Admission Requirements

General

Candidates seeking admission should normally be able to satisfy the entrance requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Further to these requirements, the Department of Educational and Leadership Studies requires an acceptable bachelor's degree from an accredited university and normally a grade point average of 6.0 (B+) in the last two years of academic work. Entry to the program is on a competitive basis and enrolment may be restricted in any given year. All applicants should submit a current résumé and a brief letter of intent. Other requirements include information on prerequisite courses, previous field experience, assessment reports, references, and personal statements.

Potential applicants may contact the Graduate Program Assistant for application information about specific programs. They may also visit our website: <www.educ.uvic.ca/epls>

For community based programs, phone: 250-721-7875.

Admission To Master's Programs

Counselling Psychology

Applicants are expected to have a broad understanding of psychological principles and issues as a result of their academic course work. Thesis-based MA applicants must have at least 1.5 senior undergraduate credit in statistics that cover descriptive statistics including univariate and regression analysis. Thesis-based MA applicants must submit a one-page description of past research experience and present research interest.

Please note: Each year the Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies in Education receives a considerable number of applications for entry into the graduate counselling programs, thus, the admissions process is a competitive one. Meeting admission requirements does not guarantee entry to the program. Only a limited number of places are available, typically 12-16 for on campus programs and 18 for Community-based programs. Recommendations for admissions are for a particular program and start date, and cannot be deferred. Applicants declining an offer of admission must re-apply. See our web site at: <www.educ.uvic.ca/epls/grad/couns.htm> for more detailed information and guidelines.

1. An acceptable bachelor's degree from an accredited university and normally a grade point average of 6.0 (B+) in the last two years of academic work.
2. Applicants are expected to have a broad understanding of psychological principles and issues as a result of their academic course work. All applicants must have a minimum of nine units of relevant 3rd and 4th year coursework in Educational Psychology, Psychology or a related helping discipline. Senior level courses in Human Development, Personality, Learning/Cognition, and Abnormal Psychology/Psychopathology are required. Thesis-based MA applicants must have at least 1.5 units of undergraduate credit in statistics that covers descriptive statistics and inferential statistics including univariate and regression analyses.
3. Completion of prerequisite courses ED-D 414, 417, and 418 with at least a B+ grade. Applicants must have completed ED-D 417 and ED-D 418* by December 31st of the year prior to program start. Applicants who have not completed ED-D 414 (or an equivalent course) prior to application submission may be granted admission to the program conditional on completing ED-D 414 (or equivalent) prior to beginning the program in September. ED-D 414 is usually offered several times throughout the year, including during the summer (July/August) prior to the start of the Master's program. Applicants applying for equivalency must send course outlines and other supporting information to the Graduate Adviser by November 1st prior to application. *Note: ED-D 414 and ED-D 417 have changed in unit value to 1.5 units from 3.0 units. ED-D 418 has been added as a prerequisite. As of December 1, 2007, applicants must have ED-D 418 for admission.
4. A minimum of one year of successful relevant field experience (900 hours) documented in a complete résumé. Field experience is defined as working in a helping capacity in a counselling-related or teaching-related setting with children, adolescents, or adults. Such experience should involve person-to-person and/or group helping relationships in which (a) the individual plays a facilitative role in learning, personal and emotional growth, and/or psychological development and (b) is required to demonstrate professional and ethical behaviors, effective interpersonal skills, and personal awareness. It must also include the receiving of supervision involving evaluative feedback from a supervisor of a higher administrative position (i.e., not peer consultation) with clearly stated roles and responsibilities for the individual and the supervisor. This requirement can be met through volunteer work experience although preference will be given to applicants who have sustained, relevant paid work experience.
5. Two Assessment Reports (references) from professors and/or supervisors.
6. A minimum of two Counselling Skills Evaluations are required. One must be from an instructor of ED-D 417 (or equivalent). The other may be from a supervisor of the applicant's counselling or other applied work setting.
7. A personal statement (3 to 5 pages) detailing career plans and motivation for graduate work in Counselling.
8. For thesis-based MA applicants only, a one-page description of past research experience and present research interests.
9. Applicants reactivating their file for reconsideration must detail in a letter the actions they have taken to strengthen their new application over the previous one.
10. Applicants requesting admission consideration due to disability must put their request in writing at the time of admission, providing an explanation of their situation and appropriate medical or other documentation.
11. As a condition of admission to all Counselling Psychology programs, students must undergo a Criminal Record Check in compliance with the BC Criminal Records Review Act.

Educational Psychology Focus Areas

General Requirements

• An acceptable bachelor's degree from an accredited university and normally a grade point average of 6.0 (B+) in the last two years of academic work. Senior undergraduate courses directly related to the focus area (Special Education, Learning and Development, or Measurement, Evaluation and Computer Applications).
• Two references (assessment reports) from academic or field based contexts.
• A letter of intent outlining research, academic and professional goals specific to the focus area for which they are applying.
• Current curriculum vitae (résumé).
• Criminal Record Check in compliance with the BC Criminal Records Review Act.

Applicants reactivating their file should detail in a letter the actions they have taken to strengthen their new application.

Prerequisite Courses

• A senior undergraduate course in educational psychology, instructional psychology, learning theory, or learning principles applied to children (e.g., ED-D 300, ED-D 401).
• A senior undergraduate course in development (life-span, childhood, and/or adolescent development) (e.g., ED-D 305, ED-D 406).
• For the Special Education focus area: A senior undergraduate course in special needs, developmental psychopathology or related course, OR 2-years of related field experience (e.g., providing services to children, youth, or adults with special needs in school or community contexts).
• For the Learning and Development, and Measurement, Evaluation and Computer Applications focus areas: A senior undergraduate course in Statistical analysis and/or classroom assessment (e.g. PSYC 300A, ED-D 337).

Leadership

Candidates seeking admission should be able to satisfy the entrance requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Further to these requirements, the Department of Educational and Leadership Studies requires an acceptable Bachelor's degree from an accredited University and normally a grade point average of 6.0 (B+) in the last two years of academic work along with a brief résumé. Entry to the program is on a competitive basis, and enrolment may be restricted in any given year. All applicants should submit a current résumé and a brief letter of intent. Recognition is given for experience in school and the community. Course work completed within the last five years, which was not part of the academic work considered for admission, may be eligible for transfer credit towards the Master's degree.

Leadership Studies' students whose course work or research involves contact with vulnerable populations will be required to undergo a Criminal Record Check in compliance with the BC Criminal Records Review Act.

Admission to the PhD Program in Educational Psychology

Admission to the doctoral degree program requires completion of a master's degree from a recognized university. The completed degree can be with or without thesis.

Applicants who have completed a project-based master's degree are required to have completed a research paper in which design principles and analytic techniques are demonstrated.

Applicants must have completed ED-D 560 (Statistical Methods in Education) and ED-D 561A (Methods in Educational Research), or their equivalents within their Master's degree program.

Applicants must submit Graduate Record Examination scores from the aptitude portion (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) of the GRE.

Applicants must submit a statement of research experience and interests, a letter of intent, and current curriculum vitae.

Applicants must provide a minimum of one single-authored published or unpublished article that is appropriate to the field of future studies. A copy of the applicant's master's thesis, a major paper, published research or a professional report may be submitted to fulfill this requirement.

Deadlines

• PhD Educational Psychology: Early January (September entry)
• MA/MEd Counselling: December 1 (September entry)
• Educational Psychology: Early January (September entry)
• Leadership Studies: Applications accepted until program is full (May, July, and September entry)

Please consult the department website for specific deadline dates: <www.educ.uvic.ca/epls/graduateprograms1.htm>.