Selection Process
The top-ranked (approximately 125) applicants will be invited to participate in an in-person mini multiple interview (MMI). Personal qualities and life experiences are assessed at these “mini” interviews, two of which are written stations. These interviews will take place in person at McMaster University Campus. Final offers of admission will be based on a combination of pre-admission GPA and MMI score. Interview dates and Offer dates can be found on the program’s website, here Important Dates and Deadlines.
Note: Interviews are in-person ONLY
Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI)
Health professionals are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that maintains public confidence in the integrity and dignity of our professions. In selecting students, we are looking for individuals who will conduct themselves in a manner befitting our professions. As such, any and all communications and interactions with the Faculty before and during admission are considered part of the admission process and may be taken into account during admission deliberations. Admission may be denied to applicants who communicate or act in a manner that may be considered inappropriate or unprofessional regardless of academic standing.
What are Multiple Mini-Interviews (MMIs)?*
McMaster has always been an innovator in the field of medical education. The Multiple Mini-Interview, or MMI, is one example of how McMaster has approached an accepted process, like the traditional interview, and revolutionized it. Researchers at McMaster hypothesized that increasing the number of encounters for each interviewed applicant would lead to a more reliable assessment of the individual. This proved to be exactly the case. The MMI increases the overall reliability of the interview in judging an applicant's merits. It also dilutes the effect of a single misrepresentative showing by an applicant in any one interaction. Pioneered at McMaster in 2002, the MMI has been adopted at other schools across both Canada and the United States and internationally.
What can I Expect from an MMI?
The MMI consists of a series of short, carefully timed interview stations in an attempt to draw multiple samples of applicants’ ability to think on their feet, critically appraise information, communicate their ideas, and demonstrate that they have thought about some of the issues that are relevant to healthcare practice.
During the MMI, applicants will move between interview "stations" in a multi-station circuit. Each station lasts eight minutes and there is a two-minute break between each one. At each station, applicants will interact with a single rater. Topics to be discussed in interviews may include but are not limited to, communication, collaboration, ethics, health policy, critical thinking, awareness of health issues in Canada, and personal qualities.
Applicants have reached this stage of the admissions process because their academic performance has been sufficiently high. For this reason we will not test applicants’ specific knowledge in any given subject. We are, however, trying to assess the applicant’s ability to apply general knowledge to issues relevant to the culture and society in which they will be practicing should they gain admission to (and graduate from) the Speech-Language Pathology program. Equally important is the applicant’s ability to communicate and defend his or her personal opinions.
* Adapted from McMaster University School of Medicine
Policy and Procedures
- As per the McMaster University School of Graduate Studies Calendar, admission is competitive; meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. The admission decision is not subject to appeal.
- The School of Rehabilitation Science does not provide feedback to applicants concerning their performance on the multiple mini interview.
- Applications from one year are not held over to another year.
- The MSc Speech-Language Pathology Program does not allow successful applicants to defer their start date.
- There is no provision for advance standing or transfer into the MSc Speech-Language Pathology Program.
- Applicants should understand that where it is discovered that any application information is false or misleading, or has been concealed or withheld, the application will be deemed invalid, and the matter will be forwarded to the Office of Academic Integrity. If the student has already been admitted and registered, withdrawal from the university may be required, pending a university investigation.
Professionalism is an important requirement of the McMaster Speech-Language Pathology Program. In keeping with the standard of excellence required in our program, we expect applicants to the MSc(SLP) program to conduct themselves in a professional manner throughout all phases of the application process. Any and all interactions throughout the admissions process, where applicants are engaged with Speech-Language Pathology program staff, faculty, students, and/or community volunteers may be taken into consideration in making admissions decisions. Admission may be denied to applicants who, among other critical determinants, behave in a manner that is considered below the level of professionalism expected of similarly situated candidates, regardless of their academic standing or interview performance.
For further information, please contact:
Email: askSLP@mcmaster.ca
