In support of the University of British Columbia’s mission to be one of the world’s very best universities, the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS) strives to elevate achievement and enhance the education of graduate students in a global context.

The role of the Faculty is to support graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and the entire UBC graduate community in pursuit of a personal, professional and academic experience second to none. Among other responsibilities, G+PS seeks to ensure a transparent, consistent and equitable administration of graduate programs and awards, evaluation and quality assurance of graduate programs, advocacy for graduate and postdoctoral needs within the larger academic community, assistance with individual student and postdoctoral problems, and the provision of outstanding opportunities for professional development of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty in their role as supervisors.

At G+PS, we have been defining graduate education as 'the formation of scholars* who make a difference for good in the world'. Here, 'formation' entails learning, but also cultivating habits of heart and mind, and developing a professional identity and sense of purpose. The scholarship pursued refers to the broad activities that bring knowledge, rigour, and creativity to the extension and transformation of knowledge, whether that is inside the academy, outside its walls, or crossing between.

At the Vancouver campus, there are close to 3600 doctoral students and 6200 master's students, the fourth largest graduate student population among Canadian universities.  About 30% of master’s students, and 44% of doctoral students at UBC are international.

G+PS plays a central role in the strategic direction of graduate education at UBC.  It facilitates discussion on campus about the future of graduate education, provides an information hub for all topics related to graduate education, celebrates the achievement of graduate students and alumni, and provides advocacy for graduate students & Postdoctoral Fellow needs.

In its administrative capacity it provides services to units and graduate students across all academic faculties on the Vancouver campus – from recruitment of new students along the entire lifecycle to graduation and beyond. Services include: orientation, health and well-being, professional development, program administration, and thesis/dissertation support among other things.

G+PS is the home of the Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program (ISGP), a unique graduate program that allows scholars to design their own curriculum under supervision of supervisors from any unit.

The university also hosts 850 postdoctoral fellows. UBC-appointed postdoctoral fellows can be found in over 90 departments and at affiliated sites including BC Cancer Agency, BC Centre for Disease Control, BC Children’s and Women’s Hospital, the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, St. Paul’s Hospital, and Vancouver General Hospital.

* term taken from Walker et al (2008), The Formation of Scholars. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

 

Research Highlights

UBC offers over 300 Graduate Degree Programs in nearly every academic field imaginable, and opportunities to pursue cutting-edge transdisciplinary study that crosses traditional boundaries. There is sure to be a program offered that aligns with your interests.

UBC attracts $580 million per year in research funding from government, non-profit organizations and industry through 8,800 projects and UBC researchers file over 230 patents a year. Many programs have state-of-art new buildings and facilities. At UBC you will work side by side with passionate scholars as you delve into the most meaningful questions of our world.

Graduate Degree Programs

Recent Publications

This is an incomplete sample of recent publications in chronological order by UBC faculty members with a primary appointment in the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

 

Recent Thesis Submissions

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 Program
2010 Dr. Turner developed a way to evaluate the usefulness of measuring electrical resistance at the skin surface to facilitate measurement of outcomes from energy-based healing of pain. An ohmmeter detected activity at acupuncture points and could differentiate between pain and no pain groups. This protocol may be seen as a bridge between Western and Chinese Medicine. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)
2010 Dr. Sharman studied the recruitment and retention of Community Health Workers in small cities, towns, and rural communities on Vancouver Island. Her research was informed by a commitment to fostering the design of health human resources policies that include the perspectives of marginalized workers. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)
2010 Dr. Small examined the influence of the setting where drugs are injected upon drug-related harm among injection drug users in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. He found that social and environmental forces specific to particular drug use settings play a key role in shaping injection-related risks, highlighting the importance of environmental and structural interventions for efforts to prevent HIV and reduce drug-related harm. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)
2009 Dr. Bailey's study was an attempt to discover the therapeutic influence members have on each other in a therapeutic enactment group. Very little research exists on this topic and this study sought to discover the contributions members make to each others' learning. He found that members in a group improve each other in a therapeutically positive way. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)
2009 Dr. Fielden examined the needs of adolescents born with HIV in BC using collaborative community-based approaches. This is a 'hidden population' in the Canadian HIV epidemic and her work has enhanced knowledge about how best to provide these young people with health-related services. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)
2009 The objective of Dr. Longstaff's dissertation as a collective work, was to contribute to the interdisciplinary body of research that seeks to integrate the fields of bioethics and risk analysis. The research successfully moved the practice of risk communication beyond procedural ethics to focus on the substantive values that guide such strategies in order to cope with the complexity associated with systemic health hazards. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)
2009 Dr. Janzen Loewen asked why academic history-writing rarely includes any guidance as to what wisdom one might learn from that history. She examined the history of biography from the bible and the Classical Greek and Roman historians to the present, and she concludes that a concern to edify the reader has been, can be and should be part of critical historical work. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)
2009 Dr. Brunetti examined B.C. Lower Mainland fruit and vegetable supply chain relationships among its producers and Vancouver's food service industry for barriers and opportunities to improve food security. He discovered significant interest and need for capacity building among industry stakeholders constituting significant community economic development potential, food system integrity, sustainability and security. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)
2009 Dr. Seetzen's dissertation described a new technology using optics and advanced algorithms to deliver realistic high brightness, high dynamic range images. This technology will change the way we see digital images, and is emerging as the major product platform in the TV industry. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)
2009 Dr. Kennedy conducted research with First Nations to examine what is required for fair and successful land management in B.C., particularly in the absence of treaties. She developed key principles for negotiations that would lead to power redress with non-Aboriginal governments and include First Nations' distinct values and governance methods. Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)

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