Applying to HDLC for a graduate degree? Here are some responses to your FAQ!
A Master of Arts (MA) degree is a research-based degree that includes coursework and research that is written up as a thesis. This degree emphasizes the preparation of researchers, although it is completed by many educators as well. When deciding which kind of Master degree to undertake, consider if you would like to conduct original research. This requires completing a research proposal, defending it with your thesis committee, completing an ethics application, collecting and analyzing data, and writing a thesis. After the thesis is written, you will complete a final defence with your two committee members and a third external committee member.
Students who complete an MA are interested in completing original research in the present and, potentially, further education and research in the future, such as doctoral work. Previous HDLC students who have completed an MA have gone on to support research in school districts, NGOs, and universities, for example, as research consultants, as well as returning to their classrooms and continuing on to doctoral studies.
A Master of Education (MEd) is a practitioner-oriented degree for educators, such as classroom teachers and community-based educators, and includes coursework with a final capstone experience. This degree builds on teaching experiences and extends them, most often in an area of specialization, such as social and emotional learning (SEL) or learning in digital cultures (LDC) in HDLC. Previous HDLC students who have completed an MEd have returned to their classrooms and become lead teachers in their schools, or moved into the role of educators and program designers for NGOs.
Normally, applicants for a master's degree program must hold the academic equivalent of a four-year bachelor's degree from UBC including one of the following:
- a minimum overall average in the B+ grade range (76-79% at UBC) in third-year level and above courses; or
- Academic standing with at least 12 credits of third- or fourth-year courses in the A grade range (80% or higher at UBC) in the field of study.
Applicants who have a four-year bachelor’s degree, or its academic equivalent, which does not meet the requirements stated above, but who have had significant formal training and relevant professional experience to offset such deficiencies, may be granted admission on the recommendation of the graduate program and approval of the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. For International students please see link below for equivalent grade: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/country/canada.
The best references are from people who know you, have worked with or alongside you, and can speak to your preparation for graduate studies and/or research.
For an application to the MA program, your previous university instructors and instructors who can speak to your research experiences would be a good choice.
For application to the MEd program, your previous university instructors would be a good choice, along with professional colleagues, such as lead teachers and/or school administrators, who can speak objectively about your work.
If possible, it is best to have most of your references be academic references.
Pre-requisite courses can be taken prior to applying, as an unclassified student, or at the beginning of the program, if you are accepted. Please note: Taking these courses prior to applying does not guarantee acceptance into the program.
The pre-requisite courses for the HDLC MA program are EPSE 481 Introduction to Research in Education, 482 Introduction to Statistics for Research in Education, and 462 Human Development in Education. If you have not taken these specific courses, but have taken courses that are equivalent, you can submit your previous course outline for review for course equivalence to the HDLC coordinator for review by faculty responsible for the course. If the course is deemed equivalent, we will waive the required pre-requisite.
The pre-requisite courses for the HDLC MEd program are EPSE 483 Reading and Interpreting Research in Education and EPSE 462 Human Development in Education. If you have not taken these specific courses, but have taken courses that are equivalent, you can submit your previous course outline for review for course equivalence to the HDLC coordinator for review by faculty responsible for the course. If the course is deemed equivalent, we will waive the required pre-requisite.
HDLC reviews all applications that are complete by the due date as a committee of the whole. All applications are compared in the pool of applicants for each program and only the top applications are accepted. Thus, even if you meet all the requirements, it is possible that you might not be accepted.
Each MEd student works with a Program Advisor; the Program Advisor advises the student and ensures the program coursework is completed. Each MA student works with a Research Supervisor. In addition to advising the student and ensuring the program coursework is completed, the Research Supervisor also provides supervision for the research thesis. The additional role played by Research Supervisors tends to mean that more MEd students are accepted than MA students, as a Research Supervisor must be available to work with you for you to be accepted.
Applicants to HDLC have degrees from relevant fields, such as in education, psychology, sociology, linguistics. Some of our students have also come from anthropology and journalism.
Please note: A background in human resources is not sufficient for an application.
As noted in Question 1, students who have graduated from HDLC have moved on to occupations in a number of areas. As educators, they have moved on to the role of lead teacher and community educators. As researchers, they have moved on to research related roles in school districts and NGOs, and continued their education as well.
Visit the following profiles to meet our former students:
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/campus-community/meet-our-students/hein-salvi-claire-valeria
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/campus-community/meet-our-students/hesse-cassandra
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/campus-community/meet-our-students/molyneux-tonje
It is an excellent idea to reach out to potential Research Supervisors before applying to the MA or PhD program to confirm if they are accepting graduate students.
At present, HDLC offers one online MEd program for educators: the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Online MEd Program. Information regarding this program can be found here:
For MEd students, there is no funding available. There are some Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) and Graduate Administrative Assistant (GAA) positions that MEd students have applied for and stepped into.
For MA students, there is a small amount of funding available for continuing students, travel, and research. Please see information here. Domestic MA students can also apply to the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Program: Master’s Program. There are also some Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), Graduate Administrative Assistant (GAA), and Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) positions that MA have applied for and stepped into.
For doctoral students, we offer a 4 year Guaranteed Funding Package for all students admitted. Doctoral students must also apply to the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Program: Doctoral Program.
In addition, students receive regular email communication within Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education regarding award deadlines over the course of the academic year with application information. Please note: Comprehensive list of all awards for Graduate Students at UBC.