Program Requirements
The MSc program in Clinical Psychology is normally two-years (24 month). Candidates must complete the following courses: PSYC 5013, 5023, 5033, 5043, 5053, 5063, 5113, 5123, 5960, 6073, and 6083. Substitution of another graduate course for one of these required courses must be approved by the department. Students may take additional electives.
5000-level courses are usually taken in the first year, and 6000-level courses in the second year (see Course of Study below). Enrolment in graduate courses is limited to students who have been accepted into the psychology graduate program. An empirical thesis is also required of all candidates. A successful formal defense of the thesis proposal is strongly recommended by the beginning of the second year.
Students in their third or subsequent years of the program who have not had a thesis proposal accepted by the department will be reviewed by the department head and clinical program coordinator and may receive a failing grade in PSYC 5960.
Course of Study
Year 1 - Term 1
PSYC 5013 Seminar
PSYC 5023 Adult/Child Assessment: Foundations
PSYC 5043 Ethical Decision Making
PSYC 5053 Psychotherapy 1: Foundations
PSYC 5113 Research Design and Statistics 1
PSYC 5960 Thesis
Year 1 - Term 2
PSYC 5013 Seminar
PSYC 5033 Adult/Child Assessment: Advanced Skills
PSYC 5063 Psychotherapy 2: Intervention Skills
PSYC 5123 Research Design and Statistics 2
PSYC 5960 Thesis
Year 2 - Term 1
PSYC 6073 Clinical Practicum and Psychopathology
PSYC 5960 Thesis
Year 2 - Term 2
PSYC 6083 Clinical Practicum and Psychopathology
PSYC 5960 Thesis
Enrolment in PSYC 6073 is by permission of the department, based on the review of student progress evaluated as satisfactory that includes passing all first year graduate courses with a grade of B- or better. Continued enrolment in the program is contingent upon maintenance of satisfactory performance in (a) course work, (b) thesis work, (c) practicum skills development, and (d) adherence to professional ethical standards (A Canadian code of ethics for psychologists, 2017). Students will be notified of problems in any of these areas through reviews of student progress, carried out at least twice, once in the Fall and once in the Spring of the first year of the program. The process for review is as follows: (a) Students receive preliminary feedback from their research supervisors and provide their own comments when they meet to fill out the review form. (b) Student progress is reviewed at a meeting of the clinical program committee attended by students' supervisors. (c) The clinical program director will write each student on behalf of the committee, indicating the committee's assessment of the student's progress. If progress is deemed to be unsatisfactory, the letter will convey what remedial actions or steps are required in order to address the committee's concerns. Failure to resolve problems satisfactorily will result in termination from the program.
For more detailed information on program requirements, please visit the Research and Graduate Studies of Acadia University webpage http://gradstudies.acadiau.ca/psychology.html