Our program is designed to prepare our doctoral graduates with the advanced skills, knowledge and experience for roles such as:

• Leaders and administrators in the profession
• Clinical supervisor
• Expert clinician in area of practice
• Clinical and Specialist Consultant
• Professor of counselor education programs or other counseling disciplines
• Skilled researcher and scholar in the advancement of the field of counseling

Our students are prepared for careers in a wide variety of diverse settings, including academia, community agencies, mental health counseling centers, research institutions, hospitals, and educational and mental health settings. We also train doctoral students how to establish their own successful, independent counseling and consulting practices.

If your program was less than 8 months

•    You aren’t eligible for a PGWP.

If your program was more than 8 months but less than 2 years

•    We may give you a PGWP that’s valid for up to the same length as your study program.

For example, if you completed a 9-month program, we may give you a work permit for up to 9 months.

If your program was 2 years or more

•    We may give you a PGWP that’s valid for 3 years.

If you completed more than 1 program

•    You may be able to get a PGWP that combines the length of each program.

Each of the programs you completed -

• must be PGWP-eligible and at least 8 months in length

Applicants to the program must have the following:

• An honours baccalaureate degree in psychology or a substantial background in psychology (defined as 30 credits of coursework in psychology). Coursework must include the following prerequisites: abnormal psychology, research methods, statistics, and developmental psychology/life span development. Additional coursework (pending faculty approval) should include courses related to neuroscience, cognition, social psychology, developmental psychology, tests and measurement theory, personality, and learning.
• A grade point average of 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate or graduate coursework. Exceptions may be made for applicants who demonstrate improved academic performance or academic ability in other ways (e.g., significant clinical or research experience, strong psychology grade point average, excellent GRE scores, or an improved grade point average over time). Applicant may be asked to provide additional supporting documentation for any extenuating circumstances.
• Practicum or work experience in psychology or a related field is highly desirable and is considered in the evaluation of applicants.

Applicants are required to submit the following items to be considered for admission:

• Application and application fee
• Statement of Intent (2-3 pages double-spaced) answering the following questions:
  • Why are you interested in your chosen field and program?
  • Why is Adler University’s program a good fit for you?
  • What are your career goals and interests?Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended (U.S and Canada)
  • Please have official transcripts sent directly to the Office of Admissions
  • Unofficial transcripts are accepted for any schools in which a degree was not received
• Three letters of Recommendation
  • These should be from someone who can specifically speak to your academic and professional abilities
• GRE test score (taken within the last 5 years)

Approved applicants will be invited to complete an interview with faculty. Please submit all application materials to the Office of Admissions prior to the application deadline.

International applicants are also required to submit the following:

• Course-by-course transcript evaluation
• All transcripts from outside of North America (including Mexico) must be evaluated by a transcript evaluation service such as World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credentialing Evaluators (ECE). Please note that we require all official transcripts (and official translations if not in English) as well as the course-by-course international credential evaluation.
• If a WES ICAP course-by-course evaluation is ordered, applicants will only be required to submit the official international credential evaluation to the University as this service provides a verified copy of the official transcript(s) and translations to the University. Applicants must be sure to send in all transcripts and order the course-by-course evaluation.
• English Language Proficiency Assessment: Applicants whose first language is not English must submit English proficiency test scores from one of the following testing services directly to the University. Scores are only valid if taken within two years of enrollment.
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Adler University’s – Vancouver Campus code for receiving test scores is 6215
  • Internet-based TOEFL minimum score is 92 with at least 22 on each of the four sections
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS): A minimum Overall Band score of 7.0 is required, with no band lower than 6.5
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE): A minimum overall score of 62 is required