UBC School Psychology - Frequently Asked Questions
Printable version of this FAQ is available here [PDF, 78KB].
What are the career prospects for School Psychology graduates?
School psychology is a great career (see US News and World Report summary). There are many openings in BC and elsewhere, and starting salaries are excellent. With a Masters degree in school psychology, the most common job is as a School Psychologist (see NASP (National Association of School Psychlogists web site) and
job prospects are excellent. School Psychologists are in high demand, although many of our graduates also find employment as mental health workers, behaviour interventionists, or educational consultants. In addition to working in schools, school psychologists work in a variety of other settings, including mental health, child development centres, and children’s hospitals. With a Masters degree in School Psychology from UBC, you'd be eligible to apply for registration as a psychological associate with the College of Psychologists of BC, certification with the BC Association of School Psychologists, and as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist.
What is the starting salary for a School Psychologist?
School Psychologists who work in schoos are district employees, so salaries can vary depending on where you work. Most school districts pay school psychologists at or above the teacher range, which are averaged on the Education Canada Network web site. The training for School
Psychologists would place you at six or more years of education. Many districts also provide an additional stipend for School Psychologists, so the pay is often $2000 - 5000 extra, with excellent benefits and retirement plans. In addition,
there is a shortage in the field, which can work to your advantage in terms of availability and salary leverage.
Salary for School Psychologists working in non-school settings such as private agencies, mental health, hospitals, etc. can vary considerably with the site.
What GRE scores are required for my application?
The verbal and quantitative GRE tests are required. It is not necessary to complete the analytical or psychology tests.
I am taking the GRE after the December application deadline. Is it too late for my application this year?
If you can't take the GRE before the application deadline, you can schedule an appointment to take it in December or early January, and then send us your unofficial results (and have the official results sent to UBC). Your official results must be
sent to UBC by mid January.
My application is ready, but my [transcripts, GRE scores, letters of reference] will not arrive before December 1st. Should I still submit my application?
Yes. Make a note of any missing documentation your application. But make sure to submit your electronic application by the deadline, or your application will not be considered.
Do I need to be a teacher or have a teaching certificate to be a school psychologist?
No, you do not need to be a teacher or have a teaching certificate for the School Psychology program at UBC. You do need evidence of successful work experience with school age children and youth. This can be met in a number of ways, including working as a teaching assistant, behaviour analyst or interventionist, coach, classroom volunteer, camp counsellor. Most applicants include one letter of reference from someone who can comment on their suitability for work with children and youth based on prior experience.
What are the prerequisites for the Masters programs?
A minimum of 18 credits in psychology, education, special education or related disciplines is required. Upper-level coursework (courses at the 300, 400, or 500 level) are required in the areas of both statistics and research methods.
If your university does not offer upper division coursework in statistics and research methods, you need to address that you have completed advanced undergraduate level statistics in your program or at your university. Coursework in measurement is recommended but not required. More detailed information on masters prerequisites can be found Admissions Requirements page. Students are encouraged to have background or coursework in areas
most relevant to school psychology practice (e.g., child development, learning, exceptional students, classroom management, behaviour disorders, abnormal psychology). It is not necessary to have a degree in psychology or education to apply.
What are the prerequisites for the Doctoral program?
The prerequisite is a MA in school psychology from UBC or equivalent to UBC's coursework (69 credits). If you are interested in the PhD but do not have these requirements, you can apply to the masters program and then can request to apply for the PhD from within the program.
What are the differences between the MA and MEd programs?
Students in the MA program complete an additional course in statistics and a research thesis. Students in the MEd program complete a more intensive graduating portfolio. All other aspects of the program are the same for the MA and MEd degrees.
Do I apply to a specific supervisor or to the program in general?
All students are asked to identify faculty members and the areas of research that are of most interest to them, as part of the application process. MA and MEd students apply to the program in general and are assigned to a program advisor at the time of admission. Masters students work with their program advisors to develop their program of study and to explore potential research directions and possible research supervisors. Doctoral students also apply to the program in general, however, given the research focus of the PhD program, availability of a suitable research supervisor and applicant fit with faculty interests and expertise is a significant consideration.
Is it possible to do the program part-time?
No. Both the masters and doctoral programs require full-time study on campus prior to internship. Students are enrolled in two years of full-time study on campus in both the masters and doctoral programs.
Do students take classes in the summer?
Yes. In year one of the masters program, students take classes in May, June, and July. In year two, students take classes in May and June. There is more flexibility in the summer programming for doctoral students.
What kind of funding is available?
Though we are not able to guarantee funding for all students at the time of acceptance, a wide array of funding options are available. Many students receive fellowships based on academic merit from provincial and federal agencies (e.g., SSHRC, CIHR, Ministry of Education). Other students work as Graduate Academic Assistants (GAAs) and Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs). In recent years, it has been our experience that any student who desires funding is able to find it through GAA and/or GRA positions.
How many students do you typically admit?
We recently received funding from the Ministry of Advanced Education in British Columbia to increase our class size at the masters level. As a result, we anticipate admitting a cohort of 18 masters students each fall.
It is our goal to admit 4 to 6 PhD students each year. |
