| About the Program | MA Degree Requirements | PhD Degree Requirements | How to Apply to the CD Area|

The Clinical Developmental (CD) Area offers opportunities to engage in research spanning infancy through to emerging adulthood related to clinically-relevant topics in typical and atypical development, psychosocial development, neuropsychology, therapy outcomes and program evaluation.

Research areas covered by Area faculty include: topics defined by age and stage of development (e.g. infancy, adolescence, and emerging adulthood), clinical psychopathology and treatment approach (e.g. trauma therapy, pain assessment, parenting, CBT, attachment disorders, IBI), pediatric neuropsychology, professional function (neuropsychological assessment, expert witness issues, program evaluation) and diagnostic population (e.g. autism, ADHD, developmental disabilities and learning disabilities).

Faculty are all registered psychologists and most are active clinically, providing supervision, consultation, program evaluation and outcome research in various community settings, in addition to conducting collaborative grant-supported research.

In addition to obtaining rigorous research training, students are expected to obtain core competencies in the scope of practice of clinical psychology as applied to children and adolescents. This includes coursework and practical training (mainly in external practica) in psychological assessment and diagnosis of children and adolescents (including various types of internalizing disorders, externalizing disorders and developmental disorders), as well as a variety of evidence-based modalities of child, adolescent and/or family intervention.

Students who are interested in specialized training in clinical neuropsychology can apply to the Clinical Neuropsychology stream after being admitted to the Clinical-Developmental area.

Students are of high calibre academically, as noted earlier in terms of credentials on entry to the program, and as demonstrated by high numbers of external scholarships, conference presentations and publications during graduate school.

Read the program area's handbook.

For new students: Read about the new course requirements for graduate students beginning in September 2013 or later, and a more detailed description of changes.

Contact the Director of Clinical Training, Dr. Maggie Toplak

To apply online, please see the Graduate Studies web page.

The Graduate Program in Clinical Developmental Psychology is accredited by the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). Our last accreditation review occured in 2012, and we have been accrredited until 2017 (5 years). Our program is not accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). APA is in the process of phasing out its accreditation of all non-American programs, including those at Canadian universities. No Canadian programs will be accredited by APA beyond 2015. Also note that a programme must be accredited at the time the student completes the program in order for the student to be able to declare that he/she graduated from an accredited program. If you have any questions or concerns about the accreditation status of our program, please contact the Director of Clinical Training, Dr. Maggie Toplak.