Master of Counselling program

The College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) has approved new criteria for evaluating academic credentials for applicants seeking registration as a psychologist in Alberta. These new criteria will take effect on January 1, 2030. As of that date, CAP will be evaluating all application packages received according to their new criteria. Please refer to the CAP webpage for additional information.

These changes are relevant to any AU Master of Counselling student who intends to apply for registration as a psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists. This may include:

• Current learners, including:
  • Those at the beginning of their program
  • Those ondeferral
  • Those considering thesisroute
• Prospective learners planning to apply for the MC program

Students who complete all requirements of AU’s Master of Counselling program by August 31, 2029, and apply to CAP before January 1, 2030, will have their application package evaluated according to CAP's current registration criteria.

No. If you do not intend to pursue CAP registration, your program and degree requirements remain unchanged. These changes only affect learners intending to apply for registration as a psychologist through the College of Alberta Psychologists after January 1, 2030.

• October 8, 2026 – Deadline to receive a refund for application, admission, or withdrawal fees. If you are withdrawing from the MC program, please email fhdgradadmin@athabascau.ca.
• August 31, 2029 – Deadline for current MC students to complete all program requirements if they intend to apply to CAP under the current regulations.
• December 31, 2029 – Deadline to apply to CAP for evaluation under current criteria
• January 1, 2030 – AU’s current MC program will no longer meet CAP’s new educational criteria

The current AU Master of Counselling program fulfills CAP's graduate education requirements under the current criteria until December 31, 2029. Students who complete their degree and submit an application to CAP before January 1, 2030, will have their applications considered under CAP's current criteria. Beginning January 1, 2030, CAP will evaluate all applications according to its new criteria.

Students beginning in September 2026 who follow a standard program plan should be able to complete the program by August 31, 2029. This allows time to apply for graduation, receive a conferral of your MC degree, and complete the application package for submission to CAP. Students should consult with a Graduate Advisor regarding their individual program plan by emailing fhdgradadvising@athabascau.ca.

No. Students beginning the MC program in September 2027 will not be able to complete the program before the new CAP educational criteria take effect on January 1, 2030. If you have applied to the MC program for 2027 and no longer wish to proceed with your application because of this information, you may withdraw your application and receive a refund of all admission and registration fees.

Important: The deadline to withdraw your application and request a refund is October 8, 2026. To withdraw your application and request a refund, please email fhdgradadmin@athabascau.ca.

Yes. Current MC students who are able to complete their remaining program requirements by August 31, 2029 can complete the current MC program under the existing CAP educational requirements.

If you are currently enrolled in the MC program, it is important to review your remaining courses and program requirements and develop a plan to ensure you can complete your degree and apply for graduation by the required deadline.

Any student who decides they would like to withdraw from the MC program is eligible to receive a refund for the following:

• Application fee (for those who applied to start 2026 or 2027)
• Admission fee (for those accepted for 2026)
• Fall 2026 course withdrawal fee (for any student registered for a course starting September 2026). Note that a course withdraw will not appear on your transcript.

Important: The deadline to withdraw and request a refund is October 8, 2026. Please email fhdgradadmin@athabascau.ca.

The MC program may increase the number of offerings for select courses to help you catch up and complete your program by CAP’s deadline. If you have identified that you will not be completing a standard program plan, it is essential that you discuss this with a graduate advisor as soon as possible. Contact fhdgradadvising@athabascau.ca.

If you are considering deferring your studies or slowing your progress through the program, please be aware that this may affect your eligibility for registration with the CAP. CAP has specific deadlines and registration requirements that may not accommodate extended program timelines. Although you will still be able to complete your Master of Counselling degree, a deferral or extended study plan could mean that you are not eligible for CAP registration. We encourage you to review CAP requirements carefully before making any changes to your program plan.

No. There are currently no plans to change the practicum requirements within the existing Master of Counselling program.

Students are encouraged to engage in the practicum process proactively to ensure timely practicum completion.

Students intending to apply for CAP registration prior to 2030 are encouraged to give serious thought to entering the thesis route as they will likely not have time to complete their degree program prior to 2030. The thesis route typically adds 2-3 semesters to program completion for most students.

For those who are already working on their thesis, please pay special attention to timelines as you will need to successfully defend your thesis before fall 2029.

No. The Master of Counselling program is not being discontinued or closed. The MC program will continue to offer the highly regarded graduate degree in counselling psychology. It will continue to support graduates pursuing counselling and psychotherapy careers in a variety of jurisdictions and professional pathways. The degree continues to be accepted nationally, including by the following:

• Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) toward the Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) designation;
• British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) toward the Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) designation;
• College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) toward registration as a Registered Psychotherapist
• Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists (NSCCT).

CAP's new criteria include additional requirements related to research, psychological assessment, and psychological testing. The current 36-credit Master of Counselling program was designed to meet CAP's existing requirements and does not include additional coursework and practicum experiences specified in the new criteria.

Athabasca University is exploring the option of developing a 45-credit degree intended to meet the January 1, 2030, CAP criteria. However, at this time we are unable to commit to when we will be offering students the degree or coursework that would satisfy the new criteria. Information pertaining to new program development will be shared as it becomes available.

For information about current and upcoming CAP requirements, contact the College of Alberta Psychologists:

• Phone: 780-424-5070 or toll free in Alberta 1-800-659-0857
• Email: psych@cap.ab.ca
• Website: College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP)

For questions about program planning, course selection and timelines contact FHD Graduate Advisors: fhdgradadvising@athabascau.ca

For questions about withdrawals, refunds, and course registration contact the FHD Graduate Administrative team: fhdgradadmin@athabascau.ca