Skip to the content of the web site.

Psychology Undergraduate Studies

 

PARTICIPATION IN AN INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM: INFORMATION FOR PSYCHOLOGY MAJORS

Please read all of the information on this page carefully before submitting inquiries regarding exchange programs to the Psychology Advisor (Heather Smith) or to the Faculty level advisor for Exchange Programs in your home Faculty. The Faculty level advisors are Robert Ryan for the Faculty of Arts, and ______ (name to be updated) for the Faculty of Science.

----------------------

Only those who are in satisfactory academic standing (i.e., Satisfactory, Good, or Excellent) will be eligible to apply to participate in an exchange program.

Note that grades for courses taken on exchange will not be factored into your University of Waterloo average calculations.

Which exchange program is best for you will depend on:

  1. the geographic region you are interesting in going to,
  2. your interest in the courses that are available at the host school (please check the website for the school for information), and
  3. how well the course offerings map on to your remaining degree requirements.

If you have several Psychology electives and/or unspecified electives remaining for your degree requirements, you have greater flexibility regarding course selections at the host school. For example, if you need one 300 or 400 level Psychology course, it isn't necessary to choose a course that has a specific uWaterloo equivalents. For example, if you request to take a course on the Psychology of Eating Disorders (not offered at uWaterloo) and we determine that it is equivalent to Psych 3XX (meaning a miscellaneous Psych course at the third year level) rather than Psych 2XX, you can take the course.

If most of your remaining courses are 'required' courses (consider requirements for all of your uWaterloo academic plans as well as prerequisites for future study beyond the Bachelor's degree if applicable), you must be more selective about your course selections.

Your course selections for the exchange program must be approved by all of your academic advisors and should be coordinated through the primary advisor. For Psychology Majors, the contact is Heather Smith.

Please provide Heather with the following information:

Regarding the courses for the exchange:

  1. name of the host school

  2. term(s) you plan to attend the host school

  3. summary of the course numbers and titles that you are interested in taking and when you plan to take them

  4. the URLs at the host school for those course descriptions (preferably including the course title, topics to be covered, textbooks and/or readings to be used, and the method of evaluation),

  5. a list of alternate course choices (including descriptions) in case any of your first choices are not approved, or you are unable to enrol because a course is full or there is a time conflict

  6. for each course requested, indicate which course/degree requirement you are hoping to satisfy by taking the course requested (e.g., a required Psych course, an unspecified elective, a requirement for another another academic plan, etc.). If the course you are planning to take will be 'extra' course for the degree requirements (i.e., planning to take more than the minimum number of units required for the degree), please include this information on your summary.

Regarding the courses for your remaining uWaterloo school terms:

It is important that you develop a term-by-term course plan for your remaining uWaterloo school terms so that you can determine the optimal time for going on the exchange. Please provide Heather with a summary of the course requirements that you will be taking in specific terms upon your return to uWaterloo so that she can help you troubleshoot for potential problems.

Information regarding Psychology course availability is typically posted a full year in advance on the Psychology UG website. Note when reviewing the Psychology course offerings that several Psych courses are only offered once per year and are not available online (e.g., Psych 291, 292, 391, 393, 395, 397, 399, etc.).

For those planning to do an Honours Thesis (Psych 499A/B/C), please review the prerequisites etc. carefully when developing your course plan.

The Faculty of Arts will permit students in the Arts Faculty who are on exchange programs to take a maximum of 1 on-line course (.5 units) from uWaterloo while on an exchange term under exceptional circumstances if approved by the student's academic advisor(s).

Before applying to an exchange program and submitting your course requests to your Academic Advisor(s) for approval, please read the transfer credit policy for your Faculty as well as the policies regarding residency requirements for your Faculty and the Psychology Department:

Warnings Regarding Start/End Dates for the International Exchange Programs

The start and end dates for the school terms at the host schools don't necessarily coincide with the time frames of the uWaterloo school terms. Please take this matter into consideration when you are choosing which term/school to attend (particularly if you are in the Co-op stream) because it could affect the target for completing your degree requirements (e.g., if the timing for the exchange affects your ability to complete required courses or work terms in the case of students in the Co-op stream of study. Honours students see examples in next section.)

For example, note the important dates in 2011 for the University of Western Australia:

  • First Term: Lectures are Feb 28 to June 3 and the final exam period begins June 11.
    Note overlaps Winter/Spring 2011 terms at UW. Thus, the next uWaterloo school term (or work term if applicable) would not be until Fall 2011

  • Second Term: Lectures are August 1 to Nov 4 and the final exams period begins Nov 12.
    Note overlaps Spring/Fall 2011 terms at UW. Thus the next uWaterloo school term (or work term if applicable) would not be until Winter 2012.

Those returning to uWaterloo late following an exchange program and are hoping to begin the uWaterloo school term during the second or third week of classes (later would not be realistic!) must have permission to start courses late from each of the course instructors no later than the first week of the term. This is particularly important in the case of courses that:

  1. have waiting lists for enrolment
    (You could loose your spot in the course if you don't make contact with the instructor early enough)

  2. are dependent on active student participation and/or group work from the outset of the term
    [e.g., Advanced Research Methods Courses (Psych 392-399) and Honours Seminars (Psych 420, 453-463) get off to a quick start each term.]

  3. have course requirements due during the third or fourth week of the term
    [Instructors are not mandated to offer extensions on midterm terms, assignments, etc. for those who begin courses late. Up to you to obtain lecture notes from classmates and to discuss the possibility of extensions(if necessary) with the individual instructor as well as the terms/conditions for those extensions.    ].

If courses at the host schools have final examination requirements, you must do the final exams.  We don't allow students to request alternate course requirements for the final exam requirements (e.g., so students can travel before returning to Canada, or for those in the Co-op stream of study to begin work terms on time.).

Additional Warnings for those in Honours Psychology who are Interested in International Exchange Programs

Degree requirement check lists for the Psychology Major

When developing your course plan (i.e., courses for the exchange and at uWaterloo) for completing the degree, note the availability of the following Psychology courses:

  • Psych 291 is offered Fall only

  • Psych 292 is offered Winter only

  • Psych 391 is offered Fall only

  • Social Science Research Methods Courses:
    Psych 393, 395, 397, 399 are offered Fall only

  • Natural Science Research Methods Courses:
    2 to 4 of Psych 392, 394, 396, 398 will be offered in the Winter but only 1 or 2 in the Spring.
    Note: Those in the Co-op stream of study have priority enrolment for the Spring section

  • Apprenticeship Courses (optional): Psych 465 and Psych 467 are offered Winter only

The above courses are not offered on-line.

Example: If you are planning an exchange program for the Fall of third year and you aren't able to get an equivalent to Psych 391 at the host school, you will be delaying all of Psych 391, the two Advanced Research Methods courses (Psych 393-399), and the Honours Seminar (Psych 453-463) to fourth year. To date, the only Honours Psych students who obtained a Psych 391 equivalent on exchange was a student who attended Leeds University in England for 2 terms and a student who attended Deakin University in Australia for 1 term. See 'Tips Regarding uWaterloo Equivalents for Psychology Courses' for further details.

Honours Thesis (optional): For those who plan to do an Honours Thesis (Psych 499A/B/C),please review carefully the prerequisites for enrolment in Psych 499A as well as the application procedures for enrolment in Psych 499A.

Attention Students in the Co-op Stream of Study

You will have complications regarding the search for a co-op position for the term following the exchange program. We advise that you either arrange your own co-op position for that work term or contact the appropriate Faculty Relations Manager in the Co-operative Education and Career Services Department (CECS) two weeks prior to returning to Canada to begin the application/interview process through JobMine:

Requests to deviate from the school/work sequence prescribed for your academic plan at the point of admission to Co-op (e.g., two consecutive school terms, two consecutive work terms, to forgo the fifth or sixth work term if in the Arts and Business plan, etc.) must be submitted for approval on the 'Request for Academic/Work Term Sequence Change' form and approved by each of your academic advisors and the Faculty Relations Manager in the CECS Department. Please submit the form for approval as soon as possible following acceptance to an exchange program.

Information for Psychology Majors regarding requests to change the school/work sequence

Tips Regarding uWaterloo Equivalents for Psychology Courses Taken on International Exchange

Advanced Psych Courses:

If there is a uWaterloo equivalent for the course taken, the transfer credit will be specified accordingly.

If the uWaterloo Psychology Advisor determines that there are no uWaterloo course equivalents for the particular course, the general rule of thumb is that the course requirements must include the following to be classified as ‘Psych 3XX (Advanced Psych)’ instead of ‘Psych 2XX (Psych elective)’: 

  • written work, for example, an essay, short answer and essay questions on tests and exams (i.e,. the majority of grading is not multiple choice questions),

  • normally a prerequisite beyond the Introductory Psychology level but this isn’t always the case for courses on exchange,

  • sufficient credit weight to be equivalent to .5 units at uWaterloo.
    The credit weight at the host school will be factored into whether or not a Psychology course is classified as Psych 2XX or 3XX. For example, at Leeds University in England where credit weights are 10, 15, and 20, typically only courses with credit weights of 15 or 20 will count as Advanced Psych courses at UW.

Honours Seminar in Psychology:

For a course to be deemed equalivent to an Honours Seminar (Psych 4XX), the following conditions must be met: 

  • the course must be classified by the host school at a senior level (i.e., taken by students in at least third or fourth year),

  • enrolment in the course must require some background in Psychology,

  • the class size must be 25 students or less,

  • the course requirements must include student presentations and/or group discussions regarding readings, as well as some written work (i.e,. grading isn’t based only on multiple choice tests),

  • and the majority of the reading list must be from primary journal articles. 

Research Methods and Statistics Courses (Psych 291, 292, 391, 392-399)

Ideally, these courses are taken at uWaterloo.

Most Psychology exchange students have not been able to get equivalents to the research methods and statistics courses at the host schools and in some cases only if going to the host school for 2 terms. Examples to date:

  • there has only been two Honours Psych students who obtained a Psych 391 equivalent on exchange. One of the two students attended Leeds University in England for 2 terms (2008/2009) and earned Psych 292/391 transfer credit for Psych 1036/1037 at Leeds. The other student attended Deakin University in Australia for 1 term (Winter 2008) and earned Psych 391 for HPS 301 at Deakin.

  • there has only been one Honours Psych student who obtained an equivalent for a Natural Science Research Methods Course and he attended the National University of Singapore for 1 term (Winter 2006).

Please review carefully the course offerings for the host school in relation to your degree requirements that you are hoping to satisfy on the exchange and the timing for completing your degree, and then present your course plan to Heather Smith for consideration.

Listing of International Exchange Programs

Miscellaneous Notes Regarding Host Schools

  • Newcastle University reported (August 2010) that uWaterloo exchange students will not be permitted to take Psychology courses at Newcastle because the discipline of Psychology falls under the jurisdiction of the medical school at Newcastle University. The medical school will not admit exchange students to courses. uWaterloo exchange students are also not allowed to take courses in the area of Law.
    Guidance Notes Newcastle University

  • the Faculty of Arts at uWaterloo will not allow transfer credits for courses taken within professional programs (e.g., the Faculty of Law at Tilburg University)

Funding Your International Experience

International Experience Awards (e.g., the Ontario International Education Opportunity Scholarship) offset some of the expenses of studies abroad (or volunteer experiences abroad).

In addition to those awards, if you received the President's Scholarship of Distinction in first year, note details regarding the President's International Experience Award.

Information Sessions Regarding International Exchange Programs for 2012/2013

For those enrolled in the Faculty of Arts: 
If you are interested in participating in an exchange program in the 2012/2013 year, please attend the information session hosted by the Exchange Coordinator for the Faculty of Arts (Robert Ryan) on Tuesday November 15, 2011 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm in Arts Lecture Hall (AL) room 208. 

Message to Outgoing Exchange Students Fall 2011
(departing students were informed)

There will be an MANDATORY Pre-Departure Session for all students studying abroad Fall 2011 on Monday, July 25, 2011 from 4 :30 to 6:00 p.m. in DC 1302.

If you are unable to attend you must contact either Maria Lango (Great Britain and Continental Europe) or Andreea Ciucurita (Asia, Australia, Israel, and Mexico) who will direct you to the pertinent websites for information.

Message to Outgoing Exchange Students Winter 2012
(Departing students were informed)

There will be Pre-Departure Session for all students studying abroad Winter 2012 on Monday Dec 5, 2011 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in Davis Centre (DC) room 1302.

If you are unable to attend you must contact either Maria Lango (Great Britain and Continental Europe) or Andreea Ciucurita (Asia, Australia and Mexico) who will direct you to the pertinent websites for information.

Safety in Student Abroad Programs

Risks, responsibilities, emergency contacts, safety tips, etc.

Global Experiences Certificate

For details regarding the Global Experiences Certificate, refer to the Undergraduate Calendar and Waterloo International.

Last updated April 27, 2012