Certificate in Applied Psychology
The Certificate in Applied Psychology The Certificate in Applied Psychology acknowledges a course concentration and demonstrated interest in the application of research in psychology. It consists of required and elective course offerings from the Department of Psychology, including completion of the course PSYC-3790 with documented evidence of 90 hours of volunteer placement activities from a community, government, or private organization. The placement provides opportunities for the application of psychological principles (research on behalf of the organization or client mentoring in a supervised setting). The list of eligible organizations will be provided before registration in PSYC-3790(3). The founding organizational partners are New Directions and the Community Hub Information and Research Partnerships (CHIRP).
(CHIRP).
Students applying for further study in clinical and counseling psychology, social work, medicine, occupational therapy, speech pathology, among other programs, may find this certificate valuable in documenting volunteer activities in organizations that apply principles of psychology (e.g., social service agencies and educational institutions). Students completing any degree program are eligible to complete the Certificate. Moreover, a student may take PSYC-3790 without completing the practicum component.
Alone, the Certificate will not qualify you to practice in psychology. Further study at the Master's, M.D., and/or Ph.D. level after graduation is required.
For more information or to submit your application package, please contact CiAP Coordinator, Dr. Aynslie Hinds at a.hinds@uwinnipeg.ca.
Interested students should contact the Department of Psychology prior to enrolment in PSYC-3790(3). This should be done in May or June before the registration period for the next academic year. Each student must submit three documents that are required for the vetting process: please submit your résumé, statement of interest, and unofficial transcript as separate attachments in May or June of each year to ensure consideration for limited spots in the course. Applications will be considered until course capacity is reached and an active waitlist will be maintained in case students drop the course during the first two weeks of Fall lectures. Submit the documents to the CiAP Coordinator, Dr. Aynslie Hinds at a.hinds@uwinnipeg.ca.
PSYC-1000(6) Introductory Psychology or a 3 credit introductory course transferred from another university PSYC-1000(3)
PSYC-2101(3) Introduction to Data Analysis or equivalent, STAT-1201, STAT-1302, STAT-1601, or STAT-2001.
PSYC-2102(3) Introduction to Research Methods
PSYC-3790(3) Applied Psychology (the core course and practicuum to be taken after completion of the required courses)
Students request the certificate once all the requirements have been met by completing a form available from the CiAP Coordinator. A minimum 3.00 in PSYC courses is required at the time of application for the certificate.
Any four of the following courses with a minimum of three at the 3000 or 4000 level:
PSYC-2210(3) Introduction to Educational Psychology
PSYC-2420(3) The Psychology of Sex and Gender
PSYC-2620(3) Psycholinguistics
PSYC-2700(3) Introduction to Clinical Psychology
PSYC-2920(3) Drugs and Behaviour
PSYC-3050(3) Culture and Psychology
PSYC-3470(3) Forensic Psychology
PSYC-3700(3) Psychological Disorders in Adults
PSYC-3710(3) Psychological Disorders in Children and Adolescents
PSYC-3720(3) Behaviour Modification
PSYC-3740(3) Introduction to Family Processes
PSYC-3910(3) Human Neuropsychology
PSYC-3930(3) Mind, Brain, and Body
PSYC-4700(3) Topics in Psychological Disorders
PSYC-4730(3) Biological Considerations in Clinical Psychology
PSYC-4750(3) Psychological Testing
PSYC-4820(3) Neuroscience of Addiction and Fear
The classes are interactive, with hands-on activities, small group discussions, and guest speakers, thus attendance and participation are mandatory. There are two to three readings per topic. In addition, students must complete an online ethics training course, write a reflection paper, and give a presentation. The assignments may change for Fall 2023.
Practicuum
To obtain the Certificate, students must also volunteer 90 hours in a community setting where they apply the knowledge and skills they gained from their studies. The volunteer component can be done any time, even after a student graduates. There are two options for the volunteer component.
One option is to do a research project with a community organization. The projects are identified and defined by the community organization. The CiAP Coordinator facilitates a process for matching students to projects and mentors the students.
The second option is to volunteer under the supervision of a registered clinical psychology in a clinical or counselling setting. We have a partnership with New Directions. They accept up to 10 students in their mentorship program, which runs from October to March. There may be other opportunities for students to do a clinical or counseling-type placement.
Most volunteer opportunities have flexible start and finish dates (the exception is New Directions’ mentorship program mentioned above).
Résumé:
Your résumé will be reviewed by Dr. Hinds, the CiAP Coordinator, to get a sense of your background, what your interests are, and what experience and skills you have. These details will be helpful to Dr. Hinds in finding a volunteer opportunity for you. Previous placement organizations include the Canadian Mental Health Association, Inspire Community Outreach, the Women’s Health Clinic, End Homelessness 丁香园AV, and .
Statement of Interest:
In your statement of interest, please provide a brief autobiography, an explanation of why you are interested in the CiAP program, and mention the volunteer experience you currently have and that you are hoping for (i.e., research or clinical/counselling).
Interview:
After Dr. Hinds has reviewed your documents, she will email you to set up a casual Zoom interview to share information about the class and the practicuum component. She also wants an opportunity to get to know you. The conversation will last between 15 and 30 minutes.
Shelby Buhle is a CiAP student who is completing a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology and Criminal Justice at the University of 丁香园AV. She participated in the Certificate in Applied Psychology (CiAP) course in Fall 2025 and is currently completing her practicum with New Directions, where she is gaining experience in applied mental health settings. She is expected to complete her practicum in May 2026.
Shelby is a recipient of the , through which she has been awarded $8,000 to work with the YMCA Downtown Branch in their Mental Health Services Department. In this role, she will support and facilitate mental health programming, including classes and workshops on a range of topics. So far, she has supported an adult course on anxiety and will be co-facilitating an upcoming workshop on grief.
"Through this experience, I have had the opportunity to work directly with individuals in community-based mental health settings, which has been incredibly meaningful. It has allowed me to apply the knowledge I have gained throughout my degree in a real-world context and better understand the impact and importance of accessible mental health services.
This award, alongside my CiAP practicum, has helped solidify my goal of pursuing clinical psychology. These experiences have supported my growth as a developing professional and reinforced my commitment to working in mental health and providing meaningful, accessible support to others."
Congratulations to Shelby!