SUMMARY OF BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSIONS
Students are accepted into our program to work with individual faculty members as mentors. The Department gives preference to applicants who have a high potential for success in graduate school and who share research interests with prospective faculty supervisors.
Master's Degree
- A four-year undergraduate honour's degree in Psychology or a related field, or an undergraduate degree that is equivalent to our honour's degree. An honour's degree in Psychology is required for admission into our Clinical program.
- Minimum grade average 78% or B+ in the final two years of the undergraduate program
- Official transcripts required for all instuitions attended during undergraduate program
- GRE General Scores (verbal, quantitative, and analytical)
- Two letters of reference from academic sources
- If English is not your native language, an official copy of your TOEFL score
- Statement of interest
Ph.D.
- A Thesis-oriented Master's degree in Psychology related field. A Master's degree in Psychology (with content that is primarily Clinical) is required for admission into our Clinical program.
- Minimum grade average 78% or B+ in the Master's program.
- Official transcripts required for all intuitions attended during undergraduate and masters programs.
- GRE General Scores (verbal, quantitative, and analytical). Student, in conjunction with their prospective supervisor may request a waiver of GRE scores.
- Two letters of reference from academic sources
- If English is not your native language, an official copy of your TOEFL score
- Statement of interest
APPLICATION PROCEDURE (subject to change without notice)
The Deadline:
January 4, 2013
We have a self-administered application system. Please submit the application fee in the online application, print the online application and send it to us in one package with the documents below.
Our program admits students into the fall term only. Click here for the complete mailing and courier address and other contact information.
The deadline is firm because faculty may review applications immediately after the deadline. Faculty avoid reserving judgment while waiting for missing application items, such as GRE scores. If any part of the application is not available at the time faculty review the file, the applicant's chances of acceptance will be lowered because the department is reluctant to admit on incomplete data. Thus, it is recommended that you submit the online application well before the deadline and arrange to have documents arrive not later than the deadline, preferably in one package.
Areas of Study in the Department
Western's Psychology graduate program provides advanced training in seven Areas of Study. Each student, upon admission to the program, is also admitted to one of these Areas within the department and this area is responsible for the general supervision of his or her program. In the online application, you will be asked to choose a primary area. Once you select this area, you will be taken to the "Program Information" page where you will select your first field of interest again as well as two other fields of interest.
Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience
Clinical
Cognition and Perception
Developmental
Industrial/Organizational
Personality and Measurement
Social
Faculty Supervisors
Research supervision is provided by a Supervisor (chosen at admission time) and a Thesis Supervisory Committee (chosen as soon as practicable and usually no later than thesis proposal time). The supervisor will also assist the student in the selection of courses and other matters relating to the program of study.
Students are only admitted to the program if there is a faculty member who is able and willing to act as a supervisor. Applicants must therefore identify potential supervisors at the time of application. In the online application, please be sure to list prospective supervisors. You may enter the names of several prospective supervisors in the text box, in order of preference. Take note that some faculty from other departments have been given cross appointment status enabling them to supervise graduate students in the Department of Psychology.
For each faculty member's research interests, go through the Areas of Study websites (see above) or go through the main psychology website.
The Online Application (available October 11, 2012 to January 4, 2013)
Please submit the application fee in the online application. Complete and print the online application and submit it with the documents below.
If you have technical questions about the online application, contact OUAC.
Application Fee
The online application system is the only way to submit the $95 (CDN or equivalent) application fee.
Official University Transcripts
One official academic transcript* from each post-secondary institution attended. Do not open the envelope from the transcript office. Include the transcript envelope in the application package.
Ontario students may see that the online application will give you a warning about ordering an online transcript. Please submit the online application without ordering the online transcript. Submit the paper transcript as above.
*Western considers a transcript official only if it is received in a university envelope and that it is sealed and signed on the flap by the official person in the office issuing the transcript. If the transcript and degree certificate are not in English, a certified translation must also be included. (Non-English transcripts from institutions within Canada do not require a translation.)
References
Please print two copies of the reference form (pdf; MS Word) and give one to each of your referees. Ask them to return the reference to you in a sealed envelope that has been signed across the seal. You will send these references to us in the application package.
Psychology does not use the online reference system. If asked to enter referee names and email addresses, please enter the referee names only and use your email address. Psychology prefers the reference form and method as indicated above.
Statement of Interest
Rather than adding the statement of interest to the online application, please print the statement and enclose it in your application package.
Graduate Record Examination Scores (GRE)
Institution Code for The University of Western Ontario: 0984
Department Code: 2016 (Psychology)
You must add the test date and your General GRE test scores and percentiles to the online application before you submit the application. Usually the raw scores and percentiles for the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE are available right after you write the test. It is crucial to your application that we have have the unofficial scores immediately. They will be confirmed by the official score report at a later time.
Occasionally GRE scores arrive as an individual paper score report. Much more common, however, ETS/GRE sends a list of scores to Western's School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Usually Western receives a minimum of two lists per month and up to six lists per month arrive in January and February. Our program has access to these lists.
You have written the GRE in the recent past and plan to write again before our application deadline? List the new test date and scores on the online application.
Graduate Record Examination Scores (GRE): Verbal, Quantitative, Analytical Writing. The GREs consist of a set of tests provided by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in Princeton, New Jersey and administered by universities and other offices around the world. There are three tests of general knowledge and ability: verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing which are taken together in one computer-based (or, less common, paper-based) testing session. These scores must arrive by January 4 and they must come directly from the GRE office in New Jersey. Please visit the official GRE website.
GRE Waiver for PhD Applicants. Please note that under some circumstances, the requirement for applicants to the PhD Program to take the GRE test may be waived. For example, an applicant may already have several peer-reviewed publications in subjects directly or closely related to their proposed program of study. If a student wishes to apply without GRE scores, then the student must discuss this with the prospective supervisor or area chair well in advance of submitting their application.
The prospective supervisor or area chair then presents a case for a waiver fo the GRE requirement to the Graduate Selection Committee. It is important to note that the eventual decision on whether or not the students' applicaton will be considered without the submission of GRE scores will be made by the Graduate Selection Committee, who will communicate their decision to the prospective supervisor or area chair. Please note this process should be initiated well before the January 4th application deadline.
Proof of English Proficiency
Western's School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies receives official test scores and they make these scores available to the graduate programs. On the online application, please enter your score. We will look for the official report using the details provided by the unofficial report.
If your first language is not English, Western's School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requires that you prove your English proficiency. Therefore, you must have taken one of the following English proficiency tests within the last two years and submit an official score report to us by our deadline:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language www.toefl.org (TOEFL), The minimum acceptable score is 86, with no individual score below 20 for the internet based version; 213 for the standard electronic version; or 550 for the paper and pencil version. [Western's TOEFL ID is 0984].
- The International English Language Testing Service www.ielts.org (IELTS) of the British Council. The minimum acceptable score is 6 out of 9. The IELTS is offered in six test centres in the US and three in Canada.
- The Michigan English Language Assessment Battery www.lsa.umich.edu/eli/melab.htm (MELAB) of the University of Michigan. Students must have at least 80 on each of the sections and an overall score of at least 85. Arrangements to write MELAB may be made via www.lsa.umich.edu/eli/melab2.htm.
- The Canadian Academic English Language Assessment www.cael.ca (CAEL Assessment). The minimum acceptable score is 60. The CAEL Assessment is offered in several countries throughout the world as well as Canada.
Students who are required to present evidence of proficiency in English must make their own arrangements to write the TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB or CAEL and to have the official results sent directly to Psychology by the testing agency.
Additional Materials
While not required, you may submit the GRE Psychology subject test score, a sample of your written work such as a published article, a list of publications (or Curriculum Vitae) or Landing papers (if applicable). You are welcome to include these documents in the application package.
For permanent residents of Canada only, please include a photocopy of both sides of your Permanent Resident Card or a photocopy of your Record of Landing. If you are applying to be a permanent resident, but have not been granted landed-immigrant status, you must apply as an international applicant.
Submit the Self-Administered Application
Please gather these documents into one package :
- the printed copy of the online application,
- the statement of interest,
- two references, each reference in it's own sealed and signed envelope,
- a transcript from each non-Western university, each transcript in it's own sealed and signed or stamped envelope,
- any additional materials, as above.
Please send this package to the following address, by mail or courier, to arrive on or before January 4, 2013.
Other documents will arrive by separate mail: official GRE scores, official TOEFL or IELTS scores.
Mailing and Courier Address
The Graduate Office
Department of Psychology
Room 7406, Social Science Centre
The University of Western Ontario
1151 Richmond Street
London, Ontario CANADA N6A 5C2
PHONE: 519-661-2064
FAX: 519-661-3961
E-MAIL: psych-grad@uwo.ca
Decision
We will notify you of our decision by email by March 23rd.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The Psychology Department encourages international students to apply for graduate study with us. In general, we require that applicants for graduate work in Psychology have an academic background regarded as equivalent to a four-year honours bachelor's degree in Psychology. We realize that undergraduate programs offered in universities outside Canada may vary from our own. As a guideline, we suggest that an applicant should have completed ten full-year courses in Psychology. Well-rounded undergraduate training in Psychology is favoured.
International students who are selected for admission to a Master's or Doctoral program may enter Canada either as a Landed Immigrant or on a Study Permit. Most international students will enter Canada on a Study Permit and certain restrictions do apply. For example, students on a Study Permit may apply for an Ontario Graduate Scholarship, worth $5,000.00 per term, or $15,000.00 per annum.
Prospective international applicants whose first language is not English need to submit proof of English proficiency. Please see this section of our application procedure for more information.
International students should be aware that the tuition fees for students with Study Permits are considerably higher than those for Canadian citizens or Landed Immigrants. For 2012-2013, the tuition and fees for the entire year (three terms) will be about $8000 for Canadian citizens and Landed Immigrants and about $18,000 for students with Study Permits, including UHIP. The mandatory University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) is assessed, on a per term basis, to all International Students. Currently the UHIP fee is $228.00 per term and the three term per year total is $684.00. See below for information about funding for international students.
SCHOLARSHIPS AND FUNDING
Fall Major Awards' Competitions. All eligible current and future graduate students should consider applying for major awards in the fall term. Please visit the Psychology's "Graduate" website for more information about the these competitions.
Our funding is competitive with other Psychology programs in Canada, and we exceed many other programs by providing six years of funding (two at the Master's level, four at the PhD). Funding comes from a variety of sources including scholarships and Graduate Teaching Assistantships.
M.Sc. Students. We provide funding for two years for MSc students. For the 2011-2012 academic year, domestic M.Sc. students without a scholarship received over $19,000 and international M.Sc. students received over $28,000 (because tuition is higher for international students). We also provide top-up funds for M.Sc. External award winners. Incoming M.Sc. External Award winners were guaranteed at least an additional $10,000 in funding over and above the award.
Doctoral Candidates. We provide funding for four years for PhD students. In 2011-2012, PhD students received over $20,000 and international students over $29,000 (because tuition is higher for international students). Again, students with external awards received additional funding (except those with CGS Doctoral Awards that are worth $35,000 per year). For PhD years 2 to 4, the University of Western Ontario mandates that all Ph.D. students (both domestic and international) who maintain at least a minimum average of B+ or 78% are guaranteed a minimum of $12,000 plus tuition and we are typically able to exceed this minimum level of funding.
Supervisor Funding. Supervisors very often provide students additional funding through their research grants. These research assistantships vary across research areas and are regulated by funding agencies. Information about this type of funding is communicated to successfully admitted students on a case by case basis.
Other Funding. Funding is also available from the department for travel to conferences to present papers (usually up to about $250 per year) and to pay for some thesis research costs (up to $100.00 for the MSc and up to $150 for the PhD).
HOUSING
London, Ontario is a modern, attractive city of approximately 340,000 located in Southwestern Ontario, midway between the Canadian cities of Windsor and Toronto (north of Lake Erie), and the American cities of Detroit and Buffalo (south of Lake Erie). In addition to social and cultural attractions within the city, the beaches of Lake Huron and Lake Erie, as well as the theatres of Stratford, are within easy driving distance.
See UWO's Division of Housing and Ancillary Services web page. It has current information about on-campus housing as well as many listings for off-campus housing.
For housing information on this page, see On-Campus Housing which includes: Temporary Summer Accommodation, Residences and Apartments and Townhouses. See also information about Off-Campus Housing.
ON-CAMPUS HOUSING
Temporary Summer Accommodation
Elgin Hall offers temporary "Bed and Breakfast" style accommodation in the summer months only (early May to late August) at very reasonable rates; see also their weekly and monthly plans and their rates and plans including cleaning and/or breakfast. Elgin Hall is a modern, air-conditioned residence situated on University Drive, off Richmond St. North. Conveniently located on a direct bus line, Elgin Hall is a 10 minute bus ride from downtown London, yet it is still on Western's main campus. Bus service is across the road in front of Medway Hall and there is coin-entry parking nearby.
After the first week of May, see their website.
RESIDENCES
Western now has an on-campus residence specifically for graduate and upper-year undergraduate students! Located next to Essex Hall, London Hall offers two- and three-bedroom suites with double beds, an optional meal plan, placement with your choice of roommate(s), and a residence life program geared to your graduate or upper-year needs.
Apartments and Townhouses
The Glenmore Single Students Apartment Complex and the Platt's Lane Estates, Inc. (Family Housing) provide affordable apartments and townhouses for students (and their families) attending Western. They are owned and operated by the University of Western Ontario and are situated on campus.
The Glenmore Apartment Complex (Bayfield, Beaver, Ausable and Lambton Halls) is located at Western Road and Windermere Road. See their website for application information and forms.
Platt's Lane Estates, Inc. is at Platt's Lane and Western Road, and contains apartments and townhouses for students with families. Application information and forms are available on their website.
OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING
Western provides a self-service viewing area in Lambton Hall to enable students to search for accommodation. This facility keeps extensive lists of available off-campus housing in the city of London and is open 7 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. It is also equipped with telephones that can be used free of charge. Also, see their web page.
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