Program Location
Education Building
Start Term
Fall Semesters
Program Type
Project
Schedule
Full-Time
Credits
60 Credits
Average Duration
2 Years
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Build your skills and knowledge in an array of counselling topics, exploring diverse settings of psychotherapy including educational, vocational, personal, and developmental counselling. With a strong focus on career and vocational theory, individual and group counselling skills, multicultural integration, and diagnosis and assessment procedures, students undergo extensive supervised internships in clinical or educational settings, fostering practical experience crucial for professional growth. Upon completion, graduates qualify for membership into the Ordre des conseillers et conseillères d'orientation du Québec (OCCOQ), paving the way for impactful careers as counsellors, with potential pathways to further academic advancement, including progression to the McGill PhD in Counselling Psychology for those demonstrating a talent for and interest in practical application research.
Full Program Details from the Course Catalogue
Counselling Psychology (Non-Thesis) (M.A.): Project (60 credits)
Offered by: Educational & Counselling Psych (Faculty of Education)
Degree: Master of Arts
Program credit weight: 60
Program Description
This program is designed to produce graduates with introductory academic preparation for research or clinical careers in counselling psychology. Training is provided in the research domain through coursework in data analysis and a research project. Clinical preparation is initiated in the program through coursework in ethics, intervention, assessment, psychological testing, and multicultural issues and through a practicum. Most coursework is taken during the student's first year of studies while beginning work on their research projects. In their second year, students gain practical experience via a practicum in the Department’s Psychoeducational and Counselling Clinic while also completing the majority of their work on the research project. The degree alone does not fulfil the requirements for membership in the Ordre des psychologues du Québec (OPQ).
Required Courses (57 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDPC 606 | Theories of Intervention 1. | 3 |
Theories of Intervention 1. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Phenomenological, cognitive, behavioural and developmental theories that bear on the interventions of counsellors, psychologists, and other practitioners. | ||
| EDPC 609 | Psychological Testing 1. | 3 |
Psychological Testing 1. Terms offered: Winter 2026 History of psychological testing, theoretical aspects of individual and group testing, validity, reliability, and test construction, basic theories of intelligence, and ethical and legal issues in testing. An introduction to tests of cognitive abilities, aptitude, personality, and interests, including the acquisition of basic skills needed to administer and interpret individual tests of cognitive abilities. Students taking courses which access the ECP Assessment Materials Resource Centre are required to pay an access fee as well as the cost of all consumables required per course. The fee is dependent on the number of consumables/protocols used in each class and is refundable during the withdrawal with full refund period. | ||
| EDPC 615 | Assessment and Diagnosis 1. | 3 |
Assessment and Diagnosis 1. Terms offered: Fall 2025 An introduction to differential assessment and diagnosis for counsellors in educational and mental health settings. The clinical interview, the assessment process, the DSM-IV, relevant test instruments, diagnostic procedures, and development of treatment plans will be subjects of study. Models of record keeping and referral procedures will be reviewed. | ||
| EDPC 619 | Research Project 1. | 3 |
Research Project 1. Terms offered: Winter 2026 A focused survey of the research literature on a topic chosen in consultation with the research supervisor. | ||
| EDPC 620 | Research Project 2. | 3 |
Research Project 2. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Development of a rationale for a research project supported by the research literature, the articulation of a specific research question(s) related to the rationale, and write up of a method to collect data that will answer the question. | ||
| EDPC 621 | Research Project 3. | 3 |
Research Project 3. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Data collection based on the method proposed in Research Project 2. | ||
| EDPC 625 | Clinic Practicum 1. | 6 |
Clinic Practicum 1. Terms offered: Fall 2025 A first level practicum in basic interviewing and helping skills and their application to a range of problems. Clients are seen in the McGill Psychoeducational and Counselling Clinic. Students taking courses which access the ECP Assessment Materials Resource Centre are required to pay an access fee as well as the cost of all consumables required per course. The fee is dependent on the number of consumables/protocols used in each class and is refundable during the withdrawal with full refund period. | ||
| EDPC 626 | Clinic Practicum 2. | 6 |
Clinic Practicum 2. Terms offered: Winter 2026 A second level practicum in basic interviewing and helping skills and their application to a range of problems. Clients are seen in the McGill Psychoeducational and Counselling Clinic. Students taking courses which access the ECP Assessment Materials Resource Centre are required to pay an access fee as well as the cost of all consumables required per course. The fee is dependent on the number of consumables/protocols used in each class and is refundable during the withdrawal with full refund period. | ||
| EDPC 628 | Research Project 4. | 3 |
Research Project 4. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Data analysis based on data collected in Research Project 3. | ||
| EDPC 629 | Research Project 5. | 3 |
Research Project 5. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Interpretation of data collected in Research Project 3 including its relationship to the literature and its implications. | ||
| EDPC 630 | Research Project 6. | 3 |
Research Project 6. Terms offered: Winter 2026 The development of a written report of the research project in the form of a manuscript suitable for publication. | ||
| EDPC 662 | Career Psychology. | 3 |
Career Psychology. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Contemporary career theories, and their relationship to career development, career assessment, career transition and workplace concerns are reviewed. Current issues related to career development across the life span with specific attention given to topics such as values, aptitudes, family, culture and societal contexts will be explored. Students taking courses which access the ECP Assessment Materials Resource Centre are required to pay an access fee as well as the cost of all consumables required per course. The fee is dependent on the number of consumables/protocols used in each class and is refundable during the withdrawal with full refund period. | ||
| EDPC 683 | Practicum in Psychological Testing: Personality Assessment. | 3 |
Practicum in Psychological Testing: Personality Assessment. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Seminar and field practice in the administration and interpretation of tests that assess individual characteristic ways of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and oneself . The course covers the selection and evaluation of personality and vocational instruments, ethical test use, test administration, report writing, and communication of results. | ||
| EDPC 684 | Practicum in Psychological Testing: Cognitive Assessment. | 3 |
Practicum in Psychological Testing: Cognitive Assessment. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Seminar and field practice in the administration and interpretation of instruments that assess cognitive functioning and psychosocial functioning as it relates to cognitive abilities and academic achievements. The course covers the selection and evaluation of instruments, ethical test use, test administration, report writing, and communication of test results. | ||
| EDPE 622 | Multiculturalism and Gender. | 3 |
Multiculturalism and Gender. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Multicultural, multilingual and gender issues as they relate to the practising school and counselling psychologist. Implications and their impact in assessment, research, training, and intervention. | ||
| EDPE 627 | Ethical and Professional Practice of Psychology. | 3 |
Ethical and Professional Practice of Psychology. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Ethics and the professional and governmental structures regulating the practice of psychology in Quebec, Canada, and North America and their relation to the work of psychologists. Required for licensing as a psychologist. | ||
| EDPE 676 | Intermediate Statistics. | 3 |
Intermediate Statistics. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Concepts and procedures of conducting basic descriptive and inferential statistics, including analysis of variance, correlation, and regression models. Provides experience with data-analysis tools. | ||
Complementary Courses (3 credits)
3 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDPE 682 | Univariate/Multivariate Analysis. | 3 |
Univariate/Multivariate Analysis. Terms offered: Winter 2026 General linear model as a unified data analytic system for estimation and hypothesis testing that subsumes regression, analysis of variance, and analysis of covariance for single dependent variables. Introduction to generalizations involving multiple dependent (criterion) variables. Applications oriented toward education, educational psychology and counselling psychology. Experience with data-analysis tools. | ||
| EDPE 687 | Qualitative Methods in Educational Psychology. | 3 |
Qualitative Methods in Educational Psychology. Terms offered: Winter 2026 The logics of design and selection of phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, case study and mixed design methods with emphasis on data analysis in light of issues of research purpose, epistemology, reliability and validity. | ||
Graduate Supervision
It is not required to secure a supervisor prior to applying to the program; however, you will be asked to name of up to three (3) potential supervisors as part of your application. Click the button below to review the list of potential supervisors. Note that you should review these professors' profile pages to see if they are accepting students in the upcoming application period, as indicated in the Graduate Supervision field (at the bottom of each page).
Eligibility (Admission Criteria)
Applicants should meet the following requirements:
- Possess an undergraduate degree.
- A minimum CGPA of 3.2 out of 4.0 over the final two years of full-time study. International applicants can look up grade equivalencies on McGill’s Future Graduate Students website.
- A completed Pre-Admission Checklist including 42 discipline-specific credits at the university level in specific Psychology domains. At the time of application, applicants can be missing up to 6 credits of courses from their Pre-Admission Academic Checklist; however, admitted students are required to have all pre-admission course requirements completed by the beginning of their degree. Please consult the Pre-Admission Domain Guide that provides added details and instruction for the checklist.
- Proficiency in English. Applicants to graduate studies whose mother tongue is not English and who have not obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction, or from a recognized institution in Canada or the US (anglophone or francophone), must submit documented proof of proficiency in oral and written English.
Application Process & Required Documents
All applications are done through McGill's Graduate Applicant Portal. The application steps and instructional video are on the University's Future Graduate Students website. The following documents must be part of your application: (Note that all uploaded documents to the portal must be in PDF format.)
- A complete application form.
- A copy of your unofficial transcripts from all previous university-level studies (undergraduate and graduate). Official transcripts are required to be submitted by those who gain admission to the program. (Instructions on sending official transcripts will be sent upon acceptance.)
- A completed Pre-Admission Checklist.
- The McGill ECP Counselling Psychology Curriculum Vitae Form.
- Letters of Reference: Within the online application, applicants must provide valid institutional e-mail addresses for three (3) references. McGill University will contact the referees directly.
- Personal Statement (3-page maximum, double-spaced) in APA style. Please include the following information:
- Research experience: Describe your past and current research experience, outlining the research projects you have been involved with. Include the title and supervisor, a description of participants, and provide specific details about research skills that you acquired through these experiences. For at least one of these studies, provide a summary of the theory, methodology, and your interpretations of the findings. (1 page.)
- Career objectives: Why are you applying to this program? How do program training standards match your general career objectives? Which skills would you like to gain? (1/2 page.)
- Research supervision: Concisely outline your proposed area(s) of research interest(s), should you be admitted to this program. List the name(s) of up to three (3) Counselling Psychology program supervisors in order of preference. Provide a brief rationale for selecting each supervisor and ensure your preferred supervisor has listed expertise in your chosen area. (1/2 page.)
- Optional topics: Your personal trajectory, personal challenges along your scholastic journey, experiences or challenges you've encountered related to identity. Note that students who identify as being part of a minority group are encouraged to self-identify to facilitate access to any applicable financial aid and/or awards, as part of McGill's Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) mandate. All personal data submitted will be kept confidential and used only for operational decision-making.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Admission: December 1
What to expect after submitting your application:
- Recommended candidates will receive a "Recommendation of Acceptance" email by April, confirming that their application has been reviewed and is being transmitted to McGill's Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS).
- Successful candidates will be contacted via email with an official offer of admission. Candidates are then required to confirm their acceptance via their Graduate Applicant Portal. Kindly note that acceptance deferrals are not typically granted except under extraordinary circumstances.
