How to Apply
Applying to the Ph.D. Program as a Western M.Sc. Student
M.Sc. students progressing to their doctoral studies apply in the fall of their M.Sc. 2 year, meeting the same deadline, using the same official UWO application as all applicants. Additional application instructions are provided here.
Admission Information and Application Process For All Other Applicants
1. Eligibility
Determine if you meet the program's minimum eligibility requirements
M.Sc. Degree Minimum Requirements for Admission
Below are the minimum admission requirements. Please note that meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission.
M.Sc. Degree Minimum Admission Requirements Checklist:
| Minimum Admission Requirements | ||||
| Requirement | Clinical | CDBS | I/O | SPDP |
| 4-year undergraduate honours degree* | Psychology or equivalent (minimum of 10 full Psychology credits) |
Psychology or equivalent |
Psychology or equivalent | Psychology or equivalent |
| Minimum Grade Average in the last 2 years of undergraduate studies | 78% or B+ | 78% or B+ | 78% or B+ | 78% or B+ |
| GRE General Scores verbal, quantitative and analytical) | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not Required |
| English Proficiency | Required of all international applicants whose first language is not English. In order to be automatically exempt from the English proficiency requirement, the applicant's first learned language must be English, or the applicant must have been educated in an academic degree program for at least two years in a country whose principal language is English. | |||
| *Equivalent | Applicants must have an honours undergraduate degree in psychology (or equivalent). Equivalency will be determined after submission of applications, but would generally involve 18-20 half courses in Psychology and a thesis or independent study that involved data collection and a written submission similar to a thesis project. Please speak with your undergraduate counsellor if you have additional questions about your own coursework. We cannot vet individual transcripts in advance of admissions. | |||
Ph.D. Degree Minimum Requirements for Admission
| Minimum Admission Requirements | ||||
| Requirement | Clinical | CDBS | I/O | SPDP |
|
Thesis-oriented Master’s degree in Psychology or related field. |
Psychology only, with content that is primarily clinical |
Psychology or a related field |
Psychology or a related field |
Psychology or a related field |
| Minimum Grade Average from Master’s studies | 78% or B+ | 78% or B+ | 78% or B+ | 78% or B+ |
| GRE General Scores verbal, quantitative and analytical) | not required | not required | not required | not required |
| English Proficiency | Required of all international applicants whose first language is not English. In order to be automatically exempt from the English proficiency requirement, the applicant's first learned language must be English, or the applicant must have been educated in an academic degree program for at least two years in a country whose principal language is English. | |||
2. Supervisors and Research
Identify a potential supervisor and choose a research area of excellence
Western's Psychology Graduate Program provides advanced training in four clusters of research excellence. Each student is admitted to one of these clusters which is responsible for the general supervision of their program.
Please note that 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 their research area along with prospective supervisors, in order of preference in the online application.
Please click below to learn more about the research clusters and supervisors accepting students for the upcoming academic year.
Clinical Science and Psychopathology (CSP) - Offers a CPA Accredited Clinical Psychology Program
The CSP field of research encompasses the Clinical Psychology area of research excellence and focuses on the study of the causes and treatments for abnormal behavior and health-related behavior.
A typical Master’s degree will take 2 years to complete and a Doctoral Degree will take approximately 4 years with 1 added year of residency
To learn more about this research cluster please follow this link: http://www.psychology.uwo.ca/research/clinical/index.html
Faculty accepting graduate student applications for supervision in CSP (2025-2026)
Dr. Lindsay Bodell: eating disorders
Dr. Jesus Chavarria: addictive disorders
Dr. Raha Hassan: social and emotional development, temperament and individual differences, self and affect regulation, developmental psychopathology (listed in CDBS and SPDP also)
Dr. Graham Reid: pediatric sleep, health and mental health services, child-clinical/pediatric psychology
Dr. Aislinn Sandre: early experiences, brain development, affective processing, psychophysiology (listed in CDBS also)
Dr. Julian Scheffer: neural basis of socioemotional function; dementia and caregiver health (listed in CDBS and SPDP also)
Dr. Ryan Stevenson: multisensory integration, sensory processing, and neurodevelopmental conditions (listed in CDBS also)
Faculty not accepting applicants in CSP
Dr. David Dozois: cognitive and interpersonal vulnerability to depression, cognitive theory and therapy
Dr. Elizabeth Hayden: developmental psychopathology
Dr. Ingrid Johnsrude: auditory cognitive neuroscience/network abnormalities in neurological disorders
Dr. John Paul Minda: cognitive psychology of higher-order thinking and concept learning
Dr. John Sakaluk: secondary data analysis of psychotherapy intervention literatures (see Dr. Sakaluk’s linked website for details; listed in SPDP also)
Cognitive, Developmental, and Brain Sciences (CDBS)
The CDBS cluster encompasses the Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognition, and Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience areas of research excellence. The CDBS cluster focuses on the study of:
- genetic, neurological, and hormonal causes of behavior
- how information is perceived, stored, and processed and how language is used and understood
- processes that explain changes in children’s thinking and behavior from infancy through adolescence
To learn more about this research cluster please follow this link: http://www.psychology.uwo.ca/research/cognitive_developmental_brain_sciences/index.html
Faculty accepting graduate student applications for supervision in CDBS (2025-2026)
Dr. Daniel Ansari: developmental cognitive neuroscience & science of learning
Dr. Laura Batterink: cognitive neuroscience of language, implicit learning and memory, sleep and memory consolidation
Dr. Jody Culham: cognitive neuroscience of perception and actions in real-world and virtual-reality environments
Dr. Jessica Grahn: music neuroscience, rhythm and time perception
Dr. Morgan Gustison: neuroethology of social behavior, communication, and cognition in mammals
Dr. Raha Hassan: social and emotional development, temperament and individual differences, self and affect regulation, developmental psychopathology (listed in CSP & SPDP also)
Dr. Marc Joanisse: cognitive neuroscience of language and reading
Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton: animal behaviour/behavioural neuroendocrinology
Dr. John Paul Minda: cognitive psychology of higher-order thinking and concept learning
Dr. Adrian Owen: consciousness, brain injury, cognitive assessment and frontal-lobe function
Dr. Aislinn Sandre: early experiences, brain development, affective processing, psychophysiology (listed in CSP also)
Dr. Julian Scheffer: effort-based decision-making; socioemotional function; dementia (listed in CSP and SPDP also)
Dr. Ryan Stevenson: multisensory integration, sensory processing, and neurodevelopmental conditions (listed in CSP also)
Faculty not accepting applicants in CDBS
Dr. Lisa Archibald: language and working memory impairments
Dr. Carrie Branch: animal behaviour, comparative cognition, communication and signaling, avian systems
Dr. Blake Butler: sensory system development and crossmodal plasticity following sensory loss
Dr. Brian Corneil: neural control of movement
Dr. Barbara Fenesi: cognition, educational psychology
Dr. Melvyn A. Goodale: visual perception and visually guided behaviour
Dr. Paul Gribble: human motor control & sensorimotor learning
Dr. Elizabeth Hayden: developmental psychopathology
Dr. Riley Hinson: associative processes in drugs and addiction
Dr. Debra Jared: reading, bilingualism
Dr. Ingrid Johnsrude: auditory cognitive neuroscience/network abnormalities in neurological disorders
Dr. Stefan Köhler: neural and cognitive mechanisms of human memory and memory disorders
Dr. Penny MacDonald: cognitive profile of patients with Parkinson's disease
Dr. Ken McRae: cognitive neuroscience of events and language understanding
Dr. Derek Mitchell: affective cognitive neuroscience, empathy, and antisocial traits (cross-appt)
Dr. J. Bruce Morton: cognitive control and frontal lobe development
Dr. Marieke Mur: visual perception and cognitive control
Dr. Penny Pexman: cognitive science and psycholinguistics
Dr. Jennifer Sutton: spatial cognition and navigation in adults and children
Industrial/Organizational Psychology (I/O)
The I/O field of research encompasses the Industrial/Organizational Psychology area of research excellence and focuses on the study of worker and organizational characteristics that contribute to adjustment in the workplace.
To learn more about this research cluster please follow this link: http://www.psychology.uwo.ca/research/io/index.html
Faculty accepting graduate student applications for supervision in I/O (2025-2026)
Dr. Alex Benson: followership and leadership, group dynamics, social rank dynamics (listed in SPDP also)
Dr. Blair Evans: social influences on health behaviour and wellbeing
Faculty not accepting applicants in I/O
Dr. Richard Goffin: personnel selection and performance appraisal
Dr. Samantha Hancock: human resources, EDI issues in the workplace, women in leadership, neurodiversity, invisible illness (cross-appt)
Dr. John Meyer: work attitudes and motivation
Dr. Jennifer Robertson: organizational environmental & social responsibility and the nature and prediction of leadership (cross-appt)
Dr. Johanna Weststar: organizational commitment, occupational and professional identity, industrial citizenship, citizenship at work, employee involvement, employee voice (cross-appt)
Dr. Hayden Woodley: equity, teams, leadership, followership, Human Resources, and individual differences.(cross-appt)
Social, Personality and Developmental Psychology (SPDP)
The SPDP field of research encompasses the Social Psychology and Personality Psychology and Social Development areas of research excellence. The SPDP cluster focuses on the study of:
- how people think about, influence, and relate to one another
- individual differences in personality and intelligence and analysis of psychological data with the help of mathematical concepts and statistics
To learn more about this research cluster please follow this link: http://www.psychology.uwo.ca/research/social_and_personality/index.html
Faculty accepting graduate student applications for supervision in SPDP (2025-2026)
Dr. Alex Benson: followership and leadership, group dynamics, social rank dynamics (listed in I/O also)
Dr. Raha Hassan: social and emotional development, temperament and individual differences, self and affect regulation, developmental psychopathology (listed in CSP & CDBS also)
Dr. Erin Heerey: social interaction and social cognition
Dr. Samantha Joel: decision making in the context of romantic relationships
Dr. Julian Scheffer: individual and context factors that influence people's desire to engage in empathy, compassion, and moralization (e.g., in politics, allyship, and dementia caregiving) (listed in CDBS and CSP also)
Dr. Julie Aitken Schermer: individual differences, personality, measurement (cross-appt)
Faculty not accepting applicants in SPDP
Dr. Lorne Campbell: close relationships, meta-science, social connection
Dr. Rachel Calogero: system justification and social change, objectification of self and others, gender, sexism, inequality, and justice, body image, stigmatized bodies, and body-self attunement
Dr. Victoria M. Esses: immigration and cultural diversity, multiculturalism and intergroup relations, stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination
Dr. John Sakaluk: romantic and sexual relationships, measurement modeling, research syntheses, inclusive, replicable, and transparent research methods (listed in CSP also)
Dr. Don Saklofske: individual differences, intelligence and personality
Dr. Paul Tremblay: measurement, structural equation and multilevel modeling, meta-analysis
3. Online application
Application submission period
Application open from October 14 to December 2 |
After completing Step 1 (self-evaluation that you meet the minimum qualifications that we require to consider an applicant for admission*) and Step 2 (selecting a potential supervisor and research area), then gather the remaining required components of your application as outlined below. Please note that a complete application is required of all applicants by the deadline, including current Western Psychology master’s students who are applying to continue to doctoral studies.
*It can be challenging for applicants without a four-year undergraduate honour’s degree in psychology to be certain that they have the equivalent background qualifications. While we are sympathetic, the Graduate Program office cannot evaluate your training in advance of your submission of an application.
Statement of Interest
Please upload a statement of interest (no longer than three double-spaced pages). While the specific content of the document is up to you, you may wish to touch upon your educational background and preparation for graduate study, your post-graduate career goals, and how you see yourself contributing to the diversity and inclusivity of our department. A strong statement generally provides clear evidence why graduate study in Psychology at Western is well suited to the applicant’s research background, scholarly interests, and training needs.
Academic References
You will be required to provide two academic references in the online application. After you have keyed in the information and saved your application, an automated email containing an online reference procedure will be sent directly to your referees. Submission of the reference will, in turn, be collected electronically. No paper reference letters are required.
University Transcripts
At the time of the application, you may upload an unofficial academic record for each post-secondary academic institution attended, including a Western academic record from the Western Student Centre: http://student.uwo.ca, if applicable. Official transcripts are only required once an applicant has been admitted.
Graduate Record Examination Scores
As of 2022, the GRE (General) is no longer a requirement for admission.
Proof of English Proficiency (International Applicants Only)
Applicants whose first language is not English must furnish evidence of their proficiency in the use of the English language by a satisfactory achievement within the last two years in one of the programs listed below.
Please enter your score in the online application. Western's School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies receives the official test scores and will make these available to our program.
Approved English Proficiency Programs:
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (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, although some programs require a higher minimum score. [Western's TOEFL ID is 0984]
The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) of the British Council. The minimum acceptable score is 6.5 out of 9. The IELTS is offered in 6 test centres in the US and 3 in Canada.
The Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (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 online.
The Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL Assessment). The minimum acceptable score is 60. The CAEL Assessment is offered in several countries throughout the world as well as Canada.
Fanshawe College's ESL Program. The requirement is graduation from Level 5, Advanced Academic Preparation, with a minimum 80% in all components. 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 Western’s School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies by the testing agency. Those graduates from Fanshawe College's ESL Program must provide official proof of graduation.
Duolingo English test: The school of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies will accept Duolingo scores as proof of English proficiency for admission. The minimum required score is 115.
Additional Materials (Optional)
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 upload these documents to the online application.
Permanent Residents
Permanent Residents 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.
Application Fee
An application fee of $150 CDN will be required at the time of application.
Graduate Scholarships (OGS and CGSM)?
Graduate Scholarships (OGS and CGSM)? We encourage applicants to apply for external scholarship funding, such as the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGSM). Program applicants who will be applying for these scholarships must have a Western student number, which is issued once your application for admission has been submitted.
Please visit this page for more information about OGS.
Please visit this page for more information about CGSM.
Online Application
Apply online by December 2, 2024. Please note that only completed applications will be considered; providing Western Psychology with the following:
Biographical information
Contact information
Area of study
Prospective supervisor
Statement of Interest
Academic background
One unofficial academic record for each post-secondary academic institution
Information for two academic references
Proficiency in English score, if applicable
Optional sample of written work
Optional list of publications or curriculum vitae
Application fee
For assistance with the online application, please send a message to gradapps@uwo.ca or call 519-850-2341.
4. Decision
Wait for a decision
Decision and Next Steps
Applicants will be notified of admission decisions by email, at the latest, by April 15.
Follow-up feedback is not available to unsuccessful applicants.
After receiving their offer, successful applicants are encouraged to accept their offer of admission as soon as possible so that a Western University email account can be assigned and important information regarding semester start-up activities are not missed!
Western informs all applicants of an admission decision whether you are offered admission or not. All decisions of admission are sent digitally to the applicant at the email address you supply in your application.
Applicants who have been offered admission to the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies can accept or decline their offers of admissions online through the Western Student Center.
View your Electronic Letter of Admission
- Login into the Student Center with the information provided with your Western Identity and locate the Admissions banner.
- Your electronic offer of admission will appear below the Admissions banner.
- Click the “View Letters” hyperlink under My Applications to see and/or print your official offer of admission.
Accept or Decline your Offer of Admission
- Login into the Student Center with the information provided with your Western Identity and locate the Admissions banner.
- Your electronic offer of admission will appear below the Admissions banner.
- Click the “Accept or Decline” hyperlink under My Applications to accept or decline your offer of admission.
Have a question?
Please browse through our frequently asked questions for more information
Frequently Asked Questions
Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the application process in Psychology.
