Courses
Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Psychology-2025/2026
| Core Courses | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory (Core) Courses: The Minimum Cumulative GPA for Core Courses is 2.5 (Bridging students enter level 5 of the BBP1 program and must complete BSCI-7002, SOCI-7016, ECED-7003 and COMM-7008 from previous levels of the program.) | ||||
Group 1 | ||||
| LEVEL 1 - In addition to the following mandatory courses, please refer to the Non-Core Level 1 requirement below | ||||
| PSYC-7044 | Principles of Psychology | 3 | ||
| This is a survey course in psychology, exploring psychology's orientation and subfields, its guiding principles and research strategies. Through learning about the scope of psychology's subfields and the interrelationships among them, students are encouraged to appreciate the diversity and richness of human behaviour. Students acquire knowledge about the key concepts that constitute the core of the introductory psychology curriculum. | ||||
| BSCI-7008 | History of Behaviour | 3 | ||
| This course will introduce students to the philosophical underpinnings of the science of human behaviour and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). The course will take students on a journey through how the philosophy became a science. Students will learn about influential scientists in the field of ABA, and will examine their role in the field's development. | ||||
| BSCI-7001 | Disability Studies | 3 | ||
| This course will dissect various definitions and approaches to disability. A focus will be placed on the philosophical underpinnings of disability studies, while also examining how disability is constructed in society (e.g. in the media, workplace, and family, and through environmental barriers). | ||||
| ECED-7004 | Human Development-Foundations | 3 | ||
| The course introduces the study of human development from a developmental health perspective. Recent findings about early brain development and genetic expression join traditional theories from development psychology and population health perspectives into a framework of understanding that is the foundation for working with young children and their families. | ||||
Group 2 | ||||
| LEVEL 2 - In addition to the following mandatory courses, please refer to the Non-Core Level 2 requirement below | ||||
| PSYC-7045 | Psychology: My Mind & Behaviour | 3 | ||
| Have you ever wondered why you think the way you do? Why you behave the way you do? And why others are so similar yet so different from you? In this introductory psychology course, we examine the biological, social, and cognitive factors that make us who we are. We discuss our development,the power of our brain, how we learn and remember, and how we interpret the world around us. We delve into our complex thought processes, the motivations behind our behaviours, and the influence of social relationships, emotions, and stress on our health and well-being. Finally, we examine the causes and treatments of psychologicaldisorders, such as depression, anxiety,schizophrenia, and antisocial personality disorder. Through this course, students will gain insight into the factors that influence the way they think and behave. | ||||
| BSCI-7002 | Developmental Disabilities in Ontario | 3 | ||
| While the title of this course is Developmental Disabilities in Ontario, the course begins by exposing students to laws, rulings, and vital bills within a broader North American framework. Students will learn about the Disability Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) from the United States. The focus of the course then turns to a Canadian context, examining how the country moved from an institutionalization model to deinstitutionalization, the transition to social inclusion, and key aspects of the Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Finally, narrowing in on Ontario, focus will turn to the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, the Ontario Disability Support Program Act, and finally the Education Act, including relevant policy/program memorandums (e.g. PPM 8, PPM 140, PPM 156). | ||||
| BSCI-7009 | Intro to Applied Behaviour Analysis 1 | 3 | ||
| This is the first of two introductory courses on Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). This course will introduce students to the multifaceted field of ABA. Students will examine and practice the core concepts, principles, and techniques of the field. Students will gain experience accessing and interpreting journal articles published within the field of ABA. | ||||
| ECED-7006 | Human Development-The Early Years | 3 | ||
| The study of early human development from an interdisciplinary perspective begun in the introductory course continues. Students examine how early experiences set trajectories for lifelong health, well-being, competence and coping abilities. The development of self-regulation, social competence, communicating and learning from early childhood through the middle years are examined from multiple perspectives. Students consider the impact of social and physical environments and have an opportunity to practice a variety of observation methods. | ||||
Group 3 | ||||
| LEVEL 3 | ||||
| BSCI-7003 | Ethics & Professionalism | 3 | ||
| A strong understanding of ethics and professionalism is vital to all students and professionals within the field of Behavioural Psychology. This course will introduce the foundations of ethical thinking and will review the different perspectives and rationale for ethical decision-making within a behavioural framework. Students will be introduced to professional codes of ethics that are essential for ethical practice. They will learn how to think critically and apply general ethical principles to particular situations through the use of case studies, practice vignettes, structured exercises, and group discussions. This course will provide participants with the basis for developing ethical guidelines for practice and examining areas related to legislative acts. It provides an overview of the BCBA guidelines of responsible conduct for a behaviour analyst and the ONTABA/ABAI standards of practice. Students will also learn how to evaluate their own professional expertise and limitations to plan for ongoing professional development. | ||||
| BSCI-7010 | Intro to Applied Behaviour Analysis 2 | 3 | ||
| This course builds on the Introduction to ABA 1. This course will continue to introduce students to behavoural concepts and will demonstrate how ABA can be applied in various settings and with various populations. | ||||
| BSCI-7011 | Intro- ASD & Developmental Disabilities | 3 | ||
| This course will introduce students to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down Syndrome, Fragile X, other genetically based developmental disabilities, and intellectual disabilities. Core features, diagnostic criteria, and typical treatment for a variety of developmental disabilities will be discussed as outlined in the DSM-V. The course will discuss dual diagnosis and the prevalence of mental illnesses in individuals with developmental disabilities. Students will explore factors such as health problems, limited understanding, skill deficits, communication limitations, and lack of control within a range of disabilities, and how these factors affect an individual's behaviour. | ||||
| ECED-7003 | Applied Research Methods | 3 | ||
| Students will examine the various components of the research process and how they relate to the development of supportable conclusions, the generation of new ideas, and the quality of research findings. This course introduces the research process, including formulating research questions, understanding qualitative and quantitative research, sampling, measurement, research design, and data analysis. Students will examine theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of research. | ||||
| ECED-7009 | Human Development to Late Adult | 3 | ||
| This course explores physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development at four age periods: adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood. Students consider family relationships and parenting issues across the life cycle. Using an interdisciplinary perspective, theoretical concepts and relevant age-specific issues (e.g., teen sexuality, family patterns of interactions, marriage, death and bereavement) are analyzed and synthesized for each age period within the lifespan context. | ||||
Group 4 | ||||
| LEVEL 4 | ||||
| BSCI-7012 | Skill Acquisition Programs | 3 | ||
| This course presents a comprehensive review of procedures for selecting and organizing curriculum plans for the skill acquistion aspect of behaviour intervention plans. Behavioural principals and teaching strategies will be thoroughly discussed in terms of which may be appropriate for a variety of populations and contexts. Students will be taught the Verbal Behavior Milestone and Placement Program (VBMAPP) and the Assessment of Functional Living Skills (AFLS). Specifically, students will be taught how to run and score both, and how to determine suitable skill acquisition curriculum based on results. Additional topics include environmental adaptations, various error correction and prompting procedures, and the relevant research surrounding what to use and when. | ||||
| BSCI-7013 | Treating Challenging Behaviour | 3 | ||
| Students will be exposed to a number of procedures that are used to assess challenging behaviours. Topics that will be dissected include functions of behaviour, functional behaviour assessment and analysis, scientifically validated techniques for treating challenging behaviour, ethical implications of treating challenging behaviour, and a wide variety of data collection methods relevant to treating challenging behaviour. Students will consider how to utilize these assessments, techniques, and ethical implications with individuals with a variety of diagnoses and from a variety of populations. This course is designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of challenging behaviours in a variety of contexts. It prepares students to conduct both direct and indirect assessments of behaviour, use techniques to manage behaviour, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in a systematic manner. | ||||
| SOCI-7016 | Family Studies-Research & Application | 3 | ||
| The social construct of 'family' and the different expectations of children and teachers across cultures are examined in this course. Concepts of 'class', 'race', 'racism', and 'ethnic relations' are studied within the context of globalization, migration, refugee and settlement experience. Students expand their understanding of parenting processes and examine work-family balance. Students examine a range of theoretical perspectives and research on family issues and consider their application in working with families, engaging families and supporting parenting within early childhood programs. | ||||
| COMM-7026 | Professional Communication | 3 | ||
| Students will gain skills required to communicate in a professional manner with both individuals within the field of behaviour and lay people. Written communication such as report writing, grant proposals, and experimental summaries will be one focus. Students will practice presenting information in both a computer-assisted manner and through poster presentations. Because Applied Behaviour Analysis is a jargon heavy field, the course will stress the important skill of communicating in an accurate manner that the general public can understand. | ||||
| FLDP-7013 | Basic Practicum | 5.6 | ||
| Students will have the opportunity to directly observe and apply principles of ABA within an agency while receiving supervision from a professional in the field. Students will be immersed in the field and will gain valuable professional knowledge and experience in working with multiple populations in schools and agencies within the human services sector. Feedback from the agency and the college will be provided to the student and will support the student for their next placement and internship. | ||||
| FLDP-7020 | Practicum Seminar 1 | 2 | ||
| Building on the foundational knowledge acquired in academic courses, this seminar aims to deepen personal and professional development by fostering reflection and support related to students' field placement experiences in Behavioural Psychology. Students will develop professional goals that enhance their sense of responsibility and expand their expertise as emerging professionals. Effective communication, ethical practice and implementation of basic ABA is emphasized. | ||||
Group 5 | ||||
| LEVEL 5 - In addition to the following mandatory courses, please refer to the Non-Core Level 5 requirement below | ||||
| PSYC-7083 | Theories of Counselling | 3 | ||
| There are numerous theories of how to best provide counselling. Group counselling, couples counselling, and individual counselling can all be customized through an underlying theory and approach. This course will explain a variety of theories of counselling. The introduction of each theory will begin with a basic summary describing the key features and information about how it significantly contributed to the field of counselling. Next, students will be given a basic overview of the counselling process, discuss the distinct relationship between the counsellor and client, and explore the concepts that the theory employs when approaching a client and their problem. Finally, students will review how goals are identified and made into a treatment plan. | ||||
| MGMT-7003 | Leadership in a Tech World | 3 | ||
| Technology is an effective management tool for early childhood programs. Students explore theoretical and practical approaches for planning, implementing and evaluating technology in early childhood programs. Effective practices are debated and implications for the early childhood profession and pedagogy are examined. | ||||
| RSCH-7006 | Statistics in Human Behaviour | 3 | ||
| This course investigates the fundamental principles of statistics that are commonly used in the field of psychology and human behaviour. This includes descriptive, exploratory, and inferential statistics. Through interactive activities and using computer software, students will be introduced to probability, interpreting raw data, and answering questions using various statistical methods. | ||||
| PSYC-7071 | Mental Health Across the Lifespan | 3 | ||
| This course is an introduction to mental health diagnoses outlined in the DSM 5, including their importance and prevalence and their various features at different developmental stages. Students will explore how mental health is viewed by different cultural and ethnic groups. The course explores the history of intervention and support for individuals with psychiatric disabilities and the changes that have occurred in the field, particularly the shift from the narrow biomedical approach to the Recovery/ Empowerment approach. Evidence-based interventions and non-evidence based interventions will be discussed and students will be encouraged to think critically about alternatives to conventional treatment, determining which are evidence-based. Students will explore the interventions and supports a behavioural clinician would implement with various mental health challenges. | ||||
| RSCH-7003 | Single-Subject Research Design | 3 | ||
| This course exposes students to single-subject research design, the research design used in the majority of behavioural psychology research. Withdrawal, alternating treatment, changing criterion, and multiple-baseline designs will be explored in-depth for their advantages and disadvantages and threats to internal validity. Students will learn how to plot data on each type of design. Students will practice analyzing data through visual analysis using trend, variability, and level. | ||||
Group 6 | ||||
| LEVEL 6 - In addition to the following mandatory courses, please refer to the Non-Core Level 6 requirement below | ||||
| PSYC-7072 | Behavioural Counselling | 3 | ||
| This course will introduce behavioural approaches to counselling, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and discuss behavioural influences on counselling. Students will gain knowledge about the frameworks and defining features of behavioural approaches to counselling, and will explore their implementation with different populations for various problems, the concept of goal formation, and the client-therapist relationship. | ||||
| BSCI-7014 | Mediator Training | 3 | ||
| Effective intervention goes beyond the individual's time with their therapist or teacher; when the concepts of ABA extend beyond that time, meaningful change can occur in many environments. Mediator training is used when a practitioner trains family or relevant professionals to deliver behaviour analytic programming. This course explores common approaches to individual and group training, with a focus on typical issues such as procedural integrity, program evaluation, providing meaningful feedback, and monitoring training. Students will apply behavioural concepts within their approach to training others. | ||||
| BSCI-7015 | Behavioural Psychology in Education | 3 | ||
| This course will expand on previous courses, building on students' knowledge of basic behaviour analytic assessment and intervention strategies. Concepts and current issues surrounding behavioural psychology and the education system will be the focus of this course. Students will determine relevant assessments and interventions for varying age brackets (kindergarten through post-secondary), and will analyze the social significance and achievability of goals. Students will gain experience adapting assessments, interventions, and requirements for exceptional student populations in order to increase their success within the education system. | ||||
| FLDP-7014 | Advanced Practicum | 5.6 | ||
| In this second placement, students will work alongside professionals in the field of ABA to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired in a practical setting. Feedback from faculty and staff within their placement will guide the student's behaviour and enhance their learning. | ||||
| FLDP-7021 | Practicum Seminar 2 | 2 | ||
| Students build on the foundational knowledge gained during the first field seminar to actively plan and reflect on practical experiences in an interdisciplinary behavioural psychology practice setting. In this seminar, students work collaboratively with peers to discuss relevant academic literature related to professional practice and the field of behavioral psychology more broadly. Emphasis is placed on effective communication and ethical practice. Students engage in self-reflection and provide peer support to plan and implement their practicum-based project, which is identified as useful for their placement organization or agency. | ||||
Group 7 | ||||
| LEVEL 7 - In addition to the following mandatory courses, please refer to the Non-Core Level 7 requirement below | ||||
| BSCI-7006 | Organizational Behaviour Management | 3 | ||
| Organizational Behaviour Management (OBM) utilizes the concepts and theories of ABA to stimulate performance change on an individual or company level. This course applies skills learned in previous courses such as assessment, intervention, and training to implementation at the organizational level. To implement ABA in a company effectively, one needs an understanding of common organizational practices, performance management systems, and evaluation process design within organizations. This course describes how the application of ABA knowledge and skills can bring about meaningful change in organizations. | ||||
| BSCI-7016 | Brain Injury, Assessment & Treatment | 3 | ||
| This course investigates acquired brain injury and the various brain systems by contrasting the neurotypical brain to the brain with acquired brain injury. Students will learn about common sequelae, treatment/intervention, and the recovery process. Behavioural approaches, cognitive interventions, and neuroplasticity will be explored in relation to acquired brain injury. | ||||
| BSCI-7017 | Behavioural Psychology & Addictions | 3 | ||
| This course will introduce students to theories and types of addictions. The course examines the processes and mechanisms (biological and behavioural) that underlie addiction, as well as assessment and screening methods. Addiction will be explored through a neurological framework by observing brain activity. In addition to addiction to substances, a portion of the course will be spent discussing other addictive behaviours such as gambling, food, shopping, and gaming. The course will address a behavioural approach to treatment, and also introduce other effective types of interventions. | ||||
| RSCH-7004 | Applied Thesis 1 | 3 | ||
| The first of two applied thesis courses will support students in their work on their independent thesis projects. Students will formulate a research topic based on their completed literature review from the Professional Communication course. This course will give students the opportunity to produce a literature review specific to their research question and begin the research phase of their thesis. Small groups will meet together during class time to support one another and provide feedback. By the end of the course, students will have a research proposal complete with hypothesis, literature review, and plan for conducting research. Students will also have completed their project's ethics application. | ||||
Group 8 | ||||
| LEVEL 8 - In addition to the following mandatory courses, please refer to the Non-Core Level 8 requirement below | ||||
| BSCI-7007 | Health, Well-Being & Gerontology | 3 | ||
| In this course, students will learn about the behavioural approaches to health, well-being, and gerontology. Although health and well-being are vital to living into old age, many people engage in activities that could have detrimental effects on living a long life. In the first part of the course, students will look at how people make lifestyle choices and how they can improve those choices through a behavioural perspective. The latter half of the course will look at aging, with particular emphasis placed on dementia and Alzheimer's. Specifically, students will explore symptomology, impact on the individual and their family, common challenges, current brain research, and the roles and expertise of various professionals within an interdisciplinary care team. Students will examine how behavioural psychology can be utilized with individuals with dementia and Alzheimer's. | ||||
| COMM-7027 | Interdisciplinary Practice | 3 | ||
| The purpose of this course is to prepare students to work in an effective and meaningful way amongst a variety of professionals who come from different educational backgrounds. Students will learn about the expertise that various professionals bring to an interdisciplinary team, and the different roles that they play. Students will practice taking on the role of various professionals within an interdisciplinary meeting to practice effective communication and facilitation of team collaboration. This course emphasizes the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to work effectively and communicate with others in order to provide the best treatment outcomes for clients. | ||||
| RSCH-7005 | Applied Thesis 2 | 3 | ||
| This course builds on the earlier course, Applied Thesis I. Students will formulate their thesis by combining and synthesizing information into a cohesive package. The completed project may be either a research project completed utilizing single-subject case design, or, with instructor approval, it may take the form of a training manual, workshop, or program curriculum. | ||||
Group 9 | ||||
| Internship - Usually Completed after Level 6 | ||||
| FLDP-7019 | Internship | 11.2 | ||
| Description: The internship is a 14 week work experience (a total of 420 hours) in an environment where the student can apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired in the fields of disability studies and Applied Behaviour Analysis. Appropriate sectors in which students may complete their internship include: education, social services, community organizations, clinical settings, and health agencies; placement opportunities will depend on the student's interests and goals and on the needs and capacities of community partners. Depending on demand and student interest, the internship may be local, national, or international. Students will learn from, and collaborate with, professionals in the field and they will develop a professional portfolio documenting their implementation of behavioural skills across all of the work-integrated learning components of the program. | ||||
| Non-Core Courses | ||||
| Take the following Mandatory (Non-Core) Courses: The Minimum Cumulative GPA for Non-Core courses is 2.0 | ||||
Group 1 | ||||
| LEVEL 1 | ||||
| COMM-7009 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 | ||
| The course emphasizes self-knowledge and professional development through the mastery of effective interpersonal skills while addressing leadership skills, advocacy and conflict resolution. Students build a foundation in effective communication theory and practice within the context of early childhood settings. Particular emphasis is given to communication competence in a multicultural, interdisciplinary, child- and family-focused workplace. | ||||
Group 2 | ||||
| LEVEL 2 | ||||
| COMM-7008 | Composition & Rhetoric | 3 | ||
| Composition and Rhetoric is an advanced level communications breadth course that focuses on argument and persuasion and examines theoretical models for organizing arguments and presenting evidence, use of primary and secondary sources in research, and student opportunities to construct their own arguments. Functions and strategies of argument are examined through reading, writing, and oral presentations. | ||||
Group 3 | ||||
| Gen Ed - Electives Take 6 General Education Elective Credits at the Introductory Level from two of the following subjects - Humanities (HUMA), Global Culture (GBLC), Math (MATH), Science (PHYS) - Normally taken in Levels 5 and 6 | ||||
Group 4 | ||||
| Take 6 General Education Elective Credits at the Upper Level (Non-Introductory) - Normally taken in Levels 7 and 8 | ||||
Group 5 | ||||
| Take 6 General Education Elective Credits at either the Introductory or Upper Level - Normally taken in Levels 6 and 8 | ||||
| Program Residency | ||||
| Students Must Complete a Minimum of 37 credits in this program at Fanshawe College to meet the Program Residency requirement and graduate from this program | ||||