Overview

The PhD in Educational Studies is a research-oriented doctoral program for students interested in any of the study areas offered in the department, such as adult and community education and social movements; citizenship and human rights; continuing professional education; cultural politics, critical multiculturalism and feminist studies; educational leadership and policy; epistemology (the study of knowledge and knowing), ethics, and political philosophy; equity in education (on the axes of race, disability, gender, class, and sexuality); Indigenous education; international and comparative education; media, popular culture and representation or youth and children in schools, families, and communities.

Students are required to take two first-year doctoral seminars and a second-year doctoral seminar. All other courses in a student's program are determined in consultation with faculty. Students in the PhD program typically devote two years to coursework, and two to four years to developing and carrying out a research project designed to make an original contribution to knowledge in the study area.

 
 

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Admission Information & Requirements

Program Instructions

Please ensure you follow the instructions in the online application system. After submitting your application, it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all supporting materials are submitted properly and by the application deadline. The Admissions Committee will only review complete applications. You can check the status of your application and supporting materials through the online application system.

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.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
01 August 2024
Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 15 November 2024
Transcript Deadline: 15 November 2024
Referee Deadline: 29 November 2024
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 15 November 2024
Transcript Deadline: 15 November 2024
Referee Deadline: 29 November 2024

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

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Educational 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.

It is very important to contact at least one EDST faculty member who could be a potential supervisor of your PhD work (i.e. has expertise and interest in the area and/or topic you want to focus on) and inquire whether they would be willing to supervise your work.

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

FeesCanadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / DiplomatInternational
Application Fee$116.25$168.25
Tuition *
Installments per year33
Tuition per installment$1,838.57$3,230.06
Tuition per year
(plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%)
$5,515.71$9,690.18
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) $3,200.00 (-)
Other Fees and Costs
Student Fees (yearly)$1,116.60 (approx.)
Costs of livingEstimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies.
* 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.

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 in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD from September 2024. 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 $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Average Funding
Based on the criteria outlined below, 22 students within this program were included in this study because they received funding through UBC in the form of teaching, research, academic assistantships or internal or external awards averaging $33,720.
  • 5 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 5 students was $5,974.
  • 9 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 9 students was $7,124.
  • 8 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 8 students was $8,159.
  • 22 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 22 students was $20,418.
  • 4 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 4 students was $29,583.

Study Period: Sep 2022 to Aug 2023 - average funding for full-time PhD students enrolled in three terms per academic year in this program across years 1-4, the period covered by UBC's Minimum Funding Guarantee. Averages might mask variability in sources and amounts of funding received by individual students. Beyond year 4, funding packages become even more individualized.
Review methodology
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.

Graduate 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 supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate 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.

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

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 Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

74 students graduated between 2005 and 2013: 3 graduates are seeking employment; 1 is in a non-salaried situation; for 4 we have no data (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016). For the remaining 66 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 (15)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (2)
Vancouver Island University (2)
Universite Laval
Calvin College
Brock University
University of Calgary
Whatcom Community College
Simon Fraser University
Sample Employers Outside Higher Education
BC School District (2)
World Vision International
Our Lady of Guadalupe Tonantzin Community Society
Yukon Department of Education
Kootenay Boundary Community Services Cooperative
Ismali Tariqua and Religious Education Board
Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group
Southern California Tribal Chairmen's Association
St Paul's Hospital Foundation
Canadian eLearning Network
Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education
Consultant (2)
Executive director (2)
Owner (2)
Director, Problematic Substance Use Prevention
Education Technical Lead, Integrated Programmes Department
VIce Principal
Author
Consultant (Therapist)
Contract Researcher
Teacher
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.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Educational 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

 20232022202120202019
Applications5877806583
Offers1077108
New Registrations57365
Total Enrolment4851545859

Completion Rates & Times

This program has a graduation rate of 85% based on 34 students admitted between 2011 - 2014. Based on 25 graduations between 2020 - 2023 the minimum time to completion is 5.12 years and the maximum time is 11.62 years with an average of 7.51 years of study. All calculations exclude leave times.
Disclaimer
Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new registrants for each registration year, May to April, e.g. data for 2022 refers to programs starting in 2022 Summer and 2022 Winter session, i.e. May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Data on total enrolment reflects enrolment in Winter Session Term 1 and are based on snapshots taken on November 1 of each registration year. Program completion data are only provided for datasets comprised of more than 4 individuals. Graduation rates exclude students who transfer out of their programs. 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.

Research Supervisors

Supervision

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

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Educational 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.

It is very important to contact at least one EDST faculty member who could be a potential supervisor of your PhD work (i.e. has expertise and interest in the area and/or topic you want to focus on) and inquire whether they would be willing to supervise your work.

 
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.

 

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
2012 Dr. Iqbal studied departmental practices that contribute to professional growth in teaching among tenure-track university professors. She found that, although summative peer review of teaching makes little contribution to professional growth, there are numerous informal and formal departmental practices that are conducive to a culture that values teaching.
2012 Dr. Creighton explored the experiences of young men following the accidental death of a friend. Her findings provide new insights into the way that masculinities, space, place and social discourse intersect to frame men's grief and risk practices.
2012 Dr. Nabavi engaged in a critical analysis of social citizenship in Canada. Focusing on the experiences of young Iranian immigrants,she demonstrated that citizenship learning is tied to the social,cultural,spatial, and political contexts of immigrants' lived experiences.Her research offers practical recommendations for the reform Canadian citizenship education models.
2012 Dr. Kayaalp's dissertation explores the experiences of social, cultural and educational inclusion and exclusion of Turkish immigrant youth in Vancouver. The findings of the study indicate that Turkish youths' experiences change according to their immigration and socio-economic status, gender, and religious affiliation.
2011 Dr. Palacios examined learning and knowledge production in the Chilean solidarity movement and its public pedagogy. She argues understanding social movements as learning communities is essential because learning and knowledge production are central to achieving movement aims, the significance of movements and the value and legitimacy of local movement knowledge.
2011 Dr. Scott Tomita examined how competitive Canadian research funding has led BC university museums to embrace public-private partnerships and fundraising. Her study shows how funding changes at UBC's Museum of Anthropology and the Beaty Biodiversity Museum have transformed them into innovative, entrepreneurial museums which encourage public outreach.
2011 Dr. Walker investigated the nature of and reasons behind recent adult literacy policy reform in New Zealand. Her research illuminates how different interest groups, and current and historical policies and political ideologies, came together to form substantive economic and social policy.
2011 Dr. Tupper analyzed Health Canada's policy response to ayahuasca, a traditional indigenous Amazonian medicine, psychoactive substance, and sacrament for the Brazilian Santo Daime religion. His research critiqued the government's attempt to balance competing interests of drug control, criminal justice, public health, and human rights such as religious freedom.
2011 Dr. Omar examined Islamic education in a multicultural context. His research was a case study on how Islamic educational institutions in Canada negotiate an Islamic worldview and promote Islamic identity within a multicultural society. His findings highlight both the internal challenges and the external pressures that these institution face.
2010 Dr. Blakesley conducted an analysis of how non-Indigenous Yukon school principals define and enact educational leadership in remote Indigenous communities. Their role-perception as leaders and the complex policy contexts affecting their practice was examined. This research sheds light on the cross-cultural tensions of educational leadership in the Canadian North.

Pages

Further Information

Specialization

Educational Studies offers concentrations in Adult Learning and Education; Higher Education; Society, Culture and Politics in Education; and Educational Administration and Leadership.

Faculty Overview

Program Identifier

VGDPHD-G4
 

Apply Now

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

September 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
01 August 2024
Canadian Applicant Deadline
15 November 2024
International Applicant Deadline
15 November 2024
 
Supervisor Search
 

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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