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Doctor of Psychology (PSYD)

The Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) educates and prepares students for registration as Psychologists with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. The minimum three-year, 57-credit doctoral program is consistent with the standards outlined by the Canadian Psychological Association for professional degrees. The program follows the Practitioner-Scholar Model, emphasizing the integration of theory and practice, self-reflective capacity, collaborative professional and inter-professional relationships, and commitment to social equality and social justice. Graduates are prepared for careers as professional psychologists.

Program Outcomes

Doctor of Psychology

Graduates of the PsyD program will be fully trained in all the competencies required for clinical practice as Psychologists. These include competency in: a) Interpersonal Relationships, b) Bases of Behaviour and Psychological Science, c) Assessment, Evaluation and Diagnosis, d) Intervention and Clinical Consultation, e) Scientific and Professional Ethics, f) Research Design and Test Construction, and g) Clinical Supervision. Graduates are prepared to apply for registration or licensure as doctoral-level Clinical Psychologists with the CPO.

ADLER cannot guarantee that any professional organization or business will accept a graduate’s application to sit for any certification, licensure, or related examination for the purpose of professional certification.

Potential Employment for Graduates

Graduates of the PsyD program will have opportunities to seek employment as Registered Psychologists in community health agencies, hospitals, private practice, and school boards. As previously noted, the employment outlook for psychologists is very strong. The PsyD is a terminal degree; however, students may wish to gain further competencies through postgraduate study in additional modalities or areas of practice or to pursue further study in research or related disciplines.

Accreditation Information

In Ontario, consent to offer post-secondary degrees is granted by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities and must be renewed every five years. This is considered equivalent to regional accreditation in other jurisdictions. Ministerial consent for Ontario degrees requires the following notice on advertisements and information regarding the PsyD degree:

“This program is offered under the written consent of the Minister of Colleges and Universities for the period from December 15, 2021, to December 15, 2027. Prospective students are responsible for satisfying themselves that the program and the degree will be appropriate to their needs (e.g., acceptable to potential employers, professional licensing bodies or other educational institutions).”

From time to time, student work, including but not limited to essays, examinations, and other material, may be anonymized and made available to subject matter experts as part of the Ministry’s quality assurance process for academic degree programs.

Admissions

Admission to the Doctor of Psychology program at ADLER is the responsibility of the Program Admissions Committee. The Director of Academic Admissions and the Academic Admissions Assessor review all submitted applications. Recommendations for any given application will be based on several factors, not on academic ability alone. 

ADLER reserves the right to grant or deny admission to any applicant at its sole discretion.

Applicants pay an $85 application fee.

Submission Process

  1. Submission of the Declare Interest Form
  2. Completed applications must be submitted by December 1st of each year for acceptance into the following year’s September cohort.
  3. Payment of non-refundable application Fee – $85 
  4. Completion of the Acuity Insights Casper Admissions Assessment.

Required Documentation

Official Transcripts – Must be submitted directly from the educational institution and meet the criteria of the College of Psychologists of Ontario for registration.

Undergraduate Degree

  • 4-year honours undergraduate degree in psychology, or
  • Equivalent to 4-year honours undergraduate degree

Master’s Degree

  • Minimum grade point average of 3.33 or higher (B+ or 77%) in graduate work
  • ADLER Master of Psychology, or
  • Other Master of Psychology degree, assessed as being substantially equivalent to the ADLER Master of Psychology degree.

Master’s degree program requires, as a prerequisite for admission to the program, that the applicants have taken a minimum of 576 hours of undergraduate instruction in psychology.

Master’s degree program requires candidates to complete a minimum of one academic year of full-time resident graduate study and training or equivalent part-time resident graduate study and training. Resident study and training consist of in-person participation in courses, seminars, practica, and internships with face-to-face contact with faculty and other students.

Three references

ADLER graduates – One must be a current or former ADLER faculty member; one must be from a current or former Practicum supervisor who is a registered psychologist in Ontario.

Other applicants – One must be from a current or former faculty member; one must be from a current or former supervisor who is a registered psychologist.

The third reference must be from a professional who is a registered psychologist and is familiar with the applicant’s professional work in psychology or who has firsthand knowledge of their academic work. This cannot be family, friends, or a clinician with whom the applicant has had a professional treatment relationship (e.g., one’s psychologist, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, social worker, etc.)

Statement of Intent

A 3–4-page statement of intent and career objectives, including why a PsyD in Clinical Psychology, and why ADLER in particular?

Submission of an MRP/Thesis

Applicants should submit an electronic copy.

English language proficiency

This should be demonstrated by either:

  • English is the applicant’s first language.
  • Completion of the applicant’s undergraduate degree at a university in which the language of instruction and examination is English; or
  • A formal assessment by one of the following organizations to the respective indicated standard:
    • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum overall score of 580 with a Test of Written English component score of 5 is required for paper-based tests; an overall score of 93 with a writing/speaking component score of 22 is required for Internet-based tests.
    • Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). A minimum score of 85 is required.
    • International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A minimum score of 7.0 (Academic) is required.
    • The Certificate of Proficiency in English (COPE). A minimum score of 76 (with at least 22 in each component and 32 in the writing component) is required.
    • Academic Preparation Course, International ESL Program, Continuing Studies, University of Toronto. A minimum final grade of B in Level 60 is required.

For ADLER Graduates who began their degree program prior to Fall of 2019

Some additional courses may be required to meet the current MPsy curriculum equivalency.

Interview Process

Once a file is complete with all paperwork, it is reviewed by the Academic Admissions Director, and the applicant will be informed of decline or invited to an interview.

Faculty member & the Academic Admissions Director (requires one must be registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario) who will review the documentation. 

Interviewers will use a semi-structured interview that has been designed with equity and compassion in mind, including clear guidelines on how to rank candidates and words/terms/concepts to look for in candidate responses.   

Interviews will incorporate a minimum of one question that reflects the School’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) mission that will assess a student’s awareness of self in relation to others and awareness of social position. Have they questioned how their particular self-definition might be viewed by others who differ, etc.

Grading and Assessment

See Grading in Psychology Policies

Residency Requirement

Candidates for degrees must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours every twelve months and satisfactorily complete all the requirements for graduation within five years from the start of their program. Leaves of absence (see Continuous Enrollment) do not count toward residency. Doctoral students are required to be resident for two full-time years of study (six consecutive trimesters) plus a one-year internship. Residency consists of in-person participation in courses or seminars with face-to-face contact with faculty and other students.

Program Delivery Policy

The ADLER Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program is an in-person professional degree program delivered on-site at 890 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario. Full in-person attendance is mandatory. 

Courses are scheduled during three trimesters: Fall (September to December), Winter (January to April), and Summer (May to August). 

Courses are offered on Thursdays and Fridays, from 9am to 5pm ET. All courses require in-person attendance and are governed by the AGPS Course Attendance Policy.