Cognitive Science

York University · Keele Campus.

Psychology and Behavioural Science: blue ink subject illustration

4 years
Duration (years)
4 years
York Cognitive Science official programme
Co-op option
Work experience
Co-op option
York Cognitive Science official programme
~low-to-mid 70s or higher
Entering average
Published approximate guidance: low-to-mid 70s or higher. 2027. Current York guidance for Ontario high school applicants
York current Ontario school-leaver admissions table

Deadlines

November 2026

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Next deadlineWednesday, November 18, 2026

Application: Winter 2027 (January) entry, all applicant types
Winter 2027
Applies to Ontario high school, out-of-province high school, international, and university/college transfer and mature students alike. Verbatim: "Submit your application by the date(s) listed below for guaranteed consideration" and "we will continue to accept and assess applications until each program is full".
Official deadline

Other deadline details

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by programOUAC Undergraduate application, applicants who are not Ontario high school students (Group B)2026 entry

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by program
No single OUAC deadline
University, program, transcript, portfolio, interview, and audition dates still apply

Full source wording

Verbatim: "There is no specific Undergraduate application deadline if you are a Group B applicant. Deadlines vary at each university and sometimes depend on the program. Visit the university websites or contact the universities directly for their deadlines. If you are interested in a program but the deadline has passed, you may contact the university's admission office for help. Be aware of university-specific deadlines for submitting transcripts and portfolios, if required, and for arranging interviews and auditions. You must ensure the OUAC has enough time to process your choices before the universities' program deadlines." OUAC defines Group B as anyone who does not meet the Group A criteria, e.g. not currently taking an Ontario high school course, a Canadian outside Ontario, an international applicant, a postsecondary transfer student, or a mature applicant.

SourceChecked Aug 14, 2026

Requirements

Admission requirements

High-school prerequisites

ENG4UEnglish

Complete an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
Complete ENG4U.
Complete five additional Grade 12 4U or 4M courses.

Application steps

Step 1Check the admission requirements
- Check the published entry route for your applicant category.
York current Ontario school-leaver admissions tableYork current Ontario school-leaver admissions table
Step 2Apply through OUAC
- Create your application and select this program.
OUACOUAC
Step 3Official academic transcripts
- Normally required for undergraduate degree and certificate applicants, with published exceptions for mature applicants and visiting students on a letter of permission. Unofficial records can support conditional admission; final official originals must arrive directly from the institution before classes.
York required undergraduate documentationYork required undergraduate documentation

Applicant pathways

Ontario high school prerequisites

Ontario high school applicants

Complete an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
Complete ENG4U.
Complete five additional Grade 12 4U or 4M courses.

Conditional offer requirements

Ontario high school applicants who received an offer

Maintain a final academic average of at least 70%.

Alberta high school requirements

Alberta high school applicants

Earn an Alberta High School Diploma and complete ELA 30-1 or English 30.
Complete four additional academic courses at the 30 or 31 level.
After a conditional offer, maintain a final academic average of at least 70%.

British Columbia high school requirements

British Columbia high school applicants

Earn a British Columbia Secondary School Graduation Diploma and complete English 12 or English 12 First Peoples.
Complete four additional Grade 12 academic subjects.
After a conditional offer, maintain a final academic average of at least 70%.

Quebec CEGEP requirements

Quebec CEGEP applicants

Complete one year of CEGEP with two semesters in English (603) or French (601).
Complete ten additional CEGEP academic courses. High-school equivalents are excluded.
York may assess additional courses for transfer credit and award DEC holders up to one year of transfer credit.
After a conditional offer, maintain a final academic average of at least 70%.

International Baccalaureate Diploma requirements

International Baccalaureate Diploma applicants

Complete the IB Diploma with passes in six subjects, either three Standard Level and three Higher Level or two Standard Level and four Higher Level.
York lists a five-year recency condition for prerequisites or their equivalents in this route.
York grants up to 30 transfer credits for Higher Level courses with a final grade of 5 or higher.
York may consider applicants with at least 28 IB diploma points. Maintain at least 28 points after a conditional offer.

Degree requirements

Credits and degree requirements

Specialized Honours BA: 120 total credits, including 57 major credits.
21 general education credits: 9 in humanities or social science, 6 in the other category and 6 in natural science.
The major comprises 27 core credits and two 15-credit themes.
Choose one Group A theme and another from Group A or Group B. Group A: Linguistics, Philosophy or Psychology. Group B: Artificial Intelligence, Human-Computer Interaction or Machine Learning.
The Artificial Intelligence theme is not offered in Fall/Winter 2026–27; contact the Cognitive Science department.
At least 18 credits outside the major; 24 free-choice credits.
At least 30 total credits and half the credits in each major or minor must be completed at York.

References

Grades and academic standing

Honours: at least 36 credits at the 3000/4000 level, including 18 at the 4000 level; cumulative GPA at least 5.0.

References

Program facts

Entering average~low-to-mid 70s or higher

Current York guidance for Ontario high school applicants

Co-opCo-op option

Check work experience options

Courses

Selected required courses and course-choice groups for Fall/Winter 2026–27 entrants. Course levels are not assigned years or terms. Degree checklists are planning guides; York determines graduation eligibility. Specialized Honours BA core and theme-selection rules. Theme-specific course lists are not reproduced.

Specialized Honours BA · required 1000-level core1 listed