Master of Engineering Leadership in Urban Systems (MEL)
Overview
The Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) in Urban Systems is a professional degree for system thinkers who want to address complex infrastructure challenges. This hybrid program combines graduate-level engineering and urban planning courses with UBC Sauder School of Business courses – giving you the skills and confidence to build your career and drive innovation in urban planning.
CHOOSE ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS
The MEL in Urban Systems program offers a unique combination of technical and business classes – giving you the strategic skills to play a leading role in forward-thinking organizations. Engineering and urban planning courses span the entire industry value chain, from the social context of infrastructure and planning through to engineering and design, project delivery and asset management. 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.
STUDY FULL TIME OR PART TIME
You can take the program either full time (12 months) or part time (24 months). With the 12-month full-time option, you’ll complete your studies in one year, expanding your knowledge base and skill set in a concentrated time frame.
The 24-month part-time option is for those who want to continue working while building their business and technical knowledge. By balancing work and study, you’ll be able to apply your new skills immediately to your workplace, and bring technical and leadership challenges from work into classroom discussion. This part-time version of the MEL in Urban Systems is also an opportunity to build your professional network over two years. Students pursuing this option can expect to be on campus for two weekdays each week (approximately 10 hours total).
GAIN A COMPETITIVE EDGE
Over the 12-months/24months program you will:
- gain a comprehensive understanding of best practices in designing and managing interdependent urban infrastructure systems and services to contribute to more resilient and sustainable cities
- broaden your sector-specific knowledge through a project-based curriculum that covers all stages of community and infrastructure system life cycles
- study under renowned faculty and industry experts
- expand your professional network while collaborating with other MEL students
- gain the fundamental business, project management and interpersonal skills to advance your career and confidently take on positions of increased responsibility
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 or make the shift into a new industry sector.
UPDATE YOUR TECHNICAL SKILLS
The program introduces you to the critical aspects of designing, constructing, operating, maintaining and deconstructing built infrastructure. You’ll gain the broad technical understanding needed to support strategic-level decision making that carefully considers the complex interdependencies that underpin urban infrastructure systems.
LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF BUSINESS
Technical knowledge is not enough. Through courses offered by UBC Sauder School of Business, you’ll gain foundational business 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
Students who have broad technical knowledge and an understanding of business have a distinct competitive advantage. In demand locally, nationally and internationally, our graduates have successfully moved into roles with municipalities, utility companies, transportation providers and engineering consulting firms as planners, policy advisors and entrepreneurs.
Quick Facts
Program Enquiries
Tuition & Financial Support
Tuition
| Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Urban Systems (MEL). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.
Enrolment Data
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 26 | 30 | 30 | 22 | 33 |
| Offers | 16 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 26 |
| New registrations | 6 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 11 |
| Total enrolment | 20 | 23 | 19 | 21 | 24 |
Completion Rates & Times
Disclaimer
Further Information
Specialization
Urban Systems PHD programs draw information on the ULE faculty as well as those in Finance, Strategy and Business Economics, Management Science, Economics, and other fields.
Program Website
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
Classification
January 2024 Intake
Program Enquiries
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update the application inquiries contact details please use this form.
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