Frequently Asked Questions
If you have specific inquiries that are not addressed on this page, e-mail your question to cpinfo.oise@utoronto.ca |
| Q. When is your deadline for accepting applications? |
| Q. When will be the best time for me to apply? |
| Q. When should I expect to receive the official notification of results regarding my application for admission? |
| Q. How many students are accepted into the Counselling Psychology program and how many apply? |
| Q. Can I state in my application for admission that I want to start my program of study in Counselling Psychology in January instead of September? |
| Q. What variety of counselling experiences meet the application requirement? |
| Q. One of the requirements for admission to the M.Ed. for Community Settings is one year of relevant work experience. How do you define 'relevant' and how strict is the 'one-year' minimum? |
| Q. My master's degree is not in Counselling Psychology, but is in a related field (e.g. another area of psychology, social work, criminology, etc). Am I qualified to apply for admission either doctoral program in Counselling Psychology? |
| Q. I have completed my undergraduate education, but it was a three-year degree instead of four-year. Am I eligible to apply for either of your master's-level programs? |
| Q. I have completed a three-year undergraduate degree as well as a B.Ed. / college diploma. Is this equivalent to a four-year degree? |
| Q. I only have a three-year undergraduate degree. What can I do to get the upgrade to the equivalent of a four-year degree U of T bachelor's degree? |
| Q. I completed a four-year bachelor's degree but my overall GPA is lower than your admission requirements. What can I do to increase my GPA? |
| Q. I have completed my bachelor's degree in psychology, but my program did not require a thesis. Is a thesis necessary for entry into the M.A. Program? |
| Q. I have been out of school for many years, and my GPA from my undergraduate degree would not meet the minimal requirement of your master's programs. However, I do believe that my rich work experience would make me a good candidate for your program. Would you recommend that I still apply? |
| Q. I completed my undergraduate degree many years ago, and my former professors cannot remember me well enough to assess my academic performance. What can I do to get a reference letter that will focus on assessing my academic aptitude? |
| Q. I am an international applicant. How can I be sure that my degree will be admissible? |
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Q. Are there any jobs available through Counselling Psychology? What are Graduate Assistantships (GAs)? |
| Q. What funding alternatives are available for me if I do not enroll in a funded degree program? |
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Q. When is your deadline for accepting applications?
Our deadline for accepting applications is always December 1 of every year. This means that your complete application package that includes every piece of required documentation must be received by the Registrar’s Office at OISE/UT by that deadline. Q. When will be the best time for me to apply?
The deadline for application is always December 1 of this calendar year if you intend to start your program of study in the beginning of September next year. Thus, the best time for you apply online is anytime in the fall before the application deadline. Usually, the OISE Registrar's Office will upload the current year's online application in mid-September. Q. When should I expect to receive the official notification of results regarding my application for admission?
Normally, you should receive a response from the Registrar's Office between early April and late May. Q. How many students are accepted into the Counselling Psychology program and how many apply?
The Registrar’s Office provides extensive statistics on the number of applications, acceptances, and registrations for every academic year: Q. Can I state in my application for admission that I want to start my program of study in Counselling Psychology in January instead of September? Generally speaking, you should start your program in September. Because of administrative considerations, you have to start your program of study in September if you are an M.A. or Ph.D. student. However, if you are an M.Ed. or Ed.D. student, you may request a special permission from the program to start your study in January instead of September. Such permissions are rare and will be considered on an individual basis by the program.
All new students have the option of starting early during the summer session should they choose to. Q. What variety of counselling experiences meet the application requirement?
There are countless opportunities for applicants to obtain counselling experience within their own communities. Generally speaking, paid work experience or volunteer experience in a variety of contexts working with people should meet this minimum one-year requirement. Viable institutions in which to gain experience include working or volunteering with distress centres, shelters, helplines, hospices, clinics, and specialized community programs and networks. Working in commercial settings such as businesses, banks, travel agencies, etc. would not be considered relevant, even though the work might involve contact with the public.
Note: we do not have the resources to approve or recommend a particular position or setting for interested applicants. You must use your discretion and best judgement to choose an experience opportunity that complements our program focus and your academic / professional goals. Q. One of the requirements for admission to the M.Ed. for Community Settings is one year of relevant work experience. How do you define 'relevant' and how strict is the 'one-year' minimum? Relevancy implies a fit to our program focus and your academic / professional goals. Applicants are expected to draw connections from their experiences to our program in their application's Statement of Intent. See above for representative examples. The one-year minimum is a general timeframe. The admissions committee does not prefer consecutive over periodic, nor distinguish between part-time vs. full-time hours. Applicants must use their best judgement in determining that a sufficient exposure to counselling practices and settings have prepared them for our programs. Q. My master's degree is not in Counselling Psychology, but is in a related field (e.g. another area of psychology, social work, criminology, etc). Am I qualified to apply for admission either doctoral program in Counselling Psychology? For entry into the Ph.D. or Ed.D. programs, generally only other master's programs in psychology (i.e. clinical psychology) can be equivalent to OISE's M.A. in Counselling Psychology for entry. Interested applicants in related disciplines should compare their own background to the OISE's M.A. to judge equivalency. Q. I have completed my undergraduate education, but it was a three-year degree instead of four-year. Am I eligible to apply for either of your master's-level programs?
Unfortunately, no. A four-year degree is considered a minimum requirement for entry into most graduate-level degrees at the University of Toronto. As the Counselling Psychology program is so competitive, no exceptions can be made. Q. I have completed a three-year undergraduate degree as well as a B.Ed. / college diploma. Is this equivalent to a four-year degree?
No, the University of Toronto does not consider either of these combinations as equivalent to a four-year undergraduate degree. Q. I only have a three-year undergraduate degree. What can I do to get the upgrade to the equivalent of a four-year degree U of T bachelor's degree?
In order to upgrade your three-year degree to a four-year degree, the best solution is to return to the institution from which you received your degree and finish the requirements necessary to upgrade. Some applicants try to upgrade their degrees by taking additional courses as a non-degree student: this is notrecommended as a three-year degree with additional courses is not the equivalent to a four-year degree. You may wish to consider academic upgrading. Normally, such an upgrading program:
Keep in mind that completing a qualifying year will not ensure admission into the program. Q. I have completed my bachelor's degree in psychology, but my program did not require a thesis. Is a thesis necessary for entry into the M.A. Program?
Not necessarily; applicants are strongly encouraged to complete a thesis in their undergrad in order to be able to demonstrate their ability to conduct original, complex research. However, other forms of research, such as published papers, presentations, research assistantships and so on, may similarly demonstrate this ability. The admissions committee does not consider applications that do not meet the minimum grade requirements. You could, however, complete a qualifying year of senior courses at the undergraduate level. This would demonstrate your academic ability and would improve your GPA. More information is found here: Q. I completed my undergraduate degree many years ago, and my former professors cannot remember me well enough to assess my academic performance. What can I do to get a reference letter that will focus on assessing my academic aptitude?
The members of the admissions committee appreciate the unique situation of applicants who have been out of school for several years. Try and get a letter from a supervisor at work, for example, who can comment on your writing skills, problem solving ability, creativity, organizational skills and, if possible, your research ability. You could also apply to another university located near you for non-degree student status which would allow you to take one or two graduate courses in counselling psychology. This would provide the opportunity for a professor to become familiar with your academic abilities. Q. I am an international applicant. How can I be sure that my degree will be admissible?
Unfortunately, our department does not address the specific issues that concern international applicants. However, the OISE Registrar's Office has an information page available. Q. My master's degree did not require a thesis. What must I do to prove that I am able to engage in research work at the doctoral level? You must complete a QRP. A QRP (Qualifying Research Paper) is a requirement for admission to a doctoral program when the applicant has not completed a master’s thesis. The purpose of the QRP is to demonstrate that the applicant is capable of conducting research at the level required of a Master’s thesis. If an applicant without a Master’s thesis is admitted to a doctoral program, it will be stipulated that the admission is conditional. The applicant will then be required to submit a QRP. Applicants are not required to submit the QRP prior to being accepted. The QRP requirement can be fulfilled by submitting research that the applicant has conducted previously, often as part of their work responsibilities. However, the QRP must be a product of their own individual effort and must be authored by themselves, alone. Alternately, applicants can submit a fully-documented research proposal which demonstrates their ability to conceptualize and plan a research project. This proposal would typically be written under the supervision of a faculty member (who will be assigned to the student) in the counselling program. Applicants would not be required to actually collect data. The QRP requirement must be fulfilled by the time the applicant begins classes. QRP Guidelines (pdf) Q. Are there any jobs available through Counselling Psychology? What are Graduate Assistantships (GAs)?
OISE Graduate Assistantships are funded positions that allow students to work with professors on their research. All full-time Counselling Psychology students are eligible to apply for a GA. GAs are awarded on a competitive basis and are based on the amount of research-based work experience required for each department. For more information, please visit Student Services's GA site. Q. What funding alternatives are available for me if I do not enroll in a funded degree program?
For information on research grants, funded assistantships, working on campus, and other methods of financial aid, consult the Student Services website. |