Doctor of Education in Counselling Psychology (Counselling & Psychotherapy Field)

Coursework

Students must take courses related to the development of advanced competence in counselling, psychotherapy, and mental health theory and practice and become sophisticated consumers of research in these and related fields. Students must complete a minimum of 5.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) including a practicum, internship, and thesis (dissertation in practice) as follows:

• APD3115H⁺ Research Proseminar in Counselling and Psychotherapy (0.5 FCE).

• APD3215H Advanced Psychotherapy Seminar (0.5 FCE).

• APD3261H⁺ Clinical Supervision and Consultation Practicum (0.5 FCE).

• APD3217Y⁺ Advanced Practicum in Clinical and Counselling Psychology (1.0 FCE; Credit/No Credit): complete a 500-hour practicum before the Final Oral Examination.

• APD3270H⁰ EdD Internship (0.5 FCE): complete 500 hours of internship, typically after the Final Oral Examination. All internship arrangements must be made in consultation with the Director of Clinical Training.

• Three courses, one from each of the following three groupings:

  • APD3116H Proseminar ll: Practice-Based Research in School and Counselling Psychology

  • APD3178H Advanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (0.5 FCE) or APD3160H Advanced Family Therapy (0.5 FCE)

  • APD3260H Psychodiagnostic Systems (0.5 FCE) or one elective in a special focus of interest (0.5 FCE).

• In addition, students must take 1.0 FCE in their specific area of focus.

  • Option 1: Counselling and Psychotherapy for Adults

    • APD3163H Advanced Multicultural Counselling and Psychotherapy (0.5 FCE)

    • One elective in a special focus of interest (0.5 FCE)

  • Option 2: Counselling and Psychotherapy for Schools and Youth

    • APD5284Y Assessment and Intervention with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children, Youth, and Families (1.0 FCE).
       

Optional Additional Practicum

Students may choose to take an optional continuous practicum (APD3271H⁰ Additional PhD Practicum) in conjunction with the required doctoral practicum course APD3217Y⁺ Advanced Practicum in Clinical and Counselling Psychology (Credit/No Credit).

Thesis (Dissertation in Practice)

All students must complete a thesis (dissertation in practice), the aim of which is to ensure excellent knowledge of counselling and psychotherapy theory, practice, and policy for professionals working with adults or youth to function as leading scholar-practitioners. The thesis (dissertation in practice) should be: a) well conceived, original, and likely to make a sustained contribution to mental health practice; b) involve creativity, innovative methods and techniques, and have the potential to improve practice; c) exemplary, sets high standards in the field, and can be emulated and; d) has the potential for significant public impact. The focus of the thesis (dissertation in practice) is expected to be on contributions to field development or to innovations in practice. Students will defend their thesis (dissertation in practice) at a Final Oral Examination.

Students are full-time and must maintain continuous, full-time registration and pay full-time fees until all degree requirements, including the thesis (dissertation in practice), are completed.

Students cannot transfer between the EdD and PhD programs.

Collaborative Specializations provide students with a the opportunity to explore a novel interdisciplinary area or special development that crosses a number of disciplines. 

Collaborative specializations are available with the EdD in Counselling Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy field in the following areas:

• Aging, Palliative Care and Supportive Care Across the Lifespan 
  • Prepares students for specialization in the field of aging and/or the field of palliative and supportive care, with an emphasis on viewing aging and palliative issues within the perspective of the life course
• Sexual Diversity Studies
  • For students to engage in questions of gender, ethnicity, race, Aboriginal status, (dis)ability, and class to highlight the importance of exploring their interaction with sexual differences.
• Women and Gender Studies
  • Provides a rich interdisciplinary environment in which students can grapple with how gender and sexuality are tangled with questions of race, citizenship, embodiment, colonialism, violence, and other pressing concerns.

What does EdD bring in terms of career prospects compared to MEd in counselling?
Our EdD program in Counselling and Psychrotherapy provides for advanced training in counselling techniques and is attractive to those pursuing leadership positions in their place of practice.  It does not provide for further professional registration than does our MEd degree program - each with the CRPO.

What is a Qualifying Research Paper (QRP)?
In addition to the standard application process, students who completed a master’s degree that did not require a thesis must submit a Qualifying Research Paper (QRP). 

• This paper provides evidence of the ability to identify a research or development program, to design and conduct a study or project, and to report the findings or results in a rigorous manner.
• The QRP is not required prior to being accepted into the Doctoral Program, but acceptance will be conditional upon it’s suitability. It must be completed before the beginning of classes and approved by members of the departmental admission committee.
• The QRP requirement can be fulfilled by submitting individually-authored research that the applicant has conducted previously, often as part of work responsibilities. Alternatively, applicants can submit a fully-documented research proposal (supervised by an assigned faculty member in the counselling program) which demonstrates the ability to conceptualize and plan a research project.

Program Chair: Dr. Roy Moodley & Dr. Ellen Gutowski

Questions? Please email us at oise.aphd@utoronto.ca

Program Coordinator:
Caren Li
kl.li@utoronto.ca