Admissions
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The admissions process and requirements undergoes annual review and is subject to change. The School of Rehabilitation Science reserves the right to change the admission process and requirements without notice. Every effort will be made to inform prospective applicants of any changes in a timely manner.
Admission Requirements
Degree Requirements
Applicants must have a 4-year baccalaureate degree (120 units/credits or equivalent):
- The degree can be in any university discipline; none are favoured.
- The degree must be completed from an accredited institution.
- Applicants may apply in the fourth year of their degree but must provide proof of graduation prior to June 30th, of the year they apply in.
For applicants with a 3-year baccalaureate degree:
- 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, 10 courses (30 units/credits) must be at the third or fourth-year level.
GPA Requirements
A minimum GPA of 3.3/4.0 (B+ or 77%) in the last two years or 60 units of university academic study is required.
- To determine how your sub-GPA is calculated and the courses included/excluded, please review the information posted by ORPAS: https://www.ouac.on.ca/guide/orpas-gpa-calculations/
- For applicants who apply during their fourth year of their degree, the sub-GPA will include fourth year Fall term grades up to December.
- Grades from all graduate work will be included in the sub-GPA calculation and will be weighted the same as undergraduate work.
Prerequisite Courses
Four prerequisite courses (listed below) with a minimum grade of 3.3/4.0 (B+ or 77%) in each course is required.
Please click on each course for further information and approved course listings.
1. One ½ credit (3 units) human anatomy
2. One ½ credit (3 units) human physiology
3. One ½ credit (3 units) statistics*
4. One ½ credit (3 units) humanities or social science**
Notes:
- Prerequisite courses must be completed by December 31st of the year you apply. Courses cannot carry over into the Winter term.
- Courses submitted with grades below the minimum requirement, for either of the four prerequisites, will not be accepted and the application would be deemed ineligible.
- Prerequisite courses must be completed at an accredited university. College credits transferred to a university transcript, will not be accepted.
- Applicants are required to record their prerequisite courses on the ORPAS Prerequisite Module on their application.
*For statistics courses not listed, please reference the criteria we are looking for here. If criteria is met, you may submit a course outline to askpt@mcmaster.ca to confirm approval.
**Only subject areas identified by McMaster University’s Faculties of Humanities or Social Sciences will be accepted.
English-Language Proficiency
You must be proficient in spoken and written English. If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of English-language proficiency. The only exception to this requirement is for those who have completed an entire university degree in Canada, USA, United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand.
If your native language is not English, an official copy of your TOEFL score (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Academic test report form is required. These test results must not be more than two years old at the time of the ORPAS application deadline.
TOEFL Requirements:
- A minimum score of 600 (written) or 250 (computer) or 92 (iBT) (reading-22, speaking-24, listening-24, writing-22) is required.
- The TOEFL score must be sent directly from the TOEFL Centre to McMaster University (McMaster code: 0936, Department code: 48).
IELTS (Academic) Requirements:
- A minimum overall score of 6.5, with at least 5.5 in each section.
- As with TOEFL, results must be sent directly from IELTS to McMaster University.
International Applicants
International applications require the same admission requirements as domestic applicants. In addition, applicants with foreign transcripts, excluding the United States, United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand, are required to submit with their application to ORPAS:
- Original transcripts sent by the originating institution(s);
- Notarized English copies of all degree course work completed to date and of the appropriate diploma or degree awarded;
- Translation copies of transcripts and prerequisite course descriptions, if not available in English; and
- A grading legend from the university explaining the grading scale is also encouraged.
Note: Individuals who have previously completed a degree in physiotherapy (internationally or through another Canadian institution) are ineligible to apply for the McMaster MSc(PT) Program. Applicants with an international physiotherapy degree are encouraged to review information about physiotherapy bridging programs at: https://www.alliancept.org/bridging-programs/
Indigenous Applicants
Indigenous applicants who meet the above criteria and who have a FIAP endorsed application will be invited to complete the online interview. Each year, up to six year one positions will be designated for Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) applicants.
Applicants wishing to apply to the physiotherapy program with Indigenous status, must complete the following:
1. Go to the ORPAS website to complete your application and submit the required fees
2. Go to McMaster University’s Facilitated Indigenous Admissions Program (FIAP) website, read & complete the supplemental Self-Identification Application, and submit to by Friday, January 8th, 2021
Only endorsed FIAP applications will be reviewed under the Indigenous specific criteria for admissions to the physiotherapy program.
COVID-19 Winter 2020 Term Impacts
The McMaster Physiotherapy Program understands that many future applicants to the Program may be impacted during their Winter 2020 studies term due to COVID-19. Students at many institutions were given the option of selecting a pass/fail grade over a letter/number grade. Please review the following information in regards to how COVID-19 may impact an applicant’s prerequisite courses and sub-GPA for the Physiotherapy Program:
Prerequisite Courses: The Program will still require an eligible course with a letter/number grade of at least a B+, 77% or 3.3/4.0 for each of the four prerequisite courses. Unfortunately, we cannot accept a course with a grade of ‘pass.’ Each application cycle, applicants have until December 31st to complete their prerequisite courses.
Sub-GPA: Courses with a grade of ‘pass’ will not be included in an applicant’s sub-GPA calculation, which is the same process as in previous and current admission cycles. If an applicant has any courses with a grade of pass in their last 60 units of study, grades/courses may need to be extracted beyond the last 60 units completed in order to calculate their sub-GPA. For more information on how your sub-GPA is calculated, we encourage you to review the information posted on the ORPAS website: https://www.ouac.on.ca/guide/orpas-gpa-calculations/
Application Process
How to Apply
All applicants apply through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) using the Ontario Rehabilitation Sciences Programs (ORPAS) application. Applications open mid-October and close early January each year.
The ORPAS application service fee is $190.00, plus an additional $100.00 institution fee. Application fees are non-refundable.
- If you apply to more than one program at the School of Rehabilitation Science (i.e. PT and OT), you will be charged an additional $100.00 institution fee payable at the time of your ORPAS application submission.
In addition to reviewing this webpage, it is important to read the ORPAS Application Guide for McMaster University before completing your application.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that ORPAS receives the application and all required supporting documentation by the deadlines. If the application is not complete, or if supporting documentation is not received by the deadlines, the application will not be considered.
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, please review international applicant criteria under the "Admissions Requirements" tab, to determine what you need to submit to ORPAS.
Applicants are also required to enter their prerequisite courses on the ORPAS Prerequisite Module of their application.
Make McMaster a Safe Sender
Email is the primary communication tool for Admissions at McMaster University. Important messages outlining the next steps required to complete your application and other important information will be sent to the email address associated with your ORPAS application. After submitting an online application, please add the mcmaster.ca domain to your email ‘safe senders’ list and check your junk email box regularly.
Hotmail / Outlook users:
In order to ensure McMaster University can successfully send emails, please add us to your ‘Safe Senders List’ by using these directions:
- Log into Hotmail
- In the top right of your inbox, click “Options” and then select “More Options”
- Under “Junk Email” click “Safe and Blocked Senders”
- Under “Safe and Blocked Senders” click “Safe Senders”
- Type in sgswbsv@mcmaster.ca in the “Sender or domain to mark as safe” entry field and click “Add to List”
Gmail users:
Gmail accounts have been redesigned to automatically filter communications from large institutions like McMaster and categorize them as ‘Promotions’. By creating a filter for emails from mcmaster.ca, you will ensure that all correspondence with our office is delivered to your primary inbox. Please add mcmaster.ca to your ‘safe sender’ list in Gmail by following these instructions:
- Log into Gmail
- Click on the Settings icon (top right of screen – it looks like a gear).
- Choose “Settings” from the list.
- Click “Filters” at the top of the page.
- Click “Create a new filter”.
- In the “From” box in the next window, type mcmaster.ca.
- Click “Create filter with this search” at the bottom of the page.
- Click “Never send it to Spam” and “Always mark it as important”.
- Click “Create filter” button.
Selection Process
1. Review of ORPAS Application
ORPAS forwards your complete application to the McMaster University Physiotherapy Program for review and further decision.
ORPAS calculates each applicant's sub-GPA (please refer to the ORPAS GPA Guide to review how the GPA is calculated and to review the courses that are not included in the GPA calculation). The Program will calculate the sub-GPA when an applicant has completed graduate-level courses, a college-level degree and/or international study.
All applicants with a 3.3/4.0 (B+ or 77% or 9/12) sub-GPA and who have met the requirements for the four pre-requisite courses, will be invited to participate in an online interview. If an interview has been granted and upon further review, requirements are not met, the applicant’s interview will not be reviewed and fees will not be refunded. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that they have met all requirements stated on the McMaster Physiotherapy Program's admission website and the ORPAS Application Guide.
2. Kira Talent Online Interview
All eligible applicants who have met academic requirements, will be invited to complete an online interview through Kira Talent.
The cost of the interview is $50.00 CDN (non-refundable) and must be paid before the online interview can be completed. Applicants will be notified via email when and where to submit their online payment (mid-February). Check your junk mail regularly.
Once payment is received, applicants will receive a link from Kira Talent to complete the online interview within the time frame provided. There is no individual date and time assigned, as such, applicants can complete the interview at anytime during the specified dates. Deadline extensions are not granted.
To complete the interview, applicants must have a computer with a webcam and microphone and an internet connection. Tablets or mobile devices cannot be used.
Are there practice questions?
- Yes, you can complete the practice questions as many times as you need to feel comfortable with the online interviewing process.
- Practice questions are not saved and are provided for you to prepare and learn from. Practices are recorded so that you can replay them, but they are never sent to the interviewer.
- Note: You will not be allowed to review your actual interview responses or redo them. Once they are completed, they are forwarded to the Program for assessment.
How does the interview work?
- The Question – A randomized video or written question will be provided.
- Preparation – A set amount of time is provided to allow you to prepare your response.
- Response – A set amount of time is provided for you to respond.
3. Ranking & Final Decision
Applicants who completed the online interview are ranked on a combination of their interview score (75% of final ranking) and their 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 each year.
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 wait list 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 of $500.00 CDN (credited towards tuition).
Policies & Procedures
As per the McMaster University School of Graduate Studies Calendar, admission is competitive and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. The admission decision is not subject to appeal. Feedback is also not provided to applicants who were not granted an offer of admission.
Applications from one year are not held over to another year.
Successful applicants are not allowed to defer their start date.
There is no provision for advance standing or transfer into the MSc Physiotherapy 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 Physiotherapy Program. In keeping with the standard of excellence required in our program, we expect applicants to the MSc(PT) 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 Physiotherapy program staff, faculty, students, and/or community volunteers may be taken into consideration in making admission 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.
Apply Now
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Step 1: Pre-Planning
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Step 2: Application
No, the McMaster Physiotherapy Program does not require these for admission. Please review the "Admission Requirements" tab to see a full list of requirements.
No, you are not required to maintain a full course load.
No, all applicants apply the same way and must meet the same requirements.
If you are planning on taking additional courses to improve your sub-GPA, the Program will only accept courses completed at a senior level (300/400 level courses). Prerequisite courses completed at the 100/200 level are the exception.
The minimum sub-GPA requirement is also the cutoff, which is a 3.3/4.0 (B+ or 77%).
ORPAS calculates your GPA based on the last 60 units of study. It is recommended that you read the ORPAS GPA calculation information outlined here: https://www.ouac.on.ca/guide/orpas-gpa-calculations/.
Applicants are notified by ORPAS to review their GPA calculation. This usually occurs late February.
ORPAS does not calculate international, exchange or graduate work. ORPAS forwards these transcripts to the Program to be calculated.
Students can take their prerequisite courses at any point in their academic career (i.e. there is no length of time after which a course will not be eligible) to satisfy the prerequisite requirements. Prerequisite courses, however, do need to be completed by December 31st of the year you are applying.
It is recommended that you re-take the prerequisite courses if it has been a significant length of time since you have last studied in either of the four areas, so that you can set yourself up for success in the Physiotherapy Program.
No, prerequisite courses can be completed any time during your academic career.
The McMaster Physiotherapy Program does not choose these courses. Applicants are required to record their prerequisite courses and grades on the ORPAS Pre-requisite Module on their application.