Canadian Immigration Updates

Applicants to Master’s and Doctoral degrees are not affected by the recently announced cap on study permits. Review more details

Overview

The Master of Applied Science is a Research degree requiring a thesis.   Students can specialize in any of the following areas:  social issues in mining, mining engineering, mineral processing, mining and the environment, Rock mechanics, Mine Economics, Safety, Corporate Social Responsibility, etc.

Backed by an unparalleled reputation for expertise and innovation in mineral extraction, mineral processing and environmental protection, the graduate program in Mining Engineering has two types of students in mind:

  • Those from industry who wish to improve their workplace skills; and
  • Those who wish to pursue research leading to advances in state-of-the-art or state-of-the-practice mining and mineral process engineering.

In order to best meet the needs of these two groups, the program encourages interaction between universities in North America and other countries. In many cases, this collaborative outlook leads to joint research projects and student exchanges.

What makes the program unique?

  • opportunities for interdisciplinary work on social, economic as well as engineering research
  • international research opportunities
  • travel opportunities
  • connections to CIRDI
  • Vancouver is a centre for Mining Activity in Canada with its abundance of junior mining companies, finance for mining companies, and law for mining companies.

Apply Now

If you don't have a UBC Campus-Wide Login (CWL) please create an account first.
If you don't have a UBC Campus-Wide Login (CWL) please create an account first.
 

Program Enquiries

Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program

Admission Information & Requirements

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

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

Overall score requirement: 90

Reading

22

Writing

21

Speaking

21

Listening

22

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement: 6.5

Reading

6.0

Writing

6.0

Speaking

6.0

Listening

6.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2024 Intake

Application Open Date
01 September 2023
Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 15 May 2024
Transcript Deadline: 01 June 2024
Referee Deadline: 15 July 2024
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 30 April 2024
Transcript Deadline: 01 May 2024
Referee Deadline: 15 May 2024

January 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
01 January 2024
Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 August 2024
Transcript Deadline: 15 August 2024
Referee Deadline: 01 September 2024
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 July 2024
Transcript Deadline: 01 August 2024
Referee Deadline: 15 August 2024

May 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
01 May 2024
Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 15 January 2025
Transcript Deadline: 01 February 2025
Referee Deadline: 15 February 2025
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 13 December 2024
Transcript Deadline: 14 December 2024
Referee Deadline: 15 January 2025

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Master of Applied Science in Mining Engineering (MASc)
Applicants should browse faculty profiles and indicate in their application who they are interested in working with. No commitment from a supervisor prior to applying is necessary, but contacting faculty members is encouraged.

Citizenship Verification

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research Focus

1. Mining •mine ventilation and mine services •simulation and optimization •mining operations research •rock mechanics and geotechnics •mine valuation and production economics 2. Mineral Processing •process control, modeling •simulation and optimization •fine particle technology •surface chemistry of flotation •plant design and economics •coal preparation technology 3. Socio-economic aspects and sustainability •mine waste management. •environmental aspects of mining

Research Facilities

Our facilities are specifically designed to ensure that our faculty, staff and students are prepared to meet the demands on the mining industry. Our instructional building, the Frank Forward building and our research facility, the Coal & Mineral Processing Laboratory, are fully equipped to provide a positive research and educational framework. Much of the equipment has been obtained through the generosity of donors and the initiative of faculty who seek out and obtain research grants. As a result, the UBC Department of Mining Engineering is able to maintain its’ reputation for producing first rate mining engineers and research. In 2003 we underwent a major renovation that gave us a state-of-the-art classroom, a larger conference room, and a redesigned main office that includes more work space, quiet nooks, and a coffee room.

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

FeesCanadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / DiplomatInternational
Application Fee$114.00$168.25
Tuition *
Installments per year33
Tuition per installment$1,838.57$3,230.06
Tuition per year
(plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%)
$5,515.71$9,690.18
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) $3,200.00 (-)
Other Fees and Costs
Student Fees (yearly)$1,116.60 (approx.)
Costs of livingEstimate 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

Some types of financial assistance are available for the winter session and may be supplemented by summer research and/or teaching assistantships to the registered students.

Financial support for non-Canadian students is limited and high academic standings are required to obtain support [Grade Point Averages exceeding 3.7 (maximum 4)].

We suggest that you have financial support to finance at least the first year of studies.  In the event that a sponsor is willing to provide you with financial support, we will require a letter from him/her noting the amount of financial aid available and its duration.

We regret that we cannot process your application without this document.  The department will not be responsible for foreign students’ financial.

The University of British Columbia may offer a Partial Tuition Scholarship up to $3,200 each year to help defray the very large tuition fee increase that has recently levied on foreign students.

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.

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 20 hours a week.

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.

Career Options

Graduates can go into academia as well as engineering industry, such as a technical expert for a mining company, consutling company or supply company; mining industry advisor for financial and banking etc.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Master of Applied Science in Mining Engineering (MASc). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

 20222021202020192018
Applications3354385260
Offers111891923
New Registrations111661318
Total Enrolment3746424440

Completion Rates & Times

This program has a graduation rate of 73% based on 51 students admitted between 2014 - 2017. Based on 32 graduations between 2019 - 2022 the minimum time to completion is 1.02 years and the maximum time is 5.8 years with an average of 2.53 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.

Research Supervisors

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Master of Applied Science in Mining Engineering (MASc)
Applicants should browse faculty profiles and indicate in their application who they are interested in working with. No commitment from a supervisor prior to applying is necessary, but contacting faculty members is encouraged.
 
Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

 

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

  • Dunbar, W Scott (Industrial biotechnology; Economics and business administration; biotechnology applications in mineral resources; mining industry business model innovation)
  • Elmo, Davide (philosophy of engineering; rock engineering; geosciences; Numerical modelling; Machine Learning)
  • Holuszko, Maria (minerals characterization as it applies to mineral processing; recovery of metals from industrial and municipal waste streams)
  • Klein, Bern (processing of precious minerals; processing of industrial metals, Ultrafine grinding, high pressure grinding rolls, hydraulic transport of non-Newtonion mineral slurries, industrial minerlas, mine-mill integration, continuous centrifugal gravity concentration, improved technologies for artisinal andsmall scale gold miners, metal leaching from waste rock, rheology of mineral suspensions)
  • Kunz, Nadja (Mining engineering; Public administration; Public policy; Public security policy; Decision Analysis; Environmental engineering; Hydrology; Risk management; Systems engineering; water resources management)
  • Madiseh, Ali (Mining engineering; Numerical modelling and mechanical characterisation; Heat and mass transfer operations; energy systems; Renewable energy systems; Energy storage; Energy decarbonization; Computational Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer)
  • Miskovic, Sanja (Mining engineering; Mineral Processing; multiphase systems; Production and Process Optimization; Optimization, Control and Operations Research; Prefeasibility and Pilot Scale; R&D and Innovation; Technological Innovations; Sensors and Devices; Computational Fluid Dynamics; Critical Elements Extraction; Embedded Sensors; Experimental Fluid Dynamics; High performance computing; IIoT; Industrial Big Data; Minerals Processing; Multiphase Flows)
  • Miskovic, Ilija (Multi-physics of Geo-materials, Big Data)
  • Pawlik, Marek (Surface chemistry, Adsorption of polymers and surfactants, Process water and reagent chemistry, rheology of mineral suspensions, interparticle and interfacial phenomena)
  • Steen, John Thomas (Strategy; Innovation; Network analysis; Projects; Mining industry)

Further Information

Specialization

Mining Engineering offers opportunity for study in the fields of mining and mineral processing, including mine environment and coal preparation. Areas of research interest are:

  • Mining: Mine economics and valuation, mine design, drilling and blasting methods, rock mechanics and slope stability, optimization and simulation of mining operations, advanced mining methods, mine services (particularly mine ventilation), and climatic control.
  • Mineral processing: Unit operations, comminution, process modelling and optimization, expert systems, instrumentation and computer control. Flotation, surface chemistry, fines recovery, coal recovery, treatment of fine and oxidized coal, and precious metals recovery.
  • Mining and Environment: Acid rock drainage, environmental protection, effluent control and treatment. Social and legal aspects of sustainable mining practices, small-scale mining in developing countries.

Faculty Overview

Program Identifier

VGMMAC-QZ
 

Apply Now

If you don't have a UBC Campus-Wide Login (CWL) please create an account first.
If you don't have a UBC Campus-Wide Login (CWL) please create an account first.
 

September 2024 Intake

Application Open Date
01 September 2023
Canadian Applicant Deadline
15 May 2024
International Applicant Deadline
30 April 2024

January 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
01 January 2024
Canadian Applicant Deadline
01 August 2024
International Applicant Deadline
01 July 2024

May 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
01 May 2024
Canadian Applicant Deadline
15 January 2025
International Applicant Deadline
13 December 2024
 
Supervisor Search
 

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