Global Studies

Master of Arts (MA), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Explore the intersection of global politics, economics, social policy, and culture

Graduate Program Overview

Program Components Expected Duration
MA Coursework and thesis 24 months
PhD Coursework and dissertation 48 months

The Global Studies interdisciplinary graduate program at UBC’s Okanagan campus addresses prominent themes in a globalized world.  It is an interdisciplinary program that concentrates on the intersection of global politics, economics, social policy, and culture.

The program emphasizes both theory and the everyday applications of knowledge. Students will learn to analyze complex global issues in a practical manner, using both traditional and critical conceptual approaches.

Global Studies provides students with access to the knowledge, resources, and collaboration of three faculties and eight departments at UBC’s Okanagan campus. Unique synergies are created by the wide variety of expertise of professors from the areas of anthropology, theatre, English, economics, history, gender, women and sexuality studies, indigenous studies, nursing, philosophy, politics, sociology, and social work.

Students will gain the analytical skills required for employment in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. For those pursuing an academic career, the global studies program will provide students with the conceptual, methodological and research skills required to advance to the PhD or post-doctorate level.

Applications for the program open September 1st with a deadline of January 15th each year. 

Students are advised to arrange for the delivery of supporting documents well in advance of the January 15th deadline to ensure a timely review of their application.

In your application, please note the supervisor with whom you would like to work.

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The interdisciplinary master’s degree in global studies gives graduate students access to the expertise of diverse, nationally and internationally recognized researchers from a variety of faculties and disciplines in a coherent, thematic framework.

Graduates of the program will come away with a nuanced understanding of:

  • Interdisciplinary approaches to the study of global studies
  • Theoretical and practical aspects of global studies
  • The value of collaborative research across disciplines
Program milestones
  • Establishing a faculty supervisory committee
  • Completing coursework
  • Preparing, presenting, and defending a thesis research proposal
  • Completing thesis research and writing, and defending the work
Coursework requirements

18 credits of coursework are required, including:

  • Proseminar in Interdisciplinary Studies (IGS 524)
  • Theme Seminar in Global Politics, Culture and Theory (IGS 587)
  • Theme Seminar in Global Studies Panorama (IGS 588)
  • One research methods course
  • Additional coursework, selected in consultation with the student’s supervisor

The PhD degree is centred on conducting original, cutting-edge research in areas related to global studies. Graduates of the PhD program are prepared for careers requiring advanced independent research and teaching in academia, government, and industry.

Program milestones
  • Establishing a faculty supervisory committee
  • Selecting and completing coursework
  • Preparing, presenting, and defending a thesis research proposal
  • Passing an oral candidacy exam
  • Completing thesis research and writing, and defending the work.
Coursework requirements

Twelve credits of coursework are required. These will be selected in collaboration with the student’s supervisory committee.

Research Themes

This IGS degree draws on the expertise of many nationally and internationally recognized faculty researchers with experience in areas related to global studies. Please list on your application the name of your preferred supervisor and the reason for your preference. You may wish to write an email to your potential supervisor, but keep in mind that some professors may not be able to respond. Please click on the appropriate themes below to see a list of professors.

Affiliated Faculty

Adeniyi P. Asiyanbi | a.asiyanbi@ubc.ca

Research interests: Political ecology; governmentality; environmental governance; forest-based climate change mitigation; wildfires; nature conservation; global development; community engagement; Nigeria, Ghana, Canada (British Columbia and Alberta).

Jonathan Cinnamon  | jonathan.cinnamon@ubc.ca |
Research interests: digital geographies; data studies; GIS and society; science and technology studies; urban studies; surveillance; digital/visual methods; alternative urbanisms.

Donna Senese | donna.senese@ubc.ca |

Research interests: rural resilience, tourism and sustainability, landscapes of wine and food, international experiential education.

Affiliated Faculty

John Cho | john.cho@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Transnational sexualities, focusing, in particular, on queer globalization within South Korea and in East Asia.


David Geary | david.geary@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Religion, transnationalism, diaspora; the spatial politics of UNESCO World Heritage; tourism imaginaries and urban redevelopment; Buddhism, modernity and South Asia.


Neha Gupta | neha.gupta@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Archaeology; Post-colonial and Indigenous studies of cultural heritage; Digital and Geospatial Methods and Practice; Landscape and Settlement Archaeology; Canada and India.


Laura Meek | laura.meek@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Pharmaceuticals; Counterfeits; Embodiment; Sensoriums; Feminist Science and Technology Studies; Medical Anthropology; Leprosy; Critical Global Health; Ontological Politics; Dreams; Temporality; Tanzania; East Africa; Indian Ocean Worlds; Hong Kong; Fugitivity; Black Studies; African Studies; Postcolonial Theory; Ethnography


Fiona McDonald | fiona.mcdonald@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Visual anthropology; anthropology of art; sensory ethnography; material culture; curatorial studies; museum studies; textiles; oral history; contemporary Indigenous art; informal science learning and the environment; anthropocene; water rights; open access and digital publishing; North America & Aotearoa New Zealand.


Silvia Tomášková | silvia.tomaskova@ubc.ca |
Research interests: A feminist anthropologist/archaeologist with field and historical research in Eastern & Central Europe, Siberia, South Africa, Dr. Tomášková is interested in knowledge production, particularly about places and spaces in the deep past, as alternatives to modernity.

Affiliated Faculty

Andrea Craig | andrea.craig@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Using equilibrium models, I analyze households’ residential location and commute mode decisions and simulate the outcomes of proposed policy changes.


Min Hu | min.hu@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Health Economics, Labour Economics, Applied Microeconomics and Econometrics, with a focus on the economics of well-being of vulnerable populations (Immigrants and Indigenous peoples) in Canada, as well as the economics of cancer and social policy-related topics.


John Janmaat | john.janmaat@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Understanding the drivers of human choices that impact on and are impacted by natural systems, and identifying interventions that can move us individually and collectively to a more sustainable relationship with the non-human world. This includes the use of models that integrate biophysical and/or social processes with economic models of behaviour and analyzing data collected through surveys and related approaches.

Affiliated Faculty

Elizabeth Keys | elizabeth.keys@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Pediatric sleep; Parent-child interactions; Infant and parental mental health; eHealth and precision health; Community engagement; Community and public health nursing; Mixed methods; Knowledge synthesis; Integrated knowledge translation and implementation science.


Laura Meek | laura.meek@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Pharmaceuticals; Counterfeits; Embodiment; Sensoriums; Feminist Science and Technology Studies; Medical Anthropology; Leprosy; Critical Global Health; Ontological Politics; Dreams; Temporality; Tanzania; East Africa; Indian Ocean Worlds; Hong Kong; Fugitivity; Black Studies; African Studies; Postcolonial Theory; Ethnography


Charlene Esteban Ronquillo | charlene.ronquillo@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Health informatics; nursing; health equity; digital health equity, artificial intelligence, implementation science.


Marie Tarrant | marie.tarrant@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Maternal and child health, specifically breastfeeding and maternal vaccinations; interventions to improve maternal and child health outcomes; the effect of breastfeeding on postpartum glycemic control in women diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

Affiliated Faculty

Catherine Higgs | catherine.higgs@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Social activism; labor history; political history; religious history; women’s history; World history, European colonialism, economic history, Africa, Southern and South Africa, West Africa.


Sajjad Nejatie l sajjad.nejatie@ubc.ca
Research interests: Islam in Asia; The Persianate World; Historiography; Narrative Theory; Migration; Tribalism; Ethnic Identity; Empire and State Formation and Nationalism.

Affiliated Faculty

Sakiru Adebayo | sakiru.adebayo@ubc.ca |
Research interests: African and African Diaspora Literature, Postcolonial Studies, Trauma and Memory Studies.


Suzanne Gott | suzanne.gott@ubc.ca |
Research interests: African art and visual culture; African women and popular culture; African museums and tangible/intangible cultural heritage.


Monica Good  | monica.good@ubc.ca |

Research interests: Spanish Culture and Literature; Indigenous literature; Indigenous language reclamation and revitalization (specifically for the case of Mexico); Indigenous peoples rights to court interpretation (Case of Oaxaca).


Allison Hargreaves | allison.hargreaves@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Indigenous literature and theory; Indigenous feminisms; settler studies; Indigenous writing in Canada; postcolonial and decolonization studies; feminist and queer theory; reconciliation; social activism.


David Jefferess | david.jefferess@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Postcolonial Theory/Decolonization; Humanitarian/Development Discourses; Heritage and Commemoration Practices; Settler Studies.


Sean Lawrence | sean.lawrence@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Reproductive technologies and politics, especially reproductive futurism; biopolitics; sexuality studies; science and technology studies; feminist new materialism and post-humanism; cultural studies; literature and film.


Virginie Magnat | virginie.magnat@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Performance Studies; Culture, Creativity and Health & Well-Being; Cultural Anthropology; Qualitative Research; Arts-Based Inquiry; Indigenous Epistemologies and Methodologies.


Nikhita Obeegadoo | nikhita.obeegadoo@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Oceanic and Archipelagic Studies; Indian Ocean and Caribbean Studies; Critical Race Studies Gender Studies; Contemporary literatures from the Global South, including Africa, South Asia and Latin America; Border Theory and Creolization; Theorising the relationship between History and Literature; Environmental Humanities; Medical Humanities. Research Languages: French, Spanish, English, Hindi, Mauritian Creole.


Kyong Yoon | kyong.yoon@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Digital media; audience studies; East Asian popular culture; cultural industries; youth culture.

Affiliated Faculty

Manfred Elfstrom | manfred.elfstrom@ubc.ca |
Research Interests: Chinese politics; social movements; labor; authoritarianism. *Not accepting graduate students in the 2023-24 academic year


Brad Epperly | brad.epperly@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Rule of law; law and politics; democracy and authoritarianism; postcommunist politics.


Thomas Heilke | thomas.heilke@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Political philosophy and theory; classical political thought; modern political thought; political theology; religion and politics; political ideologies; and, international relations in political philosophy. Thomas Heilke has published on a variety of topics and is currently writing a book on the role(s) of religious beliefs, communities, and organizations in international relations.


Maxime Heroux-Legault | maxime.heroux-legault@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Canadian Politics, Research Methods, Election studies.


Adam Jones | adam.jones@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Genocide and structural violence; crimes against humanity; gender and violence; gender and international political economy; research impacts, human rights policymaking and social activism; gender and development policies, humanitarian intervention and peacebuilding; international law. *Not accepting graduate students in the 2023-24 academic year


James Rochlin | james.rochlin@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Latin American security and political economy, Critical Security Studies, and Global Politics Theory.


Wendy Wong | w.wong@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Wendy H. Wong studies global governance.  She is particularly attentive to how non-state actors (e.g. nongovernmental organizations, civil society actors, social movements, corporations) govern at the global and domestic levels.  Her areas of interest are emerging technologies like AI, Big Data, human rights, and humanitarian assistance.  Dr. Wong has written two award-winning books, penned dozens of peer-reviewed articles and chapters, and has contributed to outlets such as The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, and The Conversation.  She has been awarded grants from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada and Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, among other granting agencies.


Helen Yanacopulos | helen.yanacopulos@ubc.ca |
Research interests: International Development; collective action and strategy of transnational networks; civil society and NGOs; political communication; international norms; anti-slavery; conflict and development.

Affiliated Faculty

Andrew Irvine | andrew.irvine@ubc.ca |
Research interests: Philosophy of logic; philosophy of mathematics; philosophy of law.


Holger Andreas| holger.andreas@ubc.ca |
Research interests: interrelating philosophical logic with epistemology, metaphysics, and philosophy of science; novel results in philosophy of mind and cognitive science have emerged from it as well.


Madeleine Ransom | madeleine.ransom@ubc.ca |
Research interests: I work on understanding human perceptual learning, with a focus on how this process can contribute to gender and racial bias. I am also interested in how human bias relates to bias in machine learning, and how best to address the ethical issues that arise from bias.

Affiliated Faculty

John Graham | john.graham@ubc.ca |
Research interests: International development (with a particular focus on Bedouin-Arab communities in the Middle East); social policy; diversity and social work; spirituality and social work; multicultural social work; homelessness; employee well being; subjective well being (happiness) in and out of the workplace.

Students & Thesis

Meet Our Students

Global Studies theme students have provided profiles for you to discover more about them and their research.

Felix Amoh-Siaw

PhD Student 

Felix Amoh-Siaw is an enthusiastic and pragmatic young man who hails from Southern Ghana, West Africa. He holds a BA Degree in Political Science and an MA in International Relations from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Shanghai University, respectively.  Coming from Africa, Felix is very particular about the incessant negative connotation of the continent in international media and dares to make a difference through every necessary means. This reason underlies his decision to pursue a PhD in Global Studies. He believes he can draw synergies from his experience and knowledge of the multidimensionality of the program to attempt to address some of the most pressing developmental challenges that Africa is confronted with. With this in mind, his current research project focuses on Armed Conflict, Mass Atrocity Crimes, the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 16 in Africa.


Eric d. de roulet

PhD Student 

Eric is currently investigating the impact of governance issues, political stability, and changing international relations on the life courses of skilled migrants from mainland China and Taiwan to North America, including the incidence of, and reasons for, return migration within this population.  His academic background is mainly in Sociology and Sociolinguistics, and he developed his interest in this research topic through his work experience teaching English as a second language, first in the U.S. and then for two years in northeast China. In the summer of 2019, he also conducted fieldwork with ACMS (American Center for Mongolian Studies) in rural and urban Mongolia, where he met several current and former international students who were torn between their love of their country and their desire to pursue upward social mobility abroad.


karyann dorn

MA Student 

Karyann Dorn is a Registered Pharmacy Technician who works in outreach pharmacy practice. Her recent experiences contributed to ASIS (Assisted Self Isolation Shelter) for vulnerable people who have COVID and do not have shelter for self-isolation. Pathways to Housing assisting people in returning to community settings after a period of homelessness. Camp Team, a labour of love project that connects patients living on the street who are palliative to medical support.  She graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a BA in Anthropology. She is passionate about global policies on harm reduction for displaced and vulnerable populations. Her research interest includes global models for housing, medication, education and human rights.


Segun fatudimu

PhD Student 

An international development expert with over nine years of experience working on youth development, social entrepreneurship, healthcare, and education projects in West Africa. Segun founded sozonetworks.com and impacttoolbox.org and has received several local and international recognition including U.S. Department of States’ 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow, Associate Fellow of the United Kingdom Royal Commonwealth Society, and one of African Youths Award Top 5 Leaders of the year 2018. Segun also received special recognition from the U.S Consular General to Nigeria-John F. Bray in 2018 and was the 2019 Obama Foundation Scholar and Clinton Global Initiative Scholar. He is the Winner of the 10th John Edwardson Social New Venture Challenge organized by Chicago Booth Business School and Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation. Segun’s research focuses on comparative trends and advances in social sector management in North America and Sub Saharan Africa.


Sandamali Kanchana Jayakody

MA Student

From 2017 to 2021, Sandamali Kanchana was an undergraduate at the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka and earned a First Class Honours Bachelor of Arts Specialized in International Relations. Sandamali completed her internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sri Lanka and worked as an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of International Relations, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 2021 to 2023. Sandamali is a volunteer-driven individual who wants to work in multi-communal environments to positively impact society. Her research interests include global civil society, non-state actors, environmental governance, and human security.


Mohammad morad hossain khan

MA Student

Morad has recently completed his BA in International Relations at UBC Okanagan. His first undergraduate degree was in History from the University of Dhaka in 2004. Morad completed a Master of Arts in Asian Studies at Aarhus University in Denmark in 2017, a Master of Science in Global Studies at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden in 2014, and a Master of Arts in History from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2005. Morad taught at various institutions, such as North South University, University of Liberal Arts of Bangladesh, Northern University Bangladesh, and BRAC University in Bangladesh as an Assistant Professor and Lecturer between 2005 and 2018. He has received various grants, scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, and awards from Sweden, Denmark, and Canada. Morad’s research interests include Canada’s Arctic affairs, current world order under the US, and China’s recent Arctic policy. Morad’s MA research is especially supported by SSHRC and MINDS, among others.


Samira Kheirdariyar

MA Student

Samira, from Iran, graduated from Tehran University of Medical Sciences with a Bachelor of Science degree in Midwifery. After graduation, she visited patients in a private office and worked at MOM Fertility and Infertility Center as a midwife consultant and marketer for one and a half years.

Currently, Samira is a graduate student in the Global Studies theme, focusing on global health.

Samira’s research, under the supervision of Dr. Elizabeth Keys, focuses on infants’ sleep problems and its effects on parents’ lives. This project is called “Better nights, better days,” which helps parents and infants to have normal sleep and interaction. Samira believes that every parent should have a healthy lifestyle and sleep even after having a child.


Brian murphy

MA Student

Brian is an Irish citizen, has lived in the UK, and is now a proud permanent resident of Canada. Brian previously worked in the IT industry before pursuing academia, and now holds a BA, double major in English and Philosophy from UBCO, graduating in 2020. His research straddles the nexus of the philosophy of language; the philosophy of history; and political philosophy, theory, and ideology; with a particular focus on the way in which language can be coded to mediate, sublimate, or merely hide any political or social intent, from propagandistic to progressive, and how historical examples of this type of multi-meaning language is rampant in the fraught landscape of contemporary political ideology and social discourse. Encompassed in this project, is the examination of the degree to which speech, as understood in both free speech and hate speech, is related to the described type of coded language, and whether or not any meaningful and usefully unmediated understanding can be produced.


F M Tunvir Shahriar

MA Student

With an academic background in interdisciplinary social science, Tunvir focuses his ethnographic and mixed-method research on the intersection of politics, religion, and crime. He is particularly interested in studying the sociopolitical and religiocultural dynamics of South Asia and the Middle East. He obtained his bachelor’s and master’s in Peace and Conflict Studies, a Postgraduate Diploma in Genocide Studies, and an MPhil in Criminology from the University of Dhaka with outstanding educational attainments. An Assistant Professor now, he has been working as a permanent faculty member at the University of Dhaka for about ten years and also has previous professional experience as a desk and field researcher at Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies and Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies.


shorif sonia

MA Student

Sonia is passionate about digital diplomacy and advocacy, and her research is looking into the role of internet and connectivity on the global governance of “forcibly displaced people” which includes refugees, internally displaced, and asylum seekers. She completed her undergraduate degree with a major in Asian Studies with double minors in Development Studies and Gender Studies. Before starting her master’s at UBC, she was working with the United Nations World Food Programme as a Reports and Communications Officer, for the Rohingya refugee response under the highest level of emergency. She possesses diverse professional expertise, previously working with radio, newspapers, NGO, INGO, and corporations such as Radio Foorti, Médecins Sans Frontières, Chemists without Borders, Marriott International, VF Corporation, etc. For her academic and professional achievements, She has received PEO International Peace Scholarship 2020-21 and IKEA Scholarship for Academic Excellence 2013-2017.


rene roger tissot

PhD Student 

Research Interests: governance of extractive commodities and political settlement; artisanal mining in the global south. Professional experience: Local content in the energy sector; energy and regulatory economics; political risk analysis. Organizations: King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (Kapsarc, Saudi Arabia), PFC Energy (Washington DC), Encana, Canadian Energy Research Institute (CERI, Calgary).
Education: MA Economics, Universite Laval; MBA Calgary University; Current affiliation: Energy Fellow Institute of the Americas, La Jolla, California.


cassie van camp

MA Student 

Cassie Van Camp (she/her) is a master’s student in the Global Studies theme with undergraduate degrees in both Global Studies through the University of Saskatchewan and Social Work through the University of Regina. Fueled by her passions for social justice, human rights and gender equality, Cassie has extensive frontline and research experience working with survivors of gendered sexual violence and sexual exploitation both domestically and internationally. She has researched numerous topics addressing sexual trauma, such as federal and international policies and laws on prostitution and the benefits of decriminalization, the increase of sexual exploitation through the use of media and technology and the involvement of law enforcement in the exploitation of Indigenous girls and women in Canada. Her research proposal is currently focused on the correlation between government, law enforcement and the exploitation of underage girls in Latin America.

To examine the work of previous UBC Okanagan graduate students, search on cIRcle, the University’s digital repository for research and teaching materials.

As a domain of scholarship, creative activity, and teaching, Global Studies is wide-ranging and interdisciplinary in nature. Global Studies encourages graduate students to become well-rounded scholars, educators, and public intellectuals. During their degree, students will have the opportunity to conduct original research, learn to become effective educators, and work as Teaching Assistants, as well as acquire knowledge in the professional practices of writing for publication, academic CV development, grant writing, networking, and community-engaged research skills.

Career Possibilities

Students graduating from the program will gain the analytical skills required for employment in non-governmental organizations, as well as the private and public sectors. For those pursuing an academic career, the Global Studies program will provide students with the conceptual, methodological, and research skills required to advance to the PhD or Post-Doctorate level. The program will be geared to a student’s endeavor toward future employment or education.

Admission Requirements

Admission to UBC graduate programs is competitive. Applicants must meet the following criteria.

MASTER OF ARTS (MA) APPLICANTS 

Applicants to the master’s program are expected to hold:

  • the academic equivalent of a four-year bachelor’s degree from UBC, with a B+ (76%) average or better in their third- or fourth-year classes, or
  • at least 12 credits in third- and fourth-year classes in their intended field of study, with an A (80%) or better average.

Applicant background training must be sufficient for advanced work in their chosen field.


DOCTORAL (PHD) APPLICANTS 

PhD applicants will normally have a master’s degree in a related field, with a B+ (76%) average or better, and clear evidence of research ability or potential. Applicant background training must be sufficient for advanced work in their chosen field.


MORE INFORMATION

Visit the UBC Okanagan Academic Calendar* for full admission and program requirements information. The calendar is a comprehensive guide to all programs, courses, services, and academic policies at the University of British Columbia.

* In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct. 

MASTER OF ARTS (MA) APPLICANTS 

Applicants to the master’s program are expected to:

  • hold the academic equivalent of a four-year bachelor’s degree from UBC
  • demonstrate superior academic standing

Applicant background training must be sufficient for advanced work in their chosen field.

Applicants from a university outside Canada at which English is not the primary language of instruction must present evidence of competency to pursue studies in the English language prior to being extended an offer of admission. Acceptable English language proficiency tests for applicants to graduate studies are listed in the Academic Calendar.


DOCTORAL (PHD) APPLICANTS 

PhD applicants are expected to hold the academic equivalent of a two-year master’s degree from UBC in a related field and to demonstrate superior academic standing. Applicant background training must be sufficient for advanced work in their chosen field.

Applicants from a university outside Canada at which English is not the primary language of instruction must present evidence of competency to pursue studies in the English language prior to being extended an offer of admission. Acceptable English language proficiency tests for applicants to graduate studies are listed in the Academic Calendar.


MORE INFORMATION

Visit the UBC Okanagan Academic Calendar* for full admission and program requirements information. The calendar is a comprehensive guide to all programs, courses, services, and academic policies at the University of British Columbia.

* In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.

Required Grades and Credential Guide

Grades and degree credentials required by UBC vary by country. Search the Required Grades and Credential Guide—a guide to assist international students in estimating their eligibility.

International Advisors

An international student advisor can answer questions about immigration, medical insurance, and the transition to UBC’s Okanagan campus in Kelowna, BC. Visit the Global Engagement Office’s website to meet the team.

Tuition & Funding

Tuition

Tuition amounts presented here are estimates only and all fees are subject to change. For official tuition amounts and fee information, visit the UBC Okanagan Academic Calendar*, a comprehensive guide to all programs, courses, services, and academic policies at the University of British Columbia.

Program Schedule Domestic (per year) International (per year)
MSc/MA Full-time $5,407.56 $9,500.19
PhD Full-time $5,407.56 $9,500.19

Tuition is paid three times a year at the beginning of each term, as per the Academic Calendar: Winter Term 1, Winter Term 2, and Summer Term.

* In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct. 

Funding Opportunities

Graduate student stipends are funded through a combination of internal and external funding awards, Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships.

Although funding and stipend amounts are not guaranteed, UBC’s Okanagan campus has a number of assistantships available for qualified students. Talk to your potential supervisor about funding opportunities.

Students are expected whenever possible to apply for relevant scholarships and fellowships.

Teaching Assistantships (TA)

Paid TA positions allow graduate students to develop skills in teaching, supervision, facilitation and student assessment. Teaching assistants may lead seminars, help teach undergraduate courses, or assist in student evaluations and marking. Teaching assistants are mentored by their supervisor and via the Centre for Teaching and Learning.

Research Assistantships (RA)

As paid research assistants, graduate students assist their supervisor or other researchers in conducting high-level research, which often contributes to the student’s thesis. RAs are typically funded by the supervisor’s external grants, contracts and, sometimes, other sources of funding.

UBC Awards

The College of Graduate Studies administers merit-based graduate awards at the Okanagan campus. The College manages a number of award competitions each year and administers payment of all internal awards and selected external awards.

External Awards

All prospective graduate students (Domestic and International) should explore and apply for external awards and fellowships, including awards offered by Canada’s three research councils: CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC.

Graduate scholarships and awards may also be available from foundations, private companies or foreign governments (check with your country’s education authority).

How to Apply

Find a Supervisor

Completed applications to the IGS program must include the name of at least one proposed supervisor. You may wish to contact prospective supervisors before starting an application.

A complete application package will contain:

  • Online application and application fee
  • Official transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended
  • Statement of Intent
  • English language test (for non-native speakers of English)
  • CV or resumé
  • Two reference forms or letters

Applying takes time. Students are advised to start the application process two months in advance of the application deadline.

For full consideration, students should submit all application materials by the following deadlines:

Intake Application Deadline
Domestic applicants
September January 15
International applicants
September January 15

In some circumstances, at the request of a theme coordinator, the Dean or Dean designate in CoGS may approve an off-cycle admission for a student who would be significantly disadvantaged by having to begin their studies in September.

UBC's Okanagan Campus

The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the 40 best universities in the world. At UBC’s Okanagan campus, you gain all the benefits of attending a globally respected university while studying in a close-knit learning community.

DYNAMIC CITY

UBC’s Okanagan campus borders the dynamic city of Kelowna, a hub of economic development with a population of about 150,000 people—the fourth fastest growing population in Canada. In fact, the Okanagan Valley is rated one of the best communities in Canada to grow your business.

More than 160 buses travel daily from campus to key locations such as Kelowna’s cultural district and thriving downtown waterfront. The campus is two minutes from the Kelowna International Airport, one of the top 10 busiest airports in Canada.

UBC Okanagan is situated within the First Nations territory of the Okanagan Nation, whose spirit of stewardship for the land is reflected in the university’s respect for sustainability.

NATURAL BEAUTY

A diverse natural region with sandy beaches, beautiful farms, vineyards and orchards, and snow-capped mountains, the Okanagan Valley features sweeping stretches of lakeside and endless mountain trails for biking and hiking.

Check out this 360-degree video: Kelowna From Above (best viewed using desktop Chrome or Firefox or YouTube’s mobile app).

CAMPUS HOUSING

Full-time UBC Okanagan students can live in residence, which offers modern living with easy access to academic and personal support. Residences are surrounded by hiking and biking trails, plus panoramic views of the campus and valley.

OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

* UBC does not verify or endorse information shared on this third-party website, which is offered here as a public resource only.

College of Graduate Studies: CoGS offers orientation events to support you in your first steps as a graduate student at UBC’s Okanagan campus.

Stay active: Take advantage of the many opportunities to get involved and play—from workout space in the new Hangar Fitness and Wellness Centre and our 1,561 square-metre gymnasium, to athletic courts, intramurals, fitness classes, and nationally ranked varsity athletics. Have a ball in Sports and Recreation.

Relax: The Graduate Collegium is a gathering place where grad students can hang out, eat lunch, spend time with their fellow students, and attend or host special events. The lounge-style room is open seven days and week and is outfitted with comfortable furniture, kitchen facilities, and individual and group-work spaces.

College of Graduate Studies: Your hub for administrative support and such things as graduate workshops for professional development and for assisting you from the admissions process through to your graduation.

Centre for Scholarly Communication: Supports graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, staff, and faculty in disseminating their research. The Library’s CSC provides one-on-one consultations and workshops, including writing support for theses, dissertations, journal articles, and grant proposals.

Centre for Teaching and Learning: Provides support related to teaching, TA training, and use of technology in educational programming.