Admission Requirements

Admission Deadlines

This fully in-person program has one intake each year for the Fall term. The deadline for all submissions is on or before January 31st. Applicants with a GPA of 3.8 & higher, who have completed all pre-requisite Undergrad Psych courses, and have exemplary related experience are encouraged to apply by December 1st.  

Applications should be submitted online with the video requirement (see below) submitted by the deadline date. All application items must be received by the deadline to be considered on time. It is strongly recommended that you start the application process well before the deadline to ensure adequate time to submit your documents and for your references to respond.

Types of Admission

  • #1: You have earned a 4-year B.A. degree in Psychology (honours psychology preferred), or an equivalent 4-year degree, from an accredited institution. You have successfully completed all the listed pre-requisite courses and admission requirements to the program.
  • #2: You have earned a 4-year degree from an accredited institution, but do not meet all admission requirements. In this case, you may receive a conditional acceptance pending successful completion (minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher) of pre-requisite course(s) prior to starting the program.

GPA Requirement

The minimum G.P.A. for admission is 3.0 (or B) based on the last two years of the B.A. (presuming these include predominantly upper-level courses) and the minimum grades of four of the upper-level pre-requisite courses in psychology must be 3.7 (A-). See list below.

Course Pre-Requisite Requirements

All applicants are expected to demonstrate high academic competence and a serious commitment to pursue counselling as a profession, and must complete courses in the following undergraduate psychology areas:

  • Introduction to Psychology
  • Introduction to Statistics
  • Research Design/Methods
  • Brain and Behaviour
  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Personality Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology (infant through adult development)
  • *A Basic Counselling Skills Course (see notes below)

*BASIC COUNSELLING SKILLS COURSE: Applicants must have successfully completed an upper-level course in basic counselling skills. Admitted applicants who have not met this requirement may receive conditional acceptance pending successful completion of CPSY 490 offered by the CPSY program on the TWU campus each August. A professional review of your video submission also factors into the recommendation or requirement requiring further training before the start of the program.

Recommended Courses

Other recommended courses providing good background for professional practice include: Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Learning Theory, Psychological Testing, Marriage and the Family, and History of Psychology. Although these recommended courses are not required for entry, students without them may be at a learning disadvantage in graduate studies and may need to do extra reading.

Additional background that can further strengthen preparation for graduate studies includes studies in cultural psychology and community psychology; experience as a research assistant or teaching assistant; advanced courses in research design, statistics, or neuropsychology; and familiarity with multiple languages.

GRE Requirement

Applicants may supplement the documentation of their academic credentials by submitting their score from the GRE Aptitude Examination (General Test) or from the MAT (Miller Analogies Test). When more than five years have elapsed since their bachelor’s degree was awarded, applicants must submit either the GRE or MAT. Other applicants who would like to strengthen their application by submitting the GRE or MAT scores may do so. Trinity Western’s institutional code for score submission is 0876. Applicants who have an M.A. in research-based subfields of psychology but who wish to acquire clinical skills are encouraged to apply.

Reference Requirement

Applications must be accompanied by two references: 1) Academic Reference 2) Work-related Reference. These references must be written by persons who know the applicant well and can describe his/her personal qualifications for the role of counsellor.

Counselling-Related Work Requirement

Applicants must supply evidence (such as an annotated resume) of successful work or volunteer service in a counselling-related field over a two-year period.

Admission Statement Requirement

Applicants must provide a brief description (approximately two pages long) of their reasons for wishing to pursue a master’s degree at TWU, their view of counselling processes, and their career goals. They should also describe their openness to self-examination and their commitment to personal and professional self-development during professional training and as a life-long practice. They may also want to mention their spiritual journey and personal faith.

Character & Professional Fitness Disclosure Form Requirement

For those involved in professional training, one's credentialing, work experience, background, character and reputation is examined closely for ‘fit’ with the responsibilities of taking on formal helping roles. The online application contains a series of questions about experiences related to fit with the professions of counselling and psychology which are often considered in the process of professional licensure. All information submitted in response to these questions is treated as confidential.

A copy for informational purposes can be found here.

Health Regulations

Due to the clinical nature of the program, all CPSY students must abide by current Public Health Office regulations, including all vaccination requirements. Any mandated regulations directed to the counselling field, Health-Services or Educational Institutions will be applicable. Please check with the CPSY Program about current requirements.

Video Requirement

Applicants will be evaluated on their aptitude for counselling and readiness for training. Students participate in a practicum which involves clients from the community beginning the first semester of the program. Please see notes above regarding Basic Counselling Skills.

For this purpose, an applicant is required to submit a 10-minute video clearly demonstrating this capacity. You may either submit a video prepared for this admission requirement or one that has been completed as a requirement for a course in counselling skills.

The video must include one 10-minute segment demonstrating your personal counselling skills. Your subject may be a supportive friend or role play (adults only). If the interview does involve personally sensitive information, please obtain written permission and submit with your application.

After submitting the online application, your Graduate Enrolment Advisor will provide instructions on submitting your video.

Interview Requirement

You may be asked to attend a group interview with other selected candidates once all documents have been reviewed. Only qualified candidates will receive an invitation by email to participate in an in-person or Zoom interview with the CPSY Admissions Committee.


International Student Credential Evaluation

If you are an international student who has completed post-secondary studies outside of North America, you must submit a course-by-course degree evaluation of your transcript(s). Please see the international applicants webpage for a list of organizations that can provide an evaluation.

Applicants with English as Second Language

Non-native English speakers must submit either academic IELTS scores of 7.5 on all bands, an iBT TOEFL of 105, or a DuoLingo score of 140 to the University. The TWU institution code for score submission is 0876.

Special Category: Unclassified Student

This special category permits a graduate student to take up to 4 MA-CPSY courses without formal admission to the program. However, an unclassified student may not enrol in any Practicum course(s) or any advanced counselling skills course(s). You must provide an online application, references and transcripts to be considered for these course(s). While we do not require a video, we may request an interview. The student must obtain permission from both the Program Director and course instructor prior to enroling in the course(s).

Transfer Students

You may be admitted if you have graduate credits or graduate degrees from other programs. You must provide evidence of equivalence, such as course syllabi.

Students wishing to transfer from other graduate programs must submit a letter from the dean or director of their previous program stating that they are in good academic standing and free from academic or disciplinary inquiry or action. Please have this document sent directly to Grad Admissions at 22500 University Drive, Langley, B.C. V2Y 1Y1.

The maximum transfer credits into the M.A. Counselling Psychology program is 30 semester hours. All petitions for transfer credits will be sent to the Program Director for approval.

The amount of transfer credit is determined on an individual basis by the Director. Courses with less than a B- in thesis work will not be considered for transfer credit.

Applicants, who already have M.A. degrees in psychology, and wish to acquire clinical skills, are encouraged to apply.


Application Process:

STAGE #1: Apply

Applications and supporting documents are collected and assembled by the Graduate Admissions Office. You may contact gradadmissions@twu.ca at any time to request confirmation of receipt of documents.

STAGE #2: Notify

Once sufficient supporting documents and video are received, your physical file is forwarded to the Counselling Psychology Program. Any questions regarding your completed application should be directed to Grad Admissions, at gradadmissions@twu.ca. You will be advised if further information or clarification is needed.

STAGE #3: Interview

Only qualified candidates will receive an invitation by email to participate in an in-person or Zoom interview with the CPSY Admissions Committee.

STAGE #4: Decision

An offer of admission is sent by email followed by a hard copy of the letter to your mailing address. To confirm your acceptance, you are asked to submit your acceptance by email to the CPSY Program Manager and pay your deposit to Enrolment Services.

STAGE #5: Contact

Following acceptance, the CPSY Program will be in contact with you by email with information about Orientation and Practicum Assignments.