AV¾ãÀÖ²¿

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PHD) IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY

Clinical Psychology at AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ is a fast-track program in which students accelerate from the MSc to the Clinical PhD program without writing a Master’s thesis or obtaining a Master’s degree. Applicants to the Clinical Psychology program typically have completed a bachelor’s honours degree in psychology, or in an appropriate adjacent area, such as cognitive science or social behaviour in order to be competitive. The appropriateness of degrees from adjacent areas varies and applicants should discuss their suitability with the prospective supervisor. More importantly, students must have completed several senior psychology courses which are considered Foundational Knowledge to the profession of psychology and are typically met at the undergraduate level. Those with a degree in psychology typically have most of these Foundational Knowledge (using ACPRO language) or General Psychology Core Content Courses (using CPA language) addressed. More information on foundational knowledge is in the  and .

The basic knowledge for the discipline that is typically met at the undergraduate level includes 1) biological bases of behaviour and psychopharmacology; 2) cognitive and affective bases of behaviour; 3) social and cultural bases of behavior; 4) individual differences, diversity, growth, and lifespan development; and 5) the history of psychology. Clinical psychology students may have to take 1 or 2 courses to ensure coverage of this core content after entering the clinical program, but we expect that admitted students will have addressed most of the core content areas of psychology in their undergraduate training.

Students accepted to study Clinical Psychology are initially registered in an MSc program and then fast-tracked to the Clinical PhD program within two years. Students accepted into the Clinical program with a Master’s degree in Psychology (or a closely-related field) are eligible for direct entry to the PhD and may be eligible for advanced standing within the program. Note that fast-tracking into the Clinical PhD requires that a student has been admitted to study Clinical Psychology.

The Clinical PhD program is a CPA accredited program, which follows the scientist-practitioner model. Clinical psychology is part of the science of psychology and we therefore emphasize both research and clinical practice. The program typically takes 6 - 7 years to complete, on average, including a one year clinical residency/internship.

Upon admission, students are assigned to a faculty member who will supervise their thesis and other research projects. During the first four years of the Clinical PhD program, students complete required and elective courses, conduct supervised and thesis research, and gain clinical experience through field placements. Students are involved in research from the outset, and are expected to conduct research leading to empirical, methodological and/or theoretical advances in their field of study, some or all of which will be included in their dissertation and defended publicly. In the final year, students complete a full-year clinical internship. The Department does not offer a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.

Students typically contact potential supervisors in advance of applying to express interest and confirm that the supervisor is accepting a new student. Potential supervisors do not have to be core clinical faculty in the Psychology and Neuroscience department. They can also be non-Clinical faculty, cross-appointed faculty, or adjunct faculty – please see the Our People section of the department website. When preparing a research interest statement, you should discuss who you would be interested in working with, who you have already corresponded with, and how your research interests align with the proposed supervisor(s). Furthermore, you are given the opportunity to rank potential supervisors that you would like to work with on your clinical application form.

Although not required, applying to tri-agency funding showcases initiative, organizational skills, and foresight, which positively reflects on a student. Applications are typically evaluated more favourably when applicants have applied to Tri-council funding, and have listed AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ as one of the schools where they can hold the award.

Yes – the more scholarships you apply to, the higher chance you have of receiving one! There are many university and provincial scholarships you can apply to. Please see the following AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ pages for more information: Awards and Grants page, Doctoral Scholarship Awards, and Masters Scholarship Awards. To apply to AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ Harmonized Scholarship Process (HSP), Master’s students must opt-in by December 1^st of the application year, and PhD students must apply for Harmonized in January of the application year.

One reference letter needs to be written by someone who can focus on your clinical experience and suitability for work in clinical psychology. This letter could be from someone such as a volunteer supervisor or a supervisor from a community service role.

The second and third reference letters typically come from professors or supervisors familiar with your academic or research background. Usually, one of these letters is written by the an Honours supervisor, or another supervisor who has closely collaborated with you on research. This individual should be able to speak to your research interests, experience, and capabilities. Other suitable references might include a professor or instructor from a seminar course, an instructor who taught you in a few courses, or a professor from a lab where you worked or volunteered.

No, but make sure to only include sections that have relevant information/experience. Consistent with the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience’s position on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI), the clinical program endeavors to take a holistic approach to our evaluation of applicants by increasing the number of factors considered in our evaluation of prospective students. In keeping with this holistic approach, there is no set weighting of the different factors/categories in your CV. We recognize that some experiences might overlap within the listed categories. For example, you may have taken a leadership role for a research project while gaining experience in a laboratory, or a volunteer experience might be considered both community service and clinical experience.

It is up to you how you wish to convey your achievements and experiences, though we recommend a very brief description of roles and responsibilities. Further details can be provided in your statement of research and career interests, as relevant.

Students with either a Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree can apply to the Clinical Psychology PhD program. Applicants to the Clinical Psychology program typically have completed a Bachelor’s Honours degree in psychology, or in an appropriate adjacent area, such as cognitive science or social behaviour. The appropriateness of degrees from adjacent areas varies and applicants should discuss their suitability with the prospective supervisor. If you have an Honours equivalent degree, please explain this in more detail in your research interest letter.

More importantly, students must have completed several senior psychology courses which are considered foundational knowledge to the profession of psychology and are typically met at the undergraduate level. Those with a degree in psychology typically acquire most of the Foundational Knowledge (using ACPRO language) or general psychology core content areas (using CPA language) through their coursework. More information on foundational knowledge is in the and 

Students accepted to study Clinical Psychology are initially registered in an MSc program and then fast-tracked to the Clinical PhD program within two years. Students accepted into the Clinical program with a Master’s degree in Psychology (or a closely-related field) are eligible for direct entry to the PhD and may be eligible for advanced standing within the program. Note that fast-tracking into the Clinical PhD requires that a student has been admitted to study Clinical Psychology.

No, GRE scores are not required or considered during the admissions process.

Supervisors interested in accepting new applicants to the Clinical Psychology program assess the applications and conduct interviews with potential candidates. Subsequently, each supervisor can nominate up to two students for admission consideration by the Clinical Psychology program. Those shortlisted students proceed to a standardized interview with two clinical faculty members, who evaluate their full applications. Following this interview, candidates are prioritized based on various criteria, including their application, interview performance, and supervisor priority.

We do not have specific seats reserved for applicants who identify from an underrepresented group (e.g., BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+), however we do consider such factors when prioritizing admissions. We also provide an opportunity for applicants to self-identify and to share any relevant information about how their lived experiences or identities have affected their academic or non-academic achievements or contributed to any gaps in their CV. This opportunity is provided as part of the JEDI statement required for application to our program. We aim to conduct a holistic evaluation of candidates to our program that takes into consideration all aspects of their experience to date.

Students have opportunities to apply for discipline-specific, university, provincial, and federal scholarships throughout their degree, and are encouraged to discuss supplemental funding with their supervisors if available (i.e., supervisor grant funding). Any students who do not receive external scholarships (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR, Killam, etc.) are eligible for financial support (AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ Graduate Fellowship) for up to a maximum of five years following their admission, as long as: 1) they are making satisfactory progress in the program, 2) they have a faculty member willing to supervise them, and 3) funding is available. Eligibility for continued support by the Department is conditional on the student applying for any external financial support (e.g., scholarships) for which they are eligible.  

Furthermore, all students in the Clinical Psychology Program are required to complete two paid teaching assistantships. The requirement to do two teaching assistantships also applies to students with advanced standing, unless exempted from one teaching assistantship by the Director of Clinical Training.

The current amount for the AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ Graduate Fellowship for first year Master’s students without external scholarships, and excluding remuneration for teaching, is $27,000. For the second year of Master’s the Fellowship is $19,600, not including remuneration for teaching. The difference in tuition between first and second year explains the difference in the amount of the AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ Graduate Fellowship. For 2023/2024, tuition and fees for Canadian students for Year 1 of the Master’s program was $12,752 and for Year 2, $5002.  

The AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ Graduate Fellowship for the years in which a student is enrolled in the PhD program is $24,000, excluding renumeration for teaching. For those entering the MSc initially, this is typically years 3 – 5 of the program (i.e., up to 3 years of funding). For those coming in with a related Masters and admitted directly into the PhD, the AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ Graduate Fellowship is $24,000/year for 4 years. For 2023/2024 Tuition and fees for Canadian students for the PhD program is $9016. Note that you will need to pay for your tuition from your stipend, unless you receive additional information stating otherwise (e.g., if you are awarded a scholarship that also covers the cost of tuition – President’s Award).

Please be aware that the AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ Graduate Fellowship stipend is insufficient to cover the full cost of living in Halifax. Students will require additional funding from scholarships, supervisors, and/or personal resources. Additional money from supervisor grants can be discussed between the supervisor and student.

Typically, five to eight students are admitted into the Clinical Psychology program in each admission cycle.

The first round of admissions is completed in January, and admissions continue through April until all available seats in the program are filled.

No, the department does not offer a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.