In order to train more psychologists, the Quebec government will invest several million dollars to increase cohorts, increase the number of scholarships and reduce the length of studies. Bridging programs will also be put in place to offer more opportunities to students enrolled in the bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Increase opportunities
In recent years, hundreds of psychology graduates have found themselves without opportunities at the end of their studies. “If you are not accepted to the clinical doctorate and you do not want to do the doctorate, you were in a bit of a dead end,” explained The Press the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry.
To address the problem, the Quebec government will allocate funding of more than $2.6 million to support 24 projects aimed at creating bridging programs or short programs that will be launched by fall 2025.
“We are in the process of creating diversified pathways to allow students who finish their baccalaureate in psychology to access a qualifying master’s degree or a short one-year program that will allow them to access the job market more quickly,” explains Mme Dery.
The bridging programs, unique to each university, will include in particular a second-year microprogram cycle in psychotherapy, a second-year microprogram specialized cycle in youth protection and the creation of a specialized higher education diploma (DESS) in social work.
Optimizing the baccalaureate
The budget envelope will also allow universities to optimize their training. For example, psychoeducation courses will be integrated into the bachelor’s degree in psychology at certain universities to allow students to access a master’s degree in psychoeducation. “Now, we will be able to make these bachelor’s degrees in psychology much more concrete so that they truly respond to today’s reality and are stimulating,” says M.me Dery.
Growing cohorts
The government wants to increase the cohorts for clinical doctorates in psychology and increase the number of scholarships offered to psychology interns. These measures are being implemented in response to the recommendations of the report of the Working Group on Optimizing Training in Psychology and Mental Health chaired by Hélène David, published in April 2023. To do this, Quebec will allocate an additional $1.8 million in 2024–2025, followed by $2 million per year from 2025–2026 to 2028–2029.
Two new doctoral programs in clinical psychology will be launched in the fall of 2024, at Bishop’s University and the Université du Québec à Rimouski. These programs will welcome 26 additional students. “This will allow us to improve access to health care, improve access to mental health services, and meet the needs of the population,” says M.me Dery.
Reduce the duration of studies
Finally, Quebec wants to optimize the doctorate in psychology in order, in particular, to reduce the length of studies. “We realized that students were taking a long time to complete the program. Sometimes, it can take up to five, six or seven years. We will provide more support to students throughout their studies so that they can do it in four years,” says M.me Déry. In order to reduce the duration of studies, the requirements related to the research project could also be revised.
Quebec also wants to promote the work of supervisors in order to increase the number of internships and placements in the public network. The number of internships has increased by 11.7% for the year 2024-2025. Since last year, psychology students who commit to working two years in the public network at the end of their studies receive an additional $25,000 scholarship, the minister points out.