A UBC course-based master's degree pays off. Based on survey responses collected in August 2025 from graduates of our course-based master's programs between 2014 and 2023, we found:
- 93% of alumni are employed or self-employed.
- 89% of employed/self-employed alumni are working within Canada.
- Careers span every sector: 32% for-profit, 34% education, 27% government/public service, 6% non-profit/NGO/international — showing just how many directions a course-based degree can take you.
Our course-based programs are built with industry input and include career-focused coursework, projects, and practicums — connecting students directly to employers through recruitment events, alumni networks, and capstone projects.
For example, our Master of Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture students complete an eight-month co-op placement inside a professional firm as part of their degree. In our Master of Physical Therapy students complete five clinical placements across BC's health authorities before they graduate. Our Master of Data Science students complete a capstone project with an industry partner. In the past, teams have worked with organizations like the Insurance Corporation of BC, Boeing Digital Solutions and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. In our Master of Food and Resource Economics students spend their final four months working directly with an industry partner on a real business problem.
These experiences show up in our graduate outcomes. For example, within a year of graduating, 95%+ of Master of Community and Regional Planning students are working in planning-related roles. Many of our Master of Food and Resource Economics students go on to roles within the organizations they worked with in the program such as Farm Credit Canada, AlphaSense, and the Government of Canada. Our Master of Science in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene graduates report full employment within six months, while our Master of Health Administration alumni now number more than 400 leaders working in healthcare around the world. In our Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering, graduates have gone on to organizations like Vancouver Coastal Health and Neovasc, with some launching their own medtech companies.
These are just a handful of examples. Read more about our programs and attend upcoming info sessions to hear more.
