Master of Science (MSc) in Counselling Psychology

Admission to all graduate programs is highly competitive due to limited enrollment capacities. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. 

Offers of admission are valid only for the term to which applications are made. Graduate Programs in Education will not grant deferrals of admission. Students unable to take up an offer will be required to submit a new application.

We recommend reviewing the following FAQs, the website, and the pre-admission checklist prior to applying.  

• Do you hold advising meetings with potential applicants?

  Unfortunately, we don’t have the capacity to offer any advising sessions or meetings at this time. However, we have an online session each fall you can attend.  Keep your eyes on the website.  You can also review the previous session above.

• Do I need a 4-year degree?  A 3-year degree is common in the country I am from.

  Yes, you need a 4-year undergrad degree, regardless of what is common in the country of your study.

• Do I need an undergrad (or honours) degree in psychology? 

  You don’t need an undergrad in psychology, however, you need to complete all of the pre-requisites (24 units in psychology) by the time you would start the program.  See our program requirements section and pre-admission checklist.

• Do I need to have all courses completed by the time I apply?  My final GPA won’t be available by application.

  You can have some in progress or not yet started but need to complete all of them by September start date.
  Many students apply while they are still doing their undergrad, final GPA isn’t available, but you will need to provide transcripts before starting the program.

• Will you review individual courses before I apply?  OR I have X course, does it count?

  Unfortunately, we don’t have the capacity to review individual courses.  Please fill out the pre-admission checklist and submit it with your application.  
  Please review details about courses on the College of Alberta Website.

• Do I need to take a guidance and counselling course? My program doesn’t offer a guidance and counselling course / I have many years of experience in counselling.

  Guidance & Counselling Communication Skills / Creating a Working Alliance course regardless of your experience.  You can take it in our program – certificate program if there is room EDPS 693.22 (or through PSYC 405 Athabasca online). That said, we allow applicants into our program still needing a class or two, and the typically take the course before they start (it is required for beginning the program).

• Does my counselling skills course count?

  Your course must include a graded assignment where you demonstrate counselling skills (i.e., video review, transcript, etc.).

• Does my stats course need to be in psychology?

  No, it can be from other programs.

• What is considered a senior course?

  Senior level courses are usually 300-400 level. When programs have 200 level senior courses, it is noted on the website that 200 level are senior, you can provide the link or pdf etc. and attach it to your checklist.

• What can I do to increase my chances of getting into the program?

  We get up to 250 applications for 12 spots. It is a very competitive program.  Most of our successful applicants have a high GPA, people helping experience, and research experience.  We look at the whole applicant, however, and fit with the program and alignment with a supervisor is important.  WE take social justice seriously, and we do take special consideration for non-traditional backgrounds and members from marginalized and underserved communities, so don’t be discouraged from applying!

• Do I need to find, secure, or meet with a potential supervisor before applying?

  You don’t need to communicate with a potential supervisor before, but you do need to identify them in your statement.  We recommend applicants identify 2 faculty members.  View the list of faculty.

• I am interested in the MC program, how do I apply?

  This program is suspended.  We have the MSc in Counselling Psychology or an MEd in School Counselling.

• I have an undergrad/Masters/PhD in X (not psychology) and want to join your program, how do I get in?

  You need to complete all of the pre-requisites (24 units in psychology) by the time you would start the program.  See the program requirements section and pre-admission checklist.

• Can a PhD student write my reference letter?

  We prefer professors or academic supervisors to write letters. 

The MSc in Counselling Psychology requires a minimum of two years of full-time study, on-campus to complete.

Please note: all courses listed are not necessarily offered every year and students should consult the Schedule of Classes for a listing of those courses that will be offered in a given session. 

The University of Calgary approved changes to the MSc degree in Counselling Psychology which come into effect September 2019. These changes were developed in response to feedback from students and from the Canadian Psychological Association that accredits our PhD program. Beginning in Fall 2019, the program structure will follow the sequence outlined below. 

Police Information Check

Please see Practicum and Internship section below for details.

Core Courses

The program requires completion of (a) a master's thesis and (b) 42 units of coursework, consisting of the following thirteen courses. All courses are three unit, one semester courses unless otherwise specified:

• EDPS 600 Theories, Conceptualizations, and Interventions in Counselling Psychology I
• EDPS 601 Theories, Conceptualizations, and Interventions in Counselling Psychology II
• EDPS 609 Research Design in Statistics II
• EDPS 614 Ethics in Professional Psychology
• EDPS 615 Theoretical and Clinical Foundations of Assessment
• EDPS 625 Social Justice, Decolonization, and Human Rights in Professional Psychology
• EDPS 631 Theories of Career Development
• EDPS 640A/B Practicum in Counselling Psychology II (6 units, 2 semesters)
• EDPS 647 Practicum: Counselling Psychology I
• One of: EDPS 611 Qualitative Research Methodologies or EDPS 618 Multivariate Design and Analysis
• One of: EDPS 620: Psychological Assessment of Children and Youth or EDPS 617 Psychological Assessment of Adults
• One of: EDPS 628 Theories and Applications of Child and Youth Therapy or EDPS 645 Indigenous Approaches to Therapy
• One of: EDPS 627: Group Processes in Applied Psychology or EDPS 637: Relationship Counselling

These program requirements include a one semester practicum (100 total hours including 50 client contact hours) to be completed in the first year and a two semester, psychologist-supervised practicum (400 total hours including 200 client contact hours) in the second year.

Some courses are only offered every second year, so the program sequence depends on your year of entry, and specific course choices. 

The Masters thesis is the focus of the degree program. In consultation with the supervisor, the student should formulate an appropriate thesis topic as early as possible because the nature and type of proposed research will affect the time needed to complete the program.
For further guidance, please see Thesis-based students.

Please note: Ethics approval is required for all research projects involving the use of human subjects before data collection begins and for research using secondary data. Prior to submitting an ethics application, students are required to complete the TCPS 2 tutorial and upload the certificate of completion into their Researcher Profile in IRISS. Do NOT upload in the documentation section of a study. Register on theTCPS 2 website https://tcps2core.ca/register. When registering, be sure to use your institution email address (name @ucalgary.ca)

As a Graduate Student you are expected to devote the time, effort, and energy necessary to engage in scholarship.  As a graduate student, you will determine the specific milestones and requirements of your program of study in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate Studies Calendar and with your graduate supervisor. 

An integral part of the masters experience is working closely with a supervisor on the development and completion of a research project.  A graduate supervisor mentors graduate students through regular meetings and research training aimed at research, scholarship, teaching and professional development. Graduate supervisors support students in the timely completion of their programs.  As a Graduate Student, you are expected to meet with your graduate supervisor on a regular basis.  While each student-supervisor relationship is unique, graduate supervisors can assist graduate students in a number of ways: advising on course selection, applying for awards and scholarships, obtaining research funds, applying for teaching assistant and sessional teaching opportunities, developing track records in refereed publications and conference presentations, getting involved in leadership and service, and encouraging and supporting apprenticeship in a research community of practice (collaborative review of papers, grants, academic writing, and data analysis). 

In the MSc program an interim supervisor is normally appointed at the time of admission.  Students are responsible for initiating discussions with potential permanent supervisors and are expected to have finalized supervisory arrangements by their second annual registration.

Tuition and general fees charged by the University of Calgary are approved annually by the Board of Governors. Fees can be found in the Academic Calendar.

Police Information Check

All successful applicants to the Werklund School of Education School MSc Counselling Psychology program are required to provide a current and clear Police Information Check which includes a Criminal Record Check and a Vulnerable Sector Search. Students must apply for a Police Information Check through their nearest police service or RCMP detachment in the area where they reside.

The original Police Information Check must be presented to and accepted by the administration in the Graduate Program Office in the Werklund School of Education, dated within timelines as directed by the Placement Coordinator.

Students will be required to request a Police Information Check upon admission and each subsequent year that they go on placement (Educational Psychology 640 and 647).

A current and clear Police Information Check is required for all placements. Failure to present a clear and current Police Information Check may result in the student being unable to begin their program and/or go on placement. Successful completion of all placements is required for graduation.

Intervention Record Check

In addition, it is strongly recommended that students obtain an Intervention Record Check (IRC) in each year that they participate in a practicum. Even if your site does not specifically require this check, it is to your advantage to have an IRC done so as to prevent a potential issue should there be a last minute change in your placement site.

NOTE: IRCs are not required by the Werklund School of Education (WSE), and should not be submitted to WSE. Results should be kept in your personal records, and shown to your practicum site should they request to view them.

Practicum Schedule

• EDPS 647 (1st year of program): On Campus - Centre for Wellbeing in Education (Winter term)
• EDPS 640 (2nd year of program): Off Campus - Community based (Fall & Winter terms)

Master's Procedures Checklist

At the beginning of program:

• Register for an eID to access myUCalgary. Keep your eID and password confidential.
• Accept your Offer of Admission in the online Student Centre.
• Activate your UCalgary IT computing account that comes with a UofC email. We strongly encourage you to use this email while in program.
• Before you start utilizing your UofC email, update your email address in the online Student Centre.
• Confirm your current e-mail address to your Graduate Program Administrator (see your Admission Letter for contact information). Please include your full name, UCID number, program, and specialization.
• Attend one of the scheduled Virtual Welcome Sessions for Graduate Programs: Education (GPE) students.
• Attend one of the scheduled Student Orientations to GPE Online Delivery Tools. We recommend this for students in on-campus programs, due to the fact that online tools may be utilized in on-campus courses.
• Connect with your supervisor to plan your program.
• Initialize your registration.
• Register for courses.
• Check with FGS, Research Services and SSHRC for possible research funding.

Within 12 months:

• Confirm the number of courses required for program completion with the supervisor.

Every May:

• Submit the online Annual Progress Report form through student centre, approved by supervisor, and Graduate Program Director of GPE or designate.

Every 12 Months:

• Complete registration initialization.

Within 4 years:

• Have ethics clearance approved before collection of data.
• Complete thesis.
• Supervisor establishes the committee for final oral examination.
• Upon successful oral examination, submit two unbound copies of the thesis to the Faculty of Graduate Studies along with the Thesis Clearance form.
• Submit an Application for Degree through your Student Centre.
• Attend convocation and celebrate!

Program Forms

There are various forms related to a student’s progress through their graduate degree. Please refer to the forms for detailed instructions on their proper completion. Students who have any questions or concerns should contact their Graduate Program Administrator. Required forms are available in the GPE office and some can be accessed by downloading them from Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Teaching Facilities

Typically, our courses are scheduled in classrooms in the University’s Education Block and Tower buildings.  For clinical and laboratory work, observation, and role-play, the program has access to space in our in-house clinic, Integrated Services in Education.  ISE has nine rooms with audio-visual recording capabilities in the Education Tower. All have one-way mirrors for live observations.

Library Facilities

Students at the University of Calgary have access to resources through Libraries and Cultural Resources (LCR) (http://lcr.ucalgary.ca/), which operates eight university libraries on campus and across the city of Calgary. In addition, students have extensive access to library resources on-line and can access the holdings of other national and international libraries through inter-library loans. The Doucette Library is our closest library, located in the Education Block and has a dedicated resource librarian available for faculty and graduate students in Education. Specialized resources include an extensive collection of psychology, counselling psychology, and assessment-related books and journals as well as a video collection of counselling-related adjunctive instructional material.

Work Space for Students

Shared work space is provided, with priority given to students in the first three years of the PhD program and first two years of the MSc program. Following renovations to upgrade our building, students are now housed in dedicated and secure workspaces that have large study carrels. Given the number of graduate students in our programs, students are clustered on various floors in the Education Tower. Students are guaranteed workspace during residency years and may request space beyond that period of time. Touch-down spaces and lockers will be available for students who are past their residency years in their respective programs.

Research Space for Faculty and Students

Research space varies depending on the faculty member you are working with and area of research.  Most faculty do not have labs as such, as their research programs are field-based.  Faculty members with lab-based requirements have research space in Werklund or affiliated institutes (e.g., Owerko).  The instructional video suite in the ISE Clinic described earlier is available for faculty or graduate students (who apply and can demonstrate CFREB or CHREB ethical approval) to potentially schedule for research purposes. A separate application form is required to gain access.

Assessment Materials and Supplies including Scoring Facilities

The Werklund School of Education also operates a test library located in the ISE Clinic.  The ISE test library contains a large and varied collection of testing materials and accompanying expendable materials (test forms and rating scales) that can be used by graduate students for coursework that involves instruction in administration of assessment measures as well as for clinical practicum work. The library also has archival storage in the basement of our building for those who may need access to earlier versions of tests. Students do not have to pay to access these materials, although fees are charged for lost materials. Additionally, the ISE houses three computers that may be used by graduate students to score clinical assessment measures or work on assessment reports. The clinic also provides other relevant materials such as portable video camera recorders and stopwatches. Graduate students may also apply to access ISE resources for research purposes, although priority is given to clinical work. 

Computer Facilities

Students can access university computers through the main library, the Werklund School of Education of Education’s Doucette Library computers, or the Computer Lab located on the 3rd floor of the classroom block. All students are also given free access to the University’s server through their home computer, including email accounts and free access to data analysis and word processing packages.

Resources to Support Data Analysis

The University and Werklund School of Education provides workshops, either free of charge or at minimal cost, to faculty and graduate students, in the use of reference management programs such as Covidence, EndNote, Mendeley, and Refworks; data analysis software such as SPSS, BMDP, SAS; and common computer applications such as Microsoft Office. Our faculty and students are provided access to a computer lab on the 3rd floor of the Education Classroom Block. At this time, commonly used data programs such as SPSS, LISREL, NVIVO etc. have been installed on those computers for use by faculty and students.

Recording Equipment

The ISE instructional suite described earlier contains nine rooms equipped with closed-circuit video recording capability. Additional audio and video recording equipment is available for sign out through the ISE Clinic, or the Doucette Library housed in the Werklund School of Education of Education building. Extensive audio and video dubbing facilities are available to all students through the Com Media Department or the Learning Commons.

Facilities and Technical Support for Building Research Equipment

This is available in an “as needs require” basis, through the office of Information Technology and also through the computer support network available to all faculty. In addition, equipment pertaining to communications media (video cameras, video records, etc. are available through the Communications Media Department (COM Media) through an agreement paid for by the Werklund School of Education. Requirements beyond the above are paid for through faculty research grants.

Facilities to Enable Access for Students with Disabilities

The University is an access friendly facility for students with special needs. The University has an “Academic Accommodation Policy” for students requiring special accommodations during exams or other term assignments, operated through Student Accessibility Services (http://www.ucalgary.ca/access/). The Education Tower is equipped with wheelchair-accessible facilities, including auto-entry electronic doors, larger stalls, and motion- sensor sinks and soap dispensers in washrooms.

Availability and Nature of Financial, Academic, Counselling, and Other Support Systems

The University offers many services for its students. Some of these include:

• The Counselling Centre
• The Student Success Centre
• Academic Services
• University Health Clinic
• Computer Technical Support
• International Centre
• Teaching and Learning Centre
• Graduate Students’ Association
• Recreational activities

A complete listing of Student and Academic Services can be found at https://www.ucalgary.ca/current-students/student-services

The University offers comprehensive, holistic, and accessible programs and services to foster student wellness through the SU Wellness Centre, which includes Health Services, the Counselling Centre, and the Faith and Spirituality Centre. There are also services and clubs on campus that pertain to the needs of diverse groups. At the University of Calgary, for example, there is a Student Success Centre, an International Student Centre, a Native Centre, a Women’s Resource Centre, and a club for sexually- and gender-diverse individuals (called Q).  The University offers accommodations for students with disabilities through several specialized support services including Student Accessibility Services and the Nat Christie Adaptive Technology Centre.

The primary mandate of the Centre is to provide a Centre of excellence in research, education and service through a coordinated holistic vision for the wellbeing of children, youth and transition-age youth (ages 4-25). learn more

Graduate students may participate in the intervention services provided by the Centre.