Undergraduate Studies
The Department of Psychology is located within the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences. Undergraduate students studying Psychology first, second and/or third year modules include students from the Faculties of Arts and Humanities; Law; and Community and Health Sciences. Our Undergraduate modules include the following:| FIRST YEAR | SECOND YEAR | THIRD YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| PSY111 Introduction to Psychology |
PSY211 Human Development |
PSY311 Psychopathology |
| PSY112 Brain and Behaviour |
PSY214 Introduction to Psychological Interventions |
PSY312 Introduction to Personality Theories |
| PSY121 Psychology of Child Development |
PSY213 Introduction to Psychopathology |
PSY321 Research Methods and Statistics |
| PSY123 Introduction to Research Methods and Statistics |
PSY221 Research Methods and Statistics |
PSY322 Social Identity and Oppression |
| PSY223* Community Psychology |
||
| PSY224* Health Psychology |
The Department does not offer an undergraduate 'degree' in psychology (such as the BPsych degree). If you would like to become a psychologist, you would need to apply for a degree in the Arts and Humanities faculty and select psychology as a major (i.e. take all psychology modules offered at the undergraduate level). If your intention is to become a psychologist, please read through the 'How to become a psychologist at UWC' infographics sheet.
Following the completion of a required undergraduate Bachelors' degree, students may apply for Honours in Psychology. At which point (if they are accepted) they become students of the Department of Psychology and the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences.
For more information on our psychology undergraduate modules, please read through the Undergraduate Psychology Information Booklet.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Are there any special requirements for this course?
- Other than the admission requirements, there are no other special requirements.
- Will I be a Psychologist after completing my BA degree?
- No, after completing all three years with Psychology as a major subject, students need to apply (within their third year) for the Honours programme. Thereafter, students would complete an Honours degree. During their Honours' year (or after), they need to apply for one of the professional masters' programmes. The Department currently offers the following masters' programmes leading to registration with the HPCSA as a Research Psychologist or Clinical Psychologist.
- Formal postgraduate university training is followed by further training via internship placements, as well as community service (in the case of clinical psychology). After their internship, students write a board examination set up by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Only after successfully completing these various components, will an applicant be recognised as a psychologist. The minimum time taken to become a clinical psychologist is 7 years.
- What is the difference between the B.Psych and the BA Psychology Degree?
- The B.Psych programme has unfortunately been phased out at UWC. It was a 4-year programme, inclusive of a 6-month internship, which led to (after the written HPCSA examination) registration as a counsellor.
- How do I contact the Department of Psychology with a query about a specific programme?
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First year: psych1-queries@uwc.ac.za
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Second year: psy2queries@uwc.ac.za
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Third year, specific to each module: psych311queries@gmail.com; psych312queries@gmail.com; psych321queries@gmail.com; psych322queries@gmail.com
