Join UBC's Course-Based Programs Application Week, October 19-23, 2026. Explore our wide range of more than 90 course-based and professional graduate programs, live online. Meet program teams, ask your questions, and find the program that's right for you.

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Why UBC

Our course-based programs span across our faculties, from health and business to engineering, education, and the arts. Backed by UBC's research strength and connections across industry and government, you'll graduate with much more than a credential. You’ll gain a network, real-world experience, and graduate from a program built to take you to the next stage of your life and career.

UBC's Institutional Rankings

#41
THE Ranking (2025)
#53
ARWU Ranking (2025)
#5
QS Sustainability Rankings (2025)

The most established and influential global rankings all consistently place UBC in the top three per cent of universities in the world.

 

Career outcomes and industry connections

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. 

What's the difference? Course-based vs. research-based programs

Not sure whether a course-based or research-based program is the right fit? Watch this short video to learn the difference and figure out which path matches your goals.

Facilities

Facilities

Outside view of the CIRS building

Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability

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View of the Beaty expansion project

Beaty Biodiversity Research Centre

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Outside view of the QMI building

Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute

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Outside view of the Gordon B. Shrum Building

School of Biomedical Engineering

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Rendered view of the Gateway Building

Gateway Building

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Street view of the C.K. Choi building

C.K. Choi Building

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Fields on the UBC Farm

UBC Farm

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Inside view of auditorium in the Chan

Chan Centre

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Outside view of the MSL building

Michael Smith Laboratories

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View of great hall in the MoA

Museum of Anthropology

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Front facing view of the Pharamceutical Sciences building

Pharmaceutical Sciences

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EAB building

Earth Science Building

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Student and Alumni Quotes

person in a brown coat standing outside

Quinlan Bundschuh

Master of Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture (MARCLA)

"I was attracted to SALA (School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture) because of its dual-accredited architecture and landscape architecture (MARCLA) program...I believe the multidisciplinary nature of my program will help me navigate and address complex…"

Picture of Ohene Gyan, Isaac

Isaac Ohene Gyan

Master of Education in Higher Education (MEd)

"I came to UBC because it offers several programs and facilities to support students throughout their studies and it's one of the best universities in Canada. I was attracted by the program because it prepares you to have a critical lens to ensure equity and…"

Picture of Lam, Cynthia

Cynthia Lam

Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering (MEng)

"UBC boasts amazing research labs, an inclusive community, and of course a beautiful campus. I was especially drawn to the Engineers in Scrubs program that UBC offered, which gave me hands on experience with medical device prototyping."

Picture of LIN, CHINCHENG

CHINCHENG LIN

Master of Food Science (MFS)

"In 2017, when I had a chance to visit UBC, the atmosphere around campus, state-of-the-art research facilities, modern architecture, and diverse student populations immediately drew me in. Moreover, UBC is one of the best universities in Canada and the world, and…"

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Cail Smith

Master of Community and Regional Planning (MCRP)

"I decided to study at UBC because Vancouver has become my home. I moved to the city around five years ago after completing my undergraduate degree, and the city has stoked my passion to become a planner. Everyone in Vancouver is working to improve the city in…"

Picture of Anker, Erin

Erin Anker

Master of Nursing - Nurse Practitioner (MN)

"The MN-NP program at UBC was attractive to me for many reasons, one being that it would be in-class learning with peers and colleagues. Being someone who thrives off of group discussions and collaboration this was very important to me as I started to look into…"

Picture of Sekora, Ally Aboubakar

Ally Aboubakar Sekora

Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE)

"The one-year MFRE program is unique in the sense that it combines agribusiness management, policy analysis, and applied economics. This attracted me because I wanted to sharpen my skill sets with more advanced economics and real world applications. I’m taking this…"

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Timilehin Oguntuyaki

Master of Land and Water Systems (MLWS)

"UBC has produced prominent alumni which include Prime Ministers, great scholars and Nobel Prize winners. This speaks to the fact that UBC breeds world leaders and I want to follow in their footsteps."

Picture of Hayes, Jessica

Jessica Hayes

Master of Community and Regional Planning (MCRP)

"I first came to UBC as an undergraduate student and have yet to leave. Growing up in the mountains of Jasper, AB, the Lower Mainland has offered me much of the familiarity of home, with the added bonus of an ocean playground. In terms of my graduate studies, UBC…"

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Kiran Alwani

Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA)

"UBC is known globally for its academic excellence, and the MPPGA program seemed promising in helping me develop a solid understanding of complex policy issues, enhancing my analytical skills, and gaining a global perspective. UBC's strong reputation for…"