Master of Science in Women+ and Children's Health Sciences (MSc)

Overview

The goal of the graduate program in Women+ and Children’s Health Sciences is to provide students with a broad knowledge of research in women+ and children’s health sciences including biomedical, clinical, health services, and populations. Students will develop critical thinking skills to independently design, execute, and evaluate research experiments directly related to women+ and children’s health sciences. Core concepts will include biomedical, patient- and public-oriented translational research with consideration of social determinants of health and cultural competence, including sex and gender and indigenous health, and research methodologies.

What makes the program unique?

Students will have the ability to specialize in one of these area:

  • Women+ Health
  • Child Health
  • Reproductive and Developmental Sciences

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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: 100

Reading

22

Writing

22

Speaking

22

Listening

22

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement: 7.0

Reading

7.0

Writing

7.0

Speaking

7.0

Listening

7.0

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 2023 Intake

Application Open Date
06 December 2022
Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 31 March 2023
Transcript Deadline: 14 April 2023
Referee Deadline: 14 April 2023
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 24 February 2023
Transcript Deadline: 10 March 2023
Referee Deadline: 10 March 2023

January 2024 Intake

Application Open Date
24 April 2023
Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 27 July 2023
Transcript Deadline: 10 August 2023
Referee Deadline: 10 August 2023
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 29 June 2023
Transcript Deadline: 13 July 2023
Referee Deadline: 13 July 2023

May 2024 Intake

Application Open Date
21 August 2023
Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 23 November 2023
Transcript Deadline: 14 December 2023
Referee Deadline: 14 December 2023
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 26 October 2023
Transcript Deadline: 09 November 2023
Referee Deadline: 09 November 2023

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 supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding supervisor contact for Master of Science in Women+ and Children's Health Sciences (MSc)
All applicants need firm commitment from a supervisor prior to applying.

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

Students will develop in depth expertise in at least one of the following areas of research that represent existing areas of faculty expertise within our departments:

  • Acute or chronic diseases
  • Brain development and function
  • Implementation science
  • Developmental origins of health and disease
  • Placental, embryonic, foetal, perinatal, infant, child and/or youth: Development, physiology, and/or pathophysiology
  • Reproductive biology
  • Reproductive or childhood cancers
  • Epidemiology specific to women+ or children
  • Mental health specific to women+ or children
  • Health services specific to women+ or children

Tuition & Financial Support

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.

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.

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.

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 direction. The duties usually constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is a form of financial support for a period of graduate study and is, therefore, not covered by a collective agreement. Unlike other forms of fellowship support for graduate students, the amount of a GRA is neither fixed nor subject to a university-wide formula. The stipend amounts vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded. Some research projects also require targeted research assistance and thus hire graduate students on an hourly basis.

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.

Research Supervisors

Supervision

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

Instructions regarding supervisor contact for Master of Science in Women+ and Children's Health Sciences (MSc)
All applicants need firm commitment from a supervisor prior to applying.
 
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.

  • Anglesio, Michael (Obstetrics and gynecology; Premalignant disease (precursors); Cancer molecular targets; Cancer of the Reproductive System; Host-Tumour Interaction; Endometriosis; Cancer Diagnosis and Detection; animal models of endometriosis and cancer; Cancer prevention; early detection biomarkers; endometriosis associated cancers; gene-expression and transcriptomics; genomics; Immunology; microenvironment; ovarian cancer etiology)
  • Bayrampour Basmenj, Hamideh (Human reproduction and development sciences; Perinatal Period; Drugs and Pregnancy / Breast Feeding; Developmental Outcomes; Maternal Mental Health; Perinatal Anxiety; Pregnancy Outcomes; Prenatal Cannabis Use)
  • Bedaiwy, Mohamed (Other clinical medicine; Endometriosis; Recurrent Pregnancy Loss; Infertility; Minimally Invasive Surgery)
  • Beristain, Alexander Guillermo (Healthy Starts; cellular and molecular processes that direct trophoblast cell biology in early placental development; Examining the A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase (ADAM) family in trophoblast biology; Examining the effects of obesity-associated inflammation on the maternal-fetal interface; Identifying gene expression differences in subpopulations of trophoblasts in normal and pathological pregnancies )
  • Bettinger, Julie (Public and population health; Epidemiology; Vaccination; Infectious diseases; Health Promotion; Community Health / Public Health; Infectious disease epidemiology; vaccine clinical trials; Vaccine hesitancy; vaccine programs; vaccine safety)
  • Blydt-Hansen, Tom (Childhood Diseases; Pediatric kidney transplant; Injury phenotype; Rejection; Biomarkers; Metabolomics; Chemokines)
  • Brotto, Lori (Human reproduction and development sciences; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Clinical psychology; mindfulness; Sexual Dysfunctions; sexual desire; treatment of sexual concerns; women's sexual health; asexuality; digital health interventions)
  • Brown, Kelly (Medical, health and life sciences; childhood rheumatic diseases; Inflammation; phagocytes)
  • Brussoni, Mariana (Developmental psychology; Psychosocial, sociocultural and behavioral determinants of health; Population health interventions; injury prevention; Children's outdoor play; Risky play; Parenting; health behaviour change; Implementation Science)
  • Carleton, Bruce (Pediatrics, clinical pharmacology, outcomes research, drug policy evaluation, health services research, drug safety and adverse drug reactions)
  • Cohen, Tamara (understanding the interplay between different lifestyle behaviours; how eating behaviours relate to weight management; Obesity)
  • Cundiff, Geoffrey (female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, urogynaecology, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, sexual dysfunction, obstetrical injury, quality assurance, Epidemiology of pelvic floor disorders, to anatomy, to education, to the prevention of maternal obstetrical trauma)
  • Dell, Sharon (Asthma in Children; Bronchial Disorders; Children's Health; Interstitial Lung Diseases; Rare diseases; Primary ciliary dyskinesia)
  • Devlin, Angela (Human nutrition and dietetics; Human reproduction and development sciences; Pathology (except oral pathology); cardiovascular disease; Children; developmental programming; Diabetes; Obesity)
  • Doan, Quynh (Medical, health and life sciences; Health Services; Child and youth mental health; Emergency medicine work load modelling)
  • Elango, Rajavel (Protein Nutrition, Maternal-Fetal Nutrition, Childhood Malnutrition, Amino Acid Metabolism, Human Nutrition )
  • Geoffrion, Roxana (patient education, surgical outcomes after various pelvic reconstructive surgeries and surgical skill development through simulation and standardized training; pelvic floor reconstruction procedures such as vaginal prolapse or urinary incontinence surgery)
  • Goldman, Ran (Evidence to Innovation; Pediatric Research in Emergency Therapeutics (PRETx) Program)
  • Grunau, Ruth V (Biobehavioural regulation, brain and neurodevelopment in premature infants and children, Long-term effects of neonatal pain on stress regulation, brain, behavior, neurodevelopment, Infant pain and stress, Parenting stress, parent-infant interaction)
  • Hanley, Gillian (Medical, health and life sciences; Gynecologic cancer; Ovarian cancer prevention; Gynecologic cancer survivorship; Perinatal mental health; Population-based administrative data)
  • Harris, Kevin (Evidence to Innovation; Preventive Cardiology; Cardiovascular Outcomes; Interventional Pediatric Cardiology)
  • Huntsman, David (hereditary cancer, molecular pathology, cancer biomarkers, Pancreas centre)
  • Janssen, Patricia (Health sciences; Public and population health; Gestation / Parturition; health of marginalized women; Lifestyle Determinants and Health; maternal child health; mobile health for pregnancy and parenting; Perinatal Period; social determinants of health)
  • Joseph, K.S. (Pregnancy complications, preterm birth, fetal growth, infant mortality, neonatal)
  • Kissoon, Niranjan (Sepsis and critical care)

Pages

Further Information

Women+ and Children's Health Sciences builds on the strengths of UBC's biomedical and clinician-scientists, whose research encompasses biomedical, clinical, health services, and population health in multiple disciplines that include translational and precision medicine.

Program Website

Faculty Overview

Program Identifier

VGMWACH
 

Apply Now

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

September 2023 Intake

Application Open Date
06 December 2022
Canadian Applicant Deadline
31 March 2023
International Applicant Deadline
24 February 2023

January 2024 Intake

Application Open Date
24 April 2023
Canadian Applicant Deadline
27 July 2023
International Applicant Deadline
29 June 2023

May 2024 Intake

Application Open Date
21 August 2023
Canadian Applicant Deadline
23 November 2023
International Applicant Deadline
26 October 2023
 
Supervisor Search
 

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