Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)

Overview

The Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program (ISGP) at the University of British Columbia was established in 1971, the first of its kind in Canada. It is one of the only Canadian programs to offer doctoral degrees in interdisciplinary studies, and is possibly one of the largest of its kind in North America.

The main purpose of the ISGP is to enable qualified graduate students to pursue advanced interdisciplinary research exceeding the provisions of existing departmental programs. There are no restrictions regarding the topic and in many cases the student draws upon expertise from several distinct faculties. The prospective student has to bring together three or four qualified faculty from different departments or units. Because there are no constraints on which fields are brought together, there are virtually no two students in the same sub-field. The ISGP is designed only for a highly motivated and superb student who can steer an independent course.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

$40,000

Minimum funding per year^*

Enrolled students

Offers

7.7

Average years to completion

What makes the program unique?

ISGP gives you the opportunity to:

pursue interdisciplinary research that is individually designed by the student
select courses and research supervisors from every department at UBC
participate in interdisciplinary lectures, workshops and seminars
apply for funding for exceptional students

The UBC Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program affords me the latitude to explore complex systems questions that span both the sciences and the arts.

A. Saskia Wolsak

Quick Facts

Faculty Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Academic Unit Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program

Specialization Interdisciplinary Studies

Mode of delivery In person at UBC Vancouver

Program Components Dissertation

Tuition (First Year) Domestic: 5,738.52 | International: 10,081.65

Minimum Funding All full-time PhD students receive $40,000 or more funding in each of the first four years.

Meet a Representative

Applying to grad school at UBC

Wednesday, 22 July 2026 10:00 – 11:00 am

Start your journey to graduate studies at UBC with confidence! Join us for an informative session where we will demystify the intricacies of the application process and equip you with the tools to enhance your application.

This session will cover:

Overview of the application process
Online application - what to expect
Understanding admissions requirements
Crafting a compelling statement of interest
Finding the right supervisor
Effective supervisor outreach
References - what we look for and who you should ask
Application dos and don’ts

Who is this webinar for?

This webinar is tailored for individuals who are gearing up to apply to graduate school, offering invaluable insights and practical advice to elevate your application strategy. Whether you're a prospective UBC graduate student or have started the application process, this session is designed to empower you with the knowledge and insights needed for a successful application.

Join us as we demystify the path to graduate school at UBC and set you on the road to academic success!

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

Fees	Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat	International
Application Fee	$118.50	$168.25
Tuition *
Installments per year	3	3
Tuition per installment	$1,912.84	$3,360.55
Tuition per year (plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%)	$5,738.52	$10,081.65
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (for eligible individuals)		$3,200.00 (-)
Other Fees and Costs
Student Fees (yearly)	$1,169.35 (approx.)
Costs of living	Estimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies.

* Regular, full-time tuition. For on-leave, extension, continuing or part time (if applicable) fees see UBC Calendar.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

All full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $40,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD from September 2026. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Funding Statistics

Please note that effective September 2026, UBC’s guaranteed funding for full-time PhD students in years 1-4 was raised significantly, to a minimum of $40,000 per year. These historical statistics do not account for this change, i.e., the funding landscape for incoming students is not necessarily comparable to the historical values.

Based on the criteria outlined below, 34 students within this program were included in this study because they received funding through UBC in the form of teaching, research, academic assistantships or internal or external awards with a mean of $35,322 and a median of $37,656.

This results in a net balance (any funding provided to the student minus tuition and fees) mean of $28,084 and median of $29,951.

8 students received Teaching Assistantships. Median TA funding based on 8 students was $4,927.
12 students received Research Assistantships. Median RA funding based on 12 students was $22,817.
8 students received Academic Assistantships. Median AA funding based on 8 students was $6,703.
32 students received internal awards. Median internal award funding based on 32 students was $4,610.
14 students received external awards. Median external award funding based on 14 students was $40,000.

Study Period: Sep 2024 to Aug 2025 - funding for full-time PhD students enrolled in three terms per academic year in this program across years 1-4, the period covered by UBC's Minimum Funding Guarantee. Mean and median values might mask variability in sources and amounts of funding received by individual students. Beyond year 4, funding packages become even more individualized.
Review methodology

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union.

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

UBC has working agreements with MPower Financing - an organization providing international students with no-cosigner, no-collateral education loans to study in Canada - and Windmill Microlending - an organization providing loans to skilled immigrants.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 24 hours a week during academic sessions.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
Applications	19	24	25	24	30
Offers	11	9	13	9	9
New Registrations	10	7	11	8	9
Total Enrolment	70	72	73	75	83

Completion Rates and Times

This program has a graduation rate of 60% based on 60 students admitted between 2012 - 2015. Based on 12 graduations between 2021 - 2024 the minimum time to completion is 5.7 years and the maximum time is 10 years with an average of 7.7 years of study. All calculations exclude leave times.

Disclaimer

Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new registrants for each registration year, May to April, e.g. data for 2022 refers to programs starting in 2022 Summer and 2022 Winter session, i.e. May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Data on total enrolment reflects enrolment in Winter Session Term 1 and are based on snapshots taken on November 1 of each registration year. Program completion data are only provided for datasets comprised of more than 4 individuals. Graduation rates exclude students who transfer out of their programs. Rates and times of completion depend on a number of variables (e.g. curriculum requirements, student funding), some of which may have changed in recent years for some programs.

Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.

Year	Citation
2025	Health care works best when it centers patients. Yet, it is challenging to include patients and their loved ones in decision-making for health interventions. Dr. Nichols' research explores how to overcome these challenges by integrating implementation science into Research-based Theatre (RbT) to facilitate meaningful collaboration and real-world solutions.
2025	Dr. Krabbe examined the effectiveness of community autoethnographic workshops in generating resistance against colonial violence among white women Research Assistants. Through communal reflection and art making, participants gained skills to face their complicity and confront whiteness. This research equips RAs to do less harm within their roles.
2025	Working with Indigenous Peoples who use illicit drugs in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Dr. Lavalley co-developed a relational methodology rooted in Cree law. Her work centers experiential knowledge and highlights how IPWUID reimagine the Red Road through acts of care, resistance, and cultural resurgence.
2025	Dr. Colín Moreno studied Baroque’s repressive system in the 20th and 21st century. This will aid to understand Baroque’s modus operandi as a morbid phenomenon within culture, politics, art, religion, and society. His finding contributes to understand Baroque's legacy from a different expanded field.
2025	Dr. Wu’s study demonstrates that trusting relationships accumulate social capital giving access to resources and skills. Actors utilize these resources and skills in social networks to advance knowledge mobilization. Her research broadens the overall understanding of how social factors impact knowledge mobilization for university research projects.
2024	Dr. Fong's research examines the representation of Asian Canadians in museums today. By analyzing the experiences of community leaders, museum staff and visitors, she argues for the importance of community-centered curating in helping museums become more inclusive and welcoming spaces.
2024	Dr. Fleming examined the relationship between overdose vulnerability and low-income housing environments in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. This research provides important insights into the role of safe, secure, and habitable housing in addressing the overdose crisis.
2024	Dr. Ottoni studied the loneliness and social connectedness of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work highlighted the importance of home and neighbourhood places for well-being. She also critically reflected on the novel use of photovoice, administered virtually via zoom, to capture depth and nuances of peoples' lived experiences.
2024	Dr. Timler's Participatory Action Research co-built food justice community with and for paroled women in BC. Findings highlight how qualitative processes, academic privilege and food-based praxis can be leveraged for anti-carceral collectivity. Findings benefit activist researchers, practitioners and criminalized people working to confront inequities.
2024	Dr. Gómez López examines various interactions between Campesinos and the páramo land looking into historical and contemporary struggles in the Sumapaz region. He highlights the vital role of Campesino initiatives in promoting sustainable agricultural and conservation practices, seeking to mitigate the impacts of extractivism and climate change.

Rishika Selvakumar

Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)

Resource allocation within youth mental health systems in BC

Kimberly Rondeau

Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)

The releationship between housing, health status and incarceration in British Columbia.

Ania Landy

Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)

Older people leading community conversations about a new vision of care and social services in a semi-rural community.

Program Website

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Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)

Overview

What makes the program unique?

Quick Facts

Meet a Representative

Applying to grad school at UBC

Wednesday, 22 July 2026 10:00 – 11:00 am

Admission Information & Requirements

Program Instructions

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

English Language Test

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Other Test Scores

2) Meet Deadlines

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts

Letters of reference

Statement of Interest

Supervision

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for this program

Citizenship Verification

4) Apply Online

Research Information

Research Focus

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

Financial Support

Program Funding Packages

Funding Statistics

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Foreign government scholarships

Working while studying

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Cost Estimator

Career Outcomes

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample Employers Outside Higher Education

Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education

PhD Career Outcome Survey

Disclaimer

Career Options

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion Rates and Times

Disclaimer

Research Supervisors

Supervision

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for this program

Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

Sample Thesis Submissions

Doctoral Citations

Related Programs

Same specialization

At the UBC Okanagan Campus

Further Information

Specialization

UBC Calendar

Program Website

Faculty

Academic Unit

Program Identifier

Rishika Selvakumar

Kimberly Rondeau

Ania Landy

Program Enquiries

Supervisor Search

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