Relational and Psychotherapy Training Program | RPTP

Log into or create an account for the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) to begin the initial online application for the University of Guelph.

Read and follow the instructions in the OUAC application very carefully. Enter all applicable information except for the Statement of Academic Intent and the Professional Background sections, which are not required for the RPTP program.

From the program list, select Relational and Psycho­therapy Training, and then select your chosen program.

If you are applying to multiple programs, add the additional program(s) from the program list.

You do not need to complete the Statement of Academic Intent on the Program Details page.

You have the option of ordering official (sealed) transcripts through OUAC for a fee. This is not required as we accept unofficial transcripts uploaded to WebAdvisor in Step 2.

An official copy of your transcript is only required if you accept an offer of admission.

If your first language is not English and this will be your first time completing a degree in the English language, you will be required to submit the results of a standardized language test.

If your first language is not English but you have completed prior post-secondary studies in English, contact csahs.admissions@uoguelph.ca to see if you are eligible to have the test requirement waived.

Include contact information for three referees. At least one referee must be academic.*

You may instruct your referee to include comments about your professionalism, your ability to work effectively in stressful and/or crisis situations, to consider nuance in ethical judgement, and to work with people from diverse backgrounds.

Please note that references are due on the Supplemental Documents Deadline listed above. See the frequently asked questions for tips on requesting references.

*August 11 update: We have clarified the language on references to simplify the application process.

After entering and verifying all required information, complete the application fee payment. A non-refundable application fee of $125 CAD is required for each program you apply to.

Download and complete the RPTP Cover Page.

Upload the completed document to "Supplemental Document."

Upload an unofficial transcript for each university you have attended.

An official copy of your transcript is only required if you accept an offer of admission.

Transcripts requested through OUAC will be automatically uploaded to your account. If you request an official transcript through OUAC, do not upload an unofficial copy of the same transcript to WebAdvisor.

Download and complete the RPTP Letter of Interest Form.

Upload the completed document to "Statement of Interest/Research."

MRFT & MP

After the admissions team reviews all applications, we shortlist selected applicants for admission. If you are shortlisted for admission, we will provide instructions for you to submit a brief video essay.

We will also invite shortlisted applicants for an online information session and live interview in late November or early December.

In December, we will notify successful candidates that we are recommending them for admission.

MA.MH

The admissions team will review all applications and notify successful applicants that we are recommending them for admission.

Students in our clinical training programs have come from a wide range of backgrounds and lived experiences, which is why we consider all applicants who meet the minimum admission requirements.

We are looking for students who are open, flexible, and interested in learning. Your application package should demonstrate your ability to connect, show empathy, and support others.

For some, this might be experience in the mental health field or related fields, like volunteering at Kids Help Phone. For others, this might be experiences babysitting children or providing social support for seniors in assisted living spaces.

There is no minimum amount of experience required, however, it does help if you have more experience with a particular organization or activity.

Clinical training students spend 50+ hours a week on clinical work, coursework, supervision, and other requirements for the program. Students are also expected to be on campus for the majority of that time.

Depending on client need, there will be options to see clients virtually, so students don't have to be on campus for all clinical work. Current students tend to book in-person sessions with clients on days they have classes, and virtual sessions on days when they do not have class or other on-campus commitments.

Students who have commuted with a daily total travel time of approximately 90 minutes or more have found it difficult to manage their workload. For this reason, we do not encourage students to commute.

You must have completed a university-level course in social science research methods with a grade of 70% or higher to be admitted into RPTP.

We will consider undergraduate courses from a variety of social science disciplines (e.g., Psychology, Sociology, Gender Studies, Family Studies, Criminology, Anthropology, Political Science, Child and Youth Studies, Health Studies), provided that the course title or official course description clearly demonstrates a focus on research methods or research literacy.

Examples of acceptable course titles include:

• Research Methods
• Social Research Methods
• Methods of Social Research
• Introduction to Research Methods or Data Collection/Analysis
• Psychological Methods
• Research Design
• Mixed Methods Research
• Making Sense of Data
• Understanding Research
• Program Evaluation

We also consider courses whose primary focus is on designing research studies, evaluating evidence and scientific literature, and/or understanding the scientific research process in the social sciences.

Note that independent research courses, thesis courses, and statistics courses do not meet the requirement.

If you need to catch up before applying, Athabasca University’s online Research Methods in the Social Sciences course would be a good option, though we accept any equivalent course from an accredited university.

Yes. If you are still completing your undergraduate degree, calculate your admission average using your grades from second and third year.

You may be admitted on the condition that you complete all requirements for your undergraduate degree before the program starts.

Calculate your admission average using your grades from the final two years of full-time equivalent study (4-6 semesters) of your undergraduate degree.

For the typical bachelor's degree, this will be 20 courses, but you'll need a minimum of 16 courses in your calculation. If you took a double weight course, that grade is counted twice.

You must also include the grade from each course you completed in a given semester (i.e., do not split a semester). If you failed a course, do not include it in your calculation. If you repeated a course, only take the higher grade.

If your transcript uses letter grades, look up your university's grading scale and convert the letters to percentage grades. If the grading scale provides a range of percentage values, use the midpoint of the range.

For example, at the University of Guelph, a B grade equates to 73-76%, so you would use 74.5% in your calculation. Keep in mind that the conversion may be different at other universities.

Consider using a GPA calculator tool like Scholaro for assistance.

When you apply, we recalculate your average, so don't worry if your self-declared average isn't perfectly accurate.

Yes. International students are eligible for all RPTP programs.

For more information, check out the International Student Guide. Connect with a Global Pre-Arrival Support Advisor if you have concerns around visas and immigration.

Not necessarily. We appreciate a variety of lived experiences, and writing an undergraduate thesis may have contributed positively to your experience, but it won't give you a competitive advantage when applying to this program.

RPTP is a course-based master's program, and most PhD programs require that you have completed a master's thesis in a research-based program.

RPTP graduates are eligible to apply for the PhD in Social Practice and Transformational Change at the University of Guelph, which does not require a master's thesis. If you want to complete a PhD, check the admission requirements of the program that interests you.

If you are interested in research, we encourage you to explore our master of science and PhD programs in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition.

References are a critical component of any application to graduate school. The following guidelines will help you through the process:

• Request references early. Allow at least three weeks for your referee to complete the form. Keep in mind that the form is sent directly to your referee's email address when you submit your OUAC application.
• Prepare your referee with information that will help them complete the form. Share your draft Letter of Interest with them. You can remind them of your key strengths and accomplishments that they can attest to.
• Choose academic referees carefully. Consider approaching professors who have taught you in senior-level courses and ask if they can provide you with a strong reference. References from non-professors such as teaching assistants, research supervisors, and college instructors are also acceptable.
• Inform your referee of the application deadline and ask them to confirm that they have completed your reference.