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
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Subject
Education
Mode of delivery
On campus
Registration options
Full-time
Specialization
Curriculum Studies
Program Components
Dissertation
Faculty
Faculty of Education
Meet a UBC representative
Graduate Students with Families
webinarDate: Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Time: 10:00 to 11:00
If you have a partner and/or a family and are considering graduate school at UBC, join us for this online info session. Topics include resources for families, including partners, general information on child care, registering for school, looking for a place to live, and fun and affordable activities for kids of all ages. Current graduate students with family will be on hand to help answer questions.
Requirements
Document Requirements
A letter of intent describing the focus of the proposed research and a sample of work demonstrating scholarly writing,
TOEFL (ibT) Overall Score Requirement
92
22
22
22
22
IELTS Overall Score Requirement
6.5
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
Prior degree requirements
A Master's degree with high standing in a relevant educational discipline.
Deadline Details
Application Deadline
Deadline to submit online application. No changes can be made to the application after submission.
Transcript DeadlineDeadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.
Referee DeadlineDeadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.
September 2019 Intake
Application Open Date
01 October 2018Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 December 2018
Transcript Deadline: 04 December 2018
Referee Deadline: 04 December 2018
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 December 2018
Transcript Deadline: 04 December 2018
Referee Deadline: 04 December 2018
Funding Sources
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.
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
Tuition / Program Costs
| Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $104.00 | $168.25 |
| Tuition * | ||
| Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
| Tuition per installment | $1,632.61 | $2,868.22 |
| Tuition per year | $4,897.83 | $8,604.66 |
| Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | $3,200.00 (-) | |
| Other Fees and Costs | ||
| Student Fees (yearly) | $930.14 (approx.) | |
| Costs of living (yearly) | starting at $16,884.10 (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. 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. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
Statistical Data
Enrolment Data
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 25 | 28 | 47 | 38 | 26 |
| Offers | 13 | 13 | 19 | 17 | 16 |
| New registrations | 8 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| Total enrolment | 76 | 78 | 73 | 77 | 76 |
Completion Rates & Times
This program has a graduation rate of 77.55% based on 49 students admitted between 2005 - 2008. Based on 33 graduations between 2014 - 2017 the minimum time to completion is 2.66 years and the maximum time is 8.66 years with an average of 5.42 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: 9 March 2018]. 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: 23 September 2018].
Upcoming Doctoral Exams
Tuesday, 4 December 2018 - 12:30pm - 310, Neville Scarfe Building, 2125 Main Mall
Ying Ma
Becoming a Teacher Does Not Come That Easily: Aristotle, Confucius and Education
Wednesday, 5 December 2018 - 12:30pm - 310, Neville Scarfe Building, 2125 Main Mall
Priya Anka Lekhi
International Students' Epistemologies and Learning Experiences in Specially Designed First-Year Chemistry Courses
Wednesday, 16 January 2019 - 9:00am - Room 203
Fu-Hui Liu Baergen
Generative Tensionality: Intellectual Works of Ted Tetsuo Aoki
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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Butler, Joy (action research, human movement, physical education, teacher development, Action Research, Assessment, Children & Youth, Curriculum Studies Research, Pedagogy, Teacher Education Research, Teacher Research)
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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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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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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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Grimmett, Peter (Action Research, Curriculum Studies, Higher Education, Pedagogy, Policy Studies, Teacher Education, Teacher Research)
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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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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)
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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, technology, STEM education, educational innovation)
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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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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)
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Phelan, Anne (Curriculum Studies, Feminist Studies, Pedagogy, Philosophy, Teacher Education)
Pages
Recent Doctoral Citations
- Dr. Marie-France Berard
"Dr. Berard studied the experience of encountering art with the concepts of desire and assemblage from philosopher Gilles Deleuze. Arising from this research is the understanding that encountering art is a milieu of immanent ethics. It invites us into experiences of living; we never know how we will be affected and what possibilities are actualized." (May 2018) - Dr. Wanying Wang
"Informed by the theory of curriculum-currere and ancient Chinese philosophical thought, Dr. Wang described how subjectivity has been reconstructed through writing autobiographically and academic studies. Findings propose that learning not only happens in classroom but also within the subjective sense of intellectual labour in a person's life." (May 2018) - Dr. Jee Yeon Ryu
"Dr. Ryu studied how young children learn to play the piano by using a creative non-fictional form of storytelling. Her research illustrates the importance and value of piano teachers' pedagogical stories in the development of piano pedagogy for young children and piano teacher education." (May 2018) - Dr. Thompson Mumuni
"Dr. Mumuni studied teacher practices in kindergarten classrooms, in Ghana. His findings revealed that teaching practices were developmentally appropriate, making learning meaningful through contextually relevant language of instruction, age-and culturally-appropriate learning materials, and the use of storytelling, traditional songs and traditional rhymes." (November 2017) - Dr. Yu-Ling Lee
"Dr. Lee studied how religion and spirituality matter in the consumer use, design, and engineering of media and technology. His research showcases how educators, makers, and hackers, articulate networks of theological values alongside technological creations, practices, and personal ways of being." (November 2017)
Sample Thesis Submissions
Further Program Information
Program Website
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
VGDPHD-F5
September 2019 Intake
Application Open Date
01 October 2018 Canadian Applicant Deadline
01 December 2018 International Applicant Deadline
01 December 2018 Program Information
Application Enquiries
- Alan Jay, edcp.grad@ubc.ca
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update the application inquiries contact details please use this form.