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Coursework

Students must complete 2.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

• APD3200H Research Proseminar in Human Development and Applied Psychology (0.5 FCE).
• 0.5 FCE in statistics and research methods from an approved menu.
• 1.0 FCE in electives (2 X 0.5 FCE).
• The 2.0 FCEs are normally completed in Year 1 and should be chosen in consultation with the faculty advisor. Students who have an insufficient background in developmental psychology may have to complete additional courses.

Comprehensive Examination

The purposes of the comprehensive examination are threefold:

• To demonstrate the student’s ability to work independently within an area of concern in human development.
• To gain knowledge of a new area, a new technique or method in a specified area in human development.
• To demonstrate the ability to integrate information at the accepted standard for a PhD student.

Students have two options when fulfilling their PhD comprehensive requirements:

• Option 1: Empirical Research Paper or
• Option 2: Internship.

Thesis and Doctoral Final Oral Examination

Students must register continuously and pay the full-time fee until all degree requirements have been fulfilled.

Students cannot transfer between the full-time and flexible-time PhD options.

Collaborative Specializations provide students with a the opportunity to explore a novel interdisciplinary area or special development that crosses a number of disciplines. 

Collaborative specializations are available with the PhD in Developmental Psychology & Education with the following program:

• • For graduate students and doctoral fellows who would like to increase their versatility for career development through the scientific study of the nervous system.

Qualifying Research Paper Guidelines
Students applying to the doctoral degree in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE) must meet the minimum admission requirements for the degree, as outlined on the OISE website. In addition to these requirements, applicants are expected to have completed a master’s thesis. Students who have not done a master's thesis will be required to submit a Qualifying Research Paper (QRP) as a condition for final admission to the degree program.  Please note that there is a minimal number of DPE PhD spots available each year, and admission into the DPE PhD is highly competitive.

The purpose of the QRP is to demonstrate the applicant’s research skill, and readiness to engage in the advanced research required at the doctoral level. The QRP requirement can be fulfilled by submitting an original piece of research undertaken for the purpose of applying for admission to the DPE PhD Program. The QRP must meet the expectations for graduate-level research.

In terms of the format, a QRP should be in the form of a manuscript, conference paper, or book chapter that is at the level of research for papers presented at conventions of major professional organizations (e.g,. American Educational Research Association, Canadian Psychological Association, Cognitive Science Society, Scientific Studies of Reading) or for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. This can be a piece of empirical work or a review paper.

All QRPs will be reviewed by the DPE Program Chair and will require approval before being accepted.

Given that admission requirements vary among doctoral programs, applicants should carefully review the admissions requirements for each individual doctoral program that they are considering applying to (i.e., a QRP is not admissible everywhere).

What questions will be asked during the application process?
The faculty question is one of the most important parts of your application. It is your opportunity to describe your past experiences related to the program to which you are applying and how those experiences led to your current interests in graduate studies in this area.

Applicants are asked to answer the following questions as part of the admissions application process:

• DPE PhD
  • What is your total months of research experience.
  • Is this program is your first choice.
  • Who is the supervisor you would like to work with?
  • What field of research you are interested in?
• ​DPE PhD Flex:
  • Are you a practicing professional?
  • What is your total months of research experience.
  • Is this program is your first choice.
  • Who is the supervisor you would like to work with?
  • What field of research are you interested in?
  • Please complete the SGS SGS-standard Current Employment Status application page.

Is there a difference to the application when applying for the flexible-time option?
Flex-time PhD students are accepted under the same admission requirements as applicants to the full-time PhD option. However, in addition to the standard application process, students applying to the flex PhD-DPE must include a statement of intent that they:

• are currently in a career related to the proposed field of study
• have a desire to continue with their current career
• have the capacity to secure blocks of time to enable concentrated study (e.g., through the employer’s leave policy or study incentive system). 

Program Chair: Dr. Patricia Ganea

Program Faculty: Dr. Esther Geva; Dr. Angela Pyle; Dr. Chloe Hamza; Dr. Eunice Jang; Dr. Kaja Jasinska; Dr. Feng Ji; Dr. Lisa Dack; Dr. Michel Ferrari; Dr. Patricia Ganea; Dr. Zachary Hawes; Dr. Alexandra Makos; Dr. Rhonda Martinussen; Dr. Michal Perlman; Dr. Tracy Solomon; Dr. Richard Volpe; Dr. Mahshid Azimi-Bolourian; Dr. Kang Lee; Dr. Anne-Claude Bedard; Dr. Linda Iwenofu; Dr. Earl Woodruff; Dr. Rosalina De Sa; Dr. Cynthia Waugh; Dr. Becky Chen; Dr. Mark Wade; Dr. Laurie Faith; Dr. Jennifer Jenkins

Questions? Please email us at oise.aphd@utoronto.ca

Program Coordinators:
Puja Variawa (DPE PhD)
puja.variawa@utoronto.ca

Anna Mullatagirov (DPE PhD Flex)
anna.mullatagirov@utoronto.ca