Project-based course requirements

The project-based MA program requires a minimum of 27 units of course work and includes a project and comprehensive exam. The program includes the following required courses:

Course number (units) Course name
ED-D 503 (1.5) Program Development and Evaluation
ED-D 514 (1.5) Assessment in Counselling
ED-D 518 (1.5) Advanced Seminar in Theories of Counselling Psychology
ED-D 519C (1.5) Ethics and Legal Issues in Counselling
ED-D 519H (1.5) Career Development and Counselling Across the Life Span
ED-D 519L (1.5) Group Counselling
ED-D 519N (1.5) Diversity, Culture, and Counselling
ED-D 522 (3.0) Skills and Practice for Counselling
ED-D 523 (3.0) Internship in Counselling
ED-D 561A (1.5) Methods in Educational Research
Electives (4.5) Courses to be chosen in consultation with student's supervisor
ED-D 597 (1.5) Comprehensive Exam
ED-D 598 (3.0) Project

Program courses and requirements are subject to change. Check the Academic Calendar for up-to-date information and course descriptions.

The program generally takes two years of full-time study to complete.

Practicum/internship guidelines

Students are required to complete ED-D 522 Skills and Practice for Counselling and ED-D 523 Internship in Counselling.

ED-D 522 provides basic counselling interventions with an emphasis on the therapeutic relationship and includes extensive opportunity to role-play and to self-reflect on role as counsellor and issues related to boundaries and power. Students will experience sequenced skills training with extensive counselling simulation and supervision of practice in a field setting. The course includes direct client contact under the supervision of a qualified professional with diverse client populations.

ED-D 523 provides intensive practice in advanced counselling techniques and approaches under the direction of a professional counsellor in community settings. Lectures focus on case presentations, models of consultation, supervisor-supervisee relationship, roles and responsibilities of health professionals, counsellor identity, professional organizations, and record keeping.

The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association’s Council on Accreditation for Counsellor Education Programs (CACEP) considers supervised practice as the most critical experience of the program. Students are required to complete the following practicum/internship hours under the direction of a professional counsellor in the community:

ED-D 522 practicum hour requirements summary:

  • Total of Direct Counselling hours (40 individual and 10 group) = 50 hours
  • Total of Indirect Service hours (other on-site practicum activities) = 50 hours
  • TOTAL REQUIRED ON-SITE HOURS AT FIRST-YEAR PRACTICUM = 100 hours

ED-D 523 internship hour requirements summary:

  • Total of Direct Counselling hours (160 individual and 40 group) = 200 hours
  • Total of Indirect Service hours (other on-site practicum activities) = 200 hours
  • TOTAL REQUIRED ON-SITE HOURS AT SECOND YEAR INTERNSHIP= 400 hours