PhD Program

Students typically take 15-24 credits of course work in the first two academic years of SCARP's PhD program.

Required Courses

Additional courses

• Students may select other appropriate courses in consultation with their supervisory committee. The exact form and structure of the student’s PhD coursework is left to the discretion of the student and their committee and depends on the student’s background preparation and research focus. PhD students generally use their courses to develop disciplinary expertise relevant to their area of research.

Additional Requirements

Doctoral students can proceed to candidacy (the research phase of the PhD degree) upon completion of:

• Required coursework
• The comprehensive exam
• Defence of the research proposal

The basic requirements for the status of "Admitted to Candidacy" are:

• All required course work successfully completed
• Completion of the comprehensive examination
• Successful defense of the research proposal
• Completion of a two-year residency as a full-time student in the PhD program
• Candidacy requirements should normally be completed within the first twenty-four months in the program and, in any case, within the thirty-six month limit established by G+PS.

Preparation

Detailed requirements for the thesis document have been established by the UBC Library. The Faculty of Graduate Studies has developed regulations that govern innovative thesis formats and media.

Final Steps

When a PhD student has completed a final draft of their thesis and all Supervisory Committee members have approved it the thesis must be sent to The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS) for transmittal to the External Examiner and for the final UBC Oral Examination. If a student wishes to proceed directly to the UBC Defense, the Supervisory Committee must agree that the thesis is ready and submit a memo to that effect to the PhD Chair (or Department Head, in cases where the PhD Chair is supervisor).

The thesis transmittal memo and the final thesis are due in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies a minimum of six weeks before the University final oral examination.

University Final Oral Examination

The final step in the Doctoral Program is a formal oral thesis defense administered by the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Regulations pertaining to the University's final oral examination can be found in a reference booklet entitled " The Final Oral Examination Guide for Doctoral Candidates ".

Important timelines highlighted in the booklet are:

Three months before the expected completion of the thesis, the Appointment of External Examiner form must be submitted by SCARP to G+PS

Six weeks before the final oral examination, submit the thesis and departmental memo to G+PS.

Six weeks is the earliest date that a defense can be scheduled after the thesis has been transmitted to the External Examiner by G+PS.

Four weeks before the final oral examination, the Research Supervisor must confirm the date and time of the final oral examination and submit the Examination Program and the Approval of University Examiners forms to G+PS.

Timelines are subject to change. Students should check for documentation updates a minimum of six months prior to their expected thesis defense date.

Formal Preparation and Submission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Please consult or contact the UBC Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies to understand their requirements, such as: 

• Application fees
• Online application problems
• Minimum academic requirements
• Transcript requirements
• Translations of transcripts
• Letters of Reference requirement
• GRE requirements
• Evidence of English Language requirements

Applicants are required to prepare and submit a research statement of intent (approximately 1,000 words). The statement should outline the thesis project you wish to undertake, the research methods you expect to use, and how the work builds on or draws from your previous training or experience.

Applicants must submit a copy of their Master’s thesis for their application. Previous academic publications, or previous academic projects are also considered acceptable writing samples.

Each applicant must submit a CV/resume detailing educational background, work and/or volunteer experience, publications, and any academic or professional awards earned. 

It is not possible to defer admission. If you are accepted but do not register you may apply again by submitting a new application form and paying the fee. Your admission would be considered along with others applying for that year.

Applicants selected for consideration for admission will be invited to an interview with their prospective research supervisor and Program Chair. Final admission decisions will be made after the interview. 

Applicants admitted to the program will commence full-time studies in September. The School of Community and Regional Planning does not admit students at any other time of year.