Program Overview

Clinical Psychology Program Overview

The Clinical Psychology (MSc Thesis) program is a vital step towards a research, academic, or clinical career in psychology and healthcare. Accredited by the Canadian Psychological Association, the program is designed for those continuing on to the doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Calgary. Clinical psychology is an evidence-based science that advances knowledge of the causes, prevention, assessment, and treatment of psychological problems, along with the promotion of health and wellness.

Completing the Program

• Courses: Students may take courses such as Psychopathology, Assessment, Psychotherapy, and Neuropsychology across a range of age groups.
• Thesis: Students will complete an original research thesis, based on a research collection, analysis, and interpretation of original data.
• Research Proposal: Students must complete a master’s thesis proposal for thesis research.

Program Outcomes

The program aims to prepare students for research, academic, or clinical careers in university, health, and mental health settings. Consistent with its goal of doctoral training, the program only admits MSc students who wish to pursue the doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Calgary.

Thesis-Based Program

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

Program Structure

• Courses: 10 core courses and clinical practica
• Classroom Delivery: Details available in the Academic Calendar
• Time Commitment: Two years full-time; four years maximum
• Supervisor: A supervisor is required but is not necessary prior to the start of the program
• Fees and Funding: Information available in the Graduate Calendar

Admission Requirements

• GPA: A minimum of 3.6 GPA on a 4.0 point system, over the past two years of full-time study
• Minimum Education: An honours degree in Psychology or equivalent from a recognized institution
• Work Samples: None
• Documents:
  • A statement of research and professional interests (max. 500 words), including the specification of prospective research supervisors from among current program faculty
  • A research proposal
• Reference Letters: Two academic letters
• Test Scores: None
• English Language Proficiency:
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL ibt) score of 105
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.5 (minimum of 6.0 in each section)
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 75, or higher (Academic version)
  • Canadian Academic English Language test (CAEL) score of 70 (minimum 70 in each section)
  • Academic Communication Certificate (ACC) score of A- in each course
  • Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge C2 Proficiency minimum score of 200

Deadlines

• For admission on September 1:
  • Canadians and permanent residents: November 15 application deadline
  • International students: November 15 application deadline

Supervisors

A list of supervisors accepting new students is posted on the Department of Psychology website in early Fall. Some of the faculty members and their research interests include:

• Kathryn Birnie: Pain; Pediatric Pain; Child Health; Patient-Oriented Research; Implementation Science; Knowledge Mobilization
• Brandy Callahan: Geriatric neuropsychology, Adult ADHD
• Tavis Campbell: Behavioral Medicine, Adherence, Health Behaviors, Chronic Disease, Motivation
• Linda Carlson: Psychosocial and Integrative Oncology
• Keith Dobson: Depression, Stigma, Workplace mental health, Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their effects on adults
• Deinera Exner-Cortens: Teen Dating Violence, Healthy Relationships Promotion, Suicide Prevention, School Mental Health, Program Evaluation, Implementation Science
• Gerald Giesbrecht: Developmental Psychobiology
• Susan Graham: Child Development, Language and Cognition
• David Hodgins: Addictive Behaviours
• Julia Kam: Main Research Interests, Methodological Approaches, Current Projects

Related Programs

If you're interested in this program, you might also want to explore other UCalgary programs, including:

• Clinical Psychology PhD
• Community Health Sciences Thesis-based MSc and PhD
• Counselling Psychology Course-based MC, Thesis-based MSc, and PhD
• Social Work Course-based Certificate, Course-based MSW, Thesis-based MSW, and PhD