Person at the starting line for a race

Master of Human Kinetics with Concentration Mental Performance Consulting

Help people strengthen their mental performance and well-being

The Master of Human Kinetics with Concentration Mental Performance Consulting program provides you with the knowledge and skills to educate and counsel individuals and teams in various sport and physical activity contexts. It prepares you to conduct sound assessments and develop tailored mental skills programs for the achievement of performance and well-being goals. It’s the only sport psychology program in Canada that fully prepares you to be recognized as a Mental Performance consultant (MPC) by the Canadian Sport Psychology Association (CSPA).

Complete an internship that will prepare you for your professional journey

Your training involves completing essential coursework and a 400-hour supervised internship with one of various sport clubs or renowned organizations such as the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Most MPCs move on to private practice. Some even take their skills to other performance-focused fields such as the military, academia, business and the performing arts.

Program updates for Fall 2024

The MHK program — Intervention and Consultation was revised this year to better meet the requirements for Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) designation, accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. CMPC designation is the gold standard to practise as a mental performance consultant in Canada and the U.S.

Here’s a brief summary of the changes made to the MHK program:

  • The program title was changed to align with the Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) program.
    • EN: Master of Human Kinetics with Concentration Mental Performance Consulting
    • FR : Maîtrise en sciences de l'activité physique avec concentration consultation en performance mentale
  • Some course titles, descriptions and prerequisites were updated to reflect current subject matter, language used in the field and professional standards.
  • One course was abolished and its content integrated into other courses.
  • Two new courses were created to meet the CMPC requirements.
  • The duration of the MHK program was extended by one term to provide students with more time to complete the internship and the opportunity to enrol in additional courses and supervision hours required for CMPC certification. Starting in September 2024, the program will be five terms, rather than four.

Further details

Please note that the CMPC process is separate from the School of Human Kinetics and you must complete it on your own after graduating. The school can’t guarantee you’ll be certified, because:

  • The MHK program alone doesn’t meet all CMPC certification requirements.
    • Eligibility depends on your postsecondary degree(s) and number of supervised hours at the master’s level.
  • CMPC certification requirements can change at any time.
  • Applicants must also pass an exam.

Learn more about CMPC certification

View the detailed revisions to the MHK program.

For more information about the MHK program revisions, send us an email.

Poppy DesClouds

“The MHK was essential in developing my core professional competencies to become a successful practitioner.”

Poppy DesClouds

— PhD(c), Mental performance consultant (MPC)

Learn from the best and build your network

The University of Ottawa is ranked among the top 100 universities worldwide for its sports-related graduate programs. The Master of Human Kinetics with Concentration Mental Performance Consulting program has been developed and is run by experienced Mental performance consultants who have raised industry standards through their own private practices and the key roles they play in the CSPA, the Canadian Centre for Mental Health and Sport, the Association of Applied Sport Psychology, the Coaching Association of Canada, and Curling and Volleyball Canada.

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Questions on admissions?

Contact the graduate office at the School of Human Kinetics