What Grade 12 Courses Do You Need for Psychology at University?
Psychology is one of the most popular university programs in Canada, and every year students ask us the same question: which Grade 12 courses do I actually need to get in? The answer surprises a lot of families, because psychology is not one single path. Psychology admission requirements in Ontario change depending on the university and the program stream, so the courses you need can look very different from one application to the next.
Here is what you need to know so you can plan your OSSD credits with confidence. At Royal Ontario Academy, this is one of the most common planning questions we help new students work through.
The one course everyone needs: ENG4U
Start here. Every Ontario university requires Grade 12 English for admission to psychology, and in fact for almost every university program. You also need your Ontario Secondary School Diploma and six Grade 12 U or M courses to apply.
If ENG4U is the only thing on this list you were sure about, you were right to be. It is the non-negotiable.
Where it gets tricky: Arts versus Science
This is the part most students miss. Many universities offer psychology in two forms, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BSc). They lead to the same subject, but the entry requirements are not the same.
A BA in psychology often needs only ENG4U plus your six Grade 12 courses, with no required math or science. A BSc in psychology usually adds math and science prerequisites, sometimes several. If you apply to the science stream without those courses, you will not qualify, even if your marks are strong.
What the science stream typically requires
Here are three real examples from Ontario universities to show the range.
University of Toronto St. George. Students generally enter the Faculty of Arts & Science first and apply to the Psychology Major after completing first-year university courses. The Psychology Major requires Grade 12 Calculus and Grade 12 Biology, along with the required university psychology course and competitive grades. AP or IB Psychology does not replace the required first-year university psychology course. Students should review the official program requirements before applying.
University of Waterloo. The most demanding list for its BSc in psychology. It requires English, Advanced Functions, and Calculus and Vectors, each with a minimum final grade of 70 percent, plus two courses from Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Mathematics of Data Management, or Physics.
University of Toronto Mississauga. The science-based psychology major expects Biology (SBI4U) and Advanced Functions (MHF4U).
You can see the pattern. The science route leans on Calculus, Advanced Functions, and Biology, while the arts route stays lighter on prerequisites.
The safe course package
If you are not yet sure which university or which stream you want, choose the courses that keep the most doors open. For psychology, that package is:
This combination satisfies the demanding BSc routes and every BA route. Take these four and you will not find yourself blocked from a program you want later on.
A note for students coming from outside Ontario
If you completed high school in another country, universities will look for the equivalent of these Ontario courses. This is where a PLAR assessment can help. At Royal Ontario Academy, we offer a free PLAR assessment to recognize prior learning, so you may not need to repeat courses you have already completed. It also helps you see clearly which Grade 12 credits you still need for the psychology programs you are targeting.
Confirm before you commit
University admission requirements change from year to year, and they differ from one university to the next. Meeting the minimum requirements also does not guarantee admission, because popular programs like psychology are competitive and offers go to the strongest applicants. Always confirm the exact requirements on OUInfo or the university’s own admissions page before you finalize your course selection.
If you would like help mapping out the right Grade 12 courses for your university goals, reach out to us at Royal Ontario Academy. We take the time to understand where you want to go and help you build a course plan that gets you there.