Honours Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour - Music Cognition Specialization (B.A.)

Admission

Admission to the program requires Advanced Rudiments (or Grade 2 Rudiments) from the Royal Conservatory of Music (a grade of 80% or above, within the last two years), or MUSIC 1C03  (with a grade of at least 75%), or a grade of 65% or above on a qualifying music theory exam administered by the School of the Arts (SOTA).

Enrolment in this program is limited.and possession of the published minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Selection is based on academic achievement but requires, as a minimum, completion of any Level I program with a Cumulative Average of at least 6.0; a grade of at least B- in each of PSYCH 1X03  and PSYCH 1XX3 ; credit in one of BIOLOGY 1A03 , BIOLOGY 1M03 , BIOLOGY 1P03  or Grade 12 Biology U; credit in one of MATH 1A03 , MATH 1LS3  or MATH 1M03  (See Note 2 below); and credit in MUSIC 1A03  or MUSIC 1AA3 . (See Note 4 below.)

Notes

1. Application for admission must be made by April 1. See Admission to Level II Programs  in Academic Regulations in this section of the Calendar.
2. Students with Grade 12 Calculus and Vectors U must take one of MATH 1A03 , MATH 1LS3  or MATH 1M03 . Students with Grade 12 Advanced Functions U must complete MATH 1F03  prior to completing one of MATH 1A03 , MATH 1LS3  or MATH 1M03 . Students with Grade 11 Math must first take MATH 1K03 . Students who obtain at least a B- in MATH 1K03 , may then take MATH 1M03 . Students who obtain less than B- in MATH 1K03 , must take MATH 1F03  prior to taking one of MATH 1A03 , MATH 1LS3  or MATH 1M03 .
3. Students wishing to take more advanced MATH courses are required to have at least a B- in MATH 1M03  or credit in MATH 1A03  or MATH 1LS3 .
4. MUSIC 1A03  or MUSIC 1AA3  is required for admission, however, completion of both are required by the end of Level IV.
5. Students who have completed Grade 3 History (History 1) or Grade 5 History (History 3) from the Royal Conservatory of Music, with a grade of at least 70%, are not required to complete MUSIC 1AA3 , and those students who have similarly obtained at least 70% on RCM Grade 4 History (History 2) are not required to complete MUSIC 1A03  either for admission to the Music Cognition Specialization or to fulfill their degree requirements
6. Entrance into MUSIC 1CC3  requires Advanced Rudiments (formerly Grade 2 Rudiments) from the Royal Conservatory of Music (a grade of 80% or above, within the last two years) or MUSIC 1C03  (with a grade of 75% or above.) or a grade of 65% or above on a qualifying music theory exam administered by the School of the Arts (SOTA). Appointments can be made with SOTA to write the exam on specific dates between February and May. The content of the exam is summarized at: http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/audition/index.html
7. Students having completed Grade 4 Theory (Harmony 4) from the Royal Conservatory of Music with a grade of 70% or better can receive advanced credit for MUSIC 1CC3 - Harmony .
8. Students considering applying to graduate school should complete a course with a strong research component such as MUSICCOG 3QQ3 , MUSICCOG 4D06 ; PNB 3QQ3 , PNB 4D06 , PNB 4D09 , PNB 4QQ3 .
9. Students who entered the program prior to September 2013, may substitute one of LINGUIST 3PS3 , PNB 3EE3 , PNB 3L03 , 3LL3, PNB 3MM3 , PNB 3QQ3 , PNB 3S03 , PNB 3V03 , PNB 4QQ3 , PSYCH 3PS3  for PNB 3RM3 . In this case, PNB 3QQ3  or PNB 4QQ3  must be completed under the supervision or co-supervision of a faculty member in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour.
10. MATH 1B03 - Linear Algebra I  and STATS 2D03 - Introduction to Probability  are strongly recommended for students intending to pursue graduate work in psychology or neuroscience. PHYSICS 2G03 - Scientific Computing  is strongly recommended for students interested in neuroscience, cognition and perception, and for students intending to pursue graduate work in Psychology.
11. PSYCH 3AB3 , PSYCH 3AC3 , PSYCH 3AG3 , PSYCH 3BA3 , PSYCH 3CB3 , PSYCH 3CD3  may only be used as electives.
12. The Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour pre-registration ballot will be done in two phases. The first phase will include the thesis courses (PNB 4D06 , PNB 4D09 ) and the Individual Study courses (PNB 3Q03 , PNB 3QQ3 , PNB 4Q03 , PNB 4QQ3 ). Students wishing to take these courses must complete and submit a ballot by mid February. Students will be informed of the outcome of the first phase by mid March. The second phase will include lab courses (PNB 3EE3 , PNB 3L03 , PNB 3MM3 , PNB 3RM3 , PNB 3S03 , PNB 3V03 ). Students wishing to take these courses must complete and submit a ballot by mid April. Specific dates will be announced during the fall term. Ballots can be obtained on the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour web site at: http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/pnb/.
13. Students are encouraged to complete both PSYCH 3A03  and PSYCH 3H03  as part of the Psychology Course List requirement.
14. Students who entered the program prior to September 2013, may use 6 units from PNB 3I06 , PNB 4A03 , 4B03, PNB 4G03 , PSYCH 4BN3 , PSYCH 4KK3 , 4L03, PSYCH 4MH3 , PSYCH 4R03 , PSYCH 4Y03  to fulfill the 6 units required from the Course List 2 (Capstone Courses).

Course List 2 (Capstone Courses)

• MUSICCOG 4D06 - Thesis In Music Cognition
• PNB 4D06 - Senior Thesis
• PNB 4J03 - Inquiry in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
• PNB 4Q03 - Advanced Individual Library Study
• PNB 4QQ3 - Advanced Individual Lab Study
• PNB 4SC6 - Science Communication

Course List 3 (Psychology Course List)

• All Level III and IV PNB courses
• All Levels III and IV PSYCH courses (except PSYCH 3AB3 , PSYCH 3AC3 , PSYCH 3AG3 , PSYCH 3BA3 , PSYCH 3CB3 , PSYCH 3CD3 )
• BIOLOGY 3P03 - Cell Physiology
• BIOLOGY 4T03 - Neurobiology
• HTH SCI 4BB3 - Neuroimmunology
• KINESIOL 3E03 - Neural Control of Human Movement
• KINESIOL 4P03 - The Brain and Human Movement
• LIFE SCI 3K03 - Neural Control of Human Movement
• LINGUIST 2PS3 - Psycholinguistics
• LINGUIST 3NL3 - Cognitive Neuroscience of Language
• MUSIC 2MT3 - Introduction to Music Therapy
• MUSIC 3MT3 - Current Issues in Music Therapy Research

Requirements

120 units total (Levels I to IV), of which no more than 48 units may be Level I

Requirements for Students Who Entered Prior to September 2011