Psychology

Overview

About this Program

Coursework and other requirements are at a minimum. Success in the program depends on the student's ability to organize unscheduled time for self education. Continuous involvement in research planning and execution is considered a very important component of the student's activities. Students are normally expected to do both master’s and doctoral study.

M.A. and M.Sc. Psychology degrees at McGill University may be awarded in Experimental Psychology, but only as a step to the Ph.D.—students undergo formal evaluation beginning with the submission of their master's requirements (thesis or fast-track paper) to enter Ph.D. 2.

The Clinical program adheres to the scientist practitioner model and as such is designed to train students for careers in university teaching or clinical research, and for service careers (working with children or adults in hospital, clinical, or educational settings). Most of our clinical graduates combine service and research roles. While there are necessarily many more course requirements than in the Experimental program, the emphasis is again on research training. There is no master’s program in Clinical Psychology; the Department offers direct entry to a doctoral degree for holders of an undergraduate degree, and students are expected to complete the full program leading to a doctoral degree.

Research interests of members of the Psychology Department include:

• behavioural neuroscience;

• clinical psychology;

• cognition & cognitive neuroscience;

• developmental science;

• health psychology;

• quantitative psychology & modelling;

• social & personality psychology.

Facilities for advanced research in a variety of fields are available within the Department itself. In addition, arrangements exist with the Departments of Psychology at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Allan Memorial Institute, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal Children's Hospital, and Montreal General Hospital to permit graduate students to undertake research in a hospital setting.