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500-Professional Development I: Motivation & Self-Awareness
505-Colloquia
501-Portfolio Seminar
511-Professional Development II: Therapeutice Alliance & Interviewing
521-Statistics & Research Methodology
531-History and Systems of Personality and Psychotherapy
541- Psychopathology I: Anxiety-Based and Personality Disorders
502-Portfolio Seminar
512-Professional Development III: Ethics & the Law
532-Fundamentals of Psychometric Assessment
542- Psychopathology II: Cognitive, Psychotic & Affective Disorders
552-Transtheoretic Foundations of Psychotherapy
503-Portfolio Seminar
513-Professional Development IV: Pre-Practicum & Self-Care
523-Human Change Processes
533-Assessment of Intellect & Cognition
543-Psychodiagnostic Case Formulation & Report Writing
600-Professional Development V: Group Psychotherapy
605-Colloquia
601-Conspectus Seminar
611-Thesis I
651-Practicum
661-Practicum Seminar
691-Elective(s)
602-Conspectus Seminar
632-Psycho-pharmacology
652-Practicum
662-Practicum Seminar
692- Elective(s)
603-Conspectus Seminar
613-Thesis II
653-Practicum
663-Practicum Seminar
693-Elective(s)
Master of Psychology Course Descriptions
| Sequence and Trimester | Course Title | Calendar Course Description |
| Full-Time and Part-Time Base Sequence:
Pre-Session |
500-Professional Development I: Motivation & Self-Awareness | This five-day intensive course will begin with student self-exploration as a foundation for considering skills and mindset for effective practice as a psychologist. An introduction to neural, cognitive, emotional, and social factors in motivation and change provides an orientation for the clinical or counseling psychology student. This extends and applies undergraduate foundational knowledge of cognitive-affective bases of behaviour. Role-play, peer coaching, and experiential exercises will underline the importance of self-knowledge for maintaining patterns of self-care and the need to assess and establish an interpersonal and intrapersonal resource base for effective service delivery. Students will engage in a process of identifying motivating values or highest-level goals. Guest lecturers representing different competencies or specialties in psychology will give an overview of the profession so that students may begin to match their goals with career options. They will identify their own “strengths and virtues” relevant to their career aspirations. They will relate their own experiences to social-cognitive-affective neuroscience theories and research. (3 credits) |
| Full-Time and Part-Time Base Sequence: monthly each Trimester | 505-Colloquia | Once each month during every trimester in which students are registered or paying continuous enrollment fees, they are expected to attend school-wide Colloquia where faculty members, students, and invited guests present information of interest to professional psychologists and human services practitioners in general. Emphasis is on new developments in research and on trends that integrate theory and research with current practice. Colloquia also provide faculty members and others in the School community with the opportunity to learn about one another’s research and professional interests. Students will be expected to incorporate Colloquia topics in classes, Portfolio Seminars, and Conspectus Seminars and may be invited to present thesis findings to their colleagues at Colloquia. (0 credit, hours included in course work) |
| Full-Time Base Sequence:
Trimester 1 Part-Time Base Sequence: Trimesters 1 or 4 |
501-Portfolio Seminar | Students meet weekly (full-time) or bi-weekly (part-time) by teleclass with a faculty mentor to integrate material across classes, to share information and knowledge about demands of a professional career in psychological practice, to support one another in navigating requirements of professional graduate education, and to develop the Learning Portfolio that will be due during Semester 3 of Year 1 (full-time) or Year 2 (part-time). The Portfolio is designed by the student in consultation with the Seminar mentor and colleagues, as well as other resource persons including faculty advisors and course professors, and includes a description of the student’s Learning Context (including a personal five-year vision, prior competencies linked to a selection of desire competencies, and an examination of learning and professional strengths and challenges). The Context is then related to Learning Units that require a synthesis of practice and conceptual learning as a complement to course work. The purpose of the Portfolio is to provide foci to help the student map a learning journey within degree requirements. The completed Portfolio serves as a basis for the Learning Conspectus developed during Year 2 (full-time) or Years 3 and 4 (part-time) that is one requirement for graduation. (0 credit, hours included in course work) |
| 511-Professional Development II: Therapeutice Alliance & Interviewing | Prerequisite: 500. A general introduction to the common factors that evidence has shown to be associated with positive psychotherapy outcome will be followed by a focus on therapist factors. This approach will serve as an integrative foundation throughout the program. Research on the importance and establishment of a therapeutic relationship will be presented. Students will learn basic interviewing skills through exercises including focusing, following, attending, paraphrasing, open questioning, and reflecting; and to advanced skills, including immediacy, bridging, discrepancy resolution, information giving, summarizing, closure, and repairing the therapeutic alliance. They will engage in experiential exercises to recognize micro expressions. Students will observe live or videotaped examples of a therapist working with a client. In three-person groups, students practice interviewing and rapport-building skills and elicit information for a Mental Status Examination. (3 credits) | |
| 521-Statistics & Research Methodology | Basic knowledge of statistics and their application to research will be covered or reviewed. Comparison of qualitative and quantitative approaches and their strengths and weaknesses will provide the basis for considerations of selection of methodology, strengths and limitations, data gathering and analysis, validity, reliability, ethics, and application to diverse populations. The course aims to develop the student’s capacity to blend techniques in order to design powerful inquiry. The relationship between reflective practice (assessing change in relevant psychological processes) and the development of expertise or mastery in psychotherapy will be explored. (3 credits) | |
| 531-History and Systems of Personality and Psychotherapy | This course provides a comprehensive and in-depth survey and critique of the various methods, principles, and theories of modern and contemporary psychology as applied to the study and understanding of human development, personality, adjustment, psychopathology, and therapeutic interventions. Primary emphasis will be on the major areas of general psychological theory and personality development in the psychoanalytic, behavioural, humanistic, systems, and cognitive traditions offering a critique of the various theories, methods, and therapeutic models with precursors to psychopathology and adjustment. The various systems and paradigms that have historically emerged and continue to influence contemporary approaches and practices will be systematically and philosophically explored. (3 credits) | |
| 541- Psychopathology I: Anxiety-Based and Personality Disorders | This course will cover or review substantial foundational knowledge of psychology of the individual in relation to the conceptualization of mental disorders. Theories of anxiety will be reviewed in order to develop an understanding of symptoms of anxiety including panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive, anxiety and phobia. Their etiology or origin in earlier developmental conflicts will be discussed and the role developmental issues play in the formation of anxiety will be explored from various points of view. The role of accidental and structural trauma will be discussed. Symptoms of PTSD will be reviewed and explored in light of structural issues. The course will also provide an in-depth understanding of various personality disorders including clusters A B and C, in terms of self-organization, attachment, affect, and defence mechanisms. Treatment considerations will be reviewed in light of each personality structure. Formulations of anxiety will be addressed from the perspective of various personality disorders. (3 credits) | |
| Full-Time
Base Sequence: Trimester 2 Part-Time Base Sequence: Trimesters 2 or 5 |
502-Portfolio Seminar | Students meet weekly (full-time) or bi-weekly (part-time) by teleclass with a faculty mentor to integrate material across classes, to share information and knowledge about demands of a professional career in psychological practice, to support one another in navigating requirements of professional graduate education, and to develop the Learning Portfolio that will be due during Semester 3 of Year 1 (full-time) or Year 2 (part-time). The Portfolio is designed by the student in consultation with the Seminar mentor and colleagues, as well as other resource persons including faculty advisors and course professors, and includes a description of the student’s Learning Context (including a personal five-year vision, prior competencies linked to a selection of desire competencies, and an examination of learning and professional strengths and challenges). The Context is then related to Learning Units that require a synthesis of practice and conceptual learning as a complement to course work. The purpose of the Portfolio is to provide foci to help the student map a learning journey within degree requirements. The completed Portfolio serves as a basis for the Learning Conspectus developed during Year 2 (full-time) or Years 3 and 4 (part-time) that is one requirement for graduation. (0 credit, hours included in course work) |
| 512-Professional Development III: Ethics & the Law | The course will cover the two main factors governing the activities of health professionals practicing in Ontario. The first factor is the standards of professional conduct which have been established by law and which are enforced by licensing bodies. The second factor is comprised of the codes of ethics created by professional associations. The students will participate in activities designed to ensure that they will be able to use these two factors in their professional practice so they deliver the highest quality service to their clients/patients. Topics include ethical standards, privacy, confidentiality, credentialing, mental health codes and legislation, certification and licensure, professional organizations, and insurance in various settings such as hospitals, clinics, private practice, schools, business and industry, government, and community. (3 credits) | |
| 532-Fundamentals of Psychometric Assessment | Prerequisite: 521. This course builds on the student’s understanding of graduate-level statistics from Course 521 in order to apply the principles to psychometric methods. Topics include the construction and standardization of tests, the importance of reliability and validity, the administration of objective tests and measurements, an overview of strengths/weaknesses of various measures, an introduction to types and principles of test selection, the role of the test administrator, and diversity issues in the administration, scoring, results, and reporting of psychometric measures. Students will practice administering, scoring, and reporting on selected instruments in preparation for level C competency qualification. (3 credits) | |
| 542- Psychopathology II: Cognitive, Psychotic & Affective Disorders | Prerequisite: 541. This course will cover or review substantial foundational knowledge of psychology of the individual in relation to the conceptualization of mental disorders. It addresses the various cognitive, psychotic, and affective components of severe mental illness. Attention will be given to a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenology, psychodynamics, diagnostics, and clinical symptom profile of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, cognitive impairments and dementia, borderline conditions, and severe affective disorders including clinical depression, bipolar disorder, and the problem of suicide. Fundamental skills in conceptualization, case formulation, and the diagnostic criteria of the DSM-IV-TR classification system in relation to symptom clusters will be core competencies. (3 credits) | |
| 552-Transtheoretic Foundations of Psychotherapy | Prerequisite: 500 & 511. This course follows Courses 500 and 511 and serves as a more thorough introduction to relationship factors important to psychotherapy outcome, as supported by neurobiological, cognitive-affective, and other evidence-based research. The course covers or reviews substantial foundational knowledge of biological bases of behaviour. Techniques of Adlerian psychotherapy will be utilized to illustrate transtheoretic common factors and to introduce an integrative approach to support the development of further clinical skills by practitioners. (3 credits) | |
| Full-Time
Base Sequence: Trimester 3 Part-Time Base Sequence: Trimesters 3 or 6 |
503-Portfolio Seminar | Students meet weekly (full-time) or bi-weekly (part-time) by teleclass with a faculty mentor to integrate material across classes, to share information and knowledge about demands of a professional career in psychological practice, to support one another in navigating requirements of professional graduate education, and to develop the Learning Portfolio that will be due during Semester 3 of Year 1 (full-time) or Year 2 (part-time). The Portfolio is designed by the student in consultation with the Seminar mentor and colleagues, as well as other resource persons including faculty advisors and course professors, and includes a description of the student’s Learning Context (including a personal five-year vision, prior competencies linked to a selection of desire competencies, and an examination of learning and professional strengths and challenges). The Context is then related to Learning Units that require a synthesis of practice and conceptual learning as a complement to course work. The purpose of the Portfolio is to provide foci to help the student map a learning journey within degree requirements. The completed Portfolio serves as a basis for the Learning Conspectus developed during Year 2 (full-time) or Years 3 and 4 (part-time) that is one requirement for graduation. (0 credit, hours included in course work) |
| 513-Professional Development IV: Pre-Practicum & Self-Care | Prerequisite: Course 552. Substantial knowledge of social bases of behaviour will be covered or reviewed as a foundation for the following topics: the practicum site as a complex social system; diversity and community psychology; a deepening of interpersonal skills, especially regarding the clear and sensitive communication of diagnostic information; attitudes and protocol for making best use of supervision; and understanding self-care for psychological service providers. Students will be expected to develop awareness of and plans for dealing with instances of stress and life/work imbalance. (3 credits) | |
| 523-Human Change Processes | This course covers substantial foundational knowledge of learning as an aspect of change, including classical and operant conditioning, the role of expectations and goals, modeling, and cognitive styles. Cognitive elements of attention, perception, and memory are reviewed. Developmental change processes are discussed, focusing on an integration of neurobiological and social factors. Advanced topics of development across the lifespan are explored through the perspective of current brain research, including contributions of nature and nurture, evolutionary biology, barriers to learning, attachment, the development of personality, positive and negative influences on individual behaviour, violence, intelligence, and happiness. (3 credits) | |
| 533-Assessment of Intellect & Cognition | Prerequisite: 532. This course is designed to explore the concepts of intelligence and cognition in adults; to analyze the issues and controversies related to assessment of intellectual and cognitive functioning; to develop competency in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of the WAIS III; to become familiar with other cognitive assessment approaches; and to consider the relationship of assessment to clinical practice. (3 credits) | |
| 543-Psychodiagnostic Case Formulation & Report Writing | This course builds on previous foundational knowledge and on skills in integrating technical principles of listening, communication, information gathering, assessment, case formulation, diagnosis, treatment planning, providing recommendations, clinical documentation, and report writing with a variety of counselling and clinical populations. Techniques for case conceptualization, psychodiagnostic interviewing, and sensitively communicating a diagnosis will be emphasized. Didactic and experiential instruction focusing on specialty populations will also be covered in class discussions, audio/video demonstrations, group work, in vivo clinical interviewing, and instruction on how to document clinical material and prepare written case formulation reports. (3 credits) | |
| Full-Time and Part-Time
Applied Sequence: Pre-Session |
600-Professional Development V: Group Psychotherapy | Prerequisite: faculty acceptance of student’s Learning Portfolio. In this experiential course, students will have an opportunity to become aware of personal and group dynamics to strengthen their development as counselors and psychotherapists. A variety of methods and techniques will be employed to foster awareness of personal and interpersonal variables that affect the client/therapist relationship. The principal objective of the course is to expose participants to personal and professional growth and to self-development opportunities through a group experience. Students will also consider the application of theories of group psychotherapy and the various types, settings, and purposes of group approaches. Pre-requisites: successful completion of Courses 501, 502, & 503; acceptance of Learning Portfolio by faculty. (3 credits) |
| Full-Time and Part-Time
Applied Sequence: monthly each Trimester |
605-Colloquia | Once each month during every trimester in which students are registered or paying continuous enrollment fees, they are expected to attend school-wide Colloquia where faculty members, students, and invited guests present information of interest to professional psychologists and human services practitioners in general. Emphasis is on new developments in research and on trends that integrate theory and research with current practice. Colloquia also provide faculty members and others in the School community with the opportunity to learn about one another’s research and professional interests. Students will be expected to incorporate Colloquia topics in classes, Portfolio Seminars, and Conspectus Seminars and may be invited to present thesis findings to their colleagues at Colloquia. (0 credit, hours included in course work) |
| Full-Time Applied Sequence: Trimester 1
Part-Time Applied Sequence: Trimesters 1 or 4 |
601-Conspectus Seminar | Prerequisite: acceptance of Learning Portfolio by faculty. In small weekly (full-time) or bi-weekly (part-time) teleclasses led by a faculty mentor, students will revisit their life purpose/professional goals work from Course 500, as informed by Year 1 classes, Colloquia, Portfolio Seminars, advising, mentoring, and informal inquiry. Having created a Context and identified learning goals and Units for achieving them in their Portfolio, they will be expected to take greater responsibility for designing and administering opportunities for developing mastery of the knowledge and skills required to become a practicing clinical or counseling psychologist during the degree process and for the future. This will result in a Conspectus due during Term 3 of Year 2 for full-time students and Year 4 for part-time students. The faculty mentor will present cases to stimulate an integrative mindset among seminar participants. Ongoing collaborative support of each student’s individual Thesis efforts will be included in the Seminar. (0 credit, hours included in course work) |
| 611-Capstone Project I | In this course, students will be required to carry out preliminary steps in completing a project that provides a capstone to their master’s preparation and demonstrates their ability to work at the forefront of the profession of clinical or counselling psychology. Following the M.Psy. Capstone Project Handbook, students will select a faculty Supervisor and a Reader (either external or internal to the program faculty) in consultation with their Academic Mentor/Advisor. The Program Dean will approve the selections of Supervisor and Reader. The Supervisor will oversee the student’s selection of topic, literature review, timeline, and preparation of a Capstone Proposal. The project need not involve quantitative research leading to an original contribution to the field of professional psychology that is of publishable quality, but the student may pursue this goal if approved by the Supervisor. The Supervisor and Reader will examine the Proposal for criteria outlined in the Handbook and give the student permission to request a Human Subjects Research Review by the Research Review Committee, if required. Once all approvals have been received, the student may schedule a Capstone Proposal Review with the Supervisor and Reader at which the student will summarize plans and timeline for the Project. Based on the written Capstone Proposal, including a literature review, and the Review, the Supervisor and Reader will decide whether to issue a pass and recommend advancement to Course 613—Capstone Project II and completion of the proposed project. Where Supervisor and Reader fail to agree, the Program Dean will appoint a second Reader to adjudicate. Ongoing attendance in Course 601-Conspectus Seminar will support the student in integrating the Capstone inquiry with professional goals. (3 credits) | |
| 651-Practicum | Prerequisites: 513 & 600. This series of 3 courses is designed to provide practical experience in competencies that meet the professional goals of the student, in consultation with a Faculty Adviser. Students enter a placement in a psychology or related mental health setting in order to engage in applied training under the supervision of a psychologist or other qualified practitioner, as appropriate for the student’s career goals. They should expect to spend a minimum of one full day each week at the practicum site, although some sites may allow two half-days or evenings. Each practicum consists of 300 hours including 15 hours of supervision and 75 hours of direct client contact. Remaining hours consist of report writing, research and reading, and attending and/or presenting at conferences or rounds, as directed by the site supervisor. (3 credits) | |
| 661-Practicum Seminar | Concurrent with 651. Practicum Seminars run concurrently with student practicum placements and meet on a regular basis in a small group format. They provide experienced faculty with the opportunity to guide the ongoing development of the student. Students will present and critique clinical case material through the use of audio and/or video recording and receive peer consultation as well as sound clinical instruction and developmental supervision necessary for enhancement of professional skills and knowledge. (2 credits each) | |
| 691-Elective(s) | This series of courses is offered to provide opportunities for more detailed examination of topics covered in required courses or to allow exploration of psychotherapy- and counselling-related topics of particular interest to students or of particular relevance to career goals. Electives allow for the presentation of new research, theory, or methods as part of the faculty’s commitment to provide up-to-date training in clinical and counseling psychology. (3 credits total) | |
| Full-Time Applied Sequence:
Trimester 2 Part-Time Applied Sequence: Trimesters 2 or 5 |
602-Conspectus Seminar | Prerequisite: 601. In small weekly (full-time) or bi-weekly (part-time) teleclasses led by a faculty mentor, students will revisit their life purpose/professional goals work from Course 500, as informed by Year 1 classes, Colloquia, Portfolio Seminars, advising, mentoring, and informal inquiry. Having created a Context and identified learning goals and Units for achieving them in their Portfolio, they will be expected to take greater responsibility for designing and administering opportunities for developing mastery of the knowledge and skills required to become a practicing clinical or counseling psychologist during the degree process and for the future. This will result in a Conspectus due during Term 3 of Year 2 for full-time students and Year 4 for part-time students. The faculty mentor will present cases to stimulate an integrative mindset among seminar participants. Ongoing collaborative support of each student’s individual Thesis efforts will be included in the Seminar. (0 credit, hours included in course work) |
| 632-Psycho-pharmacology | This course covers and applies substantial foundational knowledge in biological bases of behaviour as related to psychopharmacology. Topics include clinical application and issues associated with the actions of drugs that affect mood and behaviour. Lectures and discussion will address neurobiological elements that underlie psychiatric disorders as well as the utilization and effectiveness of psychotropic chemotherapy regimens and options. (3 credits) | |
| 652-Practicum | Prerequisite: 651. This series of 3 courses is designed to provide practical experience in competencies that meet the professional goals of the student, in consultation with a Faculty Adviser. Students enter a placement in a psychology or related mental health setting in order to engage in applied training under the supervision of a psychologist or other qualified practitioner, as appropriate for the student’s career goals. They should expect to spend a minimum of one full day each week at the practicum site, although some sites may allow two half-days or evenings. Each practicum consists of 300 hours including 15 hours of supervision and 75 hours of direct client contact. Remaining hours consist of report writing, research and reading, and attending and/or presenting at conferences or rounds, as directed by the site supervisor. (3 credits) | |
| 662-Practicum Seminar | Concurrent with 652. Practicum Seminars run concurrently with student practicum placements and meet on a regular basis in a small group format. They provide experienced faculty with the opportunity to guide the ongoing development of the student. Students will present and critique clinical case material through the use of audio and/or video recording and receive peer consultation as well as sound clinical instruction and developmental supervision necessary for enhancement of professional skills and knowledge. (2 credits each) | |
| 692- Elective(s) | This series of courses is offered to provide opportunities for more detailed examination of topics covered in required courses or to allow exploration of psychotherapy- and counselling-related topics of particular interest to students or of particular relevance to career goals. Electives allow for the presentation of new research, theory, or methods as part of the faculty’s commitment to provide up-to-date training in clinical and counseling psychology. (3 credits total) | |
| Full-Time Applied Sequence: Trimester 3
Part-Time Applied Sequence: Trimesters 3 or 6 |
603-Conspectus Seminar | Prerequisite: 602. In small weekly (full-time) or bi-weekly (part-time) teleclasses led by a faculty mentor, students will revisit their life purpose/professional goals work from Course 500, as informed by Year 1 classes, Colloquia, Portfolio Seminars, advising, mentoring, and informal inquiry. Having created a Context and identified learning goals and Units for achieving them in their Portfolio, they will be expected to take greater responsibility for designing and administering opportunities for developing mastery of the knowledge and skills required to become a practicing clinical or counseling psychologist during the degree process and for the future. This will result in a Conspectus due during Term 3 of Year 2 for full-time students and Year 4 for part-time students. The faculty mentor will present cases to stimulate an integrative mindset among seminar participants. Ongoing collaborative support of each student’s individual Thesis efforts will be included in the Seminar. (0 credit, hours included in course work) |
| 613-Capstone Project II | Prerequisite: 611. Upon successful completion of Course 611-Capstone Project I, students carry out the approved proposal in order to complete a Project that provides a capstone to their master’s preparation and demonstrates their ability to work at the forefront of the profession of clinical or counselling psychology. Following the M.Psy. Capstone Project Handbook, and with the guidance of their Capstone Supervisor, students will carry out the steps proposed in their Capstone Project Proposal and Review. Ongoing attendance in Course 603-Conspectus Seminar will support the student in integrating capstone inquiry with professional goals. The Supervisor and Reader will examine the completed project for criteria outlined in the Handbook and decide whether to recommend “readiness for a public presentation,” conduct the presentation, and report on whether the presentation successfully met the student’s proposed goals and standards as outlined in the Handbook. A successful presentation will depend on the quality of any written work as well as the ability of the student to present the project in a manner required of a professional practitioner. Where supervisor and reader fail to agree, the Program Dean will appoint a second Reader to adjudicate. (3 credits) | |
| 653-Practicum | Prerequisites: 652. This series of 3 courses is designed to provide practical experience in competencies that meet the professional goals of the student, in consultation with a Faculty Adviser. Students enter a placement in a psychology or related mental health setting in order to engage in applied training under the supervision of a psychologist or other qualified practitioner, as appropriate for the student’s career goals. They should expect to spend a minimum of one full day each week at the practicum site, although some sites may allow two half-days or evenings. Each practicum consists of 300 hours including 15 hours of supervision and 75 hours of direct client contact. Remaining hours consist of report writing, research and reading, and attending and/or presenting at conferences or rounds, as directed by the site supervisor. (3 credits) | |
| 663-Practicum Seminar | Concurrent with 653. Practicum Seminars run concurrently with student practicum placements and meet on a regular basis in a small group format. They provide experienced faculty with the opportunity to guide the ongoing development of the student. Students will present and critique clinical case material through the use of audio and/or video recording and receive peer consultation as well as sound clinical instruction and developmental supervision necessary for enhancement of professional skills and knowledge. (2 credits each) | |
| 693-Elective(s) | This series of courses is offered to provide opportunities for more detailed examination of topics covered in required courses or to allow exploration of psychotherapy- and counselling-related topics of particular interest to students or of particular relevance to career goals. Electives allow for the presentation of new research, theory, or methods as part of the faculty’s commitment to provide up-to-date training in clinical and counseling psychology. (1, 2, or 3 credits each) |
an appointment for your personal M.Psy. information session.