We, the Master of Psychotherapy and Spirituality students of St. Stephen’s College, respectfully submit this petition to address a significant issue arising from the miscommunication and inadequate planning regarding the 2-year thesis route within our academic programs.

Issue at Hand: We applied to and enrolled in St. Stephen’s College under the clear understanding that the completion of our degrees, including a thesis, would be feasible within a 2-year timeframe. However, due to the College’s insufficient planning and management of the thesis route, we are now being presented with two options:

1. Write a capstone in order to graduate in 2 years,
2. Add an extra year to our degree in order to complete the thesis.

This creates a situation that is not feasible for students who were promised a 2-year thesis completion path upon their application to, and acceptance into St. Stephen’s College’s Master of Psychotherapy and Spirituality program. The lack of a 2-year thesis route option comes at considerable personal, financial, and future academic costs for the affected students.

Financial Implications: Should a student choose to add an additional year, they are required to pay an additional $4,720 in tuition outside of coursework for the third year. Furthermore, the loss of potential income by postponing professional practice is substantial. For example, a therapist seeing 20 clients per week at $100 per session (a conservative estimate) would earn an annual income of approximately $96,000. By extending our studies to complete the thesis, we face an opportunity cost of approximately $100,000, combining the added tuition with lost earnings.

Academic Implications: The alternative option, writing a capstone, comes with its own significant drawbacks. Capstone projects do not provide the same level of research experience as a thesis, which can hinder students’ prospects for future academic advancement, particularly in applying for PhD programs. Research experience, typically demonstrated through a thesis, is a key factor in PhD admissions. Thus, students forced into the capstone route are at a disadvantage for future academic opportunities.

Our Request: In light of these circumstances, we formally request that St. Stephen’s College take immediate action to rectify this issue and offer equitable solutions to affected students. Specifically, we propose the following:

1. Waiving of the Third-Year Tuition Fee: For students impacted by the lack of planning around the 2-year thesis route, the College should waive the tuition fee required for the third year. This will help to alleviate the financial burden caused by the College’s oversight.
2. Additional Graduation Date for Thesis Students: We request that an additional graduation date be offered after the Fall 2025 semester, allowing thesis students to complete their research without requiring an extra year of enrollment. This would provide the flexibility necessary to ensure that students can graduate within a reasonable timeframe and minimize the impact of the College’s planning failure.

We believe that these measures represent a fair and just reconciliation for the financial, academic, and personal hardships that have been imposed on us as a result of this situation. We trust that St. Stephen’s College will act in good faith to correct this matter and support its students in achieving their academic and professional goals.

Sincerely,

Master of Psychotherapy and Spirituality students of St. Stephen’s College