College of Psychologists of Ontario and Program Requirements
To enter the Master of Psychology degree program, students must have 576 hours of undergraduate psychology education that covers the foundational knowledge pillars, in order to meet the requirements of a graduate program and the registration requirements for the College of Psychologists of Ontario(CPO) and the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).
Undergraduate requirements for MPsy applicants for both the Psychology (MPsy-PSY) and the Psychotherapy (MPsy-PTH) streams are as follows:
- 576 hours of undergraduate education in psychology
- An Introduction to Psychology course
- Training in each of these four pillars of knowledge:
- Cognitive Affective Bases of Behaviour
- Includes courses such as: Learning, Thinking, Motivation, Emotion, Cognition
- Biological Bases of Behaviour
- Includes courses such as: Physiological psychology, Comparative Psychology, Neuropsychology, Sensation & Perception, Psychopharmacology
- Social Bases of Behaviour
- Include courses such as: Social Psychology, Group Processes, Organizations & Systems, Community Psychology, Environmental Psychology, Cultural Issues
- Psychology of the Individual
- Includes courses such as: Personality Theory, Human Development, Abnormal Psychology, Psychopathology, Individual Differences
- Courses must be completed at a university or through a degree program. Diploma or certificate courses are not accepted.
MPsy-PSY Stream
- Courses must be completed at the undergraduate level. Masters or doctoral-level psychology courses do not meet the requirements of the college.
- Courses must be psychology faculty courses, generally with a course code such as PSY or PSYC. Courses completed through other faculties are typically not accepted, although there may be exemptions for courses taught by psychologists.
MPsy-PTH Stream
- Undergraduate or graduate courses that are foundational or introductory are acceptable.
- Courses must be psychology or psychotherapy-related, but may be offered by a department or faculty in a related field such as health, counselling, nursing, sociology, anthropology, community organizing, social services, or social work.
All applicants to the Master of Psychology program will have their undergraduate transcripts assessed to ensure that they meet the undergraduate psychology requirements above. If a successful applicant does not meet the requirements above, they may be granted conditional acceptance to the Master of Psychology degree program contingent upon completing the remaining courses.
Students must complete their TEQ requirements in full before entering the MPsy program. There is an exception for students who require only one 36-hour course covering the biological knowledge pillar. Those students may complete the TEQ-422 Brain and Behaviour course concurrently with the Master of Psychology program in their first trimester.
Students must complete all of their TEQ requirements before being fully admitted to the Master of Psychology program.
Students may complete their TEQ requirements through Adler’s TEQ Program or at another accredited educational institution that provides undergraduate psychology courses.
Students are expected to achieve an average grade of B+ or higher in their TEQ courses. Failure to achieve the minimum grade requirement may jeopardize the student’s full admission to the MPsy program.
Credits and Hours
All educational institutions have different credit systems. Students are responsible for ensuring that they check with their educational institution to ensure they are getting enough credits/hours to meet the College’s requirements.
Adler’s credit system counts 12 hours as 1 credit, and this is how Adler’s payment system, course outlines, and transcripts will reflect TEQ courses. In this case, one 36-hour Adler TEQ course = 3 Adler credits.
Program Description
Adler’s Transitional Equivalency Program supports students to complete their undergraduate psychology requirements for the CPO and the Master of Psychology in Clinical and Counselling Psychology (MPsy-PSY) program.
Program Delivery
TEQ Courses are offered on weekday evenings from 6-9 pm Eastern Time. Most TEQ courses are scheduled twice a week over six weeks for a total of twelve 3-hour classes, barring any holidays.
Classes may be offered synchronously over Zoom video conferences or in person. Students are expected to attend all classes and engage in class discussions and activities.
Timeline
Applicants should ensure that they leave enough time to register for and complete any TEQ requirements prior to entering the Master of Psychology program. They may discuss their TEQ requirements and start date with the Admissions Director, Registrar, or TEQ Program Manager.
Timelines for completing TEQ requirements depend on how many hours and foundational pillars the applicants require and how quickly they are able to complete courses.
Students who require only one course covering the biological pillar are able to complete their one course concurrently with the Masters Program during their first trimester.
Students who require only the pillar courses (four or fewer 36-hour courses) may typically complete their courses in the trimester before their program. For Winter students, this is the Fall before their program starts. For Fall students, this is the Summer before their program starts. Students should ensure they leave sufficient time to register before their TEQ courses begin.
Students who require a complete TEQ program (sixteen 36-hour TEQ courses) may typically complete their program in one full year plus six weeks (including summers). These students would need to complete their biological pillar course (TEQ-422) concurrently in the first trimester of their MPsy program.
Sample schedules for students who require full TEQ are below, based on the time of year they plan to begin the program:
Full TEQ – Fall MPsy Start Students
- Two Summers before start date: complete Introductory Psychology course (prerequisite for all other TEQ courses)
- Fall one year before start date: complete four courses, including cognitive, social, and individual pillars
- Winter before start date: complete six courses
- Summer before start date: complete four courses
- Fall (concurrently with first-trimester MPsy courses): complete biological pillar course
Full TEQ – Winter MPsy Start Students
- Two Falls before start date: complete Introductory Psychology course (prerequisite for all other TEQ courses)
- Winter one year before start date: complete six courses, including individual pillar.
- Summer before start date: complete four courses, including cognitive and social pillar courses.
- Fall before start date: complete four courses.
- Winter (concurrently with first-trimester MPsy courses): complete biological pillar course
TEQ Pillars and Courses
Adler offers undergraduate psychology courses that cover the four foundational knowledge pillars, as well as enrichment courses, which count towards required credits/hours but do not fall under any of the pillars.
A full list of the TEQ courses that Adler currently offers is available on ADLearn through the link below:
Adler Current TEQ Course Offerings will be posted on ADLearn for current applicants and students.
Adler TEQ Credit towards an external program
Students may complete the Transitional Equivalency program and continue their graduate studies at another institution. It is the responsibility of these students to ensure that their credits from ADLER will be accepted as prerequisites for psychological study in the receiving graduate program.
External TEQ Courses
Students are responsible for ensuring that external courses meet the College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO) and MPsy program requirements. All external courses must be approved by the TEQ Director before the student registers for them.
Upon completion of any external TEQ courses, students must ensure that the accredited educational institution forwards their transcripts to the Registrar’s Office for submission into the student’s file.
Course Delivery Policy
Some TEQ courses may be delivered virtually through online conferencing technology. For courses which are delivered in-person, in-person attendance is mandatory and follows the AGPS Course Attendance Policy
TEQ Registration and Payment
TEQ courses are available for registration up until the start date for the course. Students may register for courses on ADLER’s Course Registration Site.
Students may pay for courses upon registration or request an invoice for later payment.
Tuition for the Transitional Equivalency program is billed separately by course, and the total cost depends on the number of credits required for individual students. Please see the Psychology Fees Section for tuition and fees amounts.
Current TEQ Tuition Fees are included in the “Tuition Fees” section of the Academic Calendar and are available on Adler’s website. Discounts may be available for students taking the full TEQ program.
Withdrawals
For withdrawals and refunds, please see Withdrawals and Refunds in Psychology Policy (Section 4).