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Overview

The Counselling Psychology Program, in line with the mission of the research-intensive University of British Columbia, creates, advances and critically examines knowledge in counselling psychology, especially with respect to its validity, applicability, limits, and interface with other disciplines. In developing and applying pertinent and innovative research methodologies, the Counselling Psychology Program relies upon and builds qualitative and quantitative evidence to determine effective counselling interventions in educational, community, health, and occupational settings.

Our Doctoral Program is accredited by the Canadian Psychological Association and follows the scientist-practitioner model for the education of counselling psychologists: students receive a substantial education as both researchers and professional psychologists.  Designed for those with relevant experience who want to gain doctoral level competence, this program enhances research, counselling theory, and counselling skills.

 
 
 

Program Enquiries

Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program

Admission Information & Requirements

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement: 90

Reading

22

Writing

22

Speaking

22

Listening

22

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement: 6.5

Reading

6.0

Writing

6.0

Speaking

6.0

Listening

6.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is required by all applicants.

2) Meet Deadlines

Application open dates and deadlines for an upcoming intake have not yet been configured in the admissions system. Please check back later.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD)
Applicants should browse faculty profiles and indicate in their application who they are interested in working with. No commitment from a supervisor prior to applying is necessary, but contacting faculty members is encouraged.

Criminal Record Check

This program contains a practicum component for which a criminal record check is required.

Citizenship Verification

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

FeesCanadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / DiplomatInternational
Application Fee$116.25$168.25
Tuition *
Installments per year33
Tuition per installment$1,875.34$3,294.66
Tuition per year
(plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%)
$5,626.02$9,883.98
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) $3,200.00 (-)
Other Fees and Costs
Student Fees (yearly)$1,116.60 (approx.)
Costs of livingEstimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies.
* Regular, full-time tuition. For on-leave, extension, continuing or part time (if applicable) fees see UBC Calendar.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

From September 2024 all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Average Funding
Based on the criteria outlined below, 14 students within this program were included in this study because they received funding through UBC in the form of teaching, research, academic assistantships or internal or external awards averaging $34,847.
  • 2 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 2 students was $10,800.
  • 8 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 8 students was $7,089.
  • 1 student received Academic Assistantships valued at $2,700.
  • 14 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 14 students was $12,751.
  • 9 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 9 students was $25,370.

Study Period: Sep 2022 to Aug 2023 - average funding for full-time PhD students enrolled in three terms per academic year in this program across years 1-4, the period covered by UBC's Minimum Funding Guarantee. Averages might mask variability in sources and amounts of funding received by individual students. Beyond year 4, funding packages become even more individualized.
Review methodology
Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union.

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

52 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 50 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):


RI (Research-Intensive) Faculty: typically tenure-track faculty positions (equivalent of the North American Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor positions) in PhD-granting institutions
TI (Teaching-Intensive) Faculty: typically full-time faculty positions in colleges or in institutions not granting PhDs, and teaching faculty at PhD-granting institutions
Term Faculty: faculty in term appointments (e.g. sessional lecturers, visiting assistant professors, etc.)
Sample Employers in Higher Education
University of British Columbia (7)
Adler University (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (2)
Trinity Western University (2)
Douglas College (2)
Simon Fraser University (2)
Smith College
Langara College
University of Chile
Royal Roads University
Sample Employers Outside Higher Education
A.T. Malcolm and Associates (2)
Surrey Memorial Hospital
Simon Cunningham School
Caribbean Mental Health Consultants
Richmond Counseling
Doctors of BC
Orion Health Rehabilitation Centres
Creative Transitions
Campbell and Fairweather Psychology Group
Grace Fertility
Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education
Psychologist (14)
Registered Psychologist (3)
Senior Clinical Practice Manager
Clinical Psychologist
Counselling Pscyhology
Psychologist/ Performance Consultant
Psychotherapist
Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant/Clinical Counsellor
Counselor
Practice Initiative Lead
PhD Career Outcome Survey
You may view the full report on career outcomes of UBC PhD graduates on outcomes.grad.ubc.ca.
Disclaimer
These data represent historical employment information and do not guarantee future employment prospects for graduates of this program. They are for informational purposes only. Data were collected through either alumni surveys or internet research.
Career Options

Students will be prepared for careers as researchers, practitioners, and educators in a wide variety of settings including academic, clinical, community, business, private practice, and research. Our graduates hold positions such as staff psychologist, research manager, professor, director, department head, clinical counsellor, vocational rehabilitation consultant, team leader, behavioural consultant, group facilitator, and psychoanalyst.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

 20232022202120202019
Applications1321171925
Offers32346
New Registrations22345
Total Enrolment3132323537

Completion Rates & Times

This program has a graduation rate of 82% based on 22 students admitted between 2011 - 2014. Based on 15 graduations between 2020 - 2023 the minimum time to completion is 4.1 years and the maximum time is 11.32 years with an average of 6.17 years of study. All calculations exclude leave times.
Disclaimer
Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new registrants for each registration year, May to April, e.g. data for 2022 refers to programs starting in 2022 Summer and 2022 Winter session, i.e. May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Data on total enrolment reflects enrolment in Winter Session Term 1 and are based on snapshots taken on November 1 of each registration year. Program completion data are only provided for datasets comprised of more than 4 individuals. Graduation rates exclude students who transfer out of their programs. Rates and times of completion depend on a number of variables (e.g. curriculum requirements, student funding), some of which may have changed in recent years for some programs.

Upcoming Doctoral Exams

Tuesday, 14 January 2025 - 12:30pm - Room 200

Olivia Fischer
An Examination of the Multicultural Orientation Framework with Sexual and Gender Minority Clients

Research Supervisors

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD)
Applicants should browse faculty profiles and indicate in their application who they are interested in working with. No commitment from a supervisor prior to applying is necessary, but contacting faculty members is encouraged.
 
Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

 

Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
Year Citation
2014 Dr. Koert studied women who expected they would become mothers, but ended up permanently childless after delayed childbearing. She identified common themes in the experiences of this growing group. This study demonstrates how they reconcile past choices with present realities, in order to move forward and create meaningful lives as childless women.
2013 Dr. Wiens studied the experiences of mothers living with the challenges and uncertainties associated with an adult child's mental illness. The findings of this research were best understood through the conceptual lens of nonfinite loss and have significant implications for theory, research, and counselling psychology practice.
2013 Dr. Williams conducted focus groups to learn about the experiences of adults who had grown up in globally mobile families. New ways of understanding those adults, as well as cultures in general, will help professionals working with diverse populations to provide more effective support. It will also inform future research into cultural diversity.
2013 Dr. Rostam examined how counsellors understand and incorporate ethno-cultural diversity in substance-use counselling. While some counsellors recognized differences in their practice, those who subscribed to a prevailing disease model viewed them as secondary. The findings show alcohol and drug counselling is largely untouched by debates on diversity.
2013 Dr. Dadson investigated the process of recovery for men who have been psychologically injured in their relationships with their fathers. The results show those men experience a convergence of trauma. The patterns of recovery provide counselling psychologists with the critical components of treatment and recovery for men who experience this injury.
2013 Dr. Ole Olson investigated the bereavement experiences of recent veterans with the Canadian and American military. This study captured the veterans' experience of the violent death of a close comrade , an experience which has the potential to create significant distress that is unknown to, and commonly misunderstood by others
2013 Dr. Johnston explored the experiences of women diagnosed with breast cancer and how they came to understand themselves & their self-identities post-diagnosis. The findings provide preliminary understandings of ways that counselling psychology research, theory & practice can expand to support the growing population of women living with breast cancer.
2012 Dr. Terrett explored how older adults narrate and understand their experiences of being vitally engaged in living. With her participants, she collaboratively constructed ten common themes in living vitally. This research adds to the psychological and gerontological literature on positive growth and development in later life.
2012 Dr. Dyer investigated the processes of learning mindfulness through dialogue in the mindfulness-based stress reduction group. She found that the internal actions of mindfulness were externally enacted through several relational projects. This research illuminates how mindfulness is learned and experienced relationally and contextually, with implications for counselling and teaching.
2012 Dr. Williams investigated the professional ethics experiences of eating disorder psychotherapists who, themselves, had experienced an eating disorder. She identified significant challenges for therapists who disclose their eating disorder histories in professional environments, and explored the ethical risks associated with the profession's silence on this issue.

Pages

Further Information

Specialization

Programs of research reflect the core values and foci of the discipline of Counselling Psychology: career development, health and wellness, indigenous healing, gender and cultural diversity, disability, and social justice issues. Faculty members are involved in a wide range of research activities including intercultural counselling, First Nations counselling, career development and counselling, stress and coping, sexuality and reproductive health, disabilities, trauma, working with families and children in school settings, prevention of anxiety disorders, and empirically supported approaches utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

Faculty Overview

Program Identifier

VGDPHD-EW

Classification

 
 
 
Supervisor Search
 

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form.

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