Overview
Message from the program director, clinical behavioural sciences
The clinical behavioural sciences (CBS) program was established in 1968 and, since this time, has evolved to meet the changing needs of our students. Our courses are designed to foster an understanding of mental health models of practice and to provide enhanced psychotherapy training to practitioners in the mental health field. The emphasis of the program is to enhance our students’ clinical skills and their understanding of mental health models rather than on new credentials. Courses are multidisciplinary, interactive and learning is based on clinical problems from students’ own settings. Students can choose to enroll in the graduate diploma program or may choose to take selected courses.
Through enrolment in the CBS program, students will learn comprehensive strategies for formulating client problems and choosing treatment interventions, increase their contacts with other professionals and improve their skills in identifying problems and generating solutions in their personal work settings.
The CBS program is designed for professionals who are working within the health services field. Courses are developed for adult learners and have an interprofessional small group approach.
Students represent a wide variety of health-related disciplines and include nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers, family practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists and clergy. Despite their diverse training backgrounds, all learners have a common connection by holding positions that require them to provide assistance and treatment to individuals distressed by social, psychological and biological factors.
The CBS program provides clinical training to health care professionals. This allows them to return to their organizations with current knowledge and skills that they can use and apply to their professions and work settings. The CBS program has been recognized in Southern Ontario as a premier training opportunity for mental health.
Welcome Message from the Program Director
The clinical behavioural sciences (CBS) program was established in 1968 and, since this time, has evolved to meet the changing needs of our students. Our courses are designed to foster an understanding of mental health models of practice and to provide enhanced psychotherapy training to practitioners in the mental health field. The emphasis of the program is to enhance our students’ clinical skills and their understanding of mental health models, rather than on new credentials. Courses are multidisciplinary, interactive and learning is based on clinical problems from students’ own settings. Students can choose to enroll in the graduate diploma program or may choose to take selected courses.
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Graduate Diploma
The clinical behavioural sciences (CBS) program offers a graduate diploma degree that is designed to provide registered healthcare professionals working in the mental health field (e.g., nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, physicians) an opportunity to enhance their mental health knowledge and clinical skills. This program is not designed to provide individuals with new credentials. The courses were developed for adult learners and have an inter-professional small group approach.
The courses instructors are faculty members of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences and include experienced clinicians with expertise in providing advanced training to health-care professionals looking to enhance their clinical skills.
Mission Statement
- To enhance expertise of health professionals providing health-related services to individuals, community organizations and the community.
- To provide an innovative, collaborative, specialized and shared educational experience in a supportive atmosphere for our learners.
- To offer to learners a distinctive, diverse and interdisciplinary curriculum that enriches and benefits their professional, personal and career goals.
Graduate Diploma Requirements
All applicants (diploma and post-degree) must meet the following criteria:
- Applicants must have completed an honours bachelor’s degree with at least a B+ average in their final year, in all courses, in the discipline in which the applicant proposes graduate work.
- Applicants must be currently occupying positions in Ontario, either full-time or part-time, in counselling, psychology, psychiatry, nursing, social services, counselling-related medical and para-medical services and/or other related clinical health services fields.
- If English is not your native language, an official copy of your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score or other evidence of competency in English is required.
The Clinical Behavioural Sciences Graduate Diploma is a part-time program that must be completed within two years. Students must successfully complete 12 course units (half course = 3 units, full course = 6 units) from any of our course offerings. Successful completion of a course is a minimum grade of B-.
Students must also complete two mandatory training courses offered by the School of Graduate Studies in their first month of study to be eligible to graduate:
- SGS 101- Academic Research Integrity and Ethics
- SGS 201- Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities ACT
Examples of graduate diploma student timeline and courses completed
- First year, fall semester: CBS 720 – Introduction to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (3 units)
- First year, winter semester: CBS 721 – Advanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (3 units)
- Second year, summer/fall semester: CBS 722 – Consultation in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (6 units)
- Please note that students must receive prior approval from the Program Office between proceeding to take CBS 721 and CBS 722
- First year, fall semester: CBS 708 – Mindfulness Applications for Health Care (3 units)
- First year, winter semester: CBS 751 – Introduction to Group Facilitation (3 units)
- Second year, fall semester: CBS 760 – Introduction to Motivational Interviewing (3 units)
- Second year, winter semester: CBS 761 – Advanced Motivational Interviewing (3 units)
Admission Information
Our application portal is currently closed. For students wishing to join our program in January 2025, the application portal opened October 1, 2024.
Admission Criteria
All applicants (diploma and post-degree) must meet the following criteria:
- Our Clinical Behavioural Sciences (CBS) Program is designed to provide advanced training in certain types of psychotherapy for people who are already health care professionals in Ontario (e.g., social worker, occupational therapist, registered therapist).
- Applicants must have completed an honours bachelor’s degree with at least a B+ average, in their final year, in all courses in the discipline in which the applicant proposes graduate work.
- Applicants must be currently occupying positions, either full-time or part-time, in counselling, psychology, psychiatry, nursing, social services, counselling-related medical and para-medical services and/or other related clinical health services fields.
- If English is not your native language, an official copy of your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score or other evidence of competency in English is required.
- Find the answers to our most frequently asked questions.
How to Apply
Diploma Stream
Required Documents - Learn More
The following items are to be uploaded as part of your online application:
- Unofficial transcripts of all post-secondary education uploaded to your application. Official transcripts are required if you are offered admissions. Electronic official transcripts from the institution will be accepted via email.
- Two references. References should be academic for recent graduates. Clinical references will be accepted for those students who have been in the workforce for many years. McMaster University uses the Electronic Referencing System. By entering the email address of your referee through the online application, the system will automatically send an e-Reference request on your behalf, providing the reference with a link to upload your reference letter/form directly into the system. If you are unable to use the Electronic Referencing System, please email us.
- If English is not your native language, an official copy of your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score or other evidence of competency in English. A minimum TOEFL (iBT) score of 92 (580 or 237) is required.
- Curriculum vitae (CV) or resume
- Statement of interest for pursuing studies with the Clinical Behavioural Sciences Program
- Proof of Active Registration in a professional association (if applicable)
- Submit your application.
Once all documents have been uploaded, submit. After you pay your application fee, please hit the submit button again.
Post-Diploma Stream
Required Documents - Learn More
Application instructions:
- Select the part-time option
- Select ‘Admit Term’
- Academic Program: Graduated Studies Post Degree
- Post Degree Health Sciences
The following items are to be uploaded as part of your online application:
- Unofficial transcripts of all post-secondary education uploaded to your application. Official transcripts are required if you are offered admissions. Electronic official transcripts from the institution will be accepted via email.
- If English is not your native language, an official copy of your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score or other evidence of competency in English. A minimum TOEFL (iBT) score of 92 (580 or 237) is required.
- Curriculum vitae (CV) or resume
- Statement of interest for pursuing studies with the Clinical Behavioural Sciences Program
- Proof of Active Registration in a professional association (if applicable)
- Submit your application.
Once all documents have been uploaded, submit. After you pay your application fee, please hit the submit button again.
Fees
Tuition fees for the program are paid per course. Please refer to the Office of the Registrar website for more information.
Courses
All diploma students are required to take two online courses in their first month of study:
- SGS 101 – Academic Research Integrity and Ethics
- SGS 201 – Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
Expandable List
Mindfulness is a non-judgmental way of paying attention in the present moment. It may reduce emotional reactivity and negative thinking, increasing resilience and enhancing the ability to choose how to respond to difficult situations. This course will focus on developing an understanding of the application of mindfulness interventions for health care populations. The emphasis will be on developing familiarity with leading and facilitating mindfulness practices. Based on mindfulness based cognitive therapy traditions, participants will first participate in the mindfulness intervention, followed by discussion of the practice and the methodology for teaching the practice.
An introduction to the learning and conditioning principles of respondent conditioning, operant conditioning, social learning theory and cognitive psychology, upon which behavioural and cognitive behavioural assessment, formulation and therapy is based. Students will be introduced to basic assessment and formulation skills.
This course is designed to teach the basic philosophy, behaviour change procedures and techniques of ACT, with a focus on the core therapeutic processes of ACT. Upon successful completion of the course, students will acquire a working knowledge and the skills of ACT as applied to individuals, couples and families
Students will acquire the basic knowledge and skill that will prepare them to train as an independent cognitive behavioural therapist. In addition, the student will be exposed to basic learning and behavioural change principles in order to develop case formulations and develop a treatment plan.
Students must receive a grade of B on all evaluation components to pass the course.
The student will participate in a cognitive behavioural therapy group for 12-16 weeks. The student will participate as a co-therapist, both observing and demonstrating cognitive behavioural therapy strategies.
*Prerequisite: 720 and assessment of eligibility.
Individually tutored application of 720 – Introduction to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, 721 – Advanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy knowledge and skills, plus introduction of more specialized concepts and methods for the disorder that the student has chosen to focus.
This course will focus on only one disorder for which the treatment will be repeated. Clinical case consultation is offered for depression (adolescent and adult population) and anxiety disorders (adolescents and adult population social phobia, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, only).
*Prerequisite: 721 and assessment of eligibility. Students must have their own clients, two cases, 10 weeks each (consecutively) and bring their own course material.
Review of cognitive behavioural therapy formulations of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In-depth learning of key cognitive behavioural treatment techniques for single-incident traumas.
This course serves as an introduction to family systems and learning the relevant concepts to assess family functioning. The development of the family and models of understanding the family system will be reviewed. Through readings, role-plays and case examples, students will learn to conceptualize/formulate family problems, learn about family intervention and consider treatment planning.
Group work has been demonstrated to be an effective way of providing service to clients. This course examines group work practice by exploring a range of theoretical concepts and frameworks.
This course will focus on understanding the theoretical underpinnings and evidence supporting the use of this integrated set of interviewing skills for clients who are ambivalent about change. Students will participate in pairs and small interprofessional groups to develop and practice beginning and advanced motivational interviewing skills through discussion, case studies and practice in class.
Frequently Asked Questions
Expandable List
We do not accept international students into our program. International students are not eligible to take our cognitive behavioural therapy Level II and III courses, as students in those courses need to be registered health professionals in Ontario.
Our program is designed to provide people with advanced training in certain types of psychotherapy, who are already health professionals (e.g., social worker, occupational therapist, registered therapist), it does not provide foundational skills/credentials to become a health-care professional.
If you are interested in taking all three of the cognitive behavioural therapy courses, you can apply for the diploma stream.
If you are interested in taking just one course, you can apply for the post degree.
Please note that if you are in doubt, we would recommend that you apply for the diploma stream, as each stream has a separate application process and we are unable to offer transfers between streams.
To be eligible to take CBS 721 (advanced cognitive behavioural therapy) and CBS 722a/b (consultation in cognitive behavioural therapy) you must be a registered health professional with one of the following regulatory colleges in Ontario:
- The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
- The College of Nurses of Ontario
- The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
- The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
- The College of Psychologists of Ontario (title: psychologist; psychological associate)
- The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (title: registered psychotherapist)
The CBT 721 and CBT 722 courses involve the provision of psychotherapy to clients and, therefore, only students who are able to perform the Controlled Act of Psychotherapy as a member of one of their regulatory colleges will be eligible to take these courses.
The controlled act of psychotherapy as defined by the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), is as follows:
Treating, by means of psychotherapy technique, delivered through a therapeutic relationship, an individual’s serious disorder of thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception, or memory that may seriously impair the individual’s judgement, insight, behaviour, communication or social functioning.
Contact Us
Course instructors are faculty members of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences. The instructors will alternate based on the course offerings.
Please refer to the faculty directory for more information.
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Susan Vaughan (CBS Program)
Program Administrator, Clinical Behavioural Sciences Program
Staff
Susan Vaughan (CBS Program)
Program Administrator, Clinical Behavioural Sciences Program
Staff
Susan Vaughan (CBS Program)
Program Administrator, Clinical Behavioural Sciences Program
Staff
Susan Vaughan (CBS Program)
Program Administrator, Clinical Behavioural Sciences Program
Staff