The faculty's Counselling Psychology programs prepare individuals for careers as professional counsellors in community and educational settings.

Graduates are eligible to register with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and/or the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC).

The Counselling Psychology MA and MEd programs are highly sequenced, with almost all courses offered only once per year. 

The program structure and sequence at SFU are guided by two key principles:

1. Effective counselling practice is guided by coherent theoretical frameworks, working knowledge of assessment procedures, and a keen awareness of ethical principles and issues.
2. Counselling skills and strategies are best learned through a series of structured experiences that allow students to refine their skills while becoming increasingly independent and confident in their clinical skills and judgment.

• Newly issued official paper transcripts
• Academic Writing Sample
• Letter of Intent
• Reference Letters
• English Language Competency Test Results
• Passport
• Summary of Qualifications Form

Experience Prerequisite:

Applicants require a minimum of approximately two years (or 400 hours) of volunteer or paid experience working in a helping-related position. Any human service work would be acceptable. 

Typically, it is met through crisis line work or applied behavioural education support, as those are the most accessible opportunities for applicants. 

Other occupations that apply include, but are not limited to teaching activities, working one-on-one advising or guiding others or working in health care, etc.

Academic Prerequisites:

The minimum requirement for admissions is a bachelor’s degree from Simon Fraser University or its equivalent with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0/4.33 (B), or a grade point average of at least 3.33/4.33 (B+) based on the last 60 credits of courses.

You will need the following specific prerequisite courses:

• EDUC 323 (or equivalent) which is an undergraduate course in counselling theories
• EDUC 423 (or equivalent) which is an undergraduate course in counselling skills
• 1 course in developmental psychology
• 1 course in research methods
• 1 course in cognitive psychology or educational psychology
• 1 other (or additional) relevant course in any
  • social psychology,
  • multicultural counselling or education,
  • personality theory,
  • psychopathology or
  • abnormal psychology.
  • A course in sociology, cultural anthropology or women’s studies that is relevant to counselling psychology will also satisfy this requirement.

Prerequisite courses must be completed prior to applying to the program.  Applications must include transcripts that show grades in all prerequisite courses.