She continued her education at Carleton University located in Ottawa Ontario, Canada, earning her Masters of Arts degree in Psychology in 1972. In 1977 she graduated cum laude with a Ph.D. in psychology from Carleton University. Following her graduate work, Barnes took a position as a postdoctoral researcher in neuropsychology and neurophysiology in the department of psychology at Dalhousie University, another at the institute of neurophysiology of University of Osloas, as well as in Cerebral function at University College of London. .[9]