¶¡ÏãÔ°AV

Psychology

¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements

Program Continuance

Satisfactory Performance

Each graduate student's performance in research and course work is assessed at least once a year, with a formal annual review being conducted every spring. Each student receives feedback on his/her progress following this review. It is the policy of the Department of Psychology that a grade of less than B (3.0) on any course is deemed unsatisfactory. Any graduate student who obtains a grade of less than B (3.0) in two or more courses in the preceding calendar year, or who fails to maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 3.5, may be required to withdraw from the program. Additionally, students who receive unsatisfactory ratings on their annual evaluations, whether due to grades, inadequate progress through the program or unethical behavior, may be withdrawn from the program (as per graduate general regulation 1.8.2).

A student in the Clinical Psychology Program whose behavior raises the question of possible violations of the ethical codes binding the profession (CPA Code of Ethics, APA Ethical Principles, and CPBC Code of Conduct) will be advised of the nature of the problem behavior in writing, and requested to meet with the clinical committee in a confidential closed session to determine the facts. Access to clinical clients may be immediately suspended pending the outcome of this meeting. The student will be invited to present any information and to respond to any questions. Whether or not the student attends, the committee members subsequently will meet in camera to consider the facts, and to decide on a recommendation to make to the graduate studies committee (GSC) of the department. Possible outcomes of this process include limitation of clinical training work, restriction of contact with clinical clients or research participants, remedial work, and recommendation of termination from the program. Issues pertaining to ethical integrity of students who are not in the Clinical Program are subject to the same codes of conduct and will follow the same procedures as described above, but will be handled directly by the graduate studies committee.

A student may appeal the decision to the GSC of the department. The GSC will adjudicate the appeal using procedures outlined in graduate general regulation 1.8.2 Review of Unsatisfactory Progress. The grounds for appeal are errors or unfairness in the procedures that were followed.

Dissertation

Before starting dissertation research, the candidate presents a formal proposal for evaluation. The candidate must present a dissertation proposal before the end of the second program year, and is expected to complete the dissertation within four years of program entrance. The completed dissertation will be defended in oral examination. Judgment will be made by an examining committee. For further information, see .

Supervisory Committees

For the PhD dissertation, students establish a supervisory committee by the end of the second term following program admission. The PhD supervisory committee will consist of a Department of Psychology tenure-track or tenured faculty member who will be the senior supervisor and committee chair, and two or more additional members, at least one of whom must be a tenure-track or tenured faculty member in the Department of Psychology.

Program Requirements

Graduate students must maintain continuous registration (fall, spring, summer terms) throughout their psychology graduate program.

PhD students must complete a minimum of two area courses, comprehensive examinations (PSYC 999), and a dissertation proposal within two years of doctoral program admission. PhD students complete their doctoral dissertation (PSYC 899) by the end of their fourth year in the PhD program.

All students must register in area research seminars (PSYC 912, 913, 914, 916, 917 or 918) every fall and spring term during their MA and PhD programs and to complete the requirements of their area of specialization. Failure to meet department timelines is noted in the student’s annual performance review.

Program Specializations

Cognitive and Biological Psychology

Area course 1

Area course 2

Area course 3

Area course 4

Developmental Psychology

Law and Forensic Psychology

Social Psychology

Theory and Methods

Area course 1

Area course 2

Area course 3

Area course 4

Area course 5

Area course 6

† Area courses are determined for each student individually and may include courses both from within and outside of the department. Area courses are identified by the number of asterisks beside them.

‡ four to six area courses are determined for each student individually and may include courses both from within and outside the department. Area courses are identified by the number of asterisks beside them.

Clinical Psychology Graduate Program and Research Area

Students in the clinical program are all members of the clinical research area. The PhD program, accredited by the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) and the American Psychological Association (APA), is based on the scientist-practitioner training model. The program provides generalist training and specialization streams in clinical child psychology, clinical forensic psychology, and clinical neuropsychology. Standing in the program is contingent upon maintenance of satisfactory performance in course work, thesis work, practicum skills development, comprehensive exams, and adherence to professional ethical standards (CPA Code of Ethics, APA Ethical Principles, and CPBC Code of Conduct), as evaluated in the annual review of student progress. Unsatisfactory academic progress and/or CPA ethical code of conduct violations (e.g. dishonesty, boundary violations, etc.) may lead to withdrawal from the clinical program.

Students may pursue generalist training or specialize in one of clinical child psychology, clinical forensic psychology, or clinical neuropsychology. Each specialty stream has another associated research area (see requirements for specialty streams below). MA program students who wish to specialize pending acceptance into the PhD program must have course selections consistent with the specialty stream requirements. Specialty stream students are members of the clinical area and an associated area. Associated areas include clinical child (development psychology), clinical forensic (law and forensic psychology), and clinical neuropsychology (cognitive and biological psychology).

Students who wish to participate in the Clinical Psychology Area, but who are not enrolled in the Clinical Psychology Graduate Program, may take clinical psychology courses that do not involve professional clinical psychology training, upon approval of the director of clinical training. Such students may also attend and participate in clinical area research seminars. Students who are in the Clinical Psychology Area but not in the Clinical Psychology Graduate Program are not eligible for a degree in clinical psychology.

Program Requirements

Students must satisfactorily complete all of

and one breadth course (see Clinical Program Breadth/Domain Requirements below)

and two area courses (see below)

At least two courses must be from the advanced topics courses in assessment or intervention, as listed below. Note that the chosen courses will depend upon specialization.

Students will not be permitted to enrol in PhD course work beyond the seventh term in the MA program, until the MA thesis is complete, or they receive joint approval from their senior supervisor and the director of clinical training.

Students are required to enrol in PSYC 825 (ongoing clinical training) every term prior to internship (PSYC 886) except when formally exempt.

In addition, students must participate in area research seminars (PSYC 912 annually in the fall and spring terms) during their PhD programs.

Students will successfully defend dissertation proposals before applying for internship (by September 30th).

# including an ethics oral examination

Clinical Specialization Requirements

Clinical Child Stream (Developmental Psychology)

Clinical Forensic Stream (Law and Forensic Psychology)

Clinical Neuropsychology Stream (Cognitive and Biological Psychology)

ANAT 516 Functional Human Neuroanatomy: Central Nervous System (3) (UBC)

Breadth/Domain Requirements

One breadth course is required. A breadth course is a course that is outside of the student’s research or specialization area, and for students in the Clinical Psychology Program, must be a non-clinical psychology course that falls within one of the five foundational areas described below. The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) require that five foundational areas be covered by the curriculum of all accredited programs. These include

-biological bases of behavior

-cognitive-affective bases of behavior

-social bases of behavior

-individual differences

-history and scientific foundations of general psychology

When choosing elective and breadth courses, students must ensure adequate coverage of each foundational area during their graduate training.

¶¡ÏãÔ°AV/UBC Law and Forensic Psychology Stream

The ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Program in Law and Forensic Psychology, in co-operation with the University of British Columbia, offers forensic psychology students the option of completing both a PhD and an LLB degree. Students completing the co-operative PhD/LLB stream will be enrolled in either the law and forensic psychology area, or the clinical forensic stream. This program permits students to be on-leave from one university while completing requirements in the other. All ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV and department MA and PhD requirements must be met. Co-operative ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV/UBC stream students must complete the requirements for both a PhD in law and forensic psychology, and an LLB in law. For application and admission information for the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV PhD degree, see the Department of Psychology’s Application and ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements. Applicants seeking the LLB degree must apply separately to the Faculty of Law at UBC.

The degree is awarded by ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and the LLB is awarded by UBC’s Faculty of Law. Students must satisfy all requirements for the PhD and LLB degrees.

Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations

All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the  (residence, course work, academic progress, supervision, research competence requirement, completion time, and degree completion), as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled, as shown above.