Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Forensic Psychology

at Ontario Tech University Canada

Crime is not committed in a vacuum. It occurs in a particular socio-economic and political context. Criminology examines the broader social and individual contexts that lead to criminal behaviour. It also examines how criminal justice is shaped by larger social, political and technological contexts, and how those contexts are translated into practice in agencies such as the police, courts, corrections, the juvenile system and various social and government service agencies.

Our program explores and critically analyzes criminological and sociological theories of why people commit crime. It also examines how societies define crime and who is considered a criminal. Our program approaches the study of crime from an interdisciplinary perspective, drawing on a rich tradition from criminology, sociology, philosophy, psychology and law. In addition to examining why crime is committed, you will be encouraged to think about crime, criminal justice and its administration in ways that are consistent with the principles of fairness, equity, peace and justice.

You may pursue the comprehensive program or a specialization in:

• Criminal Justice
• Youth, Crime and Justice

Experiential learning

• A limited number of fourth-year students are granted an opportunity to participate in a learning experience with a community organization. The practicum is an experiential learning tool that provides students with opportunities to acquire workplace skills and knowledge, confront the relationship between theory and practice, and cultivate a sense of personal and professional development. The Practicum course consists of 100 hours of fieldwork, several in-class seminars and a set of academic assignments.

Biological science is the study of life at its most fundamental level. The foundational areas of cell biology, genetics and molecular biology, physiology, biochemistry and developmental biology are mastered in this program.

You can pursue the Honours Biological Science program or choose to specialize in one of the following areas:

• Environmental Toxicology:- Environmental toxicology is an interdisciplinary applied field involving health, agriculture, urban development and industry. It combines a strong base in biology and chemistry, with a focus on physiology, biochemistry, environmental science and environmental chemistry.
• Life Sciences:- This specialization consists of an integrated and focused concentration on biology and chemistry, with additional courses in neuroscience and human anatomy. You will gain a detailed understanding of the structure and functioning of the human body, how the brain and nervous systems work, and what happened when the brain degenerates and becomes damaged or disorganized.
• Pharmaceutical Biotechnology:- Biotechnology is a rapidly growing area with many applicants in health, agriculture and industry. This specialization combines a primary emphasis on biology and chemistry with molecular and cell biology, pharmacology, biochemistry and physiology. Students in this specialization also benefit from enhanced laboratory experience.
• Science and Management:- If you are interested in managerial and leadership roles, consider applying for the five-year Bachelor of Science and Management (Honours) program in your upper years of study. Graduates gain a solid foundation in the key functional areas of business and management, including finance, accounting, operations, project management and marketing.
• There is a wealth of opportunities for science graduates in industry, government, and in areas of applied science. The combination of a science degree and business and management education will give an added advantage to graduates in establishing careers within these practical fields.

The technology industry has long benefited from trained talents in Mathematics and Computer Science.  In recent years, there has been a steady increase in demand for individuals with skill sets that combine the two disciplines. New for the 2021-2022 academic year, the Integrated Mathematics and Computer Science program focuses on where these two disciplines converge, and the practical application of computer knowledge and mathematical principles. 

Through the Integrated Mathematics and Computer Science program, you’ll develop a strong foundation in both Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, with access to courses taught by area experts in both fields.  Building upon a comprehensive and integrated curriculum of mathematics, computer science, and statistics, you'll learn to solve complex and socially relevant problems using tools in computer programming and mathematical analysis in an immersive and experiential learning environment. 

The curriculum offers flexibility in upper-year courses, tailored for a wide range of career trajectories and interests. Through program-specific application and integration courses, you’ll engage in experiential learning through self-directed group projects inspired by industry problems and initiatives. 

Experiential learning
A five-year Co-operative Education option is available; it satisfies the guidelines of the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education . The program combines an Honours Bachelor of Science program with embedded work terms. The co-op option gives you opportunities to apply your classroom and lab concepts to real-world situations and help you gain valuable, relevant work experience to promote networking and lifelong career success.
 
Co-op work terms give you the opportunity to earn a competitive salary that will help pay for your university degree, and the work experience to help clarify your career objectives. More importantly, a co-op degree gives you a distinct advantage that will assist your prospects for full-time employment after graduation or for being readily accepted into graduate school to pursue further studies. Studies have shown that university students who graduate with a co-op degree have lower debt loads, are employed faster and have higher starting salaries.
 
We are committed to providing you with outstanding opportunities to work with today’s highest-quality employers in business and industry. Our university has developed strong partnerships with leading employers in Durham Region and beyond to allow you to connect with experts in the field and gain

Biological science is the study of life at its most fundamental level. The foundational areas of cell biology, genetics and molecular biology, physiology, biochemistry and developmental biology are mastered in this program.

You can pursue the Honours Biological Science program or choose to specialize in one of the following areas:

• Environmental Toxicology:- Environmental toxicology is an interdisciplinary applied field involving health, agriculture, urban development and industry. It combines a strong base in biology and chemistry, with a focus on physiology, biochemistry, environmental science and environmental chemistry.
• Life Sciences:- This specialization consists of an integrated and focused concentration on biology and chemistry, with additional courses in neuroscience and human anatomy. You will gain a detailed understanding of the structure and functioning of the human body, how the brain and nervous systems work, and what happened when the brain degenerates and becomes damaged or disorganized.
• Pharmaceutical Biotechnology:- Biotechnology is a rapidly growing area with many applicants in health, agriculture and industry. This specialization combines a primary emphasis on biology and chemistry with molecular and cell biology, pharmacology, biochemistry and physiology. Students in this specialization also benefit from enhanced laboratory experience.
• Science and Management:- If you are interested in managerial and leadership roles, consider applying for the five-year Bachelor of Science and Management (Honours) program in your upper years of study. Graduates gain a solid foundation in the key functional areas of business and management, including finance, accounting, operations, project management and marketing.
• There is a wealth of opportunities for science graduates in industry, government, and in areas of applied science. The combination of a science degree and business and management education will give an added advantage to graduates in establishing careers within these practical fields.

This program has an interdisciplinary focus, weaving together physiological, sociological and epidemiological perspectives on major health issues.

Public Health considers health from the perspective of communities—from a neighbourhood to national and international levels.

You will learn about the health status of populations, inequities in health, determinants of health and illness, strategies for health promotion, disease and injury prevention, health protection, and factors that influence the delivery and use of health services.

Individuals interested in this specialization will apply directly to Public Health through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre using application code DHU.

The Mechanical Engineering program is one of the broadcast engineering disciplines. In this program, students will learn the principles of mechanical engineering—motion, energy, and force—and how these principles are used to design and build the world around us. Within this program, you can choose the Energy Engineering specialization or follow the comprehensive program. 

Energy Engineering 

• Energy engineering is increasingly focused on the efficient and environmentally responsible use of energy systems, as well as energy security and reliability. You will specialize in all aspects of energy, from its generation to its end use, including energy conversion, storage, transportation and distribution. 

Foundation year

• All Engineering students begin with a common foundation year, regardless of program of study. During the foundation year you will learn about the various Engineering programs available.

Experiential learning

• Optional internship and co-op placements provide you with the opportunity to gain meaningful hands-on experience.

The Software Engineering program focuses on the analysis, design, development and testing of reliable and secure software systems, as well as the integration of software into complex systems, and the timely and cost-effective delivery of software systems, that meet changing requirements. The program applies both computer science and engineering principles.

Foundation year

• All Engineering students begin with a common foundation year, regardless of the program of study. During the foundation year, you will learn about the various Engineering programs available.

Experiential learning

• Optional internship and co-op placements provide you with the opportunity to gain meaningful hands-on experience.

The Bachelor of Information Technology's Technology Management major offers a focus on information technology with a complementary set of business courses designed to meet the needs of today’s technology-enabled economy. The program will develop your skills in data analytics, information systems, change management, and data security.

This major is consistent with the university’s mandate and the Faculty of Business and Information Technology’s priority to be market-relevant. The focus on informatics integrates with research being conducted in the Informatics Research Institute and in associated incubators. It is a direct response to market demand for professionals with domain-specific knowledge and ICT-related skills. According to Statistics Canada (2008), the labour market for professionals with business informatics skills was an IT occupation that continued to thrive through the recession due to industry need.

Experiential learning

• To ensure student success, our university’s experiential learning approach aims at honing technical and business skills, as well as instilling employability skills such as accountability, adaptability, attitude, confidence, motivation, presentation, stress management, teamwork and time management. Students will secure the hands-on learning opportunities that help them transition to employment.

Forensic psychology exists at the intersection between psychology and the justice system. It involves applying the principles and scientific methods of psychology to the study of both criminal behaviour and the basic tenets of the judicial system. Specific applications include the study of eyewitness memory, the intricacies of jury decision making, effective police interrogation techniques, and the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of criminal behaviour.

You will study the core areas of psychology: social, cognitive, developmental and abnormal, as well as research methods and data analysis. You will explore a variety of forensic psychology courses that apply psychology to crime, policing, the courts, corrections and other aspects of the justice system. You will also have opportunities to incorporate aspects of criminology, legal studies, health and neuroscience into your degree, with the objective of developing unique knowledge and skill sets.

Students have access to new, modern buildings and innovative labs including:

• Forensic Psychology Laboratory 
• Social Science Library 

Experiential learning

• A limited number of fourth-year students are granted an opportunity to participate in a learning experience with a community organization. The practicum is an experiential learning tool that provides students with opportunities to acquire workplace skills and knowledge, confront the relationship between theory and practice, and cultivate a sense of personal and professional development. The practicum course consists of 100 hours of fieldwork, several in-class seminars and a set of academic assignments.

Planning, designing, installing, operating, managing and securing information technology (IT) infrastructure are essential skills for an IT-related career. Learn these skills and more using leading-edge equipment and laboratories to apply core concepts in fundamental and advanced networking, enterprise-level network engineering, cloud computing, programming, scripting, databases, cryptography, policies, malware analysis, forensics and many additional technical topics. The coursework prepares you to manage the continuing changes and challenges of the IT profession and pursue various levels of industry certification programs including CISCO, CompTIA and (ISC)2.

Experiential learning

• Internships
  • This program offers students who have successfully completed two years of study, including having achieved a cumulative 3.0 GPA (B average on a 4.3 scale), an opportunity to engage in a contracted learning partnership with businesses locally and globally. Faculty members may provide links to various internship placement opportunities or a student may secure an employer who meets the criteria as prescribed by the Faculty of Business and Information Technology.
  • The internship program not only gives students an opportunity to apply classroom concepts to the challenges of organizational life, but also helps them to gain valuable and relevant work experience to promote networking and lifelong career success. Participating employers are given the opportunity to bring the motivated learners, thinkers and doers of tomorrow into their workplaces, as well as provide valuable mentoring to students.
• Capstone Study Project
  • As a member of a student team, you will study an actual organization, complete a comprehensive analysis and evaluation, and develop appropriate recommendations for improved performance by addressing a particular problem or group of problems. The Capstone Study Project will provide you with opportunities to develop a thorough understanding of the technology, environment, markets and operations of a real organization by applying the theory and knowledge you have learned.