Offered by The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, Community Engagement, Social Change, Equity: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - UBCO is a doctorate in Social & Cultural Studies programme. The programme runs for 48 months, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 10,082 per year (CAD 5,739 per year for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Doctorate
Field:Social & Cultural Studies
Duration: 48 months
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 5,739 / year
International tuition: CAD 10,082 / year
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The PhD in Community Engagement, Social Change and Equity at UBC Okanagan is an interdisciplinary doctorate within the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS) program of the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. It centres on research carried out collaboratively with community partners, recognising the strengths each party brings, and grounds students in community-based participatory research and the conceptual foundations of community engagement. The degree runs 48 months and pairs coursework with a dissertation: 12 credits comprising the Proseminar in Interdisciplinary Studies (IGS 524), the Theme Seminar in Community Engagement, Social Change, and Equity (IGS 586), a 3-credit methods course and a further 3 credits chosen with the supervisor. Milestones are establishing a supervisory committee, presenting and defending a dissertation proposal, passing an oral candidacy examination, and completing and defending the dissertation.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission to this program requires the support of a faculty supervisor along with meeting program-specific criteria; the page does not state a prior-degree requirement or minimum GPA beyond that. Applicants whose first language is not English must meet a minimum IELTS 7.0 overall score, or an equivalent score on another accepted English test. A complete application includes the online application and fee, official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions, a Statement of Intent following the program's own guidelines, English test results where applicable, a CV or résumé, and two reference forms or letters. Applicants are directed to contact a potential faculty supervisor before starting an application. The deadline for the September intake is 15 January, for both domestic and international applicants.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic and international undergraduate applicants both apply through EducationPlannerBC for Winter Session 2027/28 (September 2027 entry) and Summer 2027: applications open in early October 2026 and the equal-consideration deadline is 15 January 2027, 11:59 p.m. PST, the same date for both groups; a few programs keep reviewing late applications on a space-available basis afterwards. Earlier dates apply only to entrance-award consideration -- 15 November 2026 for the International Scholars Program and 1 December 2026 for Presidential/Centennial/Beyond Tomorrow scholars. Several limited-entry programmes -- Law, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Nursing (advanced entry), Occupational/Physical Therapy, Social Work and Teacher Education -- set their own earlier deadlines from October 2026 through February 2027. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
