Course Options
PSYC 4010Y Honours Thesis or PSYC 4020D Honours Thesis Double Credit
Students design and execute a major piece of psychological research under the supervision of departmental faculty and participate in periodic workshops and departmental colloquia. The thesis should be taken in the final year of the student's degree.
- PSYC 4020D is a double credit for Psychology majors.
- PSYC 4010Y is a single credit involving submission of the same thesis to the other department/program of a joint-major.
Prerequisite: A grade of 75% or higher in each of PSYC 3016H and 3017H (or in PSYC 3015Y); at least 0.5 credit from each of A2, B2, A3, and B3 categories; an average of 75% or higher in all PSYC courses completed; and permission of the department.
Information Sessions for the 2026/2027 Academic Year
The first round of applications is due on March 6, 2026, but applications for the 2026–2027 term will remain open until the add/drop date in September 2026.
Peterborough - Thesis & Graduate School presentation will be February 6th, 2026 @ 2pm - 4pm- DNA B110.2
Durham - Thesis presentation will be February 26th, 2026 @ 1:30pm - 3:00pm in DRA 106
Important Dates & Deadlines
- October/February: attend the department information session.
- Early March: thesis application is due (date announced at info session).
- Late May/early June: after final grades have been submitted, students who have completed all prerequisites will receive final acceptance email message, with acknowledgments to supervisor.
- Late July/early August: The Psychology Department will send a list of students to be enrolled into the Honours Thesis course to the Registrar's Office (you do not need to enroll yourself).
- Summer before fourth year: students should meet with their supervisors and begin planning the thesis project. It is wise to do as much of the preparatory reading as possible over the remainder of the summer in order to be able to start writing the proposal soon after classes start in September.
- End of October: thesis proposal due
- Early April: submission of completed thesis
NOTE: Students who miss the March application deadline may apply during the usual priority registration period or over the summer.
How to apply
Step 1: Identify a Supervisor
It is the responsibility of the student to secure a Psychology faculty supervisor. Visit our Faculty and Research page to see which professors are currently available to supervise students. Take some time to explore the research being conducted by potential supervisors and consider whether it aligns with your interests.
Step 2: Contact Faculty
Reach out to the faculty member you are interested in working with by sending an email, connecting after class, or setting up a meeting.
Step 3: Complete and Submit Application
Once a faculty member has agreed to supervise you, complete the following form (both you and your supervisor will need to sign the form):
2026-2027 Honours Thesis Application
Please return the signed form, electronically or in-person, to:
- Peterborough - psychology@trentu.ca or the Psychology department office LHS C104.
- Durham - psychologydurham@trentu.ca or the Psychology department office DRA A148.
Step 4: Department Review and Enrollment
Your application form, along with your transcript, will be reviewed to ensure requirements of the Honours Thesis course are met. If there are no concerns, the department will enroll you into the course. You do not need to enroll yourself.
Additional information can be found in the Academic Calendar.