How to Become a Psychologist in Canada
As mental health becomes less stigmatized in Canada, the need for healthcare providers such as Psychologists to help address mental health challenges has become more pronounced. According to findings from the 2022 Mental Health and Access to Care Survey, there were more than five million people in Canada who experienced significant symptoms of mental illness, exacerbated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, Psychologists play a significant role in addressing mental health challenges, and the demand for their services has been steadily increasing.
A survey from the Canadian Psychological Association showed that the majority of Canadians perceive Psychologists as being effective in helping with specific mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and addiction. In an effort to meet this growing demand, the Government of Canada’s Job Bank shows the number of job openings for Psychologists is expected to total 14,200, which is relatively similar to the number of job seekers (14,700).
Pursuing a career in psychology requires extensive education and training, plus a genuine passion for understanding the human brain. But it’s also extremely rewarding, as it enables you to help clients overcome mental health challenges and ultimately live happier and healthier lives.
In this Career Guide, we look at the training and career options for Psychologists, as well as the skills and attributes that are essential to navigate the complexities of mental health care in Canada.
Training & Certification
In Canada there are three main types of regulated mental health professionals: psychiatrists, Psychologists, and social workers. In some provinces, psychotherapists, also called counselling therapists, can be regulated too. Regulated healthcare professionals are overseen by regulatory bodies/colleges in their respective provinces or territories. You can view the different types of therapists and their respective training and regulation requirements in this handy chart created by First Session.
Psychologists help people overcome or manage mental health issues using a variety of treatments or psychotherapies, often called “modalities”. Psychologists with a PhD can use the title “Dr.”; however, Psychologists are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medication. Psychiatrists, on the other hand, are medical doctors, and can diagnose patients and prescribe medication for mental disorders. Those interested in pursuing psychiatry should explore the best medical schools in Canada.
To become a Psychologist, you’ll need an undergraduate degree, plus a Master’s or doctoral degree in psychology from an accredited academic institute in Canada or the U.S. Most of these graduate programs also include supervised practicums or internships where you will get hands-on experience in a clinical setting. Psychologists must accumulate a certain number of hours to complete their certification. Some Psychologists may choose to specialize by focusing on specific problems (i.e. cognition) or certain populations (i.e. children or athletes), which will require further training.
The 12-month Trauma Recovery Certificate Program at the Becoming Institute is an intensive course designed to prepare students to become Certified Trauma Recovery Specialists (CTRS). It combines holistic trauma recovery methods with Afro-descendant and Indigenous healing practices, alongside evidence-based psychotherapy. … Continue reading
The Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP) at Yorkville University is designed for empathetic change-makers who want to make a difference in people’s lives. The comprehensive curriculum covers a variety of topics, including theories of personality, counselling methodologies and … Continue reading
Tuition
$47,435
Scholarships available
Tuition
$47,435
Scholarships available
The Power of Shifting Narratives provides a foundational exploration of how personal narratives shape experiences of trauma, illness, and healing. The course emphasizes the role of storytelling in psychotherapy, focusing on how harmful narratives can be dismantled and recontextualized to … Continue reading
Tuition
$1,149
Conestoga College’s Bachelor of Community and Criminal Justice is a four-year, paid co-op degree program. The program emphasizes the importance of individual values, principled leadership, and inter-professional and multi-sector collaboration to address both individual and societal issues related to crime, … Continue reading
Tuition
$26,460
Scholarships available
Tuition
$26,460
Scholarships available
The discipline of Psychology is the study of human behaviour. It is concerned with the observation behaviour of an individual and its relationship to unseen mental and physical processes, as well as to external events. Introduction to Psychology will provide … Continue reading
May 9 - Aug 8, 2025
May 10 - Aug 16 2025
May 13 - Aug 19 2025
Jun 2 - Sep 8 2025
Jul 2 - Oct 8 2025
Tuition
$350
Scholarships available
Part-Time for 14 weeks
Tuition
$350
Scholarships available
This course introduces students to psychology, the scientific study of behaviour and cognition, by examining the basic principles of psychology and their applications to everyday experience. The course surveys some core areas of psychology including research methods, biological bases of … Continue reading
Behavioural Insights (BI) uses principles from the Behavioural and Decision Sciences (including Psychology and Economics) to encourage decisions that promote health, wellness, and happiness. By accounting for the ways that people make decisions and behave in the real world, BI … Continue reading
Tuition
$5,995
Why do people think, feel, perceive, and behave the way they do? Psychologists seek to find answers to these questions by studying the human mind and behaviour. The University of Winnipeg’s Psychology program explores topics ranging from the basic nervous … Continue reading
Psychologists share a desire to make a positive contribution to human welfare through understanding and influencing the thoughts, emotions, and behaviour of individuals. They are concerned with what motivates us, what social, physical, and biological factors affect us, and what … Continue reading
Tuition
$23,254
Scholarships available
Tuition
$23,254
Scholarships available
Construct an understanding of human behaviour that integrates both environmental and biological/cognitive influences by majoring in psychology at the University of British Columbia. Studying Psychology gives students a broad range of skills spanning science and the arts and prepares them … Continue reading
The Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Psychology program is a four-year degree that equips graduates with extensive knowledge, theory, and practice in the specialized field of behavioural psychology, or Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), a sector within the broader field of Psychology. … Continue reading
St. Lawrence College’s Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Psychology degree program provides comprehensive studies in the rapidly growing field of Behavioural Psychology. By combining classroom instruction plus eleven hundred hours of supervised placement in community settings, students graduate with excellent applied … Continue reading
Psychology is the study of behaviour and its biological basis. It seeks to understand the behaviour of living organisms through scientific research and to use the accumulated knowledge to promote the welfare of humans and other animals. The Major programs … Continue reading
Tuition
$24,960
Scholarships available
Tuition
$24,960
Scholarships available
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program will receive a core first year of social science courses with their second year reserved for foundational psychology courses. Students will also be required to take several additional social science … Continue reading
Laurentian University’s program in Psychology provides a solid foundation in the scientific study of human behaviour, and the related psychological, social, and biological processes. Students may select courses addressing topics such as child development, learning, cognition, memory, motivation, intelligence, personality, … Continue reading
Seneca’s Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Psychology (BBP) is the first four-year undergraduate honours degree in Canada that provides a comprehensive program of study in the rapidly growing field of Behavioural Psychology. With a curriculum based on the theory that adaptive … Continue reading
Tuition
$11,386
Scholarships available
Tuition
$11,386
Scholarships available
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind, brain, and behaviour. Measured by major global university rankings, research productivity and impact, the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto is one of the world’s best. Importantly, the University of … Continue reading
Psychology is the science specializing in the understanding of human behaviour and mental processes. The BSc program studies the scientific fundamentals of psychology with a particular focus on the biological, chemical, and cognitive factors underlying human and animal behaviour. It … Continue reading
The Psychology Department at Queen’s University provides internationally renowned research programs known for: the excellence and integrity of its faculty, students, and training; the innovation and value of its research, scholarship, and skill development; and the fostering of leadership in … Continue reading
Trent’s program in Psychology ensures that students acquire both research skills and a broadly-based background in the basic content of the discipline, combined with the opportunity at upper levels to focus on more specialized topics. The first-year introductory courses lay … Continue reading
Tuition
$27,263
Scholarships available
Tuition
$27,263
Scholarships available
McMaster’s Honours B.A.Sc. in Human Behaviour offers a combination of breadth and depth of education in how behaviour works at the individual and societal level. Students completing this program will be well equipped to enter any work environment that requires … Continue reading
Psychology is the study of how people think, feel, and behave. Psychologists seek to understand how we learn and grow, how we develop unique personalities and identities, and how we respond to the world around us. The University of Alberta’s … Continue reading
In the University of Calgary’s Psychology degree program, students learn how to discuss and apply psychological theories and research. Students acquire the expertise involved in conducting research with human participants and animals. Discover how psychology contributes to a diverse field … Continue reading
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour viewed from social, developmental, clinical, and biological perspectives. York’s Department of Psychology, located at the Keele campus, offers the largest and most diverse selection of courses available at any Canadian … Continue reading
Tuition
$28,796
Scholarships available
Tuition
$28,796
Scholarships available
The University of Saskatchewan faculty are leading edge scholars who are dedicated to creativity and innovation in research and teaching. They believe that students will find their time at the University of Saskatchewan will be both challenging and rewarding. USask … Continue reading
The Honours Bachelor of Counselling Psychology program is designed for students who want to understand human behaviour and use this knowledge to promote the mental health of individuals, families, groups, and communities. Students are exposed to a range of counselling … Continue reading
Whether it’s working on brain tissue or learning about psychotherapy, Nipissing’s Psychology program has students covered. Award winning and funded Professors regularly encourage undergraduate students to join their lab groups. This provides students with invaluable research experience that helps them … Continue reading
Psychologists study the mechanisms that underlie our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. They examine a diverse range of topics, such as how we think and learn, how we interact with others and how we can promote healthy development and wellness. This … Continue reading
Psychology is of fundamental relevance to society. The discipline addresses important questions about the very nature of human behaviour: How do we remember and process information? How are gender and sexuality related to identity? How are addictions and brain chemistry … Continue reading
University of New Brunswick offers a broad spectrum of research areas in psychology, including: human sexuality, depression, feminist perspectives, Autism, women’s studies, internet and gambling addictions, gender and laterality, pain assessment and management, infant and adolescent development, cultural psychology, self-concept … Continue reading
Tuition
$32,708
Scholarships available
Tuition
$32,708
Scholarships available
Gain the scientific foundation and critical thinking skills that will provide insight into how people perceive the world and interact with others. Discover how social, cognitive, and biological factors affect and are affected by the development of typical and atypical … Continue reading
Explore the frontiers of the mind. Examine human behaviour from a variety of perspectives, including neuroscience, cognition, clinical, developmental, industrial/organizational, and social psychology. Students deepen their understanding with complementary courses in other subject areas, such as legal studies, sociology, biology, … Continue reading
Tuition
$38,000
Psychologists must be licensed to practise in Canada. Licensing criteria varies depending on the jurisdiction and is granted by regulatory bodies in each province or territory. As an example, here’s a look at licensing requirements in some of Canada’s most populous provinces.
Ontario: Licensed Psychologists in Ontario must have a PhD from an accredited institution in Canada or the U.S., and be registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPD). To qualify for registration, you need four years of residency (pre-doctoral practica), one-year (1,500 hours) of post-doctoral supervised practice, and to pass a series of written and oral examinations as outlined here. To register as a Psychological Associate, you must have completed a Master’s in psychology from an accredited institution and 1,500 hours of supervised practice.
British Columbia: To register with the College of Psychologists of British Columbia, you must hold a PhD from an accredited institution in Canada or the U.S., as well as complete 600 hours of practice and 1,600 of pre-doctoral internship.
Alberta: In order to register with the College of Alberta Psychologists, you’ll need a Master’s or PhD, plus 1,600 hours of a post-Master’s supervised practice.
For more information on licensing criteria, check out the regulatory body in your province or territory of interest.
Those with degrees outside of Canada or the U.S. will be evaluated to determine if their academic training is comparable to Canadian University standards. Contact the regulatory body in the jurisdiction where you’d like to practice to determine if you have the necessary qualifications for registration.
Psychologists are also required by most provincial regulatory colleges to take part in ongoing professional development to stay on top of new developments in the field. This could mean attending conferences, completing individual continuing education programs or participating in workshops. The CPD in Ontario, for example, requires that Psychologists complete at least 50 professional development credits every two years.
Work Environment
Psychologists work in a variety of settings, including private practices, hospitals, community health centers, and research and academic institutions. They also are increasingly offering virtual care through telehealth platforms with videoconferencing capability. Psychologists work closely with individuals, couples and families, but they can also work in teams with other healthcare professionals and with large organizations.
Working in private practice means you can establish your own schedule and have more flexibility. But being self-employed also requires learning the ins and outs of running a business, including finding office space, hiring employees if needed, and dealing with taxes and insurance.
Working in a healthcare setting with other providers will provide a predictable schedule but may require night and weekend shifts. Similarly, working in research or within an academic institution provides a set schedule but may require additional administrative duties outside of regular hours, such as committee work or teaching evening classes.
Frequently asked questions
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What are the licensing requirements to become a Psychologist?
To become a Psychologist, you’ll need an undergraduate degree, plus a Master's or doctoral degree in psychology from an accredited academic institute in Canada or the U.S. Most graduate programs also include supervised practicums or internships where you will get hands-on experience in a clinical setting. Lastly, Psychologists must accumulate a certain number of hours to complete their certification.
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Are Psychologists doctors?
Psychologists with a PhD can use the title “Dr.”; however, Psychologists are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medication.
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What's the difference between a Psychologist and Psychiatrist?
Psychologists are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medication. Psychiatrists, on the other hand, are medical doctors, and can diagnose patients and prescribe medication for mental disorders.
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How much does a Psychologist make in Canada?
On average, Psychologists make $100,295 annually in Canada according to Glassdoor.
