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.
Normally, students are admitted into the master’s program with a bachelor’s degree. It is expected that students will generally continue in the PhD program after completing their master’s.
Students are required to complete a minimum of 17 units in coursework and a thesis.
Elective courses (9 units)
- one 3-unit 500- or 600-level course in the student’s research focus
- two 3-unit 500- or 600-level courses in related areas of psychology
- Focal and related courses are determined by the student’s supervisory committee
- PSYCH 600 – Individual Studies may be used only once to satisfy either requirement
- Courses from outside of the Department of Psychology may be taken with approval of the supervisor committee
- Additional coursework may be required
Residence Requirement
The minimum period of residence is two four-month terms of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta.
Length of Program
Students are normally expected to complete the program in two years. 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 thesis-based MA program as set by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies is four 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