SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
McMaster University is located in Hamilton, and comprises 57 buildings, 122 programs, and over 21 500 students [1]. It was first established in the year 1887 and is split into six different academic facilities: Degroote School of Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science [2] . They’re known as the McMaster Marauders with their mascot named “Mac the Marauder.” The institution is home to over 300 student organizations and clubs, however, they do not recognize any fraternities or sororities [2]. Their main academic policy is known as the “McMaster Model,” which focuses on a student-centred, problem-based, interdisciplinary approach to learning which has been used since the 1960s [2]. Only 3700 students live in twelve on-campus residences with a range of building sizes and dormitory styles [1]. Finally, McMaster University is a member of a group of research intensive Canadian universities known as the U15 [2].
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
McMaster University is located in Hamilton, and comprises 57 buildings, 122 programs, and over 21 500 students [1]. It was first established in the year 1887 and is split into six different academic facilities: Degroote School of Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science [2] . They’re known as the McMaster Marauders with their mascot named “Mac the Marauder.” The institution is home to over 300 student organizations and clubs, however, they do not recognize any fraternities or sororities [2]. Their main academic policy is known as the “McMaster Model,” which focuses on a student-centred, problem-based, interdisciplinary approach to learning which has been used since the 1960s [2]. Only 3700 students live in twelve on-campus residences with a range of building sizes and dormitory styles [1]. Finally, McMaster University is a member of a group of research intensive Canadian universities known as the U15 [2].
Check out McMaster's official socials...
RA
NK
IN
GS
#
72
72
IN THE WORLD
#
4
4
IN CANADA
According to the 2020 Times Higher Education World University Rankings
Check out McMaster's official socials...
RA
NK
IN
GS
#
72
72
IN THE WORLD
#
4
4
IN CANADA
According to the 2020 Times Higher Education World University Rankings
QUESTIONS
For a Mac Human Behaviour Student...
JUICY
1
Why did you choose your program? What makes it unique to you?
I chose the Human Behaviour program offered through McMaster’s Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour because it is a tight-knit community full of awesome people looking to get involved in all things psychology. Human Behaviour is a more applied version of any of the other programs in the PNB department, hence why you would graduate with a Bachelor’s of Applied Science, allowing me to take courses of different sub disciplines within psychology to see what specifically I wanted to do when I graduated. There’s also many electives allowing one to explore other interests, and perhaps a minor in something they’ve always wanted to know more about. There are research components available, such as creating you own thesis, but the degree is flexible enough that it can be tailored to your particular interest; highly research-based or not!
2
What advice do you have for high school students applying to your program?
In general, I would advise high school students to look into all of the different degree program options they may be interested in for future years! This is something I didn’t do; I came to McMaster originally in the general Social Sciences stream, but had no idea that Human Behaviour was a program that existed! Knowing the exact route you think you’d take throughout your undergraduate makes it easiest to plan what courses to take in Grade 12. If you come to university without a prerequisite for your upper year program of choice, however, there is no need to worry as Mac offers many grade 12 equivalent courses (for instance, I took a Grade 12 Biology equivalent in my first year to get into Human Behaviour). If possible, I would also tell high school students to take electives that would boost their average as much as possible. I did this and ended my Grade 12 year with a 95% average; this allowed me to make special connections with Faculty members via scholarship conferences, and relieved me of some financial stress as I was able to get McMaster’s biggest academic scholarship. Money saved adds up in university when everything is so expensive!
3
What do you think is special about the McMaster campus life?
Something that I think makes McMaster different than any other school in Ontario is it’s diversity. As someone who came from a town with little to no diversity in regard to ethnic groups, it was so nice to come on campus and meet new people from different ethnic backgrounds. Almost every person I’ve met up until now has a different story to share, and different customs that are so interesting to learn! It’s so insightful being around people unlike yourself because it allows you to learn things you maybe never would’ve otherwise known, as well as allows you to see the world in the eyes of others; different perspectives are always important to consider! Because there are so many unique people at Mac, there is a club or team for literally anything you could possible imagine. This makes it so easy to meet people with similar interests as you, create a difference somehow in the community, and just make lifelong friends.
4
What’s the biggest change from high school to university?
I’m sure a lot of people say this, but the biggest change from high school to university in my opinion is the pace that classes move at. In high school, you might start and finish a unit of study in one month, whereas in some university classes, you might learn a new unit every week. This obviously means you’ll be learning more things and at a faster pace. Personally, I wouldn’t say it’s too difficult to keep up with the fast pace of school and the work that comes along with classes so long as you stay organized. Writing in a planner or in a schedule is crucial for success to make sure all of your deadlines are accounted for, allowing you to plan your time according to when you might have a lot/few assignments. Regardless of this all, it’s so important to schedule in breaks to socialize (even if that sounds redundant, just make sure you take time out of each day to relax; if you don’t you’ll begin to feel like doing all your work is impossible, when really it can be managed).
What was your favourite elective in first year?
5
In first year, I’d say my favourite elective was Intro Psych (PSYCH 1X03)! The professor teaching that class (Dr. Kim) always had such a positive attitude, and all throughout the class, he integrated practice questions and discussion questions to keep his students engaged and ensured that we all understood the content while he was teaching. I’ve also always had a keen interest in psychology, so doing the homework and quizzes for this class was fun to keep up with! At my high school, there was only one psychology-related class offered, so being able to learn about different realms of psychology for the first time all in one class was great. I highly recommend this class to any first year at McMaster, even if you aren’t the biggest fan of psychology, it might teach you something about yourself/others around you that you would’ve never known!
A very special thank you to our interviewee...
NAOMI GELLER
Hey guys! My name is Naomi Geller and I am a second year student at McMaster University studying Human Behaviour. Before starting university, I would have benefited from information related to academics, clubs available, campus life etc. so I hope that my interview with Project Uni can provide you all with the advice I wish I could have gotten! If you have anything you'd like to know more about, whether it's about McMaster or the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, message me on social media (Instagram: @naomigeller); I will be more than happy to chat further!
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What do you think is special about Mac's campus life?
I think that Mac’s campus life is special, because there are many opportunities to make friends, meet new people, learn about various cultures, and just simply be involved! There are always events happening around campus that encourage people to attend and socialize;
How would you describe the workload and work-life balance?
What is some advice you would give high school students when applying to your program?
Some advice I would give high school students when applying to my program would be to research the
course requirements they need in order to be able to be admitted into the program such as: biology,calculus,
QUESTIONS
For a Mac Human Behaviour Student...
JUICY
Why did you choose your program? What makes it unique to you?
I chose my program, because I have always had a passion for psychology and why people behave in the manner they do. I remember wondering what makes everyone’s personality different/unique; it was very intriguing to me. As a child, I would watch Dr. Phil on tv all the time and used to tell my parents that I
wanted to be just like him and that I wanted to help people as much as he did when I get older. In
highschool, I started taking psychology/sociology/anthropology themed electives and realized that they started touching
As with every bachelor’s level program, there is a heavy workload. However, I am able to balance my
academic workload, a part-time job, and a social life, easily. There are times during exam seasons, and
finals where the workload is a little heavier, but it is just for a short span of time, and they are followed by
a break period where you can relax, focus on your mental health, catch up with friends, etc. My program does have different methods of evaluation; some courses include lots of essays and written work, and some just include quizzes and exams. I feel like it has a nice balance of written work and quizzes which I feel reduces the workload compared to having 5 essays due the same week, or 5 midterms. For example, for one week my evaluations are spread out to a multiple choice midterm and an essay, and then the following week I can have a reflective summary and a multiple choice quiz due. There are also various resources around campus that can help you with time management, homework help, distress nights, and more! At first it may be difficult to balance, but I am confident that you will get used to it right away.
What's your favourite class and why?
5
Through my first two years of post secondary studies, I have taken some really interesting courses, but if I had to choose one, I would choose my second year basic and clinical neuroscience course. I found it really interesting, because it focuses on the pathology of the human brain and shows an emphasis on
human anatomy, brain disorders, psychopharmacology, and more! It also included a large group project that gave me the opportunity to research a brain disorder; I chose Alzheimer’s disease. We had to give an
informational session about the cause, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the disorder to our desired audience. This provided me with community engagement experience and was very informative to both my peers and I.
etc. This would ensure that they do not have to take them throughout the first year. Also, I would advise that they take electives like psychology, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, etc. to make sure these are courses they enjoy taking, and would want to continue taking later on. Most importantly, this program can be
catered to focus on your areas of interest as it only has very few required courses, and the rest are electives that you can choose. This program can lead to careers in occupational therapy, psychology, medical school, law, and much more!
So try figuring out what you’re interested in, as soon as you can.
upon the matters that I wanted to learn more about. I really enjoyed them, and succeeded in these courses. My teachers would always tell me that I should consider continuing my education in these various fields, because they realized I had a passion for them; and it showed in my work. I started
researching various university bachelor degree programs in psychology, and McMaster’s department of PNB caught my eye due to its multidimensional focus on not only psychology, but neuroscience and behaviour as well. It is very applicable to everyday human life and it prepares students to pursue graduate studies in the field of psychology as well; which is what I aspire to do.
whether it be karaoke night at a campus restaurant, a trivia night, a cultural club event, a welcome week
event, etc. All of these different gatherings
encourage everyone to attend and make
everyone feel welcomed and included.
There are also destress nights filled with
games, comfort foods, etc. to make sure
everyone is taking care of their mental
health during stressful times like exam
season. The Mac community almost
feels like a family, which makes
Mac’s campus life so great!
A very special thank you to our interviewee...
MANAHR DESOUKI
Hello, I am a third year Honours Human Behaviour student at McMaster University’s Department of
Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour. I am also an executive member of McMaster’s Middle Eastern Students Association (MESA) where we like to share various Arabic and Middle Eastern cultures and traditions with the rest of the academic community! I am originally from Egypt, and speak both, Arabic and English fluently. If you would like any advice, help, or just a friend around campus, feel free to contact me VIA instagram!