Regulations and Ethics

Graduate regulations of the University and the Department of Psychology are outlined in the University Calendar. Additional information on Psychology Department administrative policies and procedures is provided in the Psychology Graduate Student Handbook and in the Clinical Psychology Graduate Student Handbook. Students’ degree requirements are those in the Calendar in the year of entry into the program.

The Clinical Program has a formal administrative structure within the Department, in that it is an identified Program with specific admission and graduation requirements. It is under the supervision of the Clinical Program Committee, and is the overall responsibility of the Director of Clinical Training (DCT). The chief administrative officer for the program is the Graduate Program Assistant.

The Clinical Program Committee consists of all clinical faculty, the Director of the Clinical Psychology Centre, and two student representatives elected by the graduate students in the program. Committee meetings are chaired by the DCT, and the Program Assistant serves as secretary to the committee. It normally meets the first Thursday of each month, with an open and closed session. Open meetings deal with program issues, regulations, and policy matters. All students are welcome to attend Open meetings, where the student representatives have a voice on matters before the Committee. Business concerning individuals is handled in Closed meetings attended only by clinical faculty members and the CPC Director. Clinical faculty members and students also participate in specialty Area meetings that may include program and course administration issues as well as Area research. All formal program changes from the Clinical Program Committee have to be approved by the Psychology Graduate Studies Committee, the Department, the Faculty of Arts & Sciences' Graduate Studies Committee, the Senate Committee on Graduate Studies, and the Senate.

Standing in the program is contingent upon maintenance of satisfactory performance in: a) course-work, b) thesis work, c) practicum skills development, and d) adherence to professional ethical standards (CPA Code of Ethics, and CPBC Code of Conduct) as evaluated in the annual review of student progress. Unsatisfactory academic progress and/or violations of the ethical codes (including, e.g., dishonesty, boundary violations) may lead to a requirement to withdraw from the clinical program.

Student progress in completing remediation plans will be monitored and reflected in their PSYC 825: Clinical Practice grade as follows.

• Students who receive an unsatisfactory grade in PSYC 825 will be assigned a remediation plan to address the unsatisfactory performance in PSYC 825 and/or in any other aspect of their clinical training
• An 'in progress' (IP) in PSYC 825 will be assigned to the student in each semester they are working toward completion of the assigned remediation plan
• Upon completion of the remediation plan IPs will be changed to satisfactory (S).
• Students must successfully complete remediation plans by the date stipulated in their remediation plan but in no more than three terms from its assignment.
• Students who do not successfully complete their remediation plan within this time period will be reviewed by the Clinical Committee to determine their status in the program and they may be required to withdraw in accordance with GGR 1.8.2. 
• Remediation plans may be suspended in the event that students engage in serious breaches in ethical behaviour or professional conduct, as defined with reference to the current editions of the Code of Conduct of the College of Psychologists of BC. and the Canadian Psychological Association Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. In this case, the student's status within the clinical program will be reviewed by the Clinical Committee and they may be required to withdraw in accordance with GGR 1.8.2.