Program Description

The PhD program prepares counselors specialized in spirituality, who are also scholar/researchers, for careers as clinicians as well as university professors and researchers.

Students will specialize in one of three fields: issues relating to special populations within society, existential and spiritual issues in counselling, and counselling in multi-faith and cross-cultural settings. These fields are described below.

Special Populations. The unique spiritual, social, and mental health needs of special populations are studied from a multidisciplinary perspective. Systemic issues related to special populations include but are not limited to the following: the challenges facing people who are homeless, people living in poverty, victims of abuse and trauma, women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Existential and Spiritual Issues in Counselling. This field addresses clients’ search for meaning and purpose in their lives. Spiritual and existential issues in counselling surface when people try to make sense of their lives, especially during moments of existential crises, trauma, major loss, death, sickness and life transitions.

Counselling in Multi-faith and Cross-cultural Settings. To respond to the personal and social needs, values and goals of diverse cultural and religious groups in Canada, counsellors must understand these cultures and their spirituality.

Objectives of the program

Graduates from the PhD program will be prepared to:

• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of one of the three fields mentioned above.
• Design and conduct research that contributes to the advancement of the discipline of Counselling and Spirituality.
• Practice as counselor with a specialization in spirituality.

The program is offered in English and in French.

In accordance with the University of Ottawa regulation, assignments, examinations, research papers and theses can be produced in either English or French.

The professors included in the list below are members of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. This means that they are authorized to supervise or co-supervise theses. A complete list of the faculty and staff members associated with the program can be found at http://www.ustpaul.ca/index_e.asp

BELLEHUMEUR, Christian, Associate Professor
Social Psychology : Collective memory and minority groups' social identity Counseling & Spirituality : helper's psychospiritual integration Education : youth's imagination

BLAIS, Martin, Associate Professor
Théorie pragmaticienne de la communication; Communication organisationnelle et théories contemporaines du leadership; Épistémologie du marketing

DAVIAU, Pierrette, Full Professor
Spiritualités et théologies féministes;spiritualité du mitan de la vie; études comparatives de genre; analyse sémiotique de textes religieux; approches psychospirituelles féministes en counselling pastoral; directrice de la revue; sciences pastorales

DEMASURE, Karline, Associate Professor
Christian family studies; practical theology: epistemology, hermeneutics, narrativity; pastoral care; child sexual abuse; violence and spirituality

DUPLICATE FILE, Do not use, Emeritus Professor

FORTIN, Gilles, Associate Professor
Styles d’apprentissage et processus de counselling; les valeurs et le counselling

GALL, Terry, Full Professor
Stress and coping

GOULET, Jean-Guy, Full Professor
Aboriginal Peoples; Resistance to policies of assimilation and extermination; Role of language and religion in the construction of identities at the levels of the individual and the collectivity, Qualitative research methods and ethical issues

GRAFANAKI, Sotiria, Associate Professor
Psychotheraphy training and effectiveness; client and counsellor experience of therapy interaction; positive psychology and implications for counselling, flow and counselling, spirituality and leisure, counsellor self care and sources of renewal

GUINDON, Marilyn, Assistant Professor
Gerontology (Pychology of aging); Elderly imaginary; Schema Therapy; Anxiety disorders; Attachment in therapeutic relationship, Trauma and Complex Trauma

GUIRGUIS-YOUNGER, Manal, Full Professor
Palliative care and homelessness

MALETTE, Judith, Full Professor
Rétrospective de vie; les images de Dieu et de soi, les styles d'apprentissage

MARTINEZ DE PISON, Ramon, Full Professor
Fundamental theology; relationship of philosophy and theology

RIGBY, Paul, Full Professor
Pastoral ministry and psychology, theology and pastoral counselling

ROVERS, Martin, Full Professor
"When Aging Parents Come Back to Us: Aging Parents, Adult Children Caregivers and Family of Origin Dynamics", Couple Therapy with gamblers and partners, Spirituality and Health Care and family of origin theory and marriage and family therapy

STE-MARIE, Lorraine, Associate Professor
Le langage et le changement dans la formation au ministère; la préparation des candidats à un programme de leadership en pastorale

Applications to the PhD program are evaluated based on the following criteria:

• A master’s degree in a related discipline such as counselling, spirituality, practical theology, health care, psychology, social work, pastoral studies or a discipline judged equivalent to these, with a minimum overall average of 75% (B+).
• Completion of at least one course in each of the following: research methods, professional ethics, psychopathology and treatment, theory of counselling, spirituality and religion.
• Completion of at least three undergraduate courses in the area of spirituality and religion and one graduate course such as IPA5134, or IPA5144. Depending on the candidate’s background the Admissions Committee may require additional courses prior to admission such as IPA6120, IPA6108, IPA5106, and IPA5131;
• A good academic performance and research potential as shown by official transcripts, major research paper, master’s thesis, research reports, publications in peer-reviewed journals, abstracts, presentations, etc. The admission dossier must include a written description in the form of a basic outline of the proposed research project.
• At least 120 hours of supervised direct, face-to-face, contact with clients.
• Successful completion of an admission interview with the Admissions Committee. The factors evaluated at this interview will include the relevance of the candidate’s proposed research topic, the candidate’s previous experience, the capacity of the candidate to succeed in doctoral-level studies, personal aptitude and interpersonal skills, and the availability of appropriate core faculty to direct their research.
• Three confidential letters of recommendation, including at least one addressing clinical skills and one addressing academic strengths from a professor who has known the applicant and is familiar with the candidate’s work.
• A statement of purpose indicating the interests, career goals, research focus, and other factors relevant to the proposed research area.
• Identification of two potential thesis supervisors, ranked in order of preference, who must be members of the program and of the FGPS.

Language requirement

Transfer from Master’s to PhD Program

Students in a master’s program who have achieved an 80% (A-) average in their last two years of undergraduate studies may be allowed to transfer to the PhD program without being required to write a master’s thesis provided they meet the following conditions:

• Completion of 5 graduate courses (15 credits) with a grade of A- or better in each.
• Satisfactory progress in the research program.
• Written recommendation from the supervisor and the thesis advisory committee.
• Approval by the graduate studies committee.

The transfer must take place within sixteen months of initial registration in the master’s. Following transfer, all the requirements of the doctoral program must be met.

• Six compulsory graduate course of 3 credits each: IPA8101, IPA8102, IPA8103, IPA8104, IPA8105; IPA8106.
• Completion of a minimum of 1500 hours of clinical practicum, with at least 250 hours within Saint Paul University: IPA8201 and IPA8202.
• Comprehensive examination (IPA9998).
• Presentation and defence of a thesis (IPA9999) based on original research carried out under the direct supervision of a faculty member in the Faculty of Human Sciences and the FGPS. The thesis can be either a monograph or a series of articles prepared for publication in scholarly journals (See the FGPS guide: “Preparing a Thesis or a Research Paper: A Guide for Graduate Students and Supervisors.”).

Duration of the Program

Residence

Minimum Standards

Thesis Advisory Committee

Academic Unit Coordinates