Admission Requirements

Approximately 40 new students are admitted each year, the majority to the Master of Arts Program, and are generally distributed among the seven Areas. Applicants are expected to specify the Areas that are of primary and secondary interest to them. Once admitted, shifting from one Area to another is not normally permitted. Preference is given to applicants with strong academic backgrounds who appear promising as researchers and, for the Clinical and Clinical-Developmental Areas, those who appear promising as scientist-practitioners. MA students normally proceed to and complete the requirements for the PhD degree.

Please note: Applicants who are interested in applying to the Clinical Developmental Area should consult the following Area-specific information:  http://www.yorku.ca/gradpsyc/field3/HowtoApplytotheCDArea.htm

Master of Arts Program

The usual requirement for admission is an honours degree in psychology (or its equivalent with at least eight full courses in psychology) and a B+ or higher standing in the last two years of study. The honours degree equivalent for students not applying to the Clinical Area should include:

1. One full-course in Introductory Psychology;
   
   
2. One full or two half-courses from the following:   
   Child Psychology, Social Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Personality Theory and Behaviour Disorders, Theories of Personality;
   
   
3. One full-course in Research Design and Statistical Analysis;
   
   
4. One full or two half-courses in Experimental Psychology: Cognitive Processes, Learning, Motivation, Perception, Physiological Psychology; and,
   
   
5. Four other full psychology courses or the equivalent.

The honours degree equivalent for students applying to the Clinical Area should include:

1. One full-course in Introductory Psychology;
   
   
2. One full-course in Research Design and Statistical Analysis; and,
   
   
3. The equivalent of six other full-courses in psychology.\

Applicants to the Clinical Area are expected to have a general background and knowledge in core content areas of psychology. Of the six other full-courses, one full-course or two half courses in each of the following core content areas, taken at the senior undergraduate level, are accepted as satisfying this expectation:

• biological bases of behaviour (e.g. physiological psychology, comparative psychology, neuropsychology, sensation, psychopharmacology, health psychology)
  
  
• cognitive-affective bases of behaviour (e.g. learning, memory, perception,
  cognition, thinking, motivation, emotion),
  
  
• social bases of behaviour (e.g. social psychology, cultural, ethnic and group processes, sex roles, organizational and systems theory), and
  
  
• individual behaviour (e.g. personality theory, human development, individual differences, abnormal psychology).

* Applications from students who plan to limit their studies to the MA degree in the Clinical Area are strongly discouraged.

Doctor of Philosophy Program

The usual prerequisite for admission to the PhD Program in Psychology is a master’s degree in psychology.

However, the Graduate Program in Psychology will consider applications from exceptional students with a
master’s degree in other fields. Normally students may not enter the PhD program until they have completed all the master’s requirements including the thesis. Students completing their MA at York are not automatically accepted into the PhD program; they must make a formal, but internal, application for advancement into the PhD program. GRE scores are not required for those appyling to the PhD program in psychology.

Frequently Asked Admission Questions

GRE Scores

All students applying to the Masters Program in Psychology must submit official scores from the Graduate Record Examinations (General Test). A Subject Test in Psychology is also required for those applicant applying to the clinical areas. It is the responsibility of the applicant to schedule the examinations and request that a copy of the results be forwarded to the Graduate Admissions Office, York University. This should be done as soon as possible so that the results will be available near the closing date for applications. Our school code is 0894, York University and department name is Psychology. We do not set a minimum test score as there are many factors that influence the admissions decision. Please use the exact same name on your GRE scores as the name on your application. Only 1 set of scores is required regardless of your first and second choices.

Statement of Interest

The Statement of interest should be no more than 2 pages double spaced. (standard margins and font). Please put your name in the top right corner of your statement of interest.

CVs and Written Work

CVs are required for students applying to the Clinical (C) and Clinical Developmental (CD) Area. Students may also be asked to provide a writing sample by potential supervisors for CD admissions.

Letters of Recommendation

Only two letters of recommendation are required. Academic references are preferred. Letters of Recommendation are to be completed on line by your referees once you have submitted your application and completed the supplementary form.