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

Admission

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 Grade Point Average of at least 5.0; a grade of at least B- in PSYCH 1FF3  or 1XX3  (See Note 8 below); credit in 3 units from BIOLOGY 1A03 , 1A02, 1A01, 1M03 , 1P03  or Grade 12 Biology U (See Note 9 below); credit in MATH 1LS3  or MATH 1A03  (See Note 1 below); and credit in MUSIC 1A03  or 1AA3  (See Note 2 below).

Notes

1. Students with Grade 12 Calculus and Vectors U must take MATH 1LS3  or 1A03 . Students with Grade 12 Advanced Functions U must complete MATH 1F03  prior to completing MATH 1LS3  or 1A03 . Students with Grade 11 Math must first take MATH 1K03  prior to completing MATH 1F03  and then one of MATH 1LS3  or 1A03 .
2. MUSIC 1A03  or 1AA3  is required for admission, however, completion of both are required by the end of Level IV.
3. Students who have completed Grade 3 History (or History 1, now Level 9 History) or Grade 5 History (or History 3, now ARCT History) 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 (or History 2, now Level 10 History) are not required to complete MUSIC 1A03  either for admission to the Music Cognition Specialization or to fulfill their degree requirements. If one or both course requirements are waived, it is recommended these units be replaced with other MUSIC courses.
4. Completion of MUSIC 1CR3  is required by the end of level II, however, it is recommended the course be completed in Level I. Students who have completed Advanced Rudiments (or Grade 2 Rudiments) from the Royal Conservatory of Music (a grade of 80% or above, within the last two years) or a grade of 70% or above on a qualifying music theory exam administered by the School of the Arts (SOTA) are not required to complete MUSIC 1CR3 . If the course requirement is waived, it is recommended these units be replaced with other MUSIC courses. Appointments can be made with SOTA to write the qualifying music theory exam on specific dates between February and May. The content of the exam is summarized at: https://sota.humanities.mcmaster.ca/
5. Students considering applying to graduate school should complete a course with a strong research component such as MUSICCOG 3QQ3 A/B S , 4D06 A/B , 4QQ3 A/B S ; PNB 3QQ3 A/B S , 4D06 A/B , 4D09 A/B , 4QQ3 A/B S , PNB 4QQ6 A/B . Students wishing to complete undergraduate research are expected to (a) find their own research supervisor and (b) complete the appropriate application/permission forms by the deadline indicated on the PNB website (https://pnb.mcmaster.ca/undergraduate/experiential-opportunities/research-2/). 
6. Students may take a maximum of 6 units from SOCPSY 3B03 , 3C03 , 3F03 , 3H03 , 3M03 , 3OP3 , 3ZZ3 ; towards the Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour Course List.
7. Students are encouraged to complete both PSYCH 3A03  and 3H03 as part of the Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour Course List requirement.
8. Either PSYCH 1FF3  or 1XX3  is required for Admission but PSYCH 1XX3  is recommended. Completion of one of PSYCH 1F03  or 1X03  is required by the end of Level II but PSYCH 1X03  is recommended in Level I.
9. It is recommended that students take BIOLOGY 1M03  in Level I, and BIOLOGY 1A03  in Level II.

Capstone Course List

• MUSICCOG 4D06 A/B - Thesis in Music Cognition
• MUSICCOG 4QQ3 A/B S - Experimental Laboratory in Music Cognition II
• PNB 4D06 A/B - Senior Thesis
• PNB 4E03 - Topics in Social Diversity
• PNB 4J03 - Inquiry in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
• PNB 4Q03 A/B S - Senior Independent Library Study
• PNB 4QQ3 A/B S - Senior Independent Research
• PNB 4QQ6 A/B - Senior Independent Research
• PNB 4SC6 A/B - Science Communication in the Behavioural Sciences
• PSYCH 4R03 - Special Topics in Animal Behaviour
• CMTYENGA 4A06 - Semester at CityLAB: Design and Dialogue Inquiry
• SUSTAIN 4S06 A/B - Leadership in Sustainability
• HTHSCI 4D06 A/B S - Senior Project in Engaging the City

Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour Course List

• BIOLOGY 3P03 - Cell Physiology
• BIOLOGY 4T03 - Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
• HTHSCI 4BB3 - Neuroimmunology
• HUMBEHV 3MD3 - Research Methods for Applied Psychology in Human Behaviour
• LIFESCI 3BB3 - Neurobiology of Disease
• LIFESCI 3E03 - Reproductive Endocrinology
• LIFESCI 3K03 - Neural Control of Human Movement
• LINGUIST 2PS3 - Psycholinguistics
• LINGUIST 3C03 - Child Language Acquisition
• LINGUIST 3NL3 - Cognitive Neuroscience of Language
• MUSIC 2MT3 - Introduction to the Practice of Music Therapy
• MUSICCOG 3QQ3 A/B S - Experimental Laboratory in Music Cognition I
• NEUROSCI 3J03 - Visual Neuroscience
• NEUROSCI 3MN3 - Computational Models in Neuroscience
• NEUROSCI 3SN3 - Neural Circuits
• PNB 2A03 - Python for PNB
• All Level III and IV PNB courses,

Requirements

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

Requirements For Students Who Entered in September 2024 or Prior

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

Requirements (Effective September 2026)

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