MA in Educational Studies

General Eligibility

To be eligible for admission to a master’s degree program at UBC, applicants must hold a four-year bachelor’s degree (apart from applicants from Quebec) with a minimum overall average in the B+ range (at UBC 76%) in third- and fourth-year courses prescribed by the Department concerned as prerequisite to the master’s program.

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies - Minimum Academic Requirements: Canadian or U.S. Credentials
http://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/application-admission/minimum-academic-requirements-canadian-or-us-credentials

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies - Minimum Academic Requirements: International Credentials
http://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/application-admission/minimum-academic-requirements-international-credentials

English Requirements

English Proficiency Test Score: Applicants whose degrees are from a university outside Canada in 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:

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): Minimum score of 600 (paper version), 250 (computer version), 92 with a minimum of 22 in each component (iTB) is required for admission to all programs in Educational Studies. Visit TOEFL’s website
• IELTS (International English Language Testing Service): Minimum overall band score of 6.5 with no other component score less than 6.0.
• MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery): Minimum overall score of 81.

Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application. The official test score must be sent directly from the test centre to Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at UBC. Please follow the instructions on score submission on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/application-admission/english-language-test.

EDST provides scholarship funding to outstanding full-time MA applicants. Students who apply to the EDST MA are automatically considered for scholarship funding. Funding is limited and distributed on a competitive basis.

Required Educational Studies MA courses

• • EDST 571 Educational Research: Relating Questions, Theory and Methodology is a required course in Winter Term 2 (3 credits).
  • EDST 572 Research, Writing, and Representation (3 credits) is a second required course. To accommodate both full- and part-time students, required MA courses are normally offered in evening time slots or on weekends.

Required Courses in each MA Concentration

Adult Learning and Education (ALE)
EDST 503  Foundations of Adult Learning and Education
EDST 514  Adult Education Program Planning Theory
EDST 518  Theory and Research on Adult Learning

Educational Administration and Leadership (EDAL)
EDST 532  Leadership in Educational Organizations
EDST 581  Leadership, Administration, and the Aims of Education
EDST 582  The Study of Educational Organizations

Higher Education (HIED)
EDST 521  Foundations of Higher Education
EDST 511  Organization and Administration of Higher Education
EDST 536  Higher Education Systems in Canada

Society, Culture and Politics in Education (SCPE) 
EDST 577    The Social Context of Educational Policy (Social Contexts of Educational Policy and Politics)
EDST 509    Constructing Citizens: Canada and the Educational Past
EDST 597    Educational Theories (Educational Theories: Equality, Democracy, and Justice)

Independent or General Option
This option is planned in conjunction with one’s research supervisor. In total, 12 credits of coursework are required.

The MA thesis is an original document which the student has intensively studied a problem, a set of circumstances, or analyzed a particular concept or set of ideas. Students develop research proposals that must be approved by a research supervisory committee. Research supervisory committees usually consist of a research supervisor and one committee member.  Research supervisory committees provide program advice, assist students to develop a research proposal, read and critique drafts of the thesis, and help ensure that the thesis is ready for defense.

Evaluation of the thesis is based on a range of considerations. The research committee works with the student to develop a strong, defensible thesis. The EDST MA requires a public defense. The defense will include the assessment provided by an external examiner. The length of the thesis is usually 80 to 100 pages in total.

Applications should be submitted online at www.grad.ubc.ca/apply/online. All of the following components of an application must be received by the department’s Graduate Program Assistant before the file can be reviewed by the appropriate admissions committee.

1. 1. Online UBC application form. When you submit an online application at www.grad.ubc.ca/apply/online, the completed form is automatically forwarded to the Graduate Program Assistant. Non-refundable processing fee payable to UBC. See the cover of the official UBC application form for the exact amount.
   2. Upload digital copies (.pdfs) of official transcripts. See Digital Copies of Official Transcripts tab for details.
   3. Three references – The purpose of the references is to give as complete an idea as possible of your relevant background and capacity to complete the degree. Two of the references should be from a course instructor or other person able to assess your academic ability. Other suitable referees include a supervisor, president, academic dean, or another person to whom you are, or have been, accountable in employment or as a volunteer. The reference letters must be in English. If the original letter is in another language, the letter must be accompanied by a certified English translation. There are three possible formats for references:
      • Electronic references: In the online application system, applicants are asked to provide an email address for each referee. Once the online application has been submitted, a unique link will be emailed to each referee, allowing them to log in to a secure site and submit an online reference or upload a reference document as an attachment.
      • Letters of reference: Your referee may wish to send a paper letter. Paper letters of reference should be on referee’s official letterhead and signed. It must be mailed directly by the referee to the EDST Program Office to the following address in a sealed and endorsed envelope.

        EDST Program Assistant

        Department of Educational Studies, Faculty of Education

        Ponderosa Commons North (Oak House)
        2005 - 6445 University Boulevard
        Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
        V6T 1Z2

      • Reference forms: UBC provides a general reference form. Your referee may fill out this form and mail it directly to the EDST Program Office in a sealed and endorsed envelope.

      Notes:

      1. 1. 1. All references must be sent by referees directly. Reference letters or forms submitted by the applicant will not be accepted.
            2. The application system and department are unable to accept referee emails from Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, MSN or other free email accounts.
            3. By “sealed, endorsed envelope” we mean that the envelope needs to be sealed and that the signature of the referee be placed over the seal (i.e., partially on the flap and partially on the rest of the envelope).
   4. Statement of intent. You need to describe in one to two pages your specific interests in pursuing a graduate degree and precisely why you are applying to the Department of Educational Studies and to the program or concentration you have selected. This statement should highlight the following:
      • your background and experience
      • description of your research topic or area of enquiry
      • the association of the proposed research with research undertaken in EDST
      • name(s) of faculty member(s) with whom the applicant has contact and/or may be suitable as research supervisor
   5. Writing Sample. - You must provide a writing sample that will serve as evidence of your potential to write at the graduate level in EDST. Normally, the writing sample is 10 to 20 pages in length (e.g., course paper).

Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you wish to have submissions returned.

After submitting your application, it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all supporting materials are submitted by the application deadline. The Admissions Committee will only review completed applications. You can check the status of your application and supporting materials through the online application system.

Applicants from outside Canada should be aware of additional requirements that may apply. Please read the following to determine which of these requirements may apply to you.

International Credentials Equivalency

Please see the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website:
http://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/application-admission/minimum-academic-requirements-international-credentials

International Transcripts and Translation Requirements

See International Transcripts and Translation Requirements tab for details

Entering Canada

To enter Canada, a “Student Authorization” (Student Visa) is required. Apply as soon as possible to the nearest Canadian Consular or Immigration Office since it may take 8–10 weeks for processing. For applicants applying from the People’s Republic of China it may take 3–6 months. Applying for a Student Authorization requires a UBC letter of admission/acceptance; a valid passport; and evidence of adequate funds for tuition, maintenance of the student and, if married, the student’s spouse and children, plus travel funds to and from Canada. Please consult the Immigration Canada website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp.

If the application for a visa is approved, the UBC letter of admission/acceptance will be returned to the student and must be retained for presentation to the Immigration Officer at the Canadian point of entry.

Canadian Transcripts

UBC has changed its application document requirements.

If you are applying to begin study in 2016 or beyond, you will normally scan and upload digital copies (.pdfs) of official required documents in the application system. These are considered "unofficial documents". These uploaded copies of your official documents will be used for initial evaluation of the applicant.

Conditional admission offers may be made based on documents uploaded to the application system. However, admission offers will not be finalized and applicants will not be allowed to register in a graduate program until one set of all required official academic records are received and validated by the University.

UPLOADING UNOFFICIAL COPIES OF TRANSCRIPTS IN THE APPLICATION SYSTEM

Applicants with Canadian transcripts (other than UBC) must obtain an official paper transcript for every post-secondary institution they have attended.  UBC transcripts are not required.

Each transcript should be scanned as an individual .pdf file and then uploaded to the application system as indicated. They should be named: "Applicant Full Name-Document Description.extension"

Examples:

Kelly Smith-University of Waterloo Transcript.pdf
Kelly Smith-CV.pdf
Kelly Smith-Journal of Neurosciences Paper.pdf

Transcripts must be scanned front and back. All pages of one transcript, front and back, should be uploaded as a single file (rather than a separate file for each page).

OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS

To be considered official, academic records must either be received in official university envelopes, sealed and endorsed by the issuing institution, or be sent via secure electronic delivery by the issuing institution.

If you have been offered admission conditional upon receipt of official documentation, you must provide UBC with one set of official transcripts for every postsecondary institution you have attended for the equivalent of one year or more of full-time study. UBC reserves the right to also require any individual applicant to provide official transcripts for study of less than one year duration. Do not send official transcripts before receiving an offer of admission unless you have received special instructions from the graduate program to which you have applied.

Documents being provided to meet conditions of admission should be sent directly to:

Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies
University of British Columbia
6371 Crescent Rd
Vancouver, BC CANADA  V6T 1Z2

CURRENT AND FORMER UBC STUDENTS

You do not need to submit UBC transcripts as part of your graduate application, as this data is already available through the student database system. However, be aware that you are still responsible for submitting transcripts from all other post-secondary institutions that you have attended (e.g., exchange year, transfer year, etc.).

International Transcripts and Translations

UBC has changed its application document requirements.

If you are applying to begin study in 2016 or beyond, you will normally scan and upload digital copies (.pdfs) of official required documents in the application system. These are considered "unofficial documents". These uploaded copies of your official documents will be used for initial evaluation of the applicant.

Conditional admission offers may be made based on documents uploaded to the application system. However, admission offers will not be finalized and applicants will not be allowed to register in a graduate program until one set of all required official academic records are received and validated by the University.

UPLOADING UNOFFICIAL COPIES OF REQUIRED DOCUMENTS IN THE APPLICATION SYSTEM

Applicants with transcripts from non-Canadian post-secondary institutions must obtain an official paper transcript for every post-secondary institution they have attended.

Each transcripts should be scanned as an individual .pdf file and then uploaded to the application system as indicated. Otherwise, they should be named: "Applicant Full Name-Document Description.extension"

Examples:

Peng Zhang-Peking University Transcript.pdf
Peng Zhang-Peking University Transcript English Translation.pdf
Peng Zhang-CV.pdf
Peng Zhang-Journal of Neurosciences Paper.pdf

Transcripts must be scanned front and back. All pages of one transcript, front and back, should be uploaded as a single file (rather than a separate file for each page).

If you have transcripts that are issued in a language other than English, then in addition to uploading digital copies of the documents in their original language, you must also upload a certified literal English translation of your transcripts from your home university's translation service or certified English translator.

Please consult the document scanning and uploading instructions provided within the online application for detailed instructions.

OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS

To be considered official, academic records must either be received in official university envelopes, sealed and endorsed by the issuing institution, or be sent via secure electronic delivery by the issuing institution.

After being offered admission: If you have been offered admission conditional upon receipt of official documentation, you must provide UBC with one set of official transcripts for every postsecondary institution you have attended for the equivalent of one year or more of full-time study. UBC reserves the right to also require any individual applicant to provide official transcripts for study of less than one year duration.

If an official transcript does not indicate the degree name and the degree conferral date, then an official copy of the degree certificate must also be submitted

If your university issues only one original copy of transcripts/degree certificates:

Make photocopies of your original academic records and send them to your home university. Ask your home university to:

• verify that the photocopies are consistent with their records.
• attest that the copies are true photocopies and stamp them with an official university stamp.
• put the attested, stamped photocopies in sealed envelopes endorsed by the Registrar.
• mail the sealed, endorsed envelopes directly to Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.

If your transcripts are issued in a language other than English:

• arrange to have a set of all official transcripts issued in their original language.
• obtain a certified literal English translation of your transcripts from your home university's translation service.
• send both the original transcripts and the literal English translation to UBC Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.

If your home university does not provide English translations of transcripts:

• make a photocopy of your copy of your transcripts. Do not open a sealed, endorsed envelope containing transcripts intended for submission to your program.
• take the copy to a certified English translator and ask them to provide a complete, word-by-word, literal English translation.
• tell the translator to put both the original language photocopy and the English translation into a sealed envelope, and endorse the envelope by signing across the seal.
• send the sealed, endorsed envelopes from the translator to UBC Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.
• send your original transcripts in the original language to UBC Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.

Note: Academic records must be translated in their entirety, including any information that appears on the reverse side of any document.

UBC does not accept the following:

• photocopies that have not been stamped, attested and endorsed by the Registrar at your home university
• documents in envelopes that have been opened
• documents that do not arrive in sealed envelopes endorsed by the issuing institution or certified translator
• documents that arrive without the official seal of the university
• photocopies notarized by a notary public
• photocopies endorsed by a lawyer, professor, judge etc.
• unofficial translations
• non-literal translations

Do not send academic records that are not in sealed and endorsed envelopes. It will only delay the processing of your application.

Documents being provided to meet conditions of admission  should be sent directly to:

Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies
University of British Columbia
6371 Crescent Rd
Vancouver, BC CANADA  V6T 1Z2

Note that fees are subject to change by the University.

Tuition for EDST MA Graduate Programs

Tuition fees for Research MA Programs are found on the UBC Calendar website .

Deadlines for applications

Deadlines for the EDST MA program can be found on the EDST website.