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Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of thoughts, feelings, actions, perceptions, physiological and neurological responses, and other behaviours in animals and humans.
As both a scientific discipline and a profession, psychology relates to virtually every aspect of people's lives. Through research, psychology plays an integral role in understanding and predicting human behaviour. Through clinical practice, psychology strives to help people live more productive and fulfilling lives.
The Department of Psychology offers a variety of courses and the option of obtaining a major, minor or Honours in psychology as part of the Bachelor of Arts degree.
Why take Psychology at TRU?
Experience small class sizes and engaging opportunities! To better understand the fascinating field of psychology, first-year students participate in research studies conducted by upper-year students and faculty. Upper-year students have the opportunity to conduct research in the Honours program, by taking Directed Studies and Research Apprenticeship courses, or getting involved in faculty research, as research assistants and volunteers. Our students enjoy intimate classroom settings with dedicated, knowledgeable, and caring professors who have an exciting range of research interests.
Opportunities for Students
A chance to learn, research and explore in a supportive environment!
The department organizes conference trips for keen students to attend world-renowned conferences held by organizations such as the Association for Psychological Science (APS), the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), the Canadian Society for Brain, Behaviour, and Cognitive Science (CSBBCS), and the Society for Affective Science (SAS).
There are also other paid opportunities available for Psychology students. Students can apply to work as a Teaching Assistant, which involves helping professors and students in a particular Psychology course. Please check the Psychology Major Moodle Hub and Career Connections to see if there any available job postings. To be eligible for the Teaching Assistant Position, students must meet the following criteria:
- Enrolled in an undergraduate program at TRU
- Completed at least 50% of their current program of study
- Enrolled in at least 3.0 credits for the semester in which they would be employed
- A minimum GPA of 3.5
- Demonstrate English language proficiency
WorkStudy is a TRU funded financial assistance program which offers an opportunity for full-time Canadian students with financial need to work part-time in positions that accommodate their studies. Please visit Work Study for information on if you qualify and open positions.
In the Co-operative Education program, students alternate study terms with paid, monitored work-terms in professional industry, non-profit, private business, and public sector organizations. This program provides students with a great way to learn valuable career skills and an opportunity to test-drive the wide variety of career options. For more information, please visit Co-op Education.
Students who have declared Psychology as their major also have access to the Psychology Major Moodle Hub. This Hub contains information and resources on various topics, such as planning your degree, different careers in Psychology, research opportunities, work and volunteer opportunities, and on-campus resources. Those enrolled also receive announcements for upcoming events, like the Psychology Socials and guest speaker presentations. If you are not enrolled and are interested, please contact the psyclab@tru.ca and provide your student number.
The Psychology lab (AE 107) is a friendly place open to all psychology students. It is equipped with computers, a printer, a projector, SPSS and Jamovi software for analyzing data, a large table, comfy chairs, and assistance from the Psychology lab technician.
Careers for Graduates
Whether your undergraduate degree is a stepping stone to further education (such as a M.A. or Ph.D.) or you want to go right into the work force, our graduates are successful!
