Applying to the Honours program can feel like navigating uncharted territory—but thanks to a Q&A session organized by Honours students Zaina Alkurdi and Ava Morris, prospective applicants now have a clearer path forward.
Event Organizers Zaina and Ava
UBC Psychology Honours students Zaina Alkurdi and Ava Morris recently organized an Honours Q&A session to enhance transparency and support for prospective Honours program applicants. Zaina, Ava, and three invited panelists, Victoria Li, Lorelei McEwen, and Sophia Guan, shared their Honours experiences and how they navigated the Honours application process. This below account of the event was aided by Honours student Lily Holmes, who captured the Q&As at the event.
Q: What is the UBC Psychology Honours Program?
The Honours Program is a two-year research-intensive program where students complete two consecutive theses. While many students work with psychology labs, the program allows researching with other disciplines or co-supervision. Honours students end their year presenting their research at the Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference, with a poster presentation in their third year and an oral presentation in their fourth year. Personal statements are due April 1st, strong applicants get invited to interviews near the end of May/early June and final decisions are made thereafter.
Q: How should I approach the personal statement?
We approached writing the statement as answering both, “Why are you interested in the Honours Program” and “Why are you right for the program”. In our statements, we tried to frame our research interests and motivations as a story, showing how our past experiences shaped our interest in research, since this program prepares students for research-oriented graduate programs. However, identity and lived experiences can be deeply tied to research interests and should be included if relevant. Even if you don’t have research experience, which most of us didn’t, you can write about transferable skills from jobs, clubs, sports, and volunteering.
Q: Do you need to have a research idea coming into Honours, in your personal statement?
No! While having a general interest in a topic or a potential supervisor in mind can be helpful, the flexibility you have in shaping a project depends on the lab. Many labs already have ongoing studies you can join onto! Even if you mention a specific idea in your application, you won’t be held to it.
Q: What is the interview like?
Our experience was a group interview where current Honours students and a professor interview applicants. You’ll get sample questions in advance, standard interview questions, with a focus on research interest and collaboration. It’s not just about your answers but how you engage with others. There’s no need to script responses; being authentic and playing to your strengths will help you stand out.
Q: What happens after you’re accepted into the program?
Once you’re in the Honours program, you’ll need to start reaching out to potential supervisors. Some of us scoured lab websites, figured out what interested us, and then cold-emailed potential supervisors. Others had an idea of exactly who we wanted to work with and emailed them directly. You can also work with supervisors outside the department if it aligns with your interests, there are options in psychiatry, counselling, medicine, and more. Similar to the personal statement, it helps to frame your email around how your skills fit into a research context and what you hope to learn from that lab. Don’t stress about making it perfect, you might not get your first choice, what’s more important is starting early!
Q: What is the workload like?
It depends on your lab. Some require in-person data collection and RA shifts with minimum hour requirements, while others only require you to work on your project. One term may be slower, as the workload fluctuates depending on the phase of the study you are working on. Some of us dropped a course in Term 2 to manage better, while others took a full course load, which is possible, but may affect work-life balance. When choosing a lab, be sure to ask about time commitments and mentorship style, and consider whether you prefer more independence or closer collaboration with a supervisor.
Q: What aspects of the program do you like and dislike?
We love the sense of community in the cohort. Having friends who understand our experiences makes everything so much better. We also enjoy the opportunity to work closely with researchers and grad students and get hands-on experience in our projects. Being able to discuss research with peers and exchange opinions is another highlight. We also realized that everyone is as confused as we are, so there’s no need for imposter syndrome; if you’re interested, just apply, you’re good enough.
On the flip side, the grad school focus can feel a bit overwhelming at first, and it may feel competitive at times when talking about our different experiences in labs. But that usually changes as we get to know each other more and grow more confident.
Q: How does the honours degree prepare you for post-graduation career paths? Abroad too?
An honours degree definitely helps you develop the skills and experience for grad school. It’s like a mini grad school experience having a thesis. You get to see all stages of research, which is what grad school needs, whereas being an RA might only give you one part of the process. In the seminars we also learn about public speaking, conference posters, how to apply to grad school, request references, and more!
Our biggest piece of advice is: do not do honours just to get the honours designation—it’s not worth the time and effort if you’re not genuinely interested in research. Honours is a major commitment, if you aren’t truly interested, it will take away time from developing your skills through co-op, internships, clubs, leadership roles, etc
Q: Do you need Honours to get into grad school?
No! There are many other ways to get research experience for grad school. Consider opportunities like becoming a research assistant, doing directed studies, work-learns, and more!
Note: As Honours students, this information is not official admissions information and we do not take any responsibility for the results of taking our advice. We are here to share our experiences as students who got into the program.
