COURSE CURRICULUM

The three-year Bachelor of Arts Community Studies (BACS) in Psychology at Cape Breton University is designed to provide a scientific understanding of human behaviour while integrating community-focused learning and interdisciplinary studies. In the first year, students take introductory psychology courses along with core community studies and general arts electives, focusing on foundational topics such as behaviour, cognition, development, personality, and social psychology, as well as basic research and writing skills. In the second year, students move into core areas including learning, cognition, developmental psychology, social psychology, personality theory, research methods, and data analysis, gaining a stronger understanding of how psychological processes are studied and measured scientifically. In the third year, the curriculum becomes more advanced and applied, with courses in abnormal psychology, physiological psychology, sensation and perception, motivation and emotion, mental health, and applied social psychology, along with opportunities for research projects and seminar-based learning. Across all three years, students develop strong skills in critical thinking, statistical analysis, communication, and research design, while exploring how psychological knowledge applies to real-world issues such as mental health, education, and community well-being. The flexible BACS structure also allows electives from other disciplines, preparing graduates for careers in social services, research, education, health-related fields, and further academic study.