical concepts and applications addressed include frequency tables, graphs, measures of central tendency and variability, z scores, correlation, and probability. Students explore research methods of interviews, observation, and questionnaires. Ethical issues in research are introduced. Laboratory and field projects introduce students to SPSS and to research methodologies.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102
Three hours a week class; one hour a week laboratory
NOTE: Credit will not be allowed for Psychology 278 if a student has received credit for any of the following courses: Psychology 271, Psychology 272, Mathematics 221, Mathematics 231, Education 481, and Sociology 332.

Psychology 279: Statistics and Research Design II (offered second semester)

Building on Psychology 278, this course further explores paradigms of knowledge and research, introducing students to skills in interpreting and applying inferential statistics and in research design. Students learn about framing research questions and developing hypotheses. Statistical concepts and applications include significance, confidence intervals, regression, t tests, analysis of variance, and chi square. Students consider research methods in quasi-experimental and experimental design. Approaches to collecting and analyzing data from qualitative designs are investigated. Students develop skills in written and oral presentation of research, and ethical issues are further explored. Laboratory and field projects further apply SPSS and various research methodologies.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278
Three hours a week class; one hour a week laboratory
NOTE: Credit will not be allowed for Psychology 279 if a student has received credit for any of the following courses: Psychology 271, Psychology 272, Mathematics 221, Mathematics 231, Education 481, and Sociology 332.