Master of Engineering Leadership in Sustainable Process Engineering (MEL)
Overview
The Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) in Sustainable Process Engineering is a professional degree for engineers who want to develop and commercialize products and processes that are sustainable by design, safeguard the environment and make the best use of existing resources. This hybrid master’s program combines graduate-level engineering courses taught by the world’s leading researchers on sustainability with UBC Sauder’s Robert H. Lee Graduate School courses - giving you the skills and confidence to take your career in new directions.
CHOOSE ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS
The MEL in Sustainable Process Engineering offers a unique combination of technical and business courses – giving you a blueprint for technopreneurial success and translating innovations in green chemistry and sustainable manufacturing into new ventures. Engineering courses explore chemical processes and biotechnologies, covering reaction and reactor engineering, process systems engineering and sustainable operations. Business courses offered by the top-ranked UBC Sauder School of Business give you a solid foundation in business strategy and innovation, operations and logistics, project management and organizational leadership.
GAIN A COMPETITIVE EDGE
In this 12-month program you will:
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learn to design new chemicals, materials and fuels with improved properties and performance by applying advanced concepts in molecular sciences and engineering
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sharpen your technical and analytical skills through a project-based curriculum that covers all stages of the industry value chain and incorporates hands-on learning opportunities
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study under renowned faculty and industry experts at one of the world’s top 40 universities and the leading institution in the world for research on sustainability
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expand your professional network while collaborating with other MEL students
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gain the fundamental business, project management and interpersonal skills to advance your career and confidently take on positions of increased responsibility or entrepreneurship
What makes the program unique?
A Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) degree from UBC gives you the credentials and knowledge to confidently take on positions of greater responsibility, make the shift into a new industry sector or launch your own entrepreneurial venture.
UPGRADE YOUR TECHNICAL SKILLS
You’ll deepen your understanding of chemical engineering and associated biotechnologies to develop innovative processes with reduced carbon and energy footprints, as well as products that improve quality of life and the environment.
LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF BUSINESS
Technical knowledge is not enough. Through courses offered by UBC Sauder’s Robert H. Lee Graduate School, you’ll gain foundational business and entrepreneurial skills, improving your understanding of broad-based management concepts.
BECOME A CONFIDENT LEADER
Leadership development is embedded throughout the program, giving you ongoing opportunities to lead teams and projects and strengthen your interpersonal skills.
GO FURTHER
Professionals who have mastered a technical specialization and the fundamentals of business have a distinct competitive advantage. In demand by both government and industry employers, our graduates are successfully moving into sought-after positions and new industry sectors.
Quick Facts
Program Enquiries
Tuition & Financial Support
Tuition
Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
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Application Fee | $112.00 | $168.25 |
Tuition * | ||
Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
Tuition per installment | $10,544.91 | $20,581.19 |
Program Fee | $31,634.73 | $61,743.57 |
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | Not applicable | |
Other Fees and Costs | ||
Student Fees (yearly) | $1,081.64 (approx.) | |
Costs of living (yearly) | starting at $18,517.90 (check cost calculator) | |
Deposit to accept offer (if admitted) | ||
Deposit requirement | $5000.00 | $5000.00 |
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.
Program Funding Packages
Being a professional program, there are no UBC scholarships, grants or funding offered directly for MEL or MHLP students. Students who require financial assistance are encouraged to look for external scholarships or loans that may be available to them. Please find a list of options and areas for you to independently explore and investigate on our webpage:
https://apscpp.ubc.ca/admissions/tuition/scholarships/
Employer support
Organizations may provide their employees with tuition benefits as part of an employment package to support lifelong learning of their workforce.
Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)
Professional / course-based programs usually do not provide merit-based funding. Some programs may offer bursaries.
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 Calculator
Applicants have access to the cost calculator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.
Career Options
Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats
These statistics show data for the Master of Engineering Leadership in Sustainable Process Engineering (MEL). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.
Enrolment Data
2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
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Applications | 6 | 6 | 6 | ||
Offers | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
New registrations | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||
Total enrolment | 3 | 6 | 7 | 5 |
Further Information
Specialization
The program covers the following areas:
- Learn design new chemicals, materials and fuels with improved properties and performance by applying advanced concepts in molecular sciences and engineering
- Sharpen your technical and analytical skills through a project-based curriculum that covers all stages of the industry value chain and incorporates hands-on learning opportunities
- Gain the fundamental business, project management and interpersonal skills
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
January 2025 Intake
Program Enquiries
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form.

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