Psychology - Master of Arts (MA)

PAS Building

Psychology, Anthropology and Sociology (PAS) Building on À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ's South Campus, across from Laurel Creek.

Conduct high-impact research in one of the top psychology departments in Canada with the Master of Arts in Psychology program.

This program is best suited to you if your goal is to continue your studies in psychology at the PhD level, which is expected of those who are accepted to the MA program.

Choose between five research fields in which to specialize including clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, or social psychology. Then, you'll complete either a thesis or a master’s research paper.

The department is known for producing award-winning scholars and being at the forefront of psychological research. You’ll gain access to advanced research groups and labs, where you can pursue your studies in an intellectually stimulating, flexible, and friendly environment.

Research fields

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Social Psychology

Program overview

Department/School: Psychology
Faculty: Faculty of Arts
Admit term(s): Fall (September - December)
Delivery mode: On-campus
Program type: Master's, Research
Length of program: 24 months
Registration option(s): Full-time
Study option(s): Thesis, Master's Research Paper

Application deadlines

  • ÌýDecember 1 (for admission in September of the following year)

Note: All relevant documents pertaining to your application must be uploaded by December 1. See theÌýDepartment of Psychology - Application procedures page for detailed information.

Key contacts

Emily Jäkel
gradpsyc@uwaterloo.ca

Admission limitations

Due to funding restrictions, the Faculty of Arts is currently limiting the number of international students we can admit. Please contact the department's Associate Chair, Graduate Studies prior to applying to discuss your interest in this program.

Aliya

Shame is closely related to attachment insecurity and to fears of receiving compassion. My PhD research will extend this work by examining the role of shame in the development and maintenance of obsessions and compulsions.

Aliya McNeil, Psychology

Supervisors

Admission requirements

  • Normally an honours bachelor's degree or its equivalent in Psychology with at least an 80% overall standing, in the last two years, or equivalent.
  • Completion of the Department of Psychology Application.
  • Candidates applying to the Cognitive Neuroscience and Cognitive Psychology graduate research fields within the program may submit results from the Graduate Record Examination (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytic scores), though this is not a requirement.
  • Candidates with an honours bachelor's degree or equivalent preparation may be admitted to a master's program or directly to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program.
  • Qualified candidates are admitted to either a MA or a PhD program (in which a master's degree may be obtained along the way). The program to which candidates are admitted to varies by program Area (e.g., Clinical and Social applicants are typically accepted into an MA program, while Cognition, Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental, and Industrial Organizational students are typically accepted to a PhD program). Candidates accepted to the MA program are expected to continue to a PhD program.

Degree requirements

  • Review the degree requirementsÌýon the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar,Ìýincluding the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree.
  • Check out to see recent submissions from the department of Psychology graduate students.

Application materials

  • Personal statement (Letter)
    • A statement of maximum 2,000 words describing your goals for graduate study and aÌýprofessional career, relevant research experience, academic work in your area of specialization, and other relevant educational and life experiences, uploaded as a supporting document in the online application. Review the details on the Department of Psychology page.
  • Program-specific questions (PSQ)
    • These are questions specific to the program you’re applying to. They can be viewed once you’ve started an application and are completed through a form in the online application.
  • Transcript(s)
  • References
  • Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
    • TOEFL 90 (writing 25, speaking 25), IELTS 7.0 (writing 6.5, speaking 6.5)

Tuition and fees