Office of the Dean and Vice-Principal (Academic)
University of Toronto Scarborough
March 2013
Proposal to establish the Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science
Background and Vision
The University of Toronto Scarborough is committed to the University’s vision of Tri-campus graduate
departments as articulated in the Framework for a New Structure of Administration for the Three
Campuses, approved by Governing Council in 2002. In 2008, the UTSC Strategic Plan identified enhanced
graduate training as one of five key strategic directions for the campus. This aspiration is also recognised
and supported in the Towards 2030 Synthesis Report written by President Naylor in September 2008.1
Following the development of the Strategic Plan, the UTSC academic departments began an academic
visioning process that included proposals to increase graduate activity at UTSC. Many of these proposals
were included in the academic plans of the departments and supported in the 2012 UTSC Academic
Plan. Approximately a dozen ideas for new graduate programs, at widely ranging levels of development,
were proposed. Building on the recognized strengths of the Clinical Psychology faculty at UTSC and OISE,
the Department of Psychology has partnered with the Department of Applied Psychology and Human
Development at OISE to develop a doctoral stream (Masters and Ph.D.) field in Clinical Psychology.
The program field proposal, which already has been approved by both UTSC and OISE governance
bodies, is a major modification of an existing program in Counselling Psychology at OISE. The latter
program has been renamed Counselling and Clinical Psychology and has two fields: Clinical and
Counselling Psychology, which is based largely at OISE; and Clinical Psychology, which is based largely at
UTSC. This program is both bi-departmental and bi-faculty.
The development of a Clinical Psychology Masters and Ph.D. offering at UTSC has necessitated the
establishment of a tri-campus graduate home for it located at UTSC. Our first graduate unit, the
graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences was established, and approved by UTSC
governance, in 2010.
Functions of the Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science
The graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science will have all the regular roles and
responsibilities that are appropriate for a graduate departmental unit, in accordance with University
policy and practice. This includes 1) the appointment and cross-appointment of faculty, 2) the creation
and administration of graduate program(s) and of related graduate student matters, and 3) assisting
with administrative matters such as the development of suitable space plans. Overall financial
management of graduate program(s) will occur in the graduate Department in collaboration with the
Dean’s Office. The graduate Department will make recommendations to SGS for primary and cross
appointments. We expect that the primary appointments would largely come from new hires in the
1 See Chapter 2 in particular.
1
Office of the Dean and Vice-Principal (Academic)
University of Toronto Scarborough
March 2013
differentiated niche areas of research and graduate education. The graduate Department will ensure
that individual program(s) have a well-defined admissions process, and that funding commitments to
graduate students are honoured.
Reporting Structure and Faculty Complement
The graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science will have a graduate Chair with a tri-campus
mandate, who will be appointed in accordance with University policy and the practice established by the
Tri-campus Arts and Science Divisions. As is the practice in other graduate departments, it is often
desirable that the Chair of the UTSC Department of Psychology also would be appointed as the Chair of
the graduate Department. The graduate Chair will be the Chief Executive Officer of the graduate
Department and will report to the Dean at UTSC. The Chair may appoint a Program Coordinator(s) as
required. A separate MOU has been developed by UTSC and OISE to ensure the good governance and
administration of the programs. This is included as Appendix A.
Relation to other governing bodies
The curriculum of the graduate programs would continue to be governed in accordance with SGS and
University policies. New graduate programs and changes to existing graduate programs will require
approval as outlined by the UTQAP process.
Financial and Human Resources
The graduate Department will incur the usual administrative costs, including salary and stipendiary
costs, and operating costs. It will also be responsible for the funding commitment to students in the
funded cohort. Funding for operating costs, including program administrators, stipends for program
directors, and teaching release (as appropriate), and other relevant program expenses (e.g. Speaker
series) will be financed in the same manner as other departments at UTSC. The program(s) will generate
BIU and tuition income.
2