PSYCH 232Psychology of Evil
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Arts
- Subject
- Psychology
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
Psychological perspectives concerning definitions, causes, and consequences of institutional and personal evil, as well as symbols and interpretations of evil in both religious and secular contexts, will be considered.
Prerequisites
Antirequisites
None listed.
Leads to
No course lists it as a requisite.
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 3438 | 0 / 285 | TTh 11:30–12:50 |
| LEC 701 | 1315 | 30 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
Reviewed on UW Flow
70% liked it31% easy70% useful
From 20 ratings and 7 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
not as interesting as psych of death and dying imo, but still a good course! a little dark at times (obviously)
Sep 2014 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
This class was SO hard.
May 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
one of the most interesting courses I have taken. NOT a bird course, but its information is incredibly useful for whatever profession you want to go in. touches on organizational corruption and group-based violence, as well as serial killers and sadists. truly very interesting concepts, and Dr. Burris is one of the best professors I've ever had. highly recommend if going into social work or therapy, as it provides a base knowledge on why perpetrators do what they do, while also exploring impacts on victims.
Apr 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Run far and fast if you can. his lectures mirror the suggested reading for the class bc it's his book. Get the book to do better.
Jan 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Only was graded on 3 tests which were fairly difficult- throwing in a short essay to break it up would've helped overall
May 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
8 posts and comments in 8 threads mention PSYCH 232, March 2015 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Winter 2020
Probably a long shot but has anyone taken PSYCH232 w Chris Burris? 2 points, 1 comment
u/RMSultan: “I’ve heard his tests are ridiculously hard and I have no idea what to study. We have a midterm tomorrow worth 40% of the grade and I’m lost.”
Fall 2018
Opinions on PSYCH 232 ? 5 points, 2 comments
u/metamorphsis: “Thats Psychology of Evil. I want to know if anyone here has taken it. How much time does this course call for, and does it have required readings to do? Does it have a midterm, and overall how good is the course/prof, etc. ty”
Fall 2017
Easiest 300 PSYCH course? 2 points, 3 comments
“I'm planning on finishing my breadth/depth with PSYCH. I already have PSYCH 101 and 207 so apparently I can access all of these courses. …”
u/sanzoidy: “Psych 357 is a brand new course. If it's similar to Burris' Psych 232 (Psychology of Evil), then it'll be readings + 3 tests. But he's doing it in collaboration with John Rempel, so not sure.”
Fall 2016
PSYCHO 218 (Psychology of Death and Dying) or PSYCHO 232 (Evil)? 3 points, 3 comments
“Looking for a good PSYCHO class. Advice?”
u/sanzoidy: “I took both and Psych 232 was the winner for me. Burris is awesome no matter what course he's teaching.”
Spring 2016
Best Psychology courses 1 point, 6 comments
“What are/were your favorite PSYCH courses? Who taught them? I'm doing a PSYCH minor and was wondering which courses you found interesting (truth be told, they all sound interesting!)”
u/sanzoidy: “… (There are group assignments where you dig through someone's trash and profile them, I think.) Then I took PSYCH 232 - Psychology of Evil, then PSYCH 218 - Psychology of Death and Dying. Both by Burris and both really fun. Others I enjoyed were 101 and 207. …”
Winter 2016
What are some of the most interesting courses you have taken? 13 points, 17 comments
“Hi everyone! I'm here for the spring and since I have an elective to fill, I need to take a course. So tell me what are some courses that you found interesting. …”
u/hippiechan: “Some that I've taken or heard are good: CLAS 104 - Greek Mythology RS 100 - Eastern Religions PHIL/PSYCH 256 - Intro to Cognitive Science PSYCH 232 - Psychology of Evil”
How challenging is Waterloo Psych? 8 points, 51 comments
u/thetdotbearr: “...except psych, AFAIK. I'm at the end of my CS major, psych minor undergrad and I can say that without a doubt the psych courses I took were the easiest by a mile. …”
u/thetdotbearr: “… If you're willing to go back down in the 200s though I'd strongly recommend either of PSYCH232 (psych of evil) or PSYCH218 (death and dying). Prof Burris teaches those and he does an absolutely fantastic job conveying the course material in an interesting fashion. …”
Winter 2015
What is your favourite course you've taken at UW? 18 points, 63 comments
“I'd rather not stick to the exact beaten path of my major. I'd like to add in a few cool courses in my four years here. What's your favourite course?”
u/jeffhughes: “… PSYCH 232: Psychology of Evil -- Class is depressing as fuck (talking about serial killers and genocide and rapists is a bit of a downer), but very interesting, and taught by one of the best professors, Chris Burris. …”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
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