Counselling Psychology

Counselling Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis-based program

Program overview

This specialized thesis-based degree is designed to help students develop the philosophical, theoretical, research, and practical expertise required to offer effective psychological education and counselling.

The program offers you the opportunity to study diverse topics of particular relevance to counsellors, including interpersonal communication, lifespan human development, family functioning, career assessment and evaluation, and statistics and research design.

The program follows a scientist-practitioner model of training and is delivered on campus only, with a two-year residency required. Training is based on the definition of counselling psychology approved by the Canadian Psychological Association’s board of directors.

Completing this program

  • Core Courses: Advanced Clinical Supervision in Applied Psychology and Advanced Practicum in Counselling.
  • Candidacy: Students will complete a research proposal and both oral and written candidacy exams.
  • Internship: Students will complete a one year full-time or two year half-time supervised internship in a clinical setting.
  • Additional Courses: Topics may include research methods, school and applied child psychology, professional skills and issues and more.
  • Dissertation: Students will be required to submit and defend an original research dissertation.

Outcomes

University professors, research organizations, not-for-profit, non-governmental and community agencies, post-secondary institutions, hospitals, counsellors, private practice, intercultural communication, culture studies, curricular consultant, public/private education systems, policy and governance.

A PhD in counselling psychology is usually considered a final degree.

Thesis-based program

Students are required to prepare a thesis and successfully defend in an open oral defense.

Classroom delivery

Time commitment

Four years full-time; six years maximum

Supervisor

A supervisor is required, but is not required prior to the start of the program

Fees and funding

See the Graduate Calendar for information on fees and fee regulations, and for information on awards and financial assistance.

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Supervisors

Learn about faculty available to supervise this degree.
Please note: additional supervisors may be available. Contact the program for more information.


  1. José Domene

    José Domene

    Accepting Inquiries

Admission Requirements


GPA

A minimum of 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 point system, over the last two years of full-time study (a minimum of 10 full-course equivalents or 60 units) of the undergraduate degree.

Minimum education

A thesis-based Master's degree in Counselling Psychology or equivalent, including 500 yours of practicum with a minimum of 400 hours (200 direct client contact hours) completed under the supervision of a registered psychologist; one senior undergraduate or one graduate course in the historical and scientific foundations of general psychology. Two senior undergraduate or one graduate course (3 units or 0.5 full-course equivalent each) in (i) biological bases of behaviour, (ii) cognitive-affective bases of behaviour, (iii) social bases of behaviour, and (iv) individual behaviour.

Work samples

None

Documents

Reference letters

Three

Test scores

None

Police Information Check

Students who accept an offer of admission to a Graduate Program in Education that includes a practicum or internship will be required to provide a current Police Information Check (PIC) which includes a Criminal Record Check and a Vulnerable Sector Search. Students who are not residents of Calgary must arrange for a PIC through the nearest local police service or RCMP detachment in the area where they reside.

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English language proficiency

An applicant whose primary language is not English may fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in one of the following ways:

Deadlines

For admission on September 1:

  • Canadians and permanent residents: Dec. 1 application deadline
  • International students: Dec. 1 application deadline

If you're not a Canadian or permanent resident, or if you have international credentials, make sure to learn about international requirements

Learn more about this program

Department of Educational Psychology

Education Tower, Room 114
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, ABT2N 1N4
403.220.5675

Contact the Graduate Program Administrator

Visit the departmental website

Werklund School of Education

University of Calgary
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4

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