M.A. Program

Prerequisites

In addition to the minimum admission requirements set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies (normally, a four-year bachelor’s degree with a B+ average in third and fourth year-level course work) in a relevant area of study, students are required to meet the following pre-requisite requirements:

• A minimum of 18 credits in Psychology, Educational Psychology, or Special Education and related disciplines including CNPS 362 or an equivalent undergraduate course in basic interviewing skills. Other than the courses in statistics, research methods any courses in these areas will meet the requirement. However, students are encouraged to have background or coursework in areas most relevant to School and Applied Child Psychology practice (child development, learning, exceptional students, classroom management, behaviour disorders, abnormal psychology, etc.). It is not necessary to have a degree in psychology or education to apply but coursework and background in these areas is beneficial.
• Upper division undergraduate course work in both statistics and research methodology with content similar to the UBC courses EPSE 481: Introduction to Research in Education and EPSE 482: Introduction to Statistics for Research in Education. Applicants should carefully consider if the specific content of their statistics and research methodology courses is similar to EPSE 481 and 482 because these courses are pre-requisites to required statistics and research methodology background needed for research courses in the MA program. Completing a data-based honours thesis meets the research methods prerequisite.
• Prior research experience as an undergraduate such as an honours thesis, volunteering in a research lab, or working as a research assistant is encouraged for applicants to the M.A. program and should l be highlighted in your application.
• Evidence of suitability for professional work with school-aged populations, including successful work experience with school-aged populations, school-based experience and/or teacher certification. Note that teaching certification is not required.
• In addition to required prerequisites listed above, applicants are also strongly encouraged to have prior coursework in measurement. Examples of such courses at UBC include: EPSE 421, 423, PSYC 303, PSYC 323

M.A. applicants are required to submit additional documentation that outlines their prior research experience, potential research interests for M.A. study, and potential research supervisor(s).

Mandatory Criminal Record Checks:  All School and Applied Child Psychology students must have a criminal record check completed through the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Teacher Education Office prior to the start of classes.  The application deadline to authorize the Criminal Records Check is August 31 to allow sufficient time for the results to be returned to the SACP Graduate Program Support prior to beginning practicum placements in the schools in September.  The criminal record check cannot be done at a local police station or RCMP office.

Enrollment Data

Program Requirements

The program is designed as a two-year program for students who want to proceed directly to Ph.D. study after two years of full time study on campus. Students apply to the Ph.D. program in December of year 2. Admission to the SACP Ph.D. program is dependent on funding and success in the M.A. program.

Required Coursework

EPSE 506 (3) Applied Psychopathology Across the Lifespan
EPSE 528 (3) Basic Principles of Measurement
EPSE 531: Data Based Decision Making of Individualization of Academic Interventions for Learning Difficulties.
EPSE 535 (3) Social and Emotional Assessment
EPSE 550 (3) Professional, Ethical, and Legal Issues In School Psychology
EPSE 553 (3) Theories of Cognitive and Affective Abilities
EPSE 556 (3) Cognitive and Academic Assessment Practicum
EPSE 552 (3) Intervention and Mental Health Promotion in Schools
EPSE 557 (3) Social and Emotional Interventions with Children and Youth
EPSE 560 (1+1+1): Laboratory in School and Applied Child Psychology
EPSE 561 (12) Laboratory Practicum In School and Applied Child Psychology (6 credits each year 1 and 2)
Research Coursework (minimum 3 credits)
Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in Indigenous Education
EPSE 599 (6) Thesis

Total: 54 credits

Practicum

In addition to their course based practical experiences, students in the M.A. program complete an integrated practicum with advanced master’s students and Ph.D. students in both years of the M.A. program. In Year 1 students complete 300 practicum hours (minimum) from September through April. Students should plan for the equivalent of 1 to 1.5 days per week of practicum specific activities. In Year 1 these include: classroom volunteer hours including tutoring, SBT meetings, and observing other school events, observation of PSCTC assessment intakes and feedback meetings, conduct PSCTC phone intakes, observe psychological assessments, and assist the scoring of social-emotional-behaviour measures for the cases of advanced students. In Year 2 M.A. students complete an additional 300 hours of practicum including approximately 1 day a week of time in clinic. Activities in Year 2 include: observation of interventions/therapy of advanced students, participation as a co-leader in group interventions, conducting phone inatakes, and completing 2 psychological assessment at the PSCTC under supervision. The syllabus for EPSE 561 will be posted when available