McMaster MSc(PT) Admissions

How to Apply

• Applicants apply through the ORPAS website.
• Read the Ontario Rehabilitation Sciences Program (ORPAS) Application Guide at https://www.ouac.on.ca/guide/orpas-app-guide/ before completing application.
• The ORPAS application service fee is $190, plus an institutional fee of $100.
  • If you apply to any combination of more than one (1) program at the School of Rehabilitation Science (i.e., SLP and OT or PT, or SLP, OT and PT), you will be charged an additional $100 university fee payable at the time of the ORPAS online application submission.
  • Application fees are non-refundable.

Required documentation:

• Official transcripts of all university and college degree work must be sent directly to ORPAS by the originating institution(s), including course work outside of Canada.
• If you have international transcripts, excluding the USA, you must submit the following to ORPAS:
  • Original transcripts sent by originating institution(s);
  • Notarized English copies of all degree course work completed to date; and,
  • Notarized English copy of the appropriate diploma or degree awarded.
  • English-Language Requirements, such as TOEFL.
    • The only exception to this requirement is for those who have completed an entire university degree in Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand.

• Applicants are required to record the pre-requisite courses on the ORPAS Prerequisite Module.

Admission Requirements:

• 4-year baccalaureate degree (120 units/credits or equivalent) with a minimum GPA of 3.3/4.0 (B+ or 77% or 9/12) in the last two (2) years or 60 units of university academic study.
  • The degree can be in any university discipline; none are favoured.

• Applicants may apply in the 4^th year of their degree.
  • Applicants who apply in their fourth year of their degree program must provide proof of completion of the degree requirements prior to June 30, of the year they apply in.
  • GPA would include 4^th year grades up to December (4^th year Fall term).

• Applicants who have graduated from a three-year baccalaureate degree (90 units/credits) must complete additional university work in order to be eligible to apply.  For example:
  • An additional 30 units/credits (in addition to a three-year degree) are required to total 120 units/credits.
  • Contained within the 120 units/credits, 18 units/credits must be at the fourth-year level or above; and,
  • A minimum average of B+ or 77% or 3.3/4.0 or 9/12, calculated over the last 60 units of university course work.

• Pre-requisites (see pre-requisite tab)

International Applicants:

• International applications require the SAME admission requirements as domestic applicants (please review Admission Requirements  and the Pre-requisites tab).

• Applicants with foreign transcripts, excluding the United States, United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand, are required to submit the following with their application to ORPAS:
  • Original transcripts sent by originating institution(s);
  • Notarized English copies of all degree course work completed to date; and,
  • Notarized English copy of the appropriate diploma or degree awarded.
  • Translation copies of transcripts and pre-requisite course descriptions, if not available in English.

• If your first language is not English, a TOEFL score of 600 (written) or 250 (computer) or 92 (iBT) (reading-22, speaking-24, listening-24, writing-22) is required.
  • The only exception to this requirement is for those who have completed an entire university degree in Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand.
  • The TOEFL score must be sent directly from the TOEFL  Centre to McMaster University (McMaster code: 0936, Department code: 48).
  • Scores that are more than two (2) years old are not valid.

Notes for all applicants:

The following courses are not included in the GPA calculation:

• Practicums, placements, internships and activity courses
• Ontario Bachelor of Education degrees
• College courses
• Challenge for credit courses
• Diploma or certificate programs

Pre-requisites

• Applicants are required to record their pre-requisite courses on the ORPAS Pre-requisite Module.
  • All pre-requisites must have a grade of 3.3/4.0 or B+ or 77% or 9/12 or higher.
    • Pre-requisite grades submitted below the minimum will not be accepted and the application would be deemed ineligible.

• The MSc Physiotherapy admission pre-requisites include:
  • One ½ credit (3 units) human anatomy course.
  • One ½ credit (3 units) human physiology course OR one full credit (6 units) human anatomy and physiology course.
  • One ½ credit (3 units) statistics course.
  • One ½ credit (3 units) humanities course.
• Pre-requisite courses must be completed at an accredited university-level.
  • A group of college credits, transferred to an University transcript, will not be accepted.
  • Transfer credits that provide a grade of Pass/Fail cannot be used for a pre-requisite credit.
  • Social science courses will not be accepted as a humanities submission.
• Pre-requisite courses must be completed by December 31, 2018.

Click here for Humanities Pre-requisite Examples

Click here for Anatomy and Physiology Course Equivalency 

Click here for Statistics Course Content 

Application Checklist

Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) Applicants

• Indigenous applicants who have a four-year baccalaureate degree (120 units/credits) with a minimum GPA of B+ (77% or 3.3/4.0 or 9.0/12.0), calculated using the last 60 units/credits of university course work, the required prerequisites (see prerequisite tab) and who have completed the Self-Identification Application, will be invited to complete the Kira Talent (Video Interview Platform) assessment.
  • Each year, up to six (6) year 1 positions will be designated for Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) applicants.
• In accordance with the Self-Identification Policy of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) applicants who wish to apply are to complete the supplementary Self-Identification Application.  Information on the policy, application requirements and the online applicant can be found here.

Applicants wishing to apply to the MSc (PT) program with the Indigenous specific requirements, must complete the following:

• Go the ORPAS website to complete your application and submit fees
• Go the McMaster University's Facilitated Indigenous Admissions Program (FIAP) to read and complete the Self-Identification Application.

Please note, only endorsed FIAP applications will be reviewed under the Indigenous specific criteria for admissions to the MSc (PT) program.

• The Self-Identification Application is used for all Faculty of Health Science programs and only needs to be completed once even if an applicant has applied to multiple programs.  Applicants who wish to be considered under the Indigenous application process must submit the Self-Identification Application to Danielle Soucy, Director, Indigenous Student Health Sciences (ISHS) office by January 4, 2019.

Please click here to visit the Indigenous Students Health Sciences (IAHS) office.

Selection Process

NEW:  All applicants with a 3.3/4.0 or B+ or 77% or 9/12 GPA will be invited to participate in an online interview.

• ORPAS calculates GPA.  GPA is based on the last 60 units of study.
  • Please refer to the ORPAS Application Guide to review how a GPA is calculated and review the courses that are not included in the GPA calculation.
  • The Program will calculate graduate work, exchange and international transcripts.  Graduate work is weighted the same as undergraduate work.

• Eligible applicants will be invited, by the Program, to complete an online interview (Kira Talent).  The cost of the online interview is $40.00 CDN (non-refundable).
  • Kira Talent is a Online Interview Platform.
  • The online interview fee ($40.00 CDN) must be paid before the online interview can be completed.
  • The $40.00 online interview fee can be paid using a valid credit card.
  • Applicants will be notified via email when and where to submit their online payment (mid-February 2018).  Check your Junk Mail regularly.
  • Once payment is received, applicants will receive a link from Kira Talents to complete the online interview within the timeframe given by Kira Talents (beginning of March 2018).
  • For more information regarding the online interview, click here

• Applicants who are interviewed are ranked on a combination of their online interview score (75% of final ranking) and their pre-admission sub-GPA (25% of final ranking) to determine the final ranking for offers of admission.
  • Approximately, 65 students are admitted to the MSc Physiotherapy Program.
  • The final approval of applicants for admission will be granted by the Associate Dean, School of Graduate Studies.

• Applicants will be notified of the admission decision via the email address that was provided to ORPAS in the online application.
  • Applicants will receive either an offer of admission, notification of their position on the waiting list (including waitlist number) or a letter of refusal.

• Applicants being offered admission must complete the online offer of acceptance to ORPAS and pay a non-refundable deposit fee (acceptance fee) of $500.00 CDN.

 Admissions Policy and Procedures:

• Information on Admissions Policy and Procedures, Click Here.

Important Dates and Deadlines

The following dates are for the 2018-2019 Admission Cycle, for September 2019 entry.