Dec 05, 2025

2025-2026 Undergraduate Academic Calendar

Double Major in Legal Studies and Forensic Psychology

Program description

This double major enables students to receive an Honours Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Legal Studies and Forensic Psychology through a four-year program map. These two disciplines directly complement each other: Legal Studies involves critically exploring law, and its relationship to society, from a variety of theoretical perspectives; meanwhile, Forensic Psychology involves applying psychological principles to various aspects of the legal system. Students deepen their understanding of legal concepts, institutions, processes and rules, learning to apply, question, and evaluate them. At the same time, they develop a sharper appreciation of the psychological conditions in which human conduct is governed and legal decisions are made; that is, they learn to identify and evaluate the legal system’s assumptions about social behaviour and legal responsibility in light of scientific evidence. This double major equips students with the knowledge and skills essential for careers in forensic psychology, as well as any area where a strong, critical legal literacy is an asset. In addition to law school and further graduate study, this dual major offers sound preparation for careers in the public service, not-for-profit sector, and business.

Required first-year courses for Bachelor of Arts students completing a Double Major in Legal Studies and Forensic Psychology [18 credit hours]

Double Major core courses [102 credit hours]

CRMN 2010U – Criminal Law
CRMN 3040U – Restorative Justice
FPSY 3210U – Forensic Psychology
LGLS 2100U – Public Law
LGLS 2110U – Private Law
LGLS 2200U – Legal Theory
LGLS 2940U – Legal Research Methods
LGLS 3053U – Prosecution and Sentencing
LGLS 4200U – Law and Social Change
PSYC 2010U – Developmental Psychology
PSYC 2020U – Social Psychology
PSYC 2030U – Psychopathology
PSYC 2050U – Brain and Behaviour
PSYC 2060U – Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 2900U – Research Methods in Psychology
PSYC 2910U – Data Analysis in Psychology
PSYC 3910U – Advanced Data Analysis in Psychology
One of:
LGLS 2120U – International Law or
LGLS 2420U – Canadian Human Rights Law or
LGLS 2500U – Information and Privacy Law
Two of:
LGLS 3200U – Sociology of Law or
LGLS 3220U – Philosophy of Law or
LGLS 3230U – Law and Globalization or
LGLS 3240U – Cultural Studies of Law or
LGLS 3530U – Intellectual Property or
LGLS 3700U – Law and Power
One of:
LGLS 3300U – Disability and the Law or
LGLS 3310U – Indigenous Peoples, Law and the State in Canada or
LGLS 3320U – Race, Ethnicity and the Law or
LGLS 3330U – Gender, Sexuality and the Law
One of:
FPSY 4110U – Honours Thesis in Forensic Psychology I or
LGLS 4099U – Legal Studies Integrating Project or
SSCI 4101U – Honours Thesis I
One of:
FPSY 4120U – Honours Thesis in Forensic Psychology II or
SSCI 4102U – Honours Thesis II or
4000-level LGLS course
One of:
SSCI 4098U – Practicum or
SSCI 4103W – Internship or
LGLS elective course
Five Forensic Psychology electives*
Five General electives
Total [120 credit hours]

*Forensic Psychology electives

FPSY 3039U – Children, Psychology and the Law
FPSY 3055U – Treatment in Forensic Settings
FPSY 3110U – Directed Laboratory Research in Forensic Psychology (can repeat with no limit but only one per semester)
FPSY 3310U – Confessions and Interrogations
FPSY 3320U – Eyewitness Psychology
FPSY 3400U – Investigative Psychology
FPSY 3900U – Special Topics in Forensic Psychology I (can repeat with no limit but only if topics are different)
FPSY 4050U – Forensic Assessment
FPSY 4060U – Wrongful Conviction
FPSY 4070U – Sexual Offenders
FPSY 4080U – Psychopathic Behaviour
FPSY 4820U – Selected Topics in Antisociality
FPSY 4900U – Special Topics in Forensic Psychology II (can repeat with no limit but only if topics are different)
FSCI 1010U – Introductory Forensic Science
PSYC 3060U – Personality Psychology

Other courses approved by the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities

PSYC 3500U – Stereotypes and Prejudice