PhD Program

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development's additional admission requirements stated below.

• An appropriate bachelor's degree in psychology or any appropriate bachelor's degree that would contain the psychology requirement equivalent (defined as 6.0 full-course equivalents [FCEs] in psychology, including 0.5 FCE in research methods and 0.5 FCE in statistics, with a standing equivalent to a University of Toronto A– or better in the final year. It is expected that students will have completed 1.0 FCE at the third- or fourth-year level in each of three core areas of general psychology:

  • biological bases of behaviour (for example, physiological psychology; comparative psychology, neuropsychology, psychopharmacology);

  • cognitive/affective bases of behaviour (for example, learning, sensation, perception, cognition, thinking, motivation, emotion); and

  • social bases of behaviour (for example, social psychology; cultural, ethnic, and group processes; sex roles; organizational and systems theory).

Students who are missing courses in these areas may be required to complete additional courses during the degree.

• A University of Toronto MA degree in Clinical and Counselling Psychology with a grade of A– or better, or its equivalent. However, if the master's program was not equivalent to the U of T MA in Counselling and Clinical Psychology, the student will be required to take additional courses to receive equivalent training.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must complete a minimum of 5.5 FCEs as follows:

  • 2.5 FCEs in Counselling and Psychotherapy:

    • APD3215H Advanced Psychotherapy Seminar;

    • APD3217Y Advanced Practicum in Clinical and Counselling Psychology (600-hour practicum); and APD3268Y Internship in Clinical and Counselling Psychology (1,600-hour internship — arrangements must be made in consultation with the Director of Clinical Training). PhD students will attend a minimum of six colloquium presentations during their program, which partially fulfills the course requirements for APD3268Y.

  • 1.0 FCE in Psychology Measurement/Assessment and Diagnosis:

    • APD3225H Assessment and Diagnosis of Personality and Psychopathology; and

    • APD3260H Psychodiagnostic Systems.

  • 0.5 FCE in Supervision and Consultation:

    • APD3261H Clinical Supervision and Consultation Practicum.

  • 1.0 FCE in Advanced Research Methods:

    • APD3202H A Foundation of Program Evaluation in Social Sciences (RM); and

    • An advanced-level statistics course (in consultation with supervisors). Courses can be drawn from those offered at OISE or other Faculties with the permission of the instructor.

  • 0.5 FCE in History and Systems Psychology:

    • APD3204H Contemporary History and Systems in Human Development and Applied Psychology.

• Comprehensive examination: In addition to normal course requirements, students will complete two comprehensive components. First, a manuscript for publication and presentation at a peer review conference, normally in Year 1 of the program. Second, students will be examined systematically in general psychology and in professional psychology. The examination will normally be taken at the end of Year 2 of full-time study.

• Doctoral dissertation: All students must develop, complete, and defend in a Doctoral Final Oral Examination a doctoral dissertation supervised by a full-time member of the Counselling and Clinical Psychology faculty. The content of such dissertation research may address theoretical issues applicable to clinical and counselling concerns and practice, relate to the development of programs in a variety of educational or applied settings, or in some other way contribute to the development and practice of clinical and counselling psychology.

• Students must register continuously and pay the full-time fee until all degree requirements have been fulfilled.

• Students cannot transfer between the full-time and flexible-time PhD options.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 5 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 6 years full-time

 

PhD Program (Flexible-Time)

Minimum Admission Requirements

For 2024-25 and further extension to the 2025-26 academic year, admissions to the flexible-time PhD option have been administratively suspended.

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development's additional admission requirements stated below.

• An appropriate bachelor's degree in psychology or any appropriate bachelor's degree that would contain the psychology requirement equivalent (defined as 6.0 full-course equivalents [FCEs] in psychology, including 0.5 FCE in research methods and 0.5 FCE in statistics, with a standing equivalent to a University of Toronto A– or better in the final year. It is expected that students will have completed 1.0 FCE at the third- or fourth-year level in each of three core areas of general psychology:

  • biological bases of behaviour (for example, physiological psychology; comparative psychology, neuropsychology, psychopharmacology);

  • cognitive/affective bases of behaviour (for example, learning, sensation, perception, cognition, thinking, motivation, emotion); and

  • social bases of behaviour (for example, social psychology; cultural, ethnic, and group processes; sex roles; organizational and systems theory).

Students who are missing courses in these areas may be required to complete additional courses during the degree.

• A University of Toronto MA degree in Clinical and Counselling Psychology with a grade of A– or better, or its equivalent. However, if the master's program was not equivalent to the U of T MA in Counselling and Clinical Psychology, the student will be required to take additional courses to receive equivalent training.

• Applicants to the flexible-time PhD option are accepted under the same admission requirements as applicants to the full-time PhD option; the exception is that applicants must demonstrate that they are currently employed, and active professionals engaged in activities relevant to their proposed program of study.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must complete a minimum of 5.5 FCEs as follows:

  • 2.5 FCEs in Counselling and Psychotherapy:

    • APD3215H Advanced Psychotherapy Seminar;

    • APD3217Y Advanced Practicum in Clinical and Counselling Psychology (600-hour practicum); and APD3268Y Internship in Clinical and Counselling Psychology (1,600-hour internship — arrangements must be made in consultation with the Coordinator of Internship and Counselling Services). PhD students will attend a minimum of six colloquium presentations during their program, which partially fulfills the course requirements for APD3268Y.

  • 1.0 FCE in Psychology Measurement/Assessment and Diagnosis:

    • APD3225H Assessment and Diagnosis of Personality and Psychopathology; and

    • APD3260H Psychodiagnostic Systems.

  • 0.5 FCE in Supervision and Consultation:

    • APD3261H Clinical Supervision and Consultation Practicum.

  • 1.0 FCE in Advanced Research Methods:

    • APD3202H A Foundation of Program Evaluation in Social Sciences (RM); and

    • An advanced-level statistics course (in consultation with supervisors). Courses can be drawn from those offered at OISE or other Faculties with the permission of the instructor.

  • 0.5 FCE in History and Systems Psychology (if not already satisfied by the completion of a third- or fourth-year undergraduate psychology course in this area):

    • APD3204H Contemporary History and Systems in Human Development and Applied Psychology.

• Comprehensive examination: In addition to normal course requirements, students will complete two comprehensive components. First, a manuscript for publication and presentation at a peer review conference, normally in Year 1 of the program. Second, students will be examined systematically in general psychology and in professional psychology. The examination will normally be taken at the end of Year 2 of full-time study.

• Doctoral dissertation: All students must develop, complete, and defend in a Doctoral Final Oral Examination a doctoral dissertation supervised by a full-time member of the Counselling and Clinical Psychology faculty. The content of such dissertation research may address theoretical issues applicable to clinical and counselling concerns and practice, relate to the development of programs in a variety of educational or applied settings, or in some other way contribute to the development and practice of clinical and counselling psychology.

• Students must register continuously until all degree requirements have been fulfilled. They must register full-time during the first four years and may continue as part-time thereafter, with their department's approval.

• Students cannot transfer between the full-time and flexible-time PhD options.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 6 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 8 years full-time