Overview

The MERM Program is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of measurement, program evaluation, and research methodology in the social and behavioral sciences (e.g., Psychology, Education, Quality of Life Studies, Health Studies). For more than 25 years, the faculty and students of the MERM program have been contributing to its international reputation as a leader in the field. Our students and faculty have done research in human and health services, psychological, educational, community and health settings.

 

What makes the program unique?

The MERM Program is the only Program in Canada, and among a short list in North American, in which the students are awarded a degree in "Measurement, Evaluation, and Research Methodology"; that is, a degree in the discipline of MERM rather than a degree in some other social or health science discipline with a focus or specialization in MERM. Being awarded a MERM degree, with interdisciplinary foci, makes our students unique in an international setting.

 

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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: 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 required by some applicants. Please check the program website.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
20 September 2024
Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 December 2024
Transcript Deadline: 01 December 2024
Referee Deadline: 15 December 2024
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 December 2024
Transcript Deadline: 01 December 2024
Referee Deadline: 15 December 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 Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology (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

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

From September 2024 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. 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, 9 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 $33,408.
  • 3 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 3 students was $17,421.
  • 5 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 5 students was $6,528.
  • 9 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 9 students was $16,744.
  • 2 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 2 students was $20,000.

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

15 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 13 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):


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 (5)
University of Victoria
Harvard University
University of New Brunswick
University of Calgary
Sample Employers Outside Higher Education
Educational Testing Service
Blastworks, Inc.
Department of Education & Early Childhood Development
Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education
Research Scientist
Co-founder
Senior Business Intelligence Analyst
Program Development Specialist/Psychometrician
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.
Career Options

MERM graduates are in high demand because of their technical skills and trans-disciplinary perspectives. Our former students are employed as university faculty, data analysts, research scientists, test developers, directors of research in private sector and government, research consultants, assessment and testing specialists in business, industry, and education, certification and credentialing professionals, and psychometricians at research and testing organizations.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology (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
Applications1417181514
Offers11114
New Registrations11114
Total Enrolment1313131313

Completion Rates & Times

This program has a graduation rate of 100% based on 6 students admitted between 2011 - 2014. Based on 6 graduating students from the 2011 - 2014 admissions cohort the minimum time to completion is 3.75 years and the maximum time is 6.36 years with an average of 4.8 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 Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology (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.
 
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.

  • Hubley, Anita (Psychological and health measurement; test development and validation; adult neuropsychological, personality, and mental health topics and assessment; research with general community and vulnerable populations (e.g. elderly, homeless, drug addicted))
  • Kroc, Edward (measurement; applied and theoretical research methodology and best practice; spatio-temporal modelling; Causal inference; urban ecology; life cycle of gulls)
  • Wu, Amery (Development of new psychometric methods (e.g. reliability of complex assessment designs, validation methods using structural equation modeling or item response theory); methodology for group comparison in item responses (e.g. detection of differential option functioning in multiple choice tests); understanding response processes; large-scale educational assessment and English Language assessment)
  • Zumbo, Bruno (Psychological methodology design and analysis, and psychometrics; Statistical theory and modeling; Educational assessment and evaluation; Psychometrics and Test Theory; Mathematical sciences of measurement; Latent Variable Models, Item Response Theory, Factor Analysis, Mixed models; Validity Theory and Validation; Multivariate Analysis)

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
2024 Dr. Ji's research proposed a flexible and practical methodology to improve the validation practice for complex assessments. He demonstrated how validation can be undertaken as an exercise of identifying and explaining the desired and undesired effects.
2022 Dr. Hu's research integrates AI and statistics. Given a short form of a test, an AI was trained to guess what the results would have been had the respondents finished the full test. Traditional statistics was used to visualize how the AI made its decisions. Using the combined method, anyone interested can use AI to shorten a test and know why.
2022 Dr. Park explained an analytical approach to examine individuals' response behaviors in psychological and educational testing. She developed novel applications to understand responding tendencies and nonresponse behaviors. Her research provided new insights into test development and evaluation.
2020 Dr. Coronel examined how changing response formats and scoring methods affect differences between groups based on electronic device, sexual orientation, and gender; including trans and non-binary folk. His research shows how seemingly small choices in survey research shape statistical results and shouldn't be considered obstacles to survey use.
2020 Dr. Roberson investigated the impact of immigration background on social belonging. Situating the measurement of social belonging in schools within an international comparative context, he shows that immigration background and national multicultural integration policy are valuable explanatory variables in the ecological validity argument.
2019 Dr. Shankar applied an innovative method to study how a measure is used between two individuals. Her research extracts data that goes beyond traditional investigations of cognitive processes to include actions, emotions and motivation. Dr. Shankar's work provides a new way forward to help advance the future of validity and measurement research.
2018 Dr. Goodrich studied measurement, evaluation and research methodology. She examined the application of a general diagnostic model to large-scale assessments across Canada and the U.S. Her findings reveal that such application provides a way to gain detailed evidence about mastery, reading literacy, and pathways to proficiency.
2017 Dr. Alkhalaf examined the impact of including research variables that are naturally skewed (such as level of education) in logistic regression, a modeling technique used for making predictions. She found that addition of these variables might negatively impact statistical conclusions and interpretations. Her work concludes with guidelines for researchers.
2017 Increasingly, computer simulations are being used in the field of education. Dr. Olvera Astivia studied computer algorithms used in simulations in the field of psychometrics, the study of mental capacity. His findings revealed that these algorithms rely on unacknowledged assumptions that, if altered, can change the design and conclusions obtained from these simulations.
2016 Dr. Launeanu's research examined how people make decisions when they respond to survey questions. The results suggest that respondents' answers are shaped by cognitive as well as personal and sociocultural factors. These findings will inform the development of better survey questions, and will contribute to an accurate understanding of what the survey responses mean.

Pages

Further Information

Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology (MERM) focuses on the preparation of graduate students to be methodological and measurement specialists. MERM students generally fit into one of three categories:

  • Students who have an applied interest in educational and psychological measurement, program evaluation, or data analysis. These students are more oriented toward the use of measurement, program evaluation, or data analysis techniques in fields such as education, psychology, or health.
  • Students who have strong theoretical interests in technical problems related to areas such as test theory, item response theory, assessment, statistics, factor analysis, and multi-level modelling.
  • Students who find it compatible with their career goals to give equal attention to both applied and theoretical aspects of this program.

Faculty Overview

Program Identifier

VGDPHD-QF
 

Apply Now

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

September 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
20 September 2024
Canadian Applicant Deadline
01 December 2024
International Applicant Deadline
01 December 2024
 
Supervisor Search
 

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