Why study this program?
The Department of Psychology offers graduate work leading to the degrees of MA, MSc, and PhD in a variety of areas of psychology, including: behaviour, systems, and cognitive neuroscience; cognition; comparative cognition and behaviour; developmental science; and social and cultural psychology.
Entrance Requirements
The Department’s minimum admission requirements are an undergraduate degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.
Applicants are required to submit scores on the Graduate Record Exam General Test. This requirement can be waived with the explicit written consent of the applicant’s potential supervisor(s).
Where applicable, applicants must have a minimum TOEFL score of 90 with a score of at least 21 on each individual skill area (Internet-based). An acceptable score on another approved English language proficiency exam will suffice where the Internet-based TOEFL is not available (see English Language Requirement).
All applicants are also required to submit a statement of their research interests and three letters of recommendation, and must identify a potential supervisor.
Applications are accepted starting on September 1 in the year before entry into the program. The final deadline for submitting an application is December 1.
Coursework
- Students entering the PhD program with a bachelor’s degree are normally required to complete a minimum of 17 units of graduate-level coursework as defined in the master’s programs in Psychology
- Students entering the PhD program with a master’s degree from another university are required to take PSYCH 502 (2 units)
- Additional course work may be required by the supervisory committee, in consultation with the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, to ensure that a student is adequately prepared for research in the student’s areas of concentration
Thesis
- Registration in 900-level THES. Students must complete a written dissertation proposal, due after successful completion of the candidacy exam.
First-Year and Second-Year Research Projects
Students entering the PhD program with a bachelor’s degree are required to complete a first-year research project by August 31 of the first year of their program, and a second-year research project during the second year in the PhD program.
Qualifying Exam
A written qualifying exam must be completed satisfactorily prior to scheduling the candidacy exam. The structure and format of the qualifying exam is determined by the supervisory committee.
Candidacy Exam
Students entering the PhD program with a master’s degree are normally expected to take their candidacy exam and to submit their dissertation proposal no later than the end of their first year in the PhD program. Students entering the PhD program with a bachelor’s degree are required to complete their candidacy exam by the end of the third year of their program.
Ethics requirement
The graduate ethics training requirement is met with PSYCH 502 . Students who met this requirement in their master’s program do not need to take it again.
Residence Requirement
For students entering the PhD program with a bachelor’s degree the minimum period of residence is three academic years of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta.
For students entering the PhD program with a master’s degree the minimum period of residence is two academic years of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta.
Length of Program
Students are normally expected to complete the program in four years when entering with a bachelor’s, three years when entering with a master’s from another institution, and two years when entering with a master’s from the University of Alberta. However, the time required to complete the program will vary with the individual candidate. Students are evaluated annually with respect to progress in the program.
The maximum time to complete the PhD program as set by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies is six years.
Courses
Graduate courses can be found in Course Listings, under the subject heading Psychology (PSYCH).
Graduate assistantships for research and teaching are normally available for students who maintain satisfactory performance in their assistantship duties and progress toward a degree within expected time limits. In addition, a certain number of assistantships are available during the summer.
For general information, please visit the Tuition and Fees page on the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research site.The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research administers over $29 million each year in scholarships, awards, and financial support for graduate students, as well as financial and loan advising. Additional scholarships are also available for specific faculties and programs.
Please refer to the detailed program information or email psygrad@ualberta.ca.
General inquiriesPlease check out some of our most frequently asked questions (FAQS) to see if your question has been answered, or contact the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) during our office hours.
Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR)
Killam Centre for Advanced Studies
2-29 Triffo Hall
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1