Masters Degree
Psychedelics & Consciousness Studies
Psychedelics Studies is concerned with the therapeutic, spiritual, and ritual uses of psychedelics cross-culturally and throughout human history. It is a broad field that draws upon research in human consciousness, psychology, comparative mysticism, medicine, and spiritual care.
What the program offers
- Interdisciplinary training in psychedelic history, culture and healing modalities
- Opportunities to actively engage in both the theory and the practice of psychedelic and consciousness studies
- Connections with other professionals in this field
First educational program of its kind
We have developed a Masters program in Psychedelic and Consciousness Studies (PCS), where graduates will learn to:
- Apply healing approaches based on non-ordinary states of consciousness using experiential knowledge and skills in contemporary and traditional healing practices.
- Promote responsible, ethical, and decolonized health care.
- Contribute to the advancement of the psychedelics discipline through research based on combination of theoretical and experimental approaches.
- Provide professional guidance and support based on research and best practices in mental health and spiritual care, while respecting sociocultural diversity and ethical norms.
Clinicians
The Mental Health track involves advanced study and training in psychedelics-assisted therapies for mental health professionals.
Spiritual Care Providers
The Spiritual Care track includes advanced study and training in psychedelic-assisted spiritual care for clergy, traditional, and spiritual care providers.
Researchers
The Research Track provides graduate level research training in the field of psychedelic studies, with the opportunity to pursue doctoral studies in a related discipline.
The uOttawa difference
Program Overview
uOttawa's unique interdisciplinary approach.
Join the first program of its kind in Canada, and be part of a new wave of academic engagement in psychedelic and consciousness studies.
Participate in state-of-the-art research: psychedelic medicine is poised to become a new paradigm in mental health care.
Benefit from the interdisciplinarity and intersectionality of the program, promoting a holistic and inclusive understanding of psychedelics and consciousness studies.
All disciplines welcome: from psychology to religious studies, from anthropology to philosophy, from visual arts to theology, from botany to neuroscience — Psychedelic Studies is an emerging discipline that draws upon a wide variety of lenses.
uOttawa is poised to become the world’s first university to offer fully bilingual programming in psychedelics studies.
A practicum is the capstone of a rigorous training program.
Those seeking to provide psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies or spiritual care will complete a practicum placement under the supervision of a qualified (licensed, registered, certified, and/or ordained) practitioner for 100 hours, of which 48 hours must be direct client contact in collaboration with a senior practitioner.
Practicum opportunities include working as a ketamine-assisted therapy provider, facilitating plant medicine retreats, being a research trial clinician, working on a psychedelic crisis hotline, or many other opportunities, alone or in combination.
Graduates who have satisfactorily completed all coursework, including the practicum and fieldwork, will be able to receive a graduate diploma (certificate) in Psychedelic Therapies along with their Master's Degree (forthcoming).
Potential opportunities for graduates of the program.
- Therapists in treatment outcome research studies for all types of psychedelic therapies.
- Therapists for ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (needs a mental health practitioner license).
- Assisting people who have used psychedelics or other practices to attain non-ordinary states of consciousness, and require integration help after challenging experiences.
- Counselor or guide for people involved in religious practices that involve the legal use of entheogens (needs to be a qualified clergy member).
- Researcher in psychology, medicine, neuroscience, anthropology, or a related discipline.
- Pursue a PhD in a related discipline, such as psychology, neuroscience, or anthropology.
Minimum admissions requirements for the MA program.
To be eligible, candidates should:
- Have an honours bachelor’s degree (or equivalent), or higher degree in any related discipline, with a minimum average of 70% (B).
- Demonstrate a high academic achievement as shown by official academic transcript, academic reference forms, and other supporting documentation
- Provide two strong letters of recommendation and a personal statement.
- Have proficiency in the language of instruction.
- Have completed necessary prerequisites (graduate-level coursework in ethics and cultural diversity)
Preference will be given to students who are engaged in helping professions (mental health or spiritual).
One-Year Masters Program
Courses
Required Courses
Students complete the following compulsory courses (18 units):
- SRS 5108 Psychedelics: Survey of an Emerging Field (3 units)
- SRS 5109 Psychedelics, Politics, & Harm Reduction (3 units)
- SRS 5110 Sacred Plant Medicines & Spirituality (3 units)
- PSY 6137/6537 Psychedelic Psychotherapies for Mental Health (3 units)
- PSY 6442 Fieldwork in Psychology: Traditional Uses of Psychedelics (3 units)
- PSY 6002 Practicum in Applied Research/Clinical Practice (3 units)
Major Research Paper
Students may complete a Major Research Paper and take only 2 electives instead of 3:
- MRP 6999 Major Research Paper (3 units)
The major paper option is especially recommended for students pursuing the research specialization.
Electives
Students complete two or three electives (6-9 units) from:
- NSC 6101 Consciousness: An Interdisciplinary Perspective From Neuroscience, Philosophy, & Psychology (3 units)
- SRS 6906 Religion & Psychology: Comparative Mythology & Archetypal Psychology / Religion et Psychologie (3 units)
- PSY 6115/6515 Evolution of the Mind / Évolution de la Pensée (3 units)
- PSY 6190 Counselling with Dying and Bereaved (3 units)
- PSY 6191 Seminars in Psychology: Altered States of Consciousness (3 units)
- PSY 6951 Drogues / Seminar in Neuropharmacology and Behavior (3 units)
- SRS 5927 Shamanic Traditions/ Traditions Chamaniques (3 units)
- PSY 6191 Seminars In Psychology: Psychedelics and Neuroscience (3 units) [to become a regular course in the program]
- PSY 6191 Seminars In Psychology: Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness (3 units)
- AHL5100 Art, Integration & Healing (3 units) [being piloted to become a regular course in the program]
- CMM 5302 Comprehensive Pharmacology I (3 units)
- CMM 5303 Comprehensive Pharmacology II (3 units)
- ANT 6112 Medical Anthropology / ANT 6512 Anthropologie de la Santé (3 units)
- PSY 6134/6534 Mental Health Interview & Psychometrics (3 units)
- BIO 5130 Ethnobotony and Ethnopharmacology (3 units)
- PAT 502 Psychedelic Medicine: Trauma Informed and Inclusive Care (3 units) [Vancouver Island University]
- ...or Approved Course(s) from a Secondary Discipline (elective) (3 units each)
All electives should relate to the student’s area of interest (e.g., psychotherapy, spiritual care, or psychedelic research).
Hands-On Learning
Practicum Opportunities
The Laboratory for Psychedelic Clinical Research (LPCR) is at 554 King Edward Ave., a 6-room suite where innovative psychedelic research takes place right on campus. The LPCR is a source of clinical training opportunities for students.
Dr. Williams is also connected to the Behavioral Wellness Clinic, which is engaged in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy at the same location, making this an excellent potential practicum site for students.
Off-Campus Opportunities
MindSpace has agreed to be a training site for our students, a clinic which is offering ketamine-assisted therapy in Montreal. We are in contact with other universities (e.g., Vancouver Island Island’s Roots to Thrive Ketamine-Assisted Therapy program, University of British Columbia, and NYU’s Centre for Psychedelic Medicine) to identify more practicum opportunities for students in our program.
Students in the clergy/spirituality area will be encouraged to pursue a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) unit for their practicum. We are working with The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) with the goal of creating a specialized CPE unit tailored for psychedelic assisted spiritual care providers. Students will work under the guidance of a qualified CPE supervisor for 200 hours, of which 100 hours must be direct client contact.
For students interested in receiving training in traditional uses of plant medicines and other non-ordinary states of consciousness, we are establishing practicum opportunities among Indigenous and traditional healers in Ecuador, Colombia, and Jamaica.