Get inside other people’s heads
Explore the frontiers of the mind. Examine human behaviour from a variety of perspectives, including neuroscience, cognition, clinical, developmental, industrial/organizational, and social psychology.
Then deepen your understanding with complementary courses in other subject areas, such as legal studies, sociology, biology, and health studies.
Want to customize your program even further? Work with one of our award-winning professors to design a directed studies course around your specific interest. Or get some work experience by enrolling in the co-op stream.
Graduate ready to make an impact. Waterloo Psychology is ranked in the top 100 in the world (Shanghai World University Rankings 2020), and its alumni are treating mental illnesses, improving approaches to education, and creating more satisfying workplaces everyday.
International exchanges in 25 countries
Offered by the Faculty of Arts
Available as a major and minor
Admission requirements
Ontario students: six Grade 12 U and/or M courses including
- Any Grade 12 U English (minimum final grade of at least 70%)
Mathematics of Data Management is recommended.
Admission average: Low 80s (co-op and regular)
We recommend completing the Admission Information Form once you've applied.
Not studying in Ontario? Search our admission requirements.
How to apply
Apply to Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business and choose Psychology as your major at the end of first year.
After applying you may choose to co-register through Renison University College or St. Jerome's University, both located on Waterloo's campus. You'll earn a Waterloo degree but have a smaller community as your home base.
Hannah is focused on using her studies for good. As an Honours Arts Psychology student with a minor in Philosophy, she’s applying lessons from the classroom to the real world through volunteer and research opportunities, giving her peers the tools they need to practice self-care and compassion.
Get tips from Waterloo students
Sign up for insider advice that can help you now and in the future.
Monthly topics include how to choose a university program, what it's like to be a Waterloo student, and more.
Questions? Ask a student!
Contact an Arts student ambassador to learn about their experience.
Ask them questions such as why they chose their program, what the classes are like, and how you can get involved on campus.

Apply via Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business
Earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology
Ready to learn more?
- Visit the Department of Psychology website
- Email Samantha Boehmer, our Arts recruitment co-ordinator, who can answer any questions about the program
- Subscribe to our newsletter to get tips and advice from current students
- Related programs
Research at Waterloo
Learn from the best
Waterloo’s internationally renowned Psychology program consistently rates among the best in Canada, ranking ninth in 2020 Maclean's survey of Canadian universities.
Serious experience
At Waterloo, you’ll get to conduct hands-on research in our state-of-the-art labs. Take advantage of EEG machines, eye-tracking equipment, virtual reality rigs, and more.
Current research
Visit our Waterloo Stories website to learn about research in Psychology being conducted at Waterloo