Ashwani Kumar
Job Title
Associate Professor
Employer
Mount Saint Vincent University
Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD)
Overview
Graduate programs in the field of Curriculum Studies encompass, but are not limited to, investigations into: teacher education, the social construction of knowledge, the curriculum as culturally and politically situated, contemporary curriculum and instructional discourses, and the role of curriculum and curricular reform in K-12 and other learning environments. Students learn about issues of planning and development, program implementation and evaluation, and pre-service and in-service teacher education. Inquiry in the field is multi-disciplinary and includes numerous perspectives and orientations such as: cultural studies, historical consciousness, post structuralism, feminism, multicultural education, semiotics, and critical theory.
Quick Facts
Program Enquiries
Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program
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Meet a UBC representative
PhD Funding Opportunities
Date: Tuesday, 06 October 2020Time: 10:00 to 11:00
Join Dr Julian Dierkes, Associate Dean, Funding, with Kelli Kadokawa and Shane Moore from the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies as they talk about funding opportunities for PhD's at UBC. Dr Dierkes will provide an overview of the different awards and scholarship available to incoming PhD students as well as providing some tips and advice on applying. We'll also be answering your questions.
RegisterAdmission 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: 92
Reading
22
Writing
22
Speaking
22
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.
Prior degree, course and other requirements
Prior Degree Requirements
A Master's degree with high standing in a relevant educational discipline.
Document Requirements
A letter of intent describing the focus of the proposed research and a sample of work demonstrating scholarly writing,
2) Meet Deadlines
September 2021 Intake
Application Open Date
01 October 2020Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 December 2020
Transcript Deadline: 07 December 2020
Referee Deadline: 07 December 2020
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 December 2020
Transcript Deadline: 07 December 2020
Referee Deadline: 07 December 2020
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 Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD)
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.
Tuition & Financial Support
Tuition
| Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $108.00 | $168.25 |
| Tuition * | ||
| Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
| Tuition per installment | $1,698.56 | $2,984.09 |
| Tuition per year (plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%) | $5,095.68 | $8,952.27 |
| Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | $3,200.00 (-) | |
| Other Fees and Costs | ||
| Student Fees (yearly) | $969.17 (approx.) | |
| Costs of living (yearly) | starting at $17,242.00 (check cost calculator) | |
* 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.
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
All full-time students who begin a UBC-Vancouver PhD program in September 2018 or later will be provided with a funding package of at least $18,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $18,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD 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.
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.
Career Outcomes
68 students graduated between 2005 and 2013: 3 are in non-salaried situations; for 6 we have no data (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016). For the remaining 59 graduates:
RI (Research-Intensive) Faculty: typically tenure-track faculty positions (equivalent of the North American Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor positions) in PhD-granting institutions
TI (Teaching-Intensive) Faculty: typically full-time faculty positions in colleges or in institutions not granting PhDs, and teaching faculty at PhD-granting institutions
Term Faculty: faculty in term appointments (e.g. sessional lecturers, visiting assistant professors, etc.)
Sample Employers in Higher Education
University of British Columbia (11)Royal Roads University (2)
Capilano University (2)
Concordia University (2)
Lakehead University (2)
University of Alberta (2)
University of Wollongong
Mount Saint Vincent University
Columbus State University
Thompson Rivers University
Sample Employers Outside Higher Education
BC School DistrictAlpha Secondary School
Museum of Vancouver
Government of Lesotho
TEC
Community Association for Lasting Success
Da Vinci Science Center
HR MacMillan Space Centre
Wells Fargo
Pythagoras Academy
Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education
Teacher (2)President
Community Artist and Contract Researcher
Teacher Principal
Senior Manager, Curatorial
VP
Science Education Manager
Personal Banker
High Commissioner to Canada
Head Start Early Education Coordinator
PhD Career Outcome Survey
You may view the full report on career outcomes of UBC PhD graduates on outcomes.grad.ubc.ca.Disclaimer
These data represent historical employment information and do not guarantee future employment prospects for graduates of this program. They are for informational purposes only. Data were collected through either alumni surveys or internet research.Alumni on Success
Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats
These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD). 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 50 | 37 | 25 | 28 | 47 |
| Offers | 13 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 19 |
| New registrations | 9 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 11 |
| Total enrolment | 77 | 80 | 76 | 78 | 73 |
Completion Rates & Times
This program has a graduation rate of 77.08% based on 48 students admitted between 2006 - 2009. Based on 31 graduations between 2015 - 2018 the minimum time to completion is 2.66 years and the maximum time is 8.33 years with an average of 5.40 years of study. All calculations exclude leave times.
Disclaimer
Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new registrants for each year, May to April [data updated: 10 March 2020]. Enrolment data are based on March 1 snapshots. Program completion data are only provided for datasets comprised of more than 4 individuals. 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 [data updated: 27 October 2019].
Research Supervisors
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.
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Anderson, Ann (Math education)
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Anderson, David (Cultural Institutions (Museums, Libraries, etc.); Museum Education; Visitor Studies; Informal Learning; Metacognition; Science Education; Long-term Memory; Nostalgia)
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Clark, Penney (history education, Curriculum Studies Research, History Education and Historical Consciousness, History of Education, Pedagogy, Social Studies Education Research)
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Clarke, Anthony (Educational practice, Pedagogy, Research Design and Method, Teacher Education Research, Teacher Research)
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Code, Jillianne (Learning and Memory; Educational Context; Educational Technologies; Learning design; Learner agency; Self-efficacy; Self-regulated Learning; Formative assessment; Situated and embodied cognition; Immersive learning; Virtual learning environments; Virtual augmented and mixed reality for learning)
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Cole, Peter (Indigenous Education Research; Aboriginalizing/indigenizing research methodology; Orality; Narrativity; Environmental thought; Indigenous self-determination and self-governance; Traditional Aboriginal and Indigenous technologies)
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Friedel, Tracy (Native Health; Cultural and Health; Participatory research; Health Promotion; Social Contexts; Learning and Development Approaches; place-based/land-based learning; forum theatre; labour histories; oral history)
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Gerofsky, Susan (Curriculum Studies Research, Mathematics, Media, Semiotics, Text Studies, Pedagogy, Research Design and Method, Technology; gesture; genre; mathematics and the arts; Performance Theory)
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Gibson, Lindsay (assessment; Curriculum Studies Research; Democracy and Citizenship; History Education; Historical Consciousness; history of education; Pedagogy; Social Studies Education Research; Teacher Education Research; Teacher Research; Historical Thinking; Inquiry)
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Goble, Scott (music and history; music education; conducting; choral music, Expressed an interest in chairing music exams, music education)
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Gouzouasis, Peter (early childhood music education; computer literacy through fine arts and new media; music in mass media; especially jazz, guitar, Music education, Action Research, Artistic and Aesthetic Development, Arts Education, Assessment, Early Childhood Education, Educational Technologies, Literacy, Media, Semiotics, Text Studies, Music, Music Education Research, Non-Formal Learning, Pedagogy, Philosophy, Research Design and Method, Sociological Issues, Teacher Education Research, Teacher Research, Technology)
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Han, Sandrine (Popular Cultures Produced and Broadcasted by Media; Media Content and Impacts; New Technology and Social Impacts; Arts and Technologies; Intercultural and Ethnic Relationships; Art Education Research; Artistic and Aesthetic Development; Arts Education; Cross Cultural Research; Cross-Cultural Education; Cultural Studies; Curriculum Studies Research; Educational Technologies; Media; Semiotics; Multiculturalism; Non-Formal Learning; Pedagogy; Subcultures)
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Hubball, Harry (Physical Education Program, Strategic Educational Leadership Development in International Research-intensive Settings, Research-informed and Evidence-based Approaches to Learning-centred Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Program Reform, Scholarship of Curriculum & Pedagogical Practices in Higher Education)
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Irwin, Rita (Teacher Education; Arts, Literature and Subjectivity; Social Impact of Artistic Education; Education; Arts Education; arts based research; a/r/tography)
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Keenan, Harper (Educational Context; Teacher Education; Gender; race; sexuality; Colonialism; early childhood and elementary education)
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Khan, Samia (science education, teaching and learning, cognition, digital technology, learning space design, case study, higher education, Educational Technologies, Science Education, Teacher Education)
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Kindler, Anna (art education; artistic and aesthetic development; teacher education )
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Loutzenheiser, Lisa (Educational Context; Sexuality; Gender Epidemiology; Social Contexts; Teacher Education; Ideology and Social Policy; Epistemology and Methodology; Thought Schools (education); anti-oppressive education; queer studies; curriculum theory; Youth Studies; curriculum policy; qualitative methodologies; ethnography; Gender Studies; social inequality; sexuality education; alternative education; marginalized youth; LGBT2SQ; Race Studies in Education)
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Meyer, Karen (Curriculum Studies, Pedagogy, Science Education, ethnography, qualitative research)
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Milner-Bolotin, Marina (Educational Technologies; Teacher Education; Science and Knowledge; Teaching; Teaching and Learning Systems; Technological Innovations; Teacher and Student Performance Evaluation; Educational technology; STEM education; educational innovation; physics education; STEM teacher education)
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Nashon, Samson (Curriculum design; high school physics; primary science; teacher education; science teacher education; physics teacher education and classroom instructions, Action Research, Curriculum Studies, Metacognition and Learning, Pedagogy, Research Design and Method, Science Education, Teacher Education, Ways of Knowing)
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Nicol, Cynthia (mathematics teacher education, culturally responsive pedagogy, Aboriginal education, care-based and problem-based learning, Math education)
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O'Donoghue, Donal (Art Education, Curriculum Studies, Gender, History of Education, Sociological Issues)
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Petherick, LeAnne (Curriculum Studies Research; Children & Youth; Feminist Studies; Pedagogy)
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Petrina, Stephen (Adolescent Issues, Artistic and Aesthetic Development, Arts Education, Children & Youth, Cultural Studies, Curriculum Studies, Educational Technologies, Environmental Education, Higher Education, History of Education, Literacy, Media, Semiotics, Text Studies, Metacognition and Learning, Music, Pedagogy, Philosophy, Research Design and Method, Science Education, Social Cognition, Social Studies Education, Sociological Issues, Subcultures, Technology)
Pages
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 |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Dr. Price attends to a Welsh cultural approach to contemplative connection with the living world. As a response to climate change, her writing explores ways of knowing with trees, culture, words, and ancestors. It offers a creative, devotional, and regenerative approach to environmental and contemplative education. |
| 2020 | Dr. Radzimski found that, contrary to expectations, university mathematics knowledge plays a limited role in future high school math teachers' understanding of the secondary curriculum. She argues that mathematicians and teacher educators should work together to help future teachers understand how content expertise can impact pedagogical practice. |
| 2020 | Dr. Eskandari investigated major ontological foundations related to the concepts of nature, environment, and ecology, focusing particularly on environmental education in a Shia Islamic village in Iran. Her findings offer insight into how we might reconceptualize and teach sustainability as a way of life grounded in contextual ethics and ontologies. |
| 2020 | Dr. Gautreaux examined how activist teachers in Chicago are fighting for both education justice and racial justice. She showed how teachers experience tension and disagreement on the topics of race, police violence, and the definition of social justice unionism. Her findings will inform future research in racial justice and social justice unionism. |
| 2019 | Dr. Zhao designed a 3D virtual learning environment to facilitate participants' acquisition of cultural competence and explored the participant experiences in this environment. This study assists us in understanding the process of cultural competency acquisition and how to facilitate cultural competency acquisition effectively in the 3D virtual environment. |
| 2019 | Dr. Nazari studied self-education and teacher personal and professional development through Currere, a concept that promotes an autobiographical examination. His study helps teachers understand their own and their students voice more fully in order to connect with their individuality and create singular ways of thinking, learning, and being in the world. |
| 2019 | Dr. Roll studied dialogue in democratic education. Through collaborative cooking and feasting, the shared experiences offered participants reflective pauses, deep listening, and dwelling in their becoming. This process illustrated that adaptiveness, unfinishedness, humility, and community enable us to be fully engaged within and with others. |
| 2019 | Dr. Marken studied the stories of faculty who indicate a preference for working with first-year students in the Canadian research-intensive university context. This work responds to an emerging thread in higher education literature and contributes to our understanding of teaching and learning in higher education. |
| 2019 | Dr. Murphy's research examines the use of creative production for the development of an arts-based approach to understanding and improving educational experience. Through personal stories, subjective reflection, and soundscape composition the relationships between experience and learning are developed. |
| 2019 | Dr. Lekhi researched international students' views of scientific knowledge and their experiences in first-year undergraduate chemistry courses. Her work revealed the importance of active learning techniques in transforming student views towards those that are more aligned with the tenets of science. These views tended to manifest better academic behaviours. |
Pages
Sample Thesis Submissions
Further Program Information
Specialization
Curriculum Studies encompasses, but is not limited to, investigations into: teacher education, the social construction of knowledge, the curriculum as culturally and politically situated, contemporary curriculum and instructional discourses, and the role of curriculum and curricular reform in K-12 and other learning environments. Students learn about issues of planning and development, program implementation and evaluation, and pre-service and in-service teacher education. Inquiry in the field is multi-disciplinary and includes numerous perspectives and orientations such as: cultural studies, historical consciousness, post structuralism, feminism, multicultural education, semiotics, and critical theory.
Program Website
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
VGDPHD-F5
September 2021 Intake
Application Open Date
01 October 2020 Canadian Applicant Deadline
01 December 2020 International Applicant Deadline
01 December 2020 Program Enquiries
Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program
Contact the program
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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